Sabre-rattling from Premiership Rugby again ...

[TerenureJim]

Doc do you really believe that a club has never leaned on a player to "retire" from the international game to "focus" on their "role at the club", I'd suspect that there are a lot of players who could tog out for smaller nations who've given up the international side based on certain bonuses etc. gievn that these are not high profile players from the six/tri nations it's not all that covered press wise but I think we'd be a bit foolish to think it's not happening.

[simonokeeffe]

The North fine shows the way they want the game to go; international rugby is an inconvenience rather than the pinnacle

surprised its not open to legal challenge as theyre allowed release England players so wouldve thought under EU law that would be bogus

[Logorrhea]

Doc do you really believe that a club has never leaned on a player to "retire" from the international game to "focus" on their "role at the club", I'd suspect that there are a lot of players who could tog out for smaller nations who've given up the international side based on certain bonuses etc. gievn that these are not high profile players from the six/tri nations it's not all that covered press wise but I think we'd be a bit foolish to think it's not happening.

Samu Manoa missed the WC for America in order to get a pro contract with the Saints.

Happens all the time.

[Dave Cahill]

The North fine shows the way they want the game to go; international rugby is an inconvenience rather than the pinnacle

surprised its not open to legal challenge as theyre allowed release England players so wouldve thought under EU law that would be bogus

The RFU have an agreement with the PRL for out of window player release, the other unions do not. PRL clubs have agreed amongst themselves not to release players to unions with whom they don't have agreements in place. If Wales, Scotland, Ireland, whoever want to ensure player release for out of window matches then all they have to do is pay for it like the RFU does. Northampton broke that agreement by releasing North and the PRL took the correct and appropriate action to punish a club that broke a collective agreement. Northampton are now in trouble long term because George North has a release clause in his contract with Northampton. Northampton are now in a position where they must not release him in future for these games whilst releasing him in future for these games.

And these people think they can run a competition.

[Oldschool]

Taken from Brian Moores piece about your game with the sinners at the weekend............

This game showed European rugby at its best and why some form of tournament is needed that involves the top teams of all Unions. Given recent reports it seems that there is agreement that next year’s Heineken Cup will be run by the Six Nations committee and not ERC. It seems the French are sticking to their plan for a series of competitions run on a Uefa-style basis and as a result it might be their clubs who do not play next year. Who’d have thought it? I wonder whether the Celts will give the French, hitherto thought as allies and therefore moral and acting in the best interests of rugby, the same amount of flak given the English if this happens.



So does this mean we will have a Rabo and a Heineken with the English next year, whilst the French play with themselves, the thick plottens.............

No it means Brian Moore is a fool.

Brian Moore may be a lot of things but I've never marked him down as a fool.

[Oldschool]

The core problem with all of what has happened or not happened so far is that there is monumental lack of leadership and cohesion by the Unions.
The 6 unions need to get their act together, lay down the law and force the "other side/s" to take them to court if they so desire or take them to court and bring the whole thing to a head.
This will bring clarity to the situation by almost certainly forcing the PRL to reveal the full contents of their deal with BT as testimony without the supporting documentation is just hearsay (in this particular instance).
In fact keeping things even simpler, the ERC should simply sue the PRL for breach of contract (or some such cleverly contrived legal thingee) because undoubtedly the contents of the BT deal would have to be revealed during the process and that flushes the PRL out and then we're into the end game.

[Scrum 5]

Welsh regions calling on their MP's and Welsh Assembly members:
http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/d ... ispute-wru

Didn't know about the ERC meeting this coming Friday.

[domhnallj]

Welsh regions calling on their MP's and Welsh Assembly members:
http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2013/d ... ispute-wru

Didn't know about the ERC meeting this coming Friday.

I wasn't sure about this until I read this:

" Talks have been held with Premiership Rugby about setting up an Anglo-Welsh league from next season and the regions are prepared to go to court to win the right to organise their own fixtures. The plan was on Wednesday endorsed by Dean Richards, the Newcastle director of rugby. It would mean they would not be part of a European club competition next season and neither organisation will be in Dublin on Friday for another attempt to save the Heineken Cup."

Then I pissed myself laughing. Good old deano.

[TerenureJim]

Yep Dean Richards there's a chap who knows how to run thing fairly in rugby

[meinster]

Is this Anglo-Welsh cup idea to run instead of the Heineken Cup (in England/Wales) and run on the HC weekends. Or is it to replace the HCup AND the Aviva Premiership?

