'Beach' games need to be reduced

crumlinbob · Post by **crumlinbob** » March 7th, 2006, 3:19 pm

Next season there is no option of Lansdowne or the RDS to play Leinster games. So we either move to another ground (Tolka etc.) or play all our matches in Donnybrook. How long is it going to be before a visiting team refuse to play on that 'pitch' as Leeds did in Calvasino. What then ? As a Leinster season ticket holder I would expect the branch to have decided where we will be playing next season long before the season tickets are up for renewal (remember the RDS ticketing mess early on). If not I will not be renewing mine. I agree that schools rugby plays a very important role in the future of Leinster rugby but while Lansdowne and the RDS is unavailable schools rugby should be played away from Donnybrook. I would also hope that agreement can be reached with Bective and Wesley to move their mini-rugby to another venue for the duration. Next season promises to be a bery successful season for Leinster. The new coaches have settled in well and the new system is up and running. Leinster are for once a very very accomplished and marketable team. Dont spoil it by mis-managing the pitch issue.

CM · Post by CM » March 7th, 2006, 3:21 pm

sheepshagger wrote:Duff

I know LR host some of the Senior Cup games and yes they do get bigger crowds. . . the state of the pitch does not lie. . the ground simply can not sustain the amount of games it currently handles.

SS, the school's game does have a lot to answer for but 2 clubs and the province sharing the same pitch doesn't help either.

I'm willing to give this until next year and see if what the manafacturers are saying is true. I'd still like a reduction in school's games. It should be:

Finals of the weaker sections - 4 (right?)
League final - 1 (or is that 2, is there a Junior league?)
QFs of JCT/SCT - 8
SF of JCT - 1

So that's 14 or 15 games with only 9 over Feb/March. Very manageable even with the odd replay.

sheepshagger · Post by **sheepshagger** » March 7th, 2006, 3:24 pm

Im not so keen to wait untl next year. . .if LR and the RDS are out in 2007 then the HEC games need to be played at Donnybrook. . if thats the case it means less cash for the branch, which in turn means less money for developing the game in Leinster.

Swift Action needs to be taken. . .its not rocket science its just common sense FFS !

CM · Post by CM » March 7th, 2006, 3:30 pm

Swift Action needs to be taken. . .its not rocket science its just common sense FFS !

Huh? There's nothing actually physically to be done. And I've suggested a huge reduction in the amount of schools games. After that you need to target Bective and Wesley but they might have a problem being kicked of their pitch.

Also the report about the RDS suggests that we may be able to play our HEC games there as the work could start after Xmas. At the very least I'd say we'll be able to play round 1 there so we just have to make sure that match is the highest profile one.

sheepshagger · Post by **sheepshagger** » March 7th, 2006, 3:36 pm

Sorry - what I meant was start looking into alternative arrangments for SOME of the Schools games next season. . .so that we are not having this same conversation 12 months from now!

CM · Post by CM » March 7th, 2006, 3:39 pm

sheepshagger wrote:Sorry - what I meant was start looking into alternative arrangments for SOME of the Schools games next season. . .so that we are not having this same conversation 12 months from now!

Definitely. I guess I phrased my original post badly. There has to be a reduction in games but I wouldn't call for a total ban because I think that the pitch will hold up a lot better next season.

thecoolfreak · Post by **thecoolfreak** » March 7th, 2006, 7:26 pm

They've moved the Vinnie Murray Cup final from Donnybrook to Kilternan. I don't see the point in this, because the pitch is hardly going to get any worse and it just f%~ks up a great day for the players involved. Those players put in as much time as Rock and so on and yet don't get to play their final somewhere decent

Leinsterman · Post by **Leinsterman** » March 7th, 2006, 7:54 pm

Don't tell me they're playing it up on Bective's pitch there? That bloody cabbage patch on the side of a hill? Bloody hell, that pitch is dangerous and as for warming up along the sideline?

thecoolfreak · Post by **thecoolfreak** » March 7th, 2006, 7:56 pm

Don't tell me they're playing it up on Bective's pitch there? That bloody cabbage patch on the side of a hill? Bloody hell, that pitch is dangerous and as for warming up along the sideline?

It's DLSP's ground i think

Leinsterman · Post by **Leinsterman** » March 7th, 2006, 7:57 pm

Phew! Still though, it's a final - surely they could have used somewhere like Stradbrook even?

thecoolfreak · Post by **thecoolfreak** » March 7th, 2006, 7:58 pm

surely they could have used somewhere like Stradbrook even?

