Pro 14 - General Thread

[Dave Cahill]

]Actually, we saw two weeks ago that Isa isn't covered by the Kolpak ruling as he travels as a New Zealand national.

Is that definite Dave? All Pacific Islanders need visas for South Africa so he could actually be on a Fijian passport

It was specifically stated that it was the visa war between SA and NZ that caused this.

[Xanthippe]

]Actually, we saw two weeks ago that Isa isn't covered by the Kolpak ruling as he travels as a New Zealand national.

Is that definite Dave? All Pacific Islanders need visas for South Africa so he could actually be on a Fijian passport

It was specifically stated that it was the visa war between SA and NZ that caused this.

Ah okay thanks - somehow I missed that statement.

[Fireworks]

How is everyone finding the new league format. I know we needed to move forward and I applaud the ability to agree something in the short time available and under the constraints they had but it is a bit of a mess. Hopefully it is transitional.

I would prefer to see a move to a 1st and 2nd division bringing in more European teams. Promotion and relegation would be down to a playoff to avoid under strength teams being promoted and then getting massacred by the big boys. If the travel expenses and general logistics/finances could be sorted it would be a real development that would allow the league to grow by adding teams through the 2nd division and letting them get up to speed naturally. We could fill in the gaps in the 2nd division with a few seconds teams for a few years while looking for suitable teams.

[Dave Cahill]

How is everyone finding the new league format. I know we needed to move forward and I applaud the ability to agree something in the short time available and under the constraints they had but it is a bit of a mess. Hopefully it is transitional.

I would prefer to see a move to a 1st and 2nd division bringing in more European teams. Promotion and relegation would be down to a playoff to avoid under strength teams being promoted and then getting massacred by the big boys. If the travel expenses and general logistics/finances could be sorted it would be a real development that would allow the league to grow by adding teams through the 2nd division and letting them get up to speed naturally. We could fill in the gaps in the 2nd division with a few seconds teams for a few years while looking for suitable teams.

How about, and this is a mad idea, we stop f%~king around with the league format for a couple of years and let it take hold istead of changing it every second year.

Can I also suggest before we talk about bringing in more European teams that people take a look at the Rugby Europe Championships and see how really f%~king dreadful the standard is - I mean apart from maybe, and I mean maybe, Georgia and Romania the rest would really struggle in the top division of the AIL - never mind taking on behemoths like Zebre and the Southern Kings

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I agree about not changing it and that's one of my big issues with the league in general, that they've made these changes but it's likely to change again soon anyway. It just feels very temporary at the moment. I don't like the conference system at all but not sure anything can be done about it.

[simonokeeffe]

Edinburgh have suspended John Hardie pending a SRFU investigation for undisclosed reasons, hes ruled out of AIs too

[blockhead]

Edinburgh have suspended John Hardie pending a SRFU investigation for undisclosed reasons, hes ruled out of AIs too

Cocaine

[paddyor]

Edinburgh have suspended John Hardie pending a SRFU investigation for undisclosed reasons, hes ruled out of AIs too

Cocaine

It's a helluva drug!

[simonokeeffe]

Edinburgh have suspended John Hardie pending a SRFU investigation for undisclosed reasons, hes ruled out of AIs too

Cocaine

It's a helluva drug!

off to Bath so

unless he took it before a game it's not performance enhancing but hes a silly boy nonetheless
shame, hes a good player

[blockhead]

The Kings’ PRO14 match against top Irish team Ulster will be hosted at the Wolfson Stadium in Kwazakhele, Port Elizabeth on Saturday, November 4, with a bumper crowd expected for the new initiative.

[rooster]

The Kings’ PRO14 match against top Irish team Ulster will be hosted at the Wolfson Stadium in Kwazakhele, Port Elizabeth on Saturday, November 4, with a bumper crowd expected for the new initiative.

