Heineken Cup Replaced

[mikerob]

Let's face it, it wasn't a good idea to pi$h off a major sponsor like Heineken by announcing a super-duper new, shinier and betterer competition than that Heineken one....so some making up is probably required.

[mikerob]

Someone who claims to be in the know on lf.com says that Guinness politely declined PRL's advances to sponsor the new super-duper cup... PRL may have been accurate when they said they "talked" to Guinness but they left out the bit that the talk didn't go on for very long.

[rumncoke]

I must say it is worthy of note that there is a silence from the chairman and the PRL spokespersons at this time Jackson only reports that the Unions and PRL are talking , what happen to "we won't be there" the" you'll hearing from our legal advisors ' and "see you in court' attitude .

i conclude that somebody has wised somebody up you don't win friends or influence people acting the way PRL have done. Without the Unions on side nothing can happen . -- Since the start of the proceedings the only losers in the proposals of the PRL have been the Pro12 Unions before any agreement can be achieved there has be a significant change in the proposals made by the PRL.

The PRL know there will be no Cup without the Unions be it ERC or Cheeky Chappy who cares what it's called it is how the competition will be controlled and by whom is the question.

[BuckRogers]

It has been a real ham-fisted series of shenanigans. I don't claim to know how this is going to pan out but I cannot see much of a victory for the PRL or the LNR.

The fact they haven't even managed to get the notoriously slippy Welsh clubs to come out and at least give it some semblance of credibility shows just how wrong they have managed to get it. The WRU declare that they will not give the clubs their hand-out they require to survive....the Rugby Champions Cup money if therefore not enough to even make up the shortfall let alone displace it.

Nothing has stacked up from the outset; the figures quoted to be involved, the teams looking to become involved, the sponsors interested in coming on board. It is a fat steaming pile of auld horses tom kite.

They have tried to bully the wrong adversary by going up against, ultimately, the IRB and a Union controlled competition. It never occurred to them that not only would the Celtalian Unions, at the very least, disagree with them but never mind the SANZAR unions who year after year have to fight off advances from these very same club owners for the services of their best players.

The best thing I think the PRL can hope for, and probably will attain, is 33.3% of the share of the spoils and a meritocratic qualification from the Rabo. I'd have given away the latter personally, it should always have been done as soon as we brought the Italians on board. I resent giving them 33.3% of the pie but in the scheme of things it is a small price to pay and it won't be enough to keep the wolves away from the door of some PRL clubs.

I think that this whole impasse has been of some use-it has definitely brought the Celtalians and perhaps even the FFR closer together. It has been reaffirmed- by the quality of the games, the attendances, the television figures- that the HEC run by the ERC is in good hands and has went from strength to strength year on year for as long as I can remember. If the PRL really want to play hard-ball, tell them to feck off like they did in 1999. They won't be missed.

[LegsLikeSausages]

The article in the rugby paper was written by some gutter-press bell-end called Peter Jackson. This is the same Gatland that got his wrists slapped last year for publishing an article suggesting that the WRU were colluding with the Scarlets to 'kill off' the Ospreys! You couldn't make that up.... except he did.

The Rugby Paper had to issue an apology before they were sued by the WRU.

I certainly wouldn't be taking anything this guy has written as gospel. Crozier is a more knowledgable journalist.

[scrum5]

TB just singled out one of your many exquisite sentences hoping that you could clarify it for me

Let's hope the Unions and the Franglais can sort this out so we the fans get a better brand of rugby going forwards

Now what is this better brand of rugby you talk about, do you mean the pride of England not getting their asses regularly whipped......

[LegsLikeSausages]

A link:

http://www.wru.co.uk/eng/news/24624.php#.Uma_ZmS9Kc0

[BaggyTrousers]

Ooooooooooooooooops may I apologise to all concerned this remains the finest rugby forum in the known universe, I had simply not hit the submit button.

