Problem is, the IRB see it as the ONLY model for their game.

Surely they'll never try and implement it in France and England though. They tries it in Spain and it was a disaster.

wierd game from what I saw with Munster who for me were the better team in all departments allowed Ulster to win - weird because Ulster have had a good season and have played much better in other games and lost !

popped down to Brive to see them somehow hang on to a one point victory over Llanelli - great support from the welsh fans who seemed to enjoy their french foray - pleased for Brive though where the locals are as passionate as any bunch and deserve better from a side which is enigmatic to say the least !

well done Clermont (dificult to admit from a 'Briviste' !) and a well deserved victory over the Sarries - could the Michelin men really go all the way ?

I had Munster to win the thing so wasn't best pleased with the performance against Ulster.
Heineken cup semis. That time of the year when people frantically do some research before coming out as experts who've been following the tournament from the very start.

what does it mean in terms of english RU ?

total wipeout this season ?

[url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/club/9181755/Saracens-fly-the-flag-alone-as-clamour-for-changes-to-Heineken-Cup-continue-to-grow.htmlWell, English clubs want to change the format.[/url
Proposals would work to Ireland's advantage but the Italians and Scots would be fecked. The idea of eight French teams would weaken the tournament because those lower down the league would not turn up, giving an easier game than Aironi.
Highly debateable whether a team finishing 7th or 8th in the Premiership is any better than the likes of Treviso or Edinburgh, and we all know how little effort the weaker French clubs would put in if they were given more places.
That said, we could have eight teams from each league with the proviso that the top placed Irish, Welsh, Scottish and Italian teams would automatically qualify to ensure representation from all countries. That would leave the remaining four places up for grabs. Could lead to some interesting matches in the middle and lower end of the table.

I think it's a perfectly fair argument from the English sides. People will think it's a cop out from a terrible year for English Rugby but it all makes sense.

The Celtic League is shocking. Watch any televised game and the grounds are 1/2 full at best most of the time. Go over to the Munster or Leinster forums and they only care about The Heineken Cup. Watch any Pro 12 game with a top Irish side and no matter how clued up on Rugby you are you'd struggle to recognise most of the squad some weeks. Must be bad supporting a team that only cares for 6 games a year, plus your big derby games. All you have to do is finish above Connacht if you're Irish, Dragons if you're Welsh and you're in The Heineken Cup. Simple. The Scottish and Italians don't even need to worry about where they finish.

You look at the Premiership and week in week out squads are tested to the max. There's 3 games to go and the top 4 and relegation still aren't decided. Teams can't afford to rest key players and so risk injuries every week. Whilst I love that England and France are the only 2 Countries with a competitive league system, it's no coincidence that Ulster and Edinburgh who are very hit and miss in the league have made it there. Leinster - fair enough, they're a different class. Clermont too, but then having a 16 million pound salary cap does help.

Watching the matches this weekend was sad from an English point of view. Especially being a Sale fan. Toulon ripping our top team to shreds, whilst having Dean Schofield, Eifion Lewis Roberts and Sebastian Bruno all playing outstandingly. Paul Williams who we had last year got the winning try for Stade Francais. Saracens never looked like winning form the first minute against Clermont.

I hope Edinburgh win it but can't see past Clermont or Leinster.

I'm not a fan of the Heineken cup for a few reasons. Two of them being the format and the fact that it feels like going through the motions till it gets to the quarters or sometimes semis.
In an ideal world I'd have the top two teams from England, France, Wales, Ireland with the champions of Scotland and Italy going into two groups of five. First in group A plays second in group B and vice versa. I don't see the point of including clubs from other nations because they are miles away from the level of the better European leagues. This is obviously impossible because we have the Celtic League, but I like the idea of having to actually finish in the top two to go into what should be the top club competition in European union.

You're right about the crowds, Shark J. They don't often get mentioned in the press but they are truly woeful and it makes you wonder how the clubs would manage without their respective unions. The whole idea of the regions and Celtic league was to stop the rot with regard to falling crowds and lack of interest in the less glamorous games. If crowds continue to fall and we see more problems like those in Italy and Wales, what next?

