Pro 14 - General Thread

[The Doc]

If I was the Pro14 I'd make it a condition that the broadcaster at least pretend they want to be there - and pretend they know something about the game / teams / league

[Blue not red blood]

Oh sweet Jesus, I thought we had seen the last of Hugh Cahill

[mildlyinterested]

Oh sweet Jesus, I thought we had seen the last of Hugh Cahill

Joanne Cantwell please god.

[mildlyinterested]

If I was the Pro14 I'd make it a condition that the broadcaster at least pretend they want to be there - and pretend they know something about the game / teams / league

[blockhead]

Oh sweet Jesus, I thought we had seen the last of Hugh Cahill

Joanne Cantwell please god.

She's moved on to bigger things now.
Probably Daire or even Jackie

[mildlyinterested]

Oh sweet Jesus, I thought we had seen the last of Hugh Cahill

Joanne Cantwell please god.

She's moved on to bigger things now.
Probably Daire or even Jackie

Daire or Hugh...

you couldn't pay me to listen to them talk rugby.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

If I was the Pro14 I'd make it a condition that the broadcaster at least pretend they want to be there - and pretend they know something about the game / teams / league

On ATH the other day DOB said something about when he used to cover the Pro12/Pro14 and didn’t even know or care what it was called.

I know it sounds like a small thing but his attitude is always similar to that.

I think someone on here mentioned that RTE had rights that meant they could show ATH more often throughout the season but chose not to, have I made that up or can someone confirm?

[Blue not red blood]

Still think Sky would be very interested in having the rights, especially with the SA diaspora in UK

[blockhead]

If I was the Pro14 I'd make it a condition that the broadcaster at least pretend they want to be there - and pretend they know something about the game / teams / league

On ATH the other day DOB said something about when he used to cover the Pro12/Pro14 and didn’t even know or care what it was called.

I know it sounds like a small thing but his attitude is always similar to that.

I think someone on here mentioned that RTE had rights that meant they could show ATH more often throughout the season but chose not to, have I made that up or can someone confirm?

I remember the last Pro12 game they covered. In the RDS, the final against Ulster I think. They didn't discuss the game at all in the pre-match build up.
As they were about to kick off, literally bouncing the ball on the centre spot, Hook was asked for his final thoughts.
"This is a mickeymouse tournament, if a league doesn't have Leisester or Toulouse in it then it's not worth watching" NOT AN EXACT QUOTE.
Hopefully they'd show more respect if they got it again.

[Oldschoolsocks]

If I was the Pro14 I'd make it a condition that the broadcaster at least pretend they want to be there - and pretend they know something about the game / teams / league

On ATH the other day DOB said something about when he used to cover the Pro12/Pro14 and didn’t even know or care what it was called.

I know it sounds like a small thing but his attitude is always similar to that.

I think someone on here mentioned that RTE had rights that meant they could show ATH more often throughout the season but chose not to, have I made that up or can someone confirm?

I remember the last Pro12 game they covered. In the RDS, the final against Ulster I think. They didn't discuss the game at all in the pre-match build up.
As they were about to kick off, literally bouncing the ball on the centre spot, Hook was asked for his final thoughts.
"This is a mickeymouse tournament, if a league doesn't have Leisester or Toulouse in it then it's not worth watching" NOT AN EXACT QUOTE.
Hopefully they'd show more respect if they got it again.

go easy

[Auld Boy]

In fairness Reggie and Tolan are not the greatest commentators.

[fourthirtythree]

Reggie is fine, he actually comments on the match in front of him rather than some imaginary/past event.

[Keith]

Reggie is fine, he actually comments on the match in front of him rather than some imaginary/past event.

Agree on Reggie. Toland is comically bad, I'll never forgot him complementing Munster, the last time they played us on how well they were "winding down the clock" with a maul... There was still 30 minutes left in the game...

[blockhead]

The Rugby Paper saying that Sky have pulled out of the race for Broadcasting rights. Set to stay with Premier but with more free to air games with BBC and S4C.

[Ruckedtobits]

Really sorry to see Jimmy Duffy leave Connacht. He has done a superb job in developing their forward play and in developing good young forwards into good quality professionals. Losing himself and Carolan at one go is very tough on the Province.

No risk that Munster would lose even one of their three senior Coaches. That's the IRFU version of a 'level playing field.

