Pro16

Talk about the men in white, and everything Ulster!!

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BR
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Pro16

Post by BR »

So if we're getting a pro16, what format would you prefer?

I'm thinking 2 pools of 8. H&A

Semis and final (no doubt the money men will push for qfs/barrage)

+ 4 interpro games outside the league points system (will the Welsh buy that?) to create separate domestic champions. Italy and Scotland to combine.

Back to only 18 games guaranteed. Avoid international windows again. Upgraded interpro B comp could fit in there?

Let's face it anything is better than the current pig in a poke.
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TopPoster
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Re: Pro16

Post by TopPoster »

I’d go for a straight league with home or away games to make 15 games, plus each nation plays the additional inter-pro/region game for another 3 games which can be extracted out into a separate inter-pro table each for national cups. Scots/Italians to join up in a 4 way cup though to make it work.

So basically the Irish provinces play each other home and away for an inter-pro cup for 6 games. Ditto a SA inter-pro and Welsh Inter region cup, Scots/Italians some named cup. And then play every other team once to make the league table of 18 games - top 4 into playoffs.
Neill_M
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Re: Pro16

Post by Neill_M »

TopPoster wrote: Wed Sep 30, 2020 10:03 am I’d go for a straight league with home or away games to make 15 games, plus each nation plays the additional inter-pro/region game for another 3 games which can be extracted out into a separate inter-pro table each for national cups. Scots/Italians to join up in a 4 way cup though to make it work.

So basically the Irish provinces play each other home and away for an inter-pro cup for 6 games. Ditto a SA inter-pro and Welsh Inter region cup, Scots/Italians some named cup. And then play every other team once to make the league table of 18 games - top 4 into playoffs.
I suspect it could be similar to your system but with no separate cups and all 18 games counting towards the league. Edinburgh play Glasgow 4 times, Zebre play Benetton 4 times. The Welsh/Irish/South Africans play their derbies home and away. 16 team league, 7 sides into Heineken (I am assuming the South African sides will be eligible), maybe similar top 6 (similar to now or top 8 (Super Rugby pre COVID) for playoffs.
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MightyRearranger
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Re: Pro16

Post by MightyRearranger »

Love the idea of there being an 'inter-pro' sub competition if it was actually taken seriously. It could add a bit more bite to the matches and stop the trend of all the provinces sending their second strings out for the away fixture. Sadly I doubt that it'll happen though.
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