is the Rainbow Cup still going ahead?

[Twist]

Current standings are;

Munster P 2 Pts 9
Bennetton P 2 Pts 9
Dragons P 2 Pts 6
Ospreys P2 Pts 5
Leinster Ps Pts 5

There's a few other teams on 5 points but with a worse points diff behind us.

We're going to have to BP everyone to have any chance of finishing first

[CiaranIrl]

I can't see Munster losing any games, and you know what, I really couldn't care less. I honestly don't think I could muster the energy to care about the final of this nonsense if we were in it. Whatever about whether or not a European cup win would have an asterisk beside it or not, this markey uppy tournament means zilch to me given that they're making up the rules as they go along.

[Dexter]

The final is on Saturday June 19th between either the top 2 in the NH competition / top sides in each of the NH and SH competitions. If latter, Italy being suggested as a venue. The format is flexible!

Are you serious?! What a shitshow

You'd think at this stage they'd finally call the format of the FINAL of the competition like!

Clearly it's difficult to plan during a pandemic, but everything about the communications and planning for this tournament has been a disaster start to finish. Real 'head in the sand' stuff all round.

Agree, total shitshow.

Of course it's difficult to arrange a cross border competition right now but making up the format as you go along like this.... No wonder nobody gives a toss about it.

[cormac]

So, at a time of the season when we finally have a full squad to select a team from, we'll have no match for three weeks after this Friday.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

So, at a time of the season when we finally have a full squad to select a team from, we'll have no match for three weeks after this Friday.

Good point. I said a while ago that if they paused the season for a little while then we might get decent crowds in to some games but didn’t even think of that element.

Sorry to sound like a broken record but this is an absolute disgrace. I know we got some money out of it (but it may have cost us money elsewhere) but whoever paid that out has just paid 6m for f%~k all.

Heads should roll.

I’m also curious about the situation with the rugby championship, how much is that going to wreck the start of the season when details are finally announced. Long term this partnership with SA might make sense but we rushed into it and it’s led to a lot of unnecessary problems.

[heno]

So has anyone any ideas on how they came up with the pairings?
As far as I can see, they have 3 groups, the Irish, the Welsh and the Scots/Italians. Everyone is playing one from each other group. All the Irish are at home to the Welsh, the Welsh are at home to the Scots/Italians and the Scots/Italians are at home to the Irish.
The same group of 3 teams are playing each other, ie leinster play dragons and Glasgow, and when leinster have a bye, dragons play Glasgow.
I can't see any more patterns. Did they just decide the above and then draw names from a hat?

Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk

[Twist]

So, at a time of the season when we finally have a full squad to select a team from, we'll have no match for three weeks after this Friday.

I mentioned this on another thread but I fear we'll have long injury lists post-6N for the foreseeable future. Its going to be another hurdle to clear to win the HECC as currently arranged.

[neill_m]

The Guinness PRO14 Rainbow Cup is set to culminate in an historic ‘North v South’ Final on June 19 so that the dual tournaments operating in Europe and South Africa will tie together to produce one winner.

Planning is now at an advanced stage and all written approvals are expected imminently for the game to take place at a European venue. At this stage in the process it was important for teams, their fans, broadcasters and sponsors to hear of these developments ahead of this weekend’s Rainbow Cup games in Europe and South Africa.

The Northern representative in the final shall be the team who finishes first in the table among the 12 teams in the Guinness PRO14 Rainbow Cup while the Southern representative shall be the side who ranks first in the Rainbow Cup SA competition.

Further details on the ‘North v South’ Guinness PRO14 Rainbow Cup Final will be provided next week.

https://www.pro14.rugby/latest/news/pla ... -cup-final

[mildlyinterested]

rendering every game left pretty much meaningless.

what an utter waste of time.

[wixfjord]

What a joke of a competition from start to finish

[riocard911]

Isn't how I would see it. Life is meaningless per se. I'm just happy each and every weekend I can watch Leinster and/or Ireland playing rugby on the TV in the middle of a worldwide pandemic

[LeRouxIsPHat]

'king hell. Could they not at least do semi finals with two from each hemisphere?

To me it seems clear that someone high up has been pushing this from the start and has just been determined to make it happen regardless of all the available evidence that it was a ridiculous idea from the off.

For anyone who heard Second Captains interview with Owen Keegan about the white water rafting nonsense the parallels are very obvious.

[Ruckedtobits]

This is the shambolic culmination of the Pro14 Board and SARFU having no interest in the concept of supporter engagement or involvement and thereby making a joke of almost all remaining fixtures in this Competition.

Had they decided to have North and South play-offs, more than 75% ofthe remaining games would have a relevance. With this format, barring some very unlikely results this weekend, less than 15% of games after tomorrow will be relevant to outcome. A total disaster and totally the fault of Pro14 Board, not Covid 19

[John23]

All that's missing from this farce is the announcement that the final is being played at a neutral venue halfway between the NH Pro14 teams and SA in Nairobi or Tripoli.

[Dexter]

What a shambles. It means no engagement from a lot of teams and most supporters.
I guess at least we get to see Leinster play a few games before next season.

[Laighin Break]

The Rainbow Cup Northern Hemisphere Group has been blown WIDE OPEN.

[Twist]

Missing out on the BP will probably cost us now. Munster are still one point ahead and their remaining games are at home to Cardiff & away to Zebre

[neill_m]

Benetton control their own destiny and have 1st place if they beat Zebre, Connacht at home and Ospreys away.

[Blueberry]

All that's missing from this farce is the announcement that the final is being played at a neutral venue halfway between the NH Pro14 teams and SA in Nairobi or Tripoli.

Shout out for Tripoli !! Would be the perfect end to this mess !! I wonder did the HSE get Rainbow Cup organisers to do their IT security systems ?

[Ruckedtobits]

Benetton control their own destiny and have 1st place if they beat Zebre, Connacht at home and Ospreys away.

Yes and there is now a very real prospect that Benneton could come through as the NH representative against the best South African Province - probably the Sharks - to compete in the "Grand" final on June 19th in Italy. And what would that do for Italian national rugby?

The anomalous draw provides the perfect opportunity for the Treviso club and their shrewd experienced Coach Kieran Crowley to grab the world rugby headlines in extraordinary fashion and give the Guinness Rainboy Cup a profile they could not have dreamed of.

It is probable that they will wrestle 5 points from their fixture against local rivals Zebre today and they then face Connacht whose defeat of Munster has unzipped this competition in a manner few could have expected. They finish the Pool campaign away in Ospreys in early June.

Munster, Ulster and Connacht and even Dragons will all have a continuing interest in the NH table but Benneton are certainly wearing the Yellow Jersey at this point.