[blockhead]

Guinness PRO14 Dream Team 2020/21

15 Michael Lowry (Ulster) 14 Alex Wootton (Connacht) 13 Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors) 12 Damien de Allende (Munster) 11 Dave Kearney (Leinster) 10 Jack Carty (Connacht) 9 John Cooney (Ulster) 8 Marcell Coetzee (Ulster) 7 Scott Penny (Leinster) 6 Josh Turnbull (Cardiff Blues) 5 Gavin Thornbury (Connacht) 4 Billy Holland (Munster) 3 Michael Bent (Leinster) 2 Kevin O’Byrne (Munster) 1 Eric O’Sullivan (Ulster)

Total Dream Team appearances by club since 2007/08
Leinster: 42 Ospreys: 28 Munster: 23 Glasgow Warriors: 22 Scarlets: 22 Ulster: 21 Cardiff Blues: 17 Connacht: 16 Edinburgh: 13 Benetton Rugby: 3 Toyota Cheetahs: 2 Dragons: 1

3 Leinster Guys (Well done Benty)
And 3 Ex Leinster Guys

[Ruckedtobits]

Thirteen Irish players is some level of domination. O'Sullivan very lucky to get the No 1 Jersey ahead of Edinburgh's S African Schoeman. Wootton & DK fortunate to be ahead of either Treviso wingers. Josh Murphy must have pushed his namesake very closely for No 6 Jersey.

Good team and would represent Pro14 well as a group.

[blockhead]

Simon Thomas has been venting about the Pro14 again.
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rug ... p-20371137

Pulled out some figures for teams budgets, probably out of his arse, but anyhow

They beat a fully loaded Munster 16-6 in last month's final, without even starting big hitters like Johnny Sexton, Tadhg Furlong or James Lowe.

That speaks volumes for the quality of their squad, a by-product of a playing budget of €13m (£11.31) ,to quote the figure used by Scarlets chief executive Simon Muderack last week.
If you look at the Welsh playing budgets, the Scarlets are on £8m, Cardiff Blues £6.8m, the Ospreys around £6.3m and the Dragons £4.8m.

The last time I enquired, Glasgow and Edinburgh were somewhere between £6m and £7m. Guesstimates on the other three Irish provinces range from £6m to £9m. It’s hard to be exact given the opaque nature of the IRFU accounts.
In the Premiership, they have a wage cap.
It’s currently set at £6.4m, plus two marquee players. That will go down to £5m for next season.

Notice how the Leinster figure is in Euros while all comparisons are in Sterling just to make the gap seem bigger. I added the £ figure.

[JB1973]

Simon Thomas is a nice guy who seems to be the mouthpiece of the moaning regional fans who long for an anglo English league and hate the pro 14

The reality is the regions are not going to be in an anglo English league anytime soon so we have to face facts and make the best of the league we are in

How the IRFU fund their sides is frankly none of my concern, the regions were set up with the aim of improving the welsh test team

Since the game went regional we have won four grand slams another two 6 nations titles , reached two world cup semi finals and for a brief time reached number 1 ranked team in test rugby

That is a success by any metric and the wru itself is a v healthy financial situation

Of course I want more funding for the regions but there has to be a balance of how and where it is spent

We can't just throw huge money at a few short term NWQ players and hope for a few trophy's

We should invest in top level facilities, top level coaches from grass roots up and aim to get all our best players back in the regional game.

I can take the regions under performing for a decade or so if it leads to long term success for the game in wales

[Oldschool]

Simon Thomas is a nice guy who seems to be the mouthpiece of the moaning regional fans who long for an anglo English league and hate the pro 14

The reality is the regions are not going to be in an anglo English league anytime soon so we have to face facts and make the best of the league we are in

How the IRFU fund their sides is frankly none of my concern, the regions were set up with the aim of improving the welsh test team

Since the game went regional we have won four grand slams another two 6 nations titles , reached two world cup semi finals and for a brief time reached number 1 ranked team in test rugby

That is a success by any metric and the wru itself is a v healthy financial situation

Of course I want more funding for the regions but there has to be a balance of how and where it is spent

We can't just throw huge money at a few short term NWQ players and hope for a few trophy's

We should invest in top level facilities, top level coaches from grass roots up and aim to get all our best players back in the regional game.

I can take the regions under performing for a decade or so if it leads to long term success for the game in wales

That's pretty much the general direction that the WRU should be going, now that they've achieved what was their stated number one objective of clearing debt.
Has the WRU got the right people in place to think like that and implement the type of plan you have outlined.