Surprised this isn't up here. Seems as though it is as close as it has been in a long time at the top. What are peoples opinions on who will get in to the play offs?
I personally think marys have to have a good shot given they are playing an already relegated terenure who seem to be on a bit of a spiral by all accounts
'Rock definitely deserve to be in the play-offs. They play the most attractive brand of rugby in the league by far, as evidenced by their 6 bonus points for scoring 4 or more tries. They have also only been beaten by more than 7 points on 3 occasions all season so they're very lucky to be sitting mid-table.
I really think that if they can make it into the final four, they could go all the way. The guys at the club really deserve it for the contribution they have made to the AIL since its inception.
"Hickie, scorching down the wing... God, I've missed saying that!" - Ryle Nugent
Rock should be in the semi-finals but they blew it agianst Dungannon last week. Pity as they're probably the best team in the AIL this season. Shane Monahan (i think thats is name) is the best player I've seen in club rugby this season.
I reckon the top four will be Cork Con, Shannon, Garryowen, Tarf.
Hopefully UCC will be promoted and Stillorgan Tech will stay up. Good to see university rugby doing well.
Blackrock College RFC v U.L. Bohemian Stradbrook
Buccaneers v Old Belvedere Dubarry Park
Clontarf v Dungannon Castle Avenue
Cork Constitution v Ballymena Temple Hill
Garryowen v Galwegians Dooradoyle
Shannon v Dolphin Thomond/Coonagh
Terenure College v St. Mary's College Lakelands
UCD v Young Munster Belfield
Wins with Bonus points predicted for Rock, Tarf, Con, Garryowen and Mary's.
Either Shannon or Dolphin to lose out, unless they draw, in which case both should lose out.
Semi's from Con, Shannon/Dolphin, Garryowen & Tarf, but all dependent on ghetting a win with a bonus point. Mary's points difference is 20 behind those ahead of them and Rock are too far behind to realistically overtake the rest.
Rock need a five pointer and both Tarf and Dolphin to lose with 0 points
... and Marys' to lose as well.
But anything can happen. 2 years ago, Tarf should have been dead & buried on the last day, but got a 5 pointer v 'Gannon & an unexpected result in Limerick went their way.
Darce,Why is sec.A a bad move? The top 8 will play each other twice, the standard will be much better,we have to reduce the gap in class between AIL and ML,this is a good way of doing it. There will be a movement of the better players to the top 8 clubs,and if say 3 Leinster clubs qualify(Clontarf,Rock,St.Marys),i am sure LR will be pushing all their squad players (jerseys 23 to 40 )into these 3 clubs to get them game time.This has to be a good and positive change for the AIL,and Irish rugby.
bgmusic wrote:Darce,Why is sec.A a bad move? The top 8 will play each other twice, the standard will be much better,we have to reduce the gap in class between AIL and ML,this is a good way of doing it. There will be a movement of the better players to the top 8 clubs,and if say 3 Leinster clubs qualify(Clontarf,Rock,St.Marys),i am sure LR will be pushing all their squad players (jerseys 23 to 40 )into these 3 clubs to get them game time.This has to be a good and positive change for the AIL,and Irish rugby.
Not sure if their changing the rule about only being allowed to field three provincially contracted players for next year !
Revised prediction: Mary's to qualify for semi's ahead of Tarf, after the Leinster team announcement today.
bgmusic wrote:Darce,Why is sec.A a bad move? The top 8 will play each other twice, the standard will be much better,we have to reduce the gap in class between AIL and ML,this is a good way of doing it. There will be a movement of the better players to the top 8 clubs,and if say 3 Leinster clubs qualify(Clontarf,Rock,St.Marys),i am sure LR will be pushing all their squad players (jerseys 23 to 40 )into these 3 clubs to get them game time.This has to be a good and positive change for the AIL,and Irish rugby.
As you say,
Best teams will hoover up players from others and then the team that comes up will effectively yoyo up and down as there'll be a huge gulf in class.
Not to mention that the little media attention the AIL does get will be now focused on 1A and not very little on 1B. I perish to think what the coverage of Div2 and 3 will be like...
People will got to a 1A game before a 1B game too...
There never was anything really wrong with the AIL. All that was required was a more flexible fixture list so that games could happen around Leinster games and not clashing with them.
My tuppance worth
"I don't do desserts"
Gary Brown Fundamentalist Supporters' Front
The Front Lives on
Smeehank wrote:Hard luck to Marys. Putting 10 tries past terenure still wasn't enough.
Bet they focking loved socking it to the gick though!
I have it on good authority that nure were dead on their feet after half an hour at which stage they decided to run it from everywhere and had a great laugh
Smeehank wrote:Hard luck to Marys. Putting 10 tries past terenure still wasn't enough.
Bet they focking loved socking it to the gick though!
I have it on good authority that nure were dead on their feet after half an hour at which stage they decided to run it from everywhere and had a great laugh
I'd bet.
Gick are a joke this season.
Had the 'privilage' of observing a 1sts training session about 10 weeks back, when they were still in the mix to get to safety. The contrast was stark when i compared what i saw in rock week in, week out
"I don't do desserts"
Gary Brown Fundamentalist Supporters' Front
The Front Lives on
Smeehank wrote:Hard luck to Marys. Putting 10 tries past terenure still wasn't enough.
Bet they focking loved socking it to the gick though!
I have it on good authority that nure were dead on their feet after half an hour at which stage they decided to run it from everywhere and had a great laugh
If only Marys had shown the same attitude the week before against UCD they would have made the play-offs.
Darce wrote:Hard luck to Marys. Putting 10 tries past terenure still wasn't enough.
Bet they focking loved socking it to the gick though!
I have it on good authority that nure were dead on their feet after half an hour at which stage they decided to run it from everywhere and had a great laugh[/quote]
If only Marys had shown the same attitude the week before against UCD they would have made the play-offs.[/quote]
Or they could have lost. 'Nure are rubbish this year.
