Northern Hemishpere Rugby 2013

[Bardon]

PRL have today confirmed that the salary cap is to rise to £5m per club with one player outside the cap. The BT money may not allow them to compete with the French but they'll be the clear second on spending power.

Will that mean the quality of imports to the Aviva improves or that they'll be paying more for the same quality? If soccer is any indication it'll be a bit of both with the emphasis firmly on the latter.

 

[the plastic paddy]

PRL have today confirmed that the salary cap is to rise to £5m per club with one player outside the cap. The BT money may not allow them to compete with the French but they'll be the clear second on spending power.

Will that mean the quality of imports to the Aviva improves or that they'll be paying more for the same quality? If soccer is any indication it'll be a bit of both with the emphasis firmly on the latter.

There are reports that, without the European element of the deal, the BT deal is worth no more than their old Sky one. The increase in the AP salary cap will just make the clubs even less profitable unless they manage to mug everyone else into joining their shitty tournament, which looks unlikely at this stage.

 

[JSRF10]

Don't think it will have much affect apart from enabling them to keep their own internationals at home. The French can out bid them for SH stars and the Welsh, and the IRFU can probably out bid them for any major Irish stars too.

 

[the plastic paddy]

Don't think it will have much affect apart from enabling them to keep their own internationals at home. The French can out bid them for SH stars and the Welsh, and the IRFU can probably out bid them for any major Irish stars too.

I don't think Irish Internationals would play in England no matter the money, "blind Sheehan" and at a time when so many of their fellow countrymen and women are struggling to make ends meet or are being forced, yet again, into economic exile.

When you see all the players signing up in droves to stay in Ireland I think we can be confident they aren't going anywhere for a while. Also should be remembered there is plenty of scope for a wealthy individual to surreptitiously support Irish rugby. The horse might not have been any good but JP McManus did name one of his hundreds of horses 41 phases!?!?

 

[boyo]

There is a move to have Roger Lewis removed as the WRU Group Chief Executive.

His performance on "Scrum V - The state of Welsh rugby" (a TV programme) probably was the catalyst for this action.

 

[the plastic paddy]

There is a move to have Roger Lewis removed as the WRU Group Chief Executive.

His performance on "Scrum V - The state of Welsh rugby" (a TV programme) probably was the catalyst for this action.

Are the Warriors of Gwlad planning to get out from behind their keyboards?

 

[boyo]

http://gwladrugby.com/

 

[Hawko]

These relationships appear to be so irrevocably broken that we will only discover which side was "right" when one side is declared the winner (probably in the courts) and they can then get to rewrite the history. To the victor goes the spoils, even if it is a pyrrhic victory.

 

[the plastic paddy]

These relationships appear to be so irrevocably broken that we will only discover which side was "right" when one side is declared the winner (probably in the courts) and they can then get to rewrite the history. To the victor goes the spoils, even if it is a pyrrhic victory.

I think PRL, the English clubs, are ready to capitulate on governance and leave the unions in charge, thank God for everyone including the SH teams.

There are rumours that BT are going to back down on TV coverage with a view to keeping the unions sweet for a plunge on the six nations, the real prize, in a few years time.

PRL will claim victory on the stupid reduction to 20 teams which will not reduce the number of weekends over which the tournament is played, will just make the qualification process easier and the competition less of a spectacle. It will make it easier for another shit English franchise to qualify though because they only seem to be able to scrape through in second.

They will also claim victory on division of finance, ceded months ago by the Celtitalians. The financial playing field has now been skewed massively in favour of the English, watch out SH nations as they will be after your players because they can't produce any of their own.

And they will claim victory on Qualification which again was ceded months ago.

The Celtitalians will have sacrificed a hell of a lot so the Unions stay in control of the game. I hope the IRB shows its gratitude.

 

[the plastic paddy]

http://gwladrugby.com/

The crisis in Welsh provincial rugby is down to not enough people turning up to watch any of the sides. Sadly football is winning the battle. The players can't be bothered and as soon as a French owner comes along they demonstrate the loyalty of a two bit whore. Sure they will rouse themselves when wearing a Welsh jersey but that makes their pathetic performances in their provincial jerseys even less likely to encourage punters to turn up and watch. The one side that is bucking that trend, slightly, is the Dragons. I am sure that it is coincidence that they are 50% owned by the WRU.

In Gwlad world of course it is everyone else's fault all of the time.

 

[the plastic paddy]

Another Mercenary gone to Toulon, this time Lee Halfpenny. Pathetic.

 

[boyo]

Another Mercenary gone to Toulon, this time Lee Halfpenny. Pathetic.

Leigh Halfpenny signs for Toulon from Cardiff Blues


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/ru...enny-signs-for-Toulon-from-Cardiff-Blues.html

 

[the plastic paddy]

Meanwhile Heaslip signs up for three more years in Ireland. The total money for Rugby in Wales and Ireland really is not so different.

 

[JSRF10]

Another Mercenary gone to Toulon, this time Lee Halfpenny. Pathetic.

In fairness to Halfpenny he is the only major Welsh international who looks bothered about playing for his franchise, he performances stand head and shoulders above the likes of Warburton, Adam Jones and Faletau. How he'll fair playing with his attitude in 35 games + next season is another story.

 

[Highlander35]

Yeah, well, it's been happening to us for a long time. I know we've got half as many regions as Wales/Ireland, but forgive me if I have little sympathy for the plight of the Welsh player drain.

Sent from my LG-P713 using Tapatalk

 

[JSRF10]

Yeah, well, it's been happening to us for a long time. I know we've got half as many regions as Wales/Ireland, but forgive me if I have little sympathy for the plight of the Welsh player drain.

Sent from my LG-P713 using Tapatalk

At least one of your regions is doing its bit of developing and retaining Scottish talent. The other unfortunately seems to be turning into a club for rejected Saffers and Aussies.

 

[the plastic paddy]

At least one of your regions is doing its bit of developing and retaining Scottish talent. The other unfortunately seems to be turning into a club for rejected Saffers and Aussies.

It would help Edinburgh if they found themselves a ten thousand seat stadium rather than try and create an atmosphere in a place the size of Murrayfield. Too too many foreign journeymen though, I think there were ten Africans in the squad that played in Limerick.

 

[Bardon]

Alun Wyn Jones has signed a new 2 year deal with the Ospreys ending speculation about him going to England or France.

 

[the plastic paddy]

Alun Wyn Jones has signed a new 2 year deal with the Ospreys ending speculation about him going to England or France.

Any word on whether it was a central deal? Everyone seems to be a bit coy on the subject. If it was and the WRU are stepping up that will really piss in the PRL's porridge. PRL are looking more isolated by the day and increasingly they are turning their acquisitive glances and belligerent rhetoric at the RFU and player release for the next RWC. Really pleased about AWJ staying in Wales, nice to see a bit of loyalty!!!

 

[boyo]

AFAIK it isn't a central contract.