URC 22/23

[Laighin Break]

Chris Jones tweeted that twelve Cardiff players, earning up to £250k, have been informed that the max they will be offered next season in £30k!

Source: https://twitter.com/chrisjonespress/sta ... 3181415424

[ronk]

May as well not offer a contract to someone on £250k as offer them £30k.

It'd cause less trouble. This a huge FU to players who called off strike action and risks escalation.

I know they want to save money, but it's (pretty much) March and these players missed a window to go to market because they showed faith to the WRU. Give them a year on better money and tell them early to start looking. That headline figure might only be 1 person but it's an ugly headline. When you cut people, do it right.

[Schumi]

"Up to" must be covering a lot of ground in that sentence. There couldn't be 12 players in Cardiff on that level of money surely, assuming that the WRU aren't offering international players £30k a year.

[hugonaut]

The text below is from an article published in May 2022 [source: https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rug ... m-23919076 ]

"The real issue is with the number of middle-tier players earning exorbitant salaries and featuring in the first team all too infrequently. The regions' current spend on player salaries is expected to be in the region of £5 million for the Dragons, upwards of £6.5 million for Ospreys and Cardiff and around £8 million for the Scarlets."

[ronk]

Ross Moriarty likely leaving Dragons. Max salary of £278,000 an issue. Got dropped once Faletau came back to Wales.
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rug ... source=nba

Looks like Welsh players have been able to walk their salaries up by going (or using the threat of colleagues who have gone) to England for a few years.

There's no easy way to cut salaries fast.

[ronk]

The Welsh seem to have gone strongly for their version of central contracts at a time when Ireland had been reducing them. https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rug ... s-18763107

The key to Irish rugby isn't the provinces, it's that player movement is an aberration.

38 players, pay bands, loss of control of finances. Seems to be modelled closer to the English system.

[IanD]

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/ ... -the-abyss

Interesting read.

[Dave Cahill]

The Welsh seem to have gone strongly for their version of central contracts at a time when Ireland had been reducing them. https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rug ... s-18763107

The key to Irish rugby isn't the provinces, it's that player movement is an aberration.

38 players, pay bands, loss of control of finances. Seems to be modelled closer to the English system.

What I find both stupid and surprising, is how open they are being about the process. I know people (incl myself) grumble sometimes about the IRFU's opacity, but it has advantages - it allows them to move and respond to changing situations

[paddyor]

The text below is from an article published in May 2022 [source: https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rug ... m-23919076 ]

"The real issue is with the number of middle-tier players earning exorbitant salaries and featuring in the first team all too infrequently. The regions' current spend on player salaries is expected to be in the region of £5 million for the Dragons, upwards of £6.5 million for Ospreys and Cardiff and around £8 million for the Scarlets."

How did the Scarlets spend 8m on that squad. And it's bigger than most fair enough but the real answer is £300k pa for Scott Williams who hasn't been worth that for few years.

[ronk]

Same reason Wasps went under, it wasn't 2 superstars on a million each outside the cap.

They just wmployes a lot of people and some of them where quietly not good value in the middle of the salary scale.

Irish provinces had quiet and gradual clear outs of some of the players who were likely our equivalents.

[Oldschool]

Same reason Wasps went under, it wasn't 2 superstars on a million each outside the cap.

They just wmployes a lot of people and some of them where quietly not good value in the middle of the salary scale.

Irish provinces had quiet and gradual clear outs of some of the players who were likely our equivalents.

With Munster still a WIP but getting there.