I think the English whingeing would have a bit more strength if their teams were doing better. Let's face it, the poor results of the English teams are not because the poor dears are tired, but because of the garbage rugby they have been serving up. Apart from Quins none of the English representatives this year appeared to me capable of moving away from forward dominated 9 or 10 man rugby. Saracens yesterday clearly had one gameplan: score more penalties than Clermont. The game was up for them after the first ten minutes, but they had no alternative and stuck rigidly to their anti-rugby until the end of the match. Perhaps instead of seeing exactly how long the scrum half can keep the ball at the back of a ruck before passing it, they played a bit of rugby they might win a few more games.

Moan, moan, moan. Haven't the English noticed there is only one French team left in the Cup?

Come on the mighty Ulster Rugby.

Ulster, Munster and Leinster have great crowds, (Ulster over 10,000 vs Arioni) it's the rest dragging the Irish down, espeically the Scottish crowds, absolutely shocking. As for the quality of the Celtic league I agree with others above, it is absolutely dreadful and to be honest I can only bare to watch it if Ulster are playing and even then...

The biggest problem for union is the opposite problem for league. Intenrationals dominate everything, which tends to lead to clubs having to field weaking sides, which is annoying as your weekly club fixture is you bread and butter. You should be turning out for them regardless of whether you are in an international squad or not. Sinfield played 40 odd games last year. So Ferris, Trimble and Best playnig a few more for Ulster shouldn't really be a problem.

www.sportinglife.com/rugbyunion/ ... um=twitter Interesting, no?

www.sportinglife.com/rugbyunion/ ... um=twitter Interesting, no?

beg to differ mate but...

as a Wasps fan it IS interesting - fingers crossed some 'money bags' or consortium will step in and save the famous old club....

I hope they go bust, would p*ss myself laughing.

I think they are bust - that's why they need bailing out !

I don't like seeing any business go under - why is it the british hate seeing success stories and thrive on seeing people or businesses in trouble ?

totally amazing attitude...

you build them up and then knock them down......

No no. I don't like seeing businesses in trouble. I like seeing 'rugby' union clubs going under.

that's all right then...

weird thing is that I like both codes equally - but I don't really know why cos' RU is crap most of the time....

must be my age or something ?

Was it only two seasons ago:

This was the interesting line.....move along, nothing to see here:


'Less you have the words Rugby League in your name of course.

Wasps have been a bit of a basket case since union clubs decided to actually start paying taxes...tho it does highlight the dangers of a sport believing the press generated by the same ppl who sponsor it.

Reckon both European finals could be very sply attended this year.

Never doubt the Irish when it comes to band wagon jumping, Ulster already expecting 35,000 home fans for their semi final in Dublin.

Should it happen that say, Edinburgh and Clermont play in the final I can't see Twickenham being full.

All French last 4 in The Challenge Cup too so can't see the Stoop being more than half full unless people make a weekend of it with both games.

Never fun to see a club in trouble no matter what sport but aren't most Premiership rugby clubs losing a lot of money? Surely raising salary caps higher and paying marque players more on top of that will only add more financial strain.

Just seen this on Running Rugby,

"The new investor is likely to have to find close to £8 million to keep them afloat."

Now that does NOT sound good.

gulp......

that's a lotta dosh Cata !

what kind of idiot would invest that kind of money in a minor (ish) sport ?

It sounds great! Down with RU.

I can only see two ways out;
1- Someone minted comes in ala SAracens or Bath.
2- The RFU come to the rescue.

Are Wasps still part of Loftus Road plc and listed on AIM, or did someone buy the rugby side off Chris Wright?

more likely to be a consortium I would think ?

probably with some hair brained business scheme etc etc etc

The City is full of them - being high profile London based will be a distinct advantage

it would be sad to see a major sporting istitution like Wasps fold just like if Portsmouth FC finally went down the pan....