Thats what i though. I was at a cup game there last year and it is an absolute disgrace of a venue. All the fans are on the one side and are a good distance from the pitch

Leinsterman · Post by **Leinsterman** » March 7th, 2006, 8:01 pm

So much for "giving schools a chance" eh?

I'm dead set against so many schools games being played at Donnybrook but this is the equivalent of the Leinster Senior Cup final for the smaller schools and they play the game at that dump. Did either of these teams even get to play at Donnybrook in the Senior Cup at all?

Pander to the more established names eh?

thecoolfreak · Post by **thecoolfreak** » March 7th, 2006, 8:07 pm

Its really pissed me off becuase my old school's juniors (for whom my brother plays) have a great chance of getting to the Godfrey Cup final. It would only be the second time we have ever got to a school's cup final and if it is played at some shite venue it will ruin the occasion

deco · Post by **deco** » March 7th, 2006, 8:12 pm

does anyone really think that Landsdowne won't be available next year?? They're only starting the planning process now, after that theres the appeals process, then the impact studies then An Bord Pleanala....it'll be 2010 if we're lucky.
Up side of this is we can use Landsdowne whilst the RDS do their stuff, & go back there the year after.

Hey lookin at that pitch it's a good job Roy 'the bhoy' Keane doesn't play rugby for Leinster....

Leinsterman · Post by **Leinsterman** » March 7th, 2006, 8:18 pm

Lansdowne road will definitely be used for the Autumn Internationals - there was an article after the draw for the Euro 2008 qualifiers was done stating that one of the qualifiers (think it's against Cyprus or San Marion .... someone like that) falls on the Wednesday between two of the scheduled rugby matches.
As a result, the FAI have to decide whether to use just the two stands or manage to stick the bucket seats in place in 3 days and then dismantle them within 48 hours ...... a tall order when you consider it takes normally about a week to put them up and the same amount of time to take them down.

Then it's merely a question of steamrolling any petition by the local residents, telling Wanderers to fock off and then send the bulldozers in.

Darce · Post by **Darce** » March 7th, 2006, 8:38 pm

and lets not forget, a pointless rugby league game was played on the sacred Donnybrook car park. what a sham

harryp · Post by **harryp** » March 7th, 2006, 9:34 pm

Not trying to start a major row, but I think the best option is probably Parnell Park

. The Schools & 2 Clubs are still going to have to play the majority og their games in Donnybrook next season, with no LR. We need a stadium that holds 10k+, and moving the home games to the Northside might actually generate support. (The right kind)

Only other option I can think of, which would again generate support is the Belfield Bowl

. No idea what the capacity is though?

ribs · Post by **ribs** » March 7th, 2006, 9:37 pm

Leinsterman wrote:Lansdowne road will definitely be used for the Autumn Internationals - there was an article after the draw for the Euro 2008 qualifiers was done stating that one of the qualifiers (think it's against Cyprus or San Marion .... someone like that) falls on the Wednesday between two of the scheduled rugby matches.
As a result, the FAI have to decide whether to use just the two stands or manage to stick the bucket seats in place in 3 days and then dismantle them within 48 hours ...... a tall order when you consider it takes normally about a week to put them up and the same amount of time to take them down.
Then it's merely a question of steamrolling any petition by the local residents, telling Wanderers to fock off and then send the bulldozers in.

I heard that a couple of times before and it really annoys me. Why the hell does it take a week? If they wanted it done in 2 days it could be done in 2 days. Couldn't imagine the Japanese taking that long...

Leinsterman · Post by **Leinsterman** » March 7th, 2006, 9:43 pm

Safety issues I guess.....

Also, if they work around the clock, it's going to cost more money - overtime etc and also there must be certain restrictions on "construction work" taking place during the night.

ribs · Post by **ribs** » March 7th, 2006, 9:59 pm

Leinsterman wrote:Safety issues I guess.....

Also, if they work around the clock, it's going to cost more money - overtime etc and also there must be certain restrictions on "construction work" taking place during the night.

You are probably right about the overnight bit. Only reason I could think of would be the trucks needed, but they could store them on the backpitch for a few days either side.
Disagree on the money part. 2 people working one day each is the same as 1 person for 2 days. What should happen is to put 200 people working to remove them and it could be done. Instead what happens is a handful of people work on undoing the bolts, picking up the seats, carrying them to the truck, strolling back, have a chat, one person undoes the bolts as the rest look on (only one spanner between them) etc. etc. Trust me I saw this in operation when Croke Park was being demolished every day for 3 weeks. Took all of 3 weeks to clear one section! Sorry get p**hed off at people accepting this sort of situation