[scrum5]

http://www.ospreysrugby.com/News/Article/31306 Ospreys and The regions seem to be backing the RCC

[scrum5]

Regions going to fight their Union

[scrum5]

On Scarlets website as well

[Wee Woman]

Well we always knew if someone was going to jump ship it was only ever going to be the bloody Welsh :thumdown:

[Rooster]

Never could trust that shower of sheep loving Warren Gatland

[BaggyTrousers]

When I read a poodle PRL "journalist" write bullshit such as this,

Despite more than 50 per cent of the €44m (£37.4m) revenue generated by ERC being distributed among the Pro 12 clubs, the Welsh regions claim they are the poor relations of the Celtic teams.

I start to wonder if he can write this blatant piece of excrement with not a smattering of supporting evidence, how reliable is anything he writes to be given credence?

TB, I have to say I grow tired of you introducing such bullshit and when questioned resort to the "I don't know, just saying defence" having stated a firm opinion that it is all done & dusted and in the words of a Ashton from several decades ago "It'll be all over by Christmas."

I do understand an agreement will be reached for much as Goze & McTwattery may bluster, it is absolutely nobodies interest for their not to be a competition next year & those two gentlemen know that an Anglo-French competition would be just as successful as that Anglo-Welsh rubbish.

Furthermore I expect that there will be concessions made on team numbers, which I find all of sad, unnecessary & inexplicable given their is no material benefit in the reduction of numbers in terms of the pressure on the rugby calendar. On money division, not because anyone actually sees it as "fair", probably not even the English & French, but because it will be bullied through.

What I do find interesting is that the 12 person committee, actually hands more power potentially to a united Celt & Italian cabal than at present, unless of course there is a weighting of votes so that England rules Europe as is her birthright

Damage will be done to the development of rugby at the very least in Scotland & Italy & I find that regrettable. Neither Scotland or Italy may have made much of an impression in European rugby however a situation that means 2 out of every three teams being French or English will take much of the colour & indeed the "occasion" out of the occasion.

OK boys & girls, that's the end of the reasoned stuff................

Finally I curse every English & French son of a bitch that ever took an interest in rugby, may every one of these hateful muthafeckers die an agonising death with their legs up , I spit in their broth & point my Brennan in their general direction. I hate every single son of a bitch who attends PRL games or watches them on TV ............ sorry but that includes you Rev. Moiraman, ditch BT & return to the flock. feck BT I'll never do business again with you vermin.

Ahem............ that's about it for now.

[LegsLikeSausages]

When I read a poodle PRL "journalist" write bullshit such as this,

Despite more than 50 per cent of the €44m (£37.4m) revenue generated by ERC being distributed among the Pro 12 clubs, the Welsh regions claim they are the poor relations of the Celtic teams.

I start to wonder if he can write this blatant piece of excrement with not a smattering of supporting evidence, how reliable is anything he writes to be given credence?

TB, I have to say I grow tired of you introducing such bullshit and when questioned resort to the "I don't know, just saying defence" having stated a firm opinion that it is all done & dusted and in the words of a twit from several decades ago "It'll be all over by Christmas."

I do understand an agreement will be reached for much as Goze & McTwattery may bluster, it is absolutely nobodies interest for their not to be a competition next year & those two gentlemen know that an Anglo-French competition would be just as successful as that Anglo-Welsh rubbish.

Furthermore I expect that there will be concessions made on team numbers, which I find all of sad, unnecessary & inexplicable given their is no material benefit in the reduction of numbers in terms of the pressure on the rugby calendar. On money division, not because anyone actually sees it as "fair", probably not even the English & French, but because it will be bullied through.

What I do find interesting is that the 12 person committee, actually hands more power potentially to a united Celt & Italian cabal than at present, unless of course there is a weighting of votes so that England rules Europe as is her birthright

Damage will be done to the development of rugby at the very least in Scotland & Italy & I find that regrettable. Neither Scotland or Italy may have made much of an impression in European rugby however a situation that means 2 out of every three teams being French or English will take much of the colour & indeed the "occasion" out of the occasion.

OK boys & girls, that's the end of the reasoned stuff................

Finally I curse every English & French son of a bitch that ever took an interest in rugby, may every one of these hateful muthafeckers die an agonising death with their legs up , I spit in their broth & point my Crozier in their general direction. I hate every single son of a bitch who attends PRL games or watches them on TV ............ sorry but that includes you Rev. Moiraman, ditch BT & return to the flock. feck BT I'll never do business again with you vermin.

Ahem............ that's about it for now.

+1