Rainbow Cup Rd 1: Saturday, 24 April: Leinster v Munster – KO 7.35pm, RDS Arena

[Peg Leg]

If Leinster get the same dominance as last time but actually convert opportunities, it (will) get ugly. 30-40 points plus.

It won't. We've only scored 30+ points three times in the last twenty fixtures.

But when we score exactly 30... (what a day)

[blockhead]

If Leinster get the same dominance as last time but actually convert opportunities, it (will) get ugly. 30-40 points plus.

It won't. We've only scored 30+ points three times in the last twenty fixtures.

But when we score exactly 30... (what a day)

Yeah that was some night. I remember the pundits on Setanta all predicting that Munster were going to put us in our place after the Croke Park ambush. In many ways it was more significant than Croker, it confirmed the new status quo. Munster were shellshocked.
Shaggy's intercept! Brilliant.
ROG, kicking the ball out at the end to stop the misery.

[Xanthippe]

Is there a format for this thing or are they just making it up as they go along. I can see they have fixtures for the first 5/6 rounds then the fixtures are empty.

It's 6 or 7 pool games and then a final between the two conference/pool winners, seemingly.

They’ve changed it again! It’s 6 games now and all teams are in a single table (or log as the South Africans seem to call it) and the top two play off in the final.

After our three inter pros it appears we’ll have one game against a Welsh team, one against a South African team and one against one of the Italian or Scottish teams.

[mildlyinterested]

Given MHQ comes in for Italy next week...

[Theleinsterlad]

Is there a format for this thing or are they just making it up as they go along. I can see they have fixtures for the first 5/6 rounds then the fixtures are empty.

It's 6 or 7 pool games and then a final between the two conference/pool winners, seemingly.

They’ve changed it again! It’s 6 games now and all teams are in a single table (or log as the South Africans seem to call it) and the top two play off in the final.

After our three inter pros it appears we’ll have one game against a Welsh team, one against a South African team and one against one of the Italian or Scottish teams.

Jesus after all this hype we only get to play one SA team

[Dexter]

It won't. We've only scored 30+ points three times in the last twenty fixtures.

But when we score exactly 30... (what a day)

Yeah that was some night. I remember the pundits on Setanta all predicting that Munster were going to put us in our place after the Croke Park ambush. In many ways it was more significant than Croker, it confirmed the new status quo. Munster were shellshocked.
Shaggy's intercept! Brilliant.
ROG, kicking the ball out at the end to stop the misery.

And GT and co. were horrified by a crackling atmosphere at the RDS that night. Totally disgraceful by the Leinster fans, was supposed to only happen down south.

[Xanthippe]

It's 6 or 7 pool games and then a final between the two conference/pool winners, seemingly.

They’ve changed it again! It’s 6 games now and all teams are in a single table (or log as the South Africans seem to call it) and the top two play off in the final.

After our three inter pros it appears we’ll have one game against a Welsh team, one against a South African team and one against one of the Italian or Scottish teams.

Jesus after all this hype we only get to play one SA team

I know - it’s absolutely ridiculous. I assume each South African team will play:

One of

• Leinster

• Ulster

• Munster

• Connacht

plus one of

• Scarlets

• Ospreys

• Cardiff

• Glasgow

and one of

• Dragons

• Edinburgh

• Zebre

• Benetton

[wixfjord]

Very interesting to see what side we go with for this. Two weeks break and then a week to the semi. We should be using this to give guys a hit out who need it.

I'd hope with some important guys like Ryan, Doris, Ringer, JGP etc coming back to see something like:

Byrne, Kelleher, Porter, Baird, Ryan, Murphy, Penny, Doris, JGP, Ross, DK, Frawley, Ringer, Larmour, Keenan
Tracy, Healy, Furlong, Toner, Rhys, Luke, Sexton, Lowe

[Blue Man]

Very interesting to see what side we go with for this. Two weeks break and then a week to the semi. We should be using this to give guys a hit out who need it.

I'd hope with some important guys like Ryan, Doris, Ringer, JGP etc coming back to see something like:

Byrne, Kelleher, Porter, Baird, Ryan, Murphy, Penny, Doris, JGP, Ross, DK, Frawley, Ringer, Larmour, Keenan
Tracy, Healy, Furlong, Toner, Rhys, Luke, Sexton, Lowe

I would go with the strongest possible side, it’s important that our semifinal team gets a proper outing so that we don’t go in to it undercooked and ship 14 points in the first eight minutes

[D4surfer]

https://rugby365.com/countries/south-af ... -in-doubt/

FFS it might not go ahead. What a shambles.

[Theleinsterlad]

Why don’t they change their base?

[FLIP]

Probably click bait nonsense. There is no English government, any Visa would apply to Wales and Scotland and NI as well as England. If there was such an issue, it wouldn't be with the training base, but the competition as a whole.

[Blue Man]

Seems credible and not entirely unexpected. Never thought I’d say this but beating Munster every week is getting boring and I was really looking forward to playing the Saffa teams. Fingers crossed for September Pro16 but in the interim, this Pro1X season has been a shambles.

[FLIP]

Seems credible and not entirely unexpected. Never thought I’d say this but beating Munster every week is getting boring and I was really looking forward to playing the Saffa teams. Fingers crossed for September Pro16 but in the interim, this Pro1X season has been a shambles.

How is it at all credible? There is no situation in which they would have visas for Scotland, Wales and NI but not England. UK Visas are for the UK, not the countries/principality beneath that larger banner.

[domhnallj]

It’s not about visas for the different countries. The piece says they were told not to apply for a visa. The issue is presumably on the basis that health is devolved and having a base in England and moving between jurisdictions is the problem.

[FLIP]

It’s not about visas for the different countries. The piece says they were told not to apply for a visa. The issue is presumably on the basis that health is devolved and having a base in England and moving between jurisdictions is the problem.

There's no issues for other professional sports teams doing the same. This isn't being reported elsewhere either.

[domhnallj]

It’s not about visas for the different countries. The piece says they were told not to apply for a visa. The issue is presumably on the basis that health is devolved and having a base in England and moving between jurisdictions is the problem.

There's no issues for other professional sports teams doing the same. This isn't being reported elsewhere either.

I agree. It sounds and reads like horseshit to me.

[wixfjord]

I would assume if it doesn't go ahead there'll be a provincial competition anyway.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

The story is elsewhere now alright, Murray K has it.

How could anyone have predicted this?

[Dave Cahill]

Not overly exercised about the Rainbow Cup, but the Heineken is a problem, and there is a potential solution - one used by the Champions League, a third country venue.