Re: If you must discuss Union, do it here II : Sun Nov 13, 2011 9:13 pm  

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

Re: If you must discuss Union, do it here II : Sun Nov 13, 2011 9:23 pm  

feebleweasel wrote: What the hell's going on here then? Saracens and Wigan's rugby league team are planning a revolutionary 'hybrid' encounter: http://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

feebleweasel wrote: What the hell's going on here then? Saracens and Wigan's rugby league team are planning a revolutionary 'hybrid' encounter: http://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

Re: If you must discuss Union, do it here II : Sun Nov 13, 2011 9:52 pm  

All Black winger suddenly appeared dripping wet and without clothes... Guildford wandered into the bar naked and bleeding and assaulted two people, one of whom, Nick Cox, was celebrating his 60th birthday. Tindall costs Gloucester £100k 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. 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.

All Black winger suddenly appeared dripping wet and without clothes... Guildford wandered into the bar naked and bleeding and assaulted two people, one of whom, Nick Cox, was celebrating his 60th birthday. Tindall costs Gloucester £100k 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. 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.

Re: If you must discuss Union, do it here II : Mon Nov 14, 2011 10:08 am  

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

Re: If you must discuss Union, do it here II : Mon Nov 14, 2011 8:26 pm  

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.

Re: If you must discuss Union, do it here II : Mon Nov 14, 2011 9:06 pm  

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).

Re: If you must discuss Union, do it here II : Tue Nov 15, 2011 1:18 pm  

Catalancs wrote:

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.

Re: If you must discuss Union, do it here II : Tue Nov 15, 2011 1:25 pm  

Andy Gilder wrote:

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.

Re: If you must discuss Union, do it here II : Wed Nov 16, 2011 3:02 pm  

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.

Re: If you must discuss Union, do it here II : Wed Nov 16, 2011 4:22 pm  

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