United Rugby Championship

[Hippo]

A couple of weeks ago I'd have said Johnny Fean, but sadly...

[Bigdickenergy]

The video of the stormers celebrating that Munster result….little bit over the top no? I know they’ve got a home final which is great for them but if I were Munster I’d still feel a little disrespected by that. Celebrating like they’d won the whole thing. Suppose the same thing could be said for Munster celebrating the win over Leinster but at least that was an actual game they won that they celebrated, a tough away game at that, not the result of someone else.

[Colmodon]

The video of the stormers celebrating that Munster result….little bit over the top no? I know they’ve got a home final which is great for them but if I were Munster I’d still feel a little disrespected by that. Celebrating like they’d won the whole thing. Suppose the same thing could be said for Munster celebrating the win over Leinster but at least that was an actual game they won that they celebrated, a tough away game at that, not the result of someone else.

Imagine the financial impact of avoiding the outlay on another set of flights and accommodation for 40+ people while also getting to host a final is pretty enormous

[Blueberry]

Bottom line is they get a home final and one they can win. Travel to Dublin means for most fans watching it on the box and a full bore Leinster.

Entirely understand it.

[Flash Gordon]

The video of the stormers celebrating that Munster result….little bit over the top no? I know they’ve got a home final which is great for them but if I were Munster I’d still feel a little disrespected by that. Celebrating like they’d won the whole thing. Suppose the same thing could be said for Munster celebrating the win over Leinster but at least that was an actual game they won that they celebrated, a tough away game at that, not the result of someone else.

Home final, no travel and favourites knocked out. Many reasons to be cheerful though Munster may chose to use it that way..

[sunshiner1]

by Blueberry


Bottom line is they get a home final and one they can win. Travel to Dublin means for most fans watching it on the box and a full bore Leinster.

Entirely understand it.

Same. Big occasion for them (again). More money in the coffers at home and a team they feel they can beat. I'd be happy also.

I hope for both teams that the pitch gets some TLC, apparently it was not in good shape for the Connacht game.

[RoboProp]

That was Keith Earls last game on Irish soil in front of Munster supporters. If they had elephants, an Aer Corps flypast, and Brian May soloing through "Limerick you're a Lady" from atop one of the stands, that'd be okay by me

It would have to be Moyross's own Noel Hogan instead of Brian May

A couple of weeks ago I'd have said Johnny Fean, but sadly...

I remember the first time I heard Dearg Doom, I was working as a lounge boy in the local collecting glasses and the live band on did a cover of it, I was instantly transfixed. I got the name of the song and the artist and the next day I parted with some hard earned cash with Tommy Tighe in the Sound Cellar. The year after Put Em Under Pressure comes out and you can't escape the riff, what a gift to the world.

[Hippo]

The year after Put Em Under Pressure comes out and you can't escape the riff, what a gift to the world.

That old favourite, 'Trad.Arr.' to be fair:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLciCDGrQgg

[heno]

What do people prefer, the URC and Champions Cup final a week apart like this year, or a few weeks apart like last year?

I know some of the great teams back in the day were able to win both league and Champions Cup one week apart, and in one sense I would like us to do the same, set the bar as high as possible. But I also think from the particular view point of the Irish teams, we will always prioritise europe in a way the english and french never will.

I would much rather if we are going to be beaten, then be beaten properly like last year by the Bulls. But this year, finishing the regular league so far in front, and then fielding a weakened team a week out from the Champions cup final, and then being beaten, just leaves me feeling very "nothing" about the whole thing. Like what was the point.

Ultimately, I think it devalues the whole enterprise, and if we want the league to be considered an equal among the other 2 leagues, then we need to see all teams fielding their strongest and having a proper finale to the league, ie lets have the Champions Cup, followed by QF/Barrage, SF, and F to URC.

PS I know a lot of people will say the Champions Cup should be the last game of the season, but the english and the french will never give in to that.

PPS I expect this year is probably due to the world cup, and next year we are starting quite late, so there probably will be a gap between the finals anyway. I haven't seen a calendar published yet.

[Oldschoolsocks]

What do people prefer, the URC and Champions Cup final a week apart like this year, or a few weeks apart like last year?

I know some of the great teams back in the day were able to win both league and Champions Cup one week apart, and in one sense I would like us to do the same, set the bar as high as possible. But I also think from the particular view point of the Irish teams, we will always prioritise europe in a way the english and french never will.

I would much rather if we are going to be beaten, then be beaten properly like last year by the Bulls. But this year, finishing the regular league so far in front, and then fielding a weakened team a week out from the Champions cup final, and then being beaten, just leaves me feeling very "nothing" about the whole thing. Like what was the point.

Ultimately, I think it devalues the whole enterprise, and if we want the league to be considered an equal among the other 2 leagues, then we need to see all teams fielding their strongest and having a proper finale to the league, ie lets have the Champions Cup, followed by QF/Barrage, SF, and F to URC.