[Dave Cahill]

Is this Anglo-Welsh cup idea to run instead of the Heineken Cup (in England/Wales) and run on the HC weekends. Or is it to replace the HCup AND the Aviva Premiership?

The RCC (Rugby with Clubs from Cymru) will replace ALL forms of competition, The HCup, Premiership, FA Cup, World Series and Scor na nOg will be incorporated into this behemoth of televisual earning power. It will eventually become mother and father to us all and we will bow before and be allowed to luxuriate in its almighty glory

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Is this Anglo-Welsh cup idea to run instead of the Heineken Cup (in England/Wales) and run on the HC weekends. Or is it to replace the HCup AND the Aviva Premiership?

The RCC (Rugby with Clubs from Cymru) will replace ALL forms of competition, The HCup, Premiership, FA Cup, World Series and Scor na nOg will be incorporated into this behemoth of televisual earning power. It will eventually become mother and father to us all and we will bow before and be allowed to luxuriate in its almighty glory

But you're sure we're keeping the Leinster schools senior cup??? Thank Christ for that!

[simonokeeffe]

Is this Anglo-Welsh cup idea to run instead of the Heineken Cup (in England/Wales) and run on the HC weekends. Or is it to replace the HCup AND the Aviva Premiership?

The RCC (Rugby with Clubs from Cymru) will replace ALL forms of competition, The HCup, Premiership, FA Cup, World Series and Scor na nOg will be incorporated into this behemoth of televisual earning power. It will eventually become mother and father to us all and we will bow before and be allowed to luxuriate in its almighty glory

But you're sure we're keeping the Leinster schools senior cup??? Thank Christ for that!

without that boys from single sex private schools wont be able to get jobs

could Northampton have technically paid to have North released to Wales? another loophole in salary cap potentially too

lets be optimistic and assume law suit from IRFU etc over Anglo Welsh league will bankrupt the unions and WRFU form new ones
also what happens to BT money etc when the Welsh teams get relegated? be it to RFU championship or Welsh league or oblivion or wherever
can see Worcester etc challenging any no relegation clause for welsh sides

[domhnallj]

Super league had a no relegation clause for the Catalan Dragons for their first four years IIRC so it's not unheard of.

[1404]

Has anyone got any matches for my can of petrol ?


http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugb ... ns-6428863

[Flash Gordon]

Has anyone got any matches for my can of petrol ?


http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugb ... ns-6428863

Its hard to see a bright future for the Pro-12 as it slips more and more into an Irish interprovincial fight for the title. The gap in quality of play and manpower widens by the day and again it feels like we're waiting for our destiny to be imposed upon us from somewhere else. Where is the IRFU vision for the future?

[hugonaut]

Has anyone got any matches for my can of petrol ?


http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugb ... ns-6428863

Its hard to see a bright future for the Pro-12 as it slips more and more into an Irish interprovincial fight for the title. The gap in quality of play and manpower widens by the day and again it feels like we're waiting for our destiny to be imposed upon us from somewhere else. Where is the IRFU vision for the future?

Here: http://www.irishrugby.ie/downloads/IRFU ... n_1317.pdf

[Logorrhea]

Yeah ............. apart from better sanitation and medicine and education and irrigation and public health and roads and a freshwater system and baths and public order ...... what have the Romans ever done for us.

[TerenureJim]

Has anyone got any matches for my can of petrol ?


http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugb ... ns-6428863

Its hard to see a bright future for the Pro-12 as it slips more and more into an Irish interprovincial fight for the title. The gap in quality of play and manpower widens by the day and again it feels like we're waiting for our destiny to be imposed upon us from somewhere else. Where is the IRFU vision for the future?

Flash the Welsh regions are tied into the Pro12, whether they like it or lump it they can't walk away into an expanded Prem for a huge number of reasons all of which would end in lengthy loosing court battles for them.

[johng]

Has anyone got any matches for my can of petrol ?


http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugb ... ns-6428863

Its hard to see a bright future for the Pro-12 as it slips more and more into an Irish interprovincial fight for the title. The gap in quality of play and manpower widens by the day and again it feels like we're waiting for our destiny to be imposed upon us from somewhere else. Where is the IRFU vision for the future?

Flash the Welsh regions are tied into the Pro12, whether they like it or lump it they can't walk away into an expanded Prem for a huge number of reasons all of which would end in lengthy loosing court battles for them.

No they're not. The WRU is. They have to provide 4 teams to the Rabo. Regions PA runs out next week.

They don't have the money to do F all without the WRU though, AND they would need WRU (and IRB) permission to enter a cross border comp.