[neill_m]

Friday, 3 March 2023

Glasgow Warriors vs Zebre Parma at Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow - 19h35
Referee: Chris Busby
Assistant Referees: Jonny Perriam, Sam O'Neil
Television Match Official: Brian McNeice

Munster vs Scarlets at Musgrave Park, Cork - 19h35
Referee: Ben Blain
Assistant Referees: Andrew Cole, Sam Holt
Television Match Official: Andrew McMenemy

Saturday, 4 March 2023

DHL Stormers vs Cell C Sharks at DHL Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town - 12h30
Referee: AJ Jacobs
Assistant Referees: Marius van der Westhuizen, Cwengile Jadezweni
Television Match Official: Marius Jonker
Split Screen Operator: Egon Seconds

Vodacom Bulls vs Emirates Lions at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria - 14h45
Referee: Jaco Peyper
Assistant Referees: Aimee Barrett-Theron, Griffin Colby
Television Match Official: Quinton Immelman
Split Screen Operator: Ben Crouse

Edinburgh Rugby vs Leinster at The DAM Health Stadium, Edinburgh - 17h05
Referee: Craig Evans
Assistant Referees: Sam Grove-White, Ian Kenny
Television Match Official: Jon Mason

Ospreys vs Benetton at Swansea dot com Stadium, Swansea - 17h15
Referee: Andrew Brace
Assistant Referees: Mike English, Carwyn Williams
Television Match Official: Mark Patton

Cardiff vs Ulster at Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff - 19h35
Referee: Hollie Davidson
Assistant Referees: Adam Jones, Simon Rees
Television Match Official: Dave Sutherland

Dragons RFC vs Connacht at Rodney Parade, Newport - 19h35
Referee: Andrea Piardi
Assistant Referees: Jason Bessant, Mark Butcher
Television Match Official: Stefano Roscini

[Ruckedtobits]

Hollie Davidson getting a big game (Ulster v Cardiff) of huge significance and well deserved. An excellent referee with an unobtrusive presence and a smile on her face when appropriate. Good luck to her.

[Ruckedtobits]

The standard of the Rugby in Stormers v Sharks is extremely random and the refereeing is as bad. But fair play to the camera men and the Director, they can certainly spot enough talent to keep the fans interested.

[Schumi]

Ospreys hit the post with a last minute conversion to lose to Treviso. Keeps Treviso in with a shout for a play off place though with two games in South Africa to finish, it's still unlikely.

[naraic]

"Up to" must be covering a lot of ground in that sentence. There couldn't be 12 players in Cardiff on that level of money surely, assuming that the WRU aren't offering international players £30k a year.

Jackman made the point on RTE tonight that there are semi pro teams in the principality premiership that could outbid the regions if they wanted to and the regions are only offering £30K per annum.

I kind of doubt that its a serious threat for any key talent but some fringe players may see retirement from professional rugby and semi pro rugby as a part time job while transitioning into their post rugby career as an option.

[FLIP]

Rumours abound this side of the Irish sea that Ealing will join the URC as a replacement for the Ospreys, with the WRU apparently agreeing on the basis that Ealing take on ~13-14 Ospreys players

What may be coincidental to this rumour is the owner of Ealing setting up another company:

[Ruckedtobits]

The new titled owners of Ealing RFC are the founder of Trailfinders and his wife. Ben Ward is former (8 years) out-half and current DoR in Ealing. Pure rugby and a good guy according to my sources.

[riocard911]

I could be off on the totally wrong track, but while this might be a helpful development in light of the Welsh regions' sorry state, I fear it could be the thin edge of the wedge aka a trojan horse for merging the increasingly successful URC with a struggling Prem. The Nigels deliberately screwed up the Heino with the help of their Gallic pals, when they didn't get their way; on the basis of that experience, I don't want English involvement in the URC at all. Once bitten, twice shy.....

[FLIP]

I could be off on the totally wrong track, but while this might be a helpful development in light of the Welsh regions' sorry state, I fear it could be the thin edge of the wedge aka a trojan horse for merging the increasingly successful URC with a struggling Prem. The Nigels deliberately screwed up the Heino with the help of their Gallic pals, when they didn't get their way; on the basis of that experience, I don't want English involvement in the URC at all. Once bitten, twice shy.....

True enough - but Ealing haven't been allowed in the members club. So I doubt they want to do the PRL any favours. Meanwhile the RFU may be amenable to this situation because it undercuts the PRL.

And for all their faults, the RFU have at least kept their word when dealing with us, such as voting for us as promised for the World Cup and sending the English teams over at the height of the troubles.