It could be their first win depending on how many tackle bag holders Joe conscripts

[neill_m]

The Kings’ PRO14 match against top Irish team Ulster will be hosted at the Wolfson Stadium in Kwazakhele, Port Elizabeth on Saturday, November 4, with a bumper crowd expected for the new initiative.

Ground holds 10k apparently. Doing an Edinburgh.

[simonokeeffe]

The Kings’ PRO14 match against top Irish team Ulster will be hosted at the Wolfson Stadium in Kwazakhele, Port Elizabeth on Saturday, November 4, with a bumper crowd expected for the new initiative.

Ground holds 10k apparently. Doing an Edinburgh.

Suspending their back row?

[neill_m]

Round 7 Fixtures and TV Details (Irish Time)

Fri 27th Oct

7:35pm Connacht v Munster TG4
7:35pm Glasgow v Southern Kings BBC ALBA
7:35pm Ospreys v Dragons BBC2W

Sat 28th Oct

2pm Benetton v Edinburgh
5pm Zebre v Cheetahs
6:30pm Ulster v Leinster BBC2NI/Sky Sports
7:35pm Scarlets v Cardiff S4C

Predicting wins for Munster, Glasgow, Ospreys, Benetton, Zebre, Leinster and Scarlets.

[neill_m]

Round 8

Friday Nov 3rd

7:35pm Glasgow v Leinster BBC ALBA/TG4 (Full Deferred Coverage - 9:30pm)
7:35pm Munster v Dragons
7:35pm Scarlets v Treviso BBC2W

Sat Nov 4th
1pm Southern Kings v Ulster BBC2NI
5:30pm Edinburgh v Ospreys Sky Sports Arena
7:35pm Cardiff v Zebre S4C
7:35pm Connacht v Cheetahs TG4

The time of the year when clubs start losing players for the AIs. Reckon Munster and Scarlets should win, fancy Leinster to win in Glasgow. Edinburgh and Cardiff should edge their matches. Connacht should win, but will not be easy. Ulster should win in SA, but given their lack of performance v Leinster, a 1st win for the Kings cannot be ruled out.

[simonokeeffe]

amalgamated table courtesy of @theblitzdefence

call ups wont help the Ospreys for sure

[Ruckedtobits]

Points difference and then tries scored are usually good indicators of trends. After top five the points difference falls off a cliff. Cheetahs tries scored keeps them in the hunt with Zebre the only bottom half team showing any prospects. Connacht need to start scoring tries........and winning.

[Lar]

Regarding Isa, having played for Fiji is he considered a Kolpak player? (well, as far as the Pro 14 require anyway)

Being qualified to play for a country (and indeed playing for them) isn't the same as being a national of that country. At the end of next season JGP will be qualified to play for Ireland, but he won't be an Irish national and won't have an Irish passport. The Kolpak case was about nationality and the rights attached to certain nationalities, not any particular sports internal regulations.

Isa would be the anti-mafi (careful) - Mafi travelled as a kolpak national (Tonga) though he could never play for a kolpak country (played sevens for NZ), Isa played for a Kolpak country, but travels as a NZ national.

Is Isa entitled to an Irish passport yet? I know he had a break back in Auckland but he has been resident in Ireland for about 7 of the last 9 years now. He may not want an Irish passport of course....

[paddyor]

Edinburgh hammered Ospreys 37-10. Okay it's minus a lot of internationals but in the same fixture last year during the 6n they lost 9-13. A lot of the time last season they'd punch themselves out in the oppo 22 with little idea of how to score or how to make it count. They seem to know how to score now. There was one passage in the Os 22 that went 36 phases before a turnover, but they tried a lot of different things to break down the Os defense. And they made the defensive effort from the Ospreys tell in the end. That puts them level on points with Ulster, and tbh I think they look like overtaking them.

EDIT: Ulster are still 3rd. Ultimate rugby didn't update the scores from earlier.

[blockhead]

Jonathan Davies out for 6 months, foot injury which requires surgery. Big loss for Scarlets and Wales.