No, I think union is far too strong to be seriously affected as a whole. As I said, it could lead to a gulf opening between those at the the top table and those left looking in through the window. Will a global elite league affect the prestige of the union world cup? I doubt it very much.

What the hell's going on here then? Saracens and Wigan's rugby league team are planning a revolutionary 'hybrid' encounter: www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugb ... 61516.html

What the hell's going on here then? Saracens and Wigan's rugby league team are planning a revolutionary 'hybrid' encounter: www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugb ... 61516.html

Quote ="feebleweasel"What the hell's going on here then? Saracens and Wigan's rugby league team are planning a revolutionary 'hybrid' encounter: www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugb ... 61516.html'" I had little to no interest in this game before reading that article. I care for it even less now. Fazlet

Quote ="feebleweasel"What the hell's going on here then? Saracens and Wigan's rugby league team are planning a revolutionary 'hybrid' encounter: www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugb ... 61516.html'" I had little to no interest in this game before reading that article. I care for it even less now. Fazlet

[url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10765790All Black winger suddenly appeared dripping wet and without clothes...[/url
Guildford wandered into the bar naked and bleeding and assaulted two people, one of whom, Nick Cox, was celebrating his 60th birthday.


[url=http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-union/club-rugby/tindall-costs-gloucester-100k-6261513.html?Tindall costs Gloucester £100k[/url
Mike Tindall's club, Gloucester, could be more than £100,000 out of pocket if the centre is unsuccessful in his appeal against his fine and dropping from the England elite player squad.


[url=http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/wages-of-sin-deliver-debt-and-trouble-to-overspending-clubs-2933416.html?Wages of sin deliver debt and trouble to overspending clubs[/url
All over the country clubs are in serious financial trouble. Slattery's own club, Blackrock, have acute strains on their financial and human resources, owing in excess of €1m, and are unable to field competitively at junior one and junior two levels in Leinster this season.
According to the IRFU, who don't release funds to clubs until they get a copy of the accounts, there are 13 clubs nationally with borrowings in excess of €400k, and not many ideas about paying it back.

Wasps and England Flanker Joe Worsley announced his retirement due to a neck injury

Wages of sin deliver debt and trouble to overspending clubs
All over the country clubs are in serious financial trouble. Slattery's own club, Blackrock, have acute strains on their financial and human resources, owing in excess of €1m, and are unable to field competitively at junior one and junior two levels in Leinster this season.
According to the IRFU, who don't release funds to clubs until they get a copy of the accounts, there are 13 clubs nationally with borrowings in excess of €400k, and not many ideas about paying it back.

Catalancs surely the bubble is about to burst on this.

I know Ireland is in a financial mess at the moment is this affecting the game in Eire.

It's just the national league and as far as I know the Magners/Celtic/PRO12 sides are in fine fettle. I'd imagine many Irish clubs will return to being amateur (truly amateur).

Below the provincial sides in the Celtic nations and the top flight in England, professional rugby is not sustainable without a rich backer - there simply aren't the revenue streams to support it.

And yet so many clubs, even at the third and fourth tier in England, continue to use money that should be applied to keep the club running into the hands of mediocre players who seem to regard being semi-pro as some sort of divine right.

That's the problem Andy. Reality and perspective seem to have gone out of the window like a tossed dwarf.

Martin Johnson has gone.

Shame as I really felt he was getting English rugby union to the place where I would like to see it.

Keep Rob Andrew & make him coach as well. Please.

It'll be Graham Henry.

You reckon that's why the barbarians "invited" him to coach them for the game in a weeks time?........he has said he would like to stay in New Zealand, but I suppose the RFU can afford to change his mind......

The saying 'more money than sense' springs to mind when I hear those three letters.

Would Henry make the England team a decent one again?

God the last thing we need is another so called world class side and let's say England won the union WC in 2015 I couldn't live with that.

He'll struggle to make it much worse, although the saying about not being able to polish a turd springs to mind.

There's a generation of England players - the last remnants of the 2003 & 2007 WC squads - that needs to be culled to make way for new growth.

The likes of Cueto, Tindall, Wilkinson, Moody, Shaw, Sheridan, Thompson etc have had their time. Henry, with no personal connections to that old guard, may be more likely to move them on than Johnson.

There are some very good ball handlers in the England setup that if given the opportunity could play in a similar way to the All Blacks.

Really? To be honest, I see it the other way around, the basic skills of the England squad are terrible. I can’t think of a single player in the England setup who has a talented passing game – and I don’t mean the ability to spin the ball 20 yards from either hand which seems to be all that the Union teams practice, I mean finding teammates space and opportunity with skill and imagination

The backline moves of England (and to be fair all of the Home Nations) in the World Cup was pass left or right until you run out of pitch!

I'm with you on this one Dunbar. Thank god the French are in the six nations.

Just seen the tackle that got Hape banned for 4 weeks. Seriously? Is tackling illegal now?

=#FF00002ND BUMP.......
Surely someone ca verify the claims regarding threatening letters etc....

You might want to send him a pm. I doubt he even reads this board.

Agreed. The comment comes from the VT originally.

I got it from the Joel Tomkins to SAracens thread. Speaking of which, how very embarrassing that SArries have been forced to cancel their planned money-maker... sorry, match in Cape Town.

I've been looking forward to the Four Nations final so much this week that I've only just realised it's European union this weekend. We all know what European rugby union means... that's right kids, pastings a plenty!

Sale should murder La Vila. I used to be matey with one of their players when I lived near Alicante and for me it's absolutely incredible that they are in the same competition as a cluib like Sale Sharks.
Exeter and Wasps ahould have handsome wins too.