PS I know a lot of people will say the Champions Cup should be the last game of the season, but the english and the french will never give in to that.

PPS I expect this year is probably due to the world cup, and next year we are starting quite late, so there probably will be a gap between the finals anyway. I haven't seen a calendar published yet.

the URC and HCup knockouts came too fast after each other, I'd much rather a couple of week gap after the Cup final. Also the 1/4 final for the URC is just not needed

[Dave Cahill]

If we want to promote the URC as the premium competition that it is, we need to give it space to breathe and flex it's muscles. Squeezing in so many knockout rounds of multiple competitions week on week doesn't do either competition any favours. We need to leave two weeks lead-in to the semi-finals of Europe and the semi-finals in the URC. Now if that means the URC has to go deep into June, so be it

[the spoofer]

I doubt the URC are thrilled with another final in SA. They get the gate for the final and selling tickets at €5 a piece even if you fill the place won't match say a 40K crowd in the Aviva.

[paddyor]

If we want to promote the URC as the premium competition that it is, we need to give it space to breathe and flex it's muscles. Squeezing in so many knockout rounds of multiple competitions week on week doesn't do either competition any favours. We need to leave two weeks lead-in to the semi-finals of Europe and the semi-finals in the URC. Now if that means the URC has to go deep into June, so be it

Yeah I think this is right. Having 5 weekends of knock out rugby is expensive and difficult to negotiate with herself. I'm never booking up a month of matches like this again apparently

[Serb]

I think having 8 teams in the playoffs is nonsense too. Should be top 4, semi and final. We’re making the same mistake as the Champions Cup and trying to milk the knockout stages.

I also think that to win the league, it should be a requirement that you actually do well in the league. 3rd vs 5th to “win” the league is a joke, but that’s what we have right now.

[paddyor]

I think Connacht and Munster haved proved the case for the top 8 QFs tbh.

[sunshiner1]

by paddyor

Yeah I think this is right. Having 5 weekends of knock out rugby is expensive and difficult to negotiate with herself. I'm never booking up a month of matches like this again apparently

That's another factor having people travelling/buying marked-up tickets to these games every week is a pull on the old wallett. It's much easier to explain to the partner when there's a period apart.

[Flash Gordon]

If we want to promote the URC as the premium competition that it is, we need to give it space to breathe and flex it's muscles. Squeezing in so many knockout rounds of multiple competitions week on week doesn't do either competition any favours. We need to leave two weeks lead-in to the semi-finals of Europe and the semi-finals in the URC. Now if that means the URC has to go deep into June, so be it

Couldn't agree more. Both competitions have extended the knockout stages so to win both you have to win 7 games week after week many of which are close to test match intensity. When you have a club that has played more than 60 players in a season using a semi final to rotate players you know you've messed up. As you say spacing would improve the standard of the competition and it has the potential to be the best league competition in the world.

[Oldschool]

If we want to promote the URC as the premium competition that it is, we need to give it space to breathe and flex it's muscles. Squeezing in so many knockout rounds of multiple competitions week on week doesn't do either competition any favours. We need to leave two weeks lead-in to the semi-finals of Europe and the semi-finals in the URC. Now if that means the URC has to go deep into June, so be it

Couldn't agree more. Both competitions have extended the knockout stages so to win both you have to win 7 games week after week many of which are close to test match intensity. When you have a club that has played more than 60 players in a season using a semi final to rotate players you know you've messed up. As you say spacing would improve the standard of the competition and it has the potential to be the best league competition in the world.

And as someone suggested earlier a bye to the SF for the top two seeds, however the playoffs are managed but six teams seems like a better fit

[paddyor]

If we want to promote the URC as the premium competition that it is, we need to give it space to breathe and flex it's muscles. Squeezing in so many knockout rounds of multiple competitions week on week doesn't do either competition any favours. We need to leave two weeks lead-in to the semi-finals of Europe and the semi-finals in the URC. Now if that means the URC has to go deep into June, so be it

Couldn't agree more. Both competitions have extended the knockout stages so to win both you have to win 7 games week after week many of which are close to test match intensity. When you have a club that has played more than 60 players in a season using a semi final to rotate players you know you've messed up. As you say spacing would improve the standard of the competition and it has the potential to be the best league competition in the world.

And as someone suggested earlier a bye to the SF for the top two seeds, however the playoffs are managed but six teams seems like a better fit

As someone who raised it. I think Connacht and Munster winning mean that won't happen.

[neiliog93]

If we want to promote the URC as the premium competition that it is, we need to give it space to breathe and flex it's muscles. Squeezing in so many knockout rounds of multiple competitions week on week doesn't do either competition any favours. We need to leave two weeks lead-in to the semi-finals of Europe and the semi-finals in the URC. Now if that means the URC has to go deep into June, so be it

This and/or eliminate the 1/4 final of the URC.