With you entirely on the quality, we served up last year, a few matches excepted. Where I take a different attitude is the rule changes at the ruck.BR wrote:Solid - I have been a ST holder for a wee while now. Before that I went to all the home games (so buying a ST was just economics). It was never about only going to watch a winning team - believe me. Although during that wee relatively successful spell, I was glad a ST gave me a better chance of securing tickets for knockout phases.
But last season, it was the rugby that put me off; not the results. Our results (especially at the start of the season) were actually better than the rugby.
So I decided not to renew and return to buying on a match by match basis. Then if the shìte continued, I could leave it for a few weeks until my BP returned to an acceptable level.
So then in May I recalculate the economics and the ST still looks good value. (Of course that was based on a 22 match competitive league)
But it was actually watching the T14 that swayed it. Renewed my faith in rugby, so too speak. The suggestion that Gibbes would have at least some opportunity to transfer that style to Ravenhill, is what sealed the deal.
We have known since November that there was a fair chance we would have to dispense with the services of two dckheads. What we did not know (and still don't) is the modified league system. That is the factor which makes me wonder if my purchase was a mistake.
**Edit - I also did not know about the IRB's plans to make rucks even less competitive. That may also prove to be a factor come renewal time next year.
You say less competitive, I say less of a bloody mess. The two changes I like are the penalty for kicking the ball out of the ruck, always thought it both dangerous and almost impossible to do if not offside, and the tackler no longer being able to compete for the ball irrespective of where he is in relation to the ball. The latter I would suggest caused more incorrectly given penalties than any other situation so as stated, to make the game easier for both ref & spectators to "call" I support it.
You could well argue that simplifying everything isn't in the best interests of the game, I'd find that hard to argue, I just like those changes.
The Law changes with the scrum took a couple of goes to get right but they have become much less farcical over the last few seasons, we no longer get reset after reset, barring the France Wales 120 minute spectacular when Barnes made a dick of himself. I hope these changes work just as well.