Celtic League Shenanigans

Post by **fermain** » Tue Jun 14, 2005 6:58 pm

Very nice!, however the firm commiitment to the CL still seems to be on the backs of playing the games on 6N and Autumn international weekends, something which they said they wouldn't do, and in respect of that, then the scottish and irish will suffer. Quite frankly, they still want their cake and eat it! And what about at the end of the 5 yrs? Its a bit negative thinking I know, but I don't trust them not to pursue this at the first opportunity they get. i.e. more anglo-welsh, less celtic!

barney · Post by **barney** » Tue Jun 14, 2005 8:19 pm

Three of the Welsh teams have drawn very tough groups in the HEC.

The imperative must be for them to engage in a meaningful competition in order to have any chance of progression beyond the group stages. I don't imagine anyone, including the WRU, really believes the AWC will provide this.

The bottom line is that Ireland, Scotland and Wales all need a vibrant CL to provide a platform to achieve in Europe.

The blazers may yet surprise us.

Keyser Soze · Post by **Keyser Soze** » Tue Jun 14, 2005 8:52 pm

MR seems quite optimistic in his letter to the ST holders. Any updates as to why?

cables · Post by **cables** » Tue Jun 14, 2005 8:57 pm

Interesting Keyser as I have not yet received any communication.
I believe it got to Armagh around last Thursday or Friday but not yet to me in Newtownabbey.

Perhaps it is done in alphabetical order.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

pwrmoore · Post by **pwrmoore** » Tue Jun 14, 2005 9:59 pm

Colinh got his on Friday in Armagh and I got mine in Belfast on Saturday.

cables · Post by **cables** » Tue Jun 14, 2005 10:03 pm

If it is not abcdefg.......... then I am on a blacklist. No surprise there really!

Cap'n Grumpy · Post by **Cap'n Grumpy** » Wed Jun 15, 2005 10:27 am

cables, - is that PC to call it that?

Anyway, you're more likely to be on the "missing list".

Freddie Benson · Post by **Freddie Benson** » Wed Jun 15, 2005 10:40 am

browner wrote:WRU offer five year deal

Jun 14 2005

Delme Parfitt, South Wales Echo

WELSH rugby chiefs will offer to sign up to the Celtic League for the next five years in a bid to end the big rumpus with the Irish and Scots.

The radical concession will be made at a crisis meeting in Dublin on Friday and will be the biggest commitment to the competition by any of the Celtic nations since its inception two years ago.

2 years ago??
try four

Anyway, somewhat more encouraging. Although the blazers on all sides could not be trusted to arrange the proverbial pi$h up in a brewery.
Surely however sense must prevail and the CL continue to be major domestic competition in the three Celtic nations.

Rooster · Post by **Rooster** » Wed Jun 15, 2005 8:45 pm

MR knew not to mess with us Armagh boys

colinh · Post by **colinh** » Thu Jun 16, 2005 1:24 pm

Here are some interesting letters from todays Western Mail:

Stick with it and make it work Jun 16 2005

Staff Reporter, Western Mail

SIR - The collapse of the Celtic League further undermines the professionalism with which rugby continues to be run within Wales, Scotland and Ireland.

A competition that offered/offers so much potential has been consistently blighted by short-sighted, egotistic unions.

The fact that the WRU wanted to form a new Anglo-Welsh Cup should not be knocked. However, the timing of their work has been careless to say the least.

No sooner do Ireland in some shape commit to the league by putting forward their top three teams into Europe, then Wales' top brass decide to take one eye off proceedings, focusing attention on yet another competition.

Welsh fortunes would be served best by forming an Anglo-Welsh League - no doubt: But at the expense of the game in the northern hemisphere?

There aren't enough nations playing the sport as it is, so to turn our back on them in the long term would be dangerous and, for now, equally childish.

The lost revenue and potential loss of players seeking meaningful competition is something the WRU desperately need to address.

However, of equal importance, is the re-establishment of a Celtic League, run by an independent body (self-funded by the unions) who can concentrate on marketing and developing the quality of the league.

One suggestion I must include within the new league is a London Celts team, so as to generate increased interest and revenue.

I would urge the WRU not to waste time on schoolground name calling. Stand up, be professional, and deliver!

CHRIS GOUGH

London

SIR - The only benefit the Celtic League is to Welsh rugby is purely financial.

I've seen more competitive games in Division 2 West than many of the games in the Celtic League.

What the WRU need to do is try to reorganise the Heineken Cup so that more meaningful games are played.

The present format of six sections with the top team in each section, plus the two best runners-up, qualifying for the quarter-finals is a lottery.

Whichever group has the two weaker Italian sides are almost certain to provide the two best runners-up. The quarter and semi-finals are also heavily weighted in favour of the home sides.

A better system would be if they had four groups of six teams and the top two teams in each section would qualify for the quarter-final stage.

A draw should decide the pairing for the quarter and semi-final stages, with teams playing home and away to decide who would progress to the next round.

The final could then be played in the six countries on a rota basis, except if one nation supplies both finalists and could then host the game itself.

EDRYD WILLIAMS

Ffordd Aneurin, Pontyberem

SIR - Well, it looks as though Rupert Murdoch's Sky and its millions has finally bought out the last decent principle the WRU had left.

Loyalty to its member clubs, loyalty to its regions, loyalty to its supporters and loyalty to Wales.

It was not so long ago England were talking of leaving the Five Nations to join France, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa in a super tournament and thus leaving Wales, Ireland and Scotland in the lurch. What a rumpus that caused.

We were then at the bottom of the pile and it was our Celtic cousins who came to our rescue.

It's time we showed a little gratitude to our Celtic League competitors rather than jumping feet first into bed with the English.

I hope our member clubs will have something to say about this deal as, after all, we are still a union.

MIKE ELIAS

Heol Spurrell, Carmarthen

SIR - I am shocked and disappointed at the actions of the WRU, with support from the four regions, which has led to the demise of the Celtic League.

I am surprised that they believe joining a failed English cup competition is more important than keeping an increasingly successful Celtic League.

After a number of years attempting to get the Celtic League up to a meaningful competition they go and wreck it.

They now have to hope English rugby takes pity and invites the four regions into their league set-up.

But that's rather an unlikely scenario with so many other English clubs keen to join it. It's all a pathetic and depressing mess.

CHRIS LEWIS

via e-mail

SIR - The idea of the Anglo-Welsh Cup is a short-term good idea, but a long-term bad one.

The strategic importance of developing the Celtic League should be put first.

It is no wonder the Irish are against the proposal given the criticisms they have received for apparent lack of commitment to the Celtic League.

The Welsh regions should stick with the Celtic League and make it work, as it took England's Premiership some years to get established.

JOHN MORGAN

Nottingham

SIR - I find it difficult to adequately express the anger I feel towards the Welsh Rugby Union, who have torpedoed the Celtic League.

They have succumbed to the lure of the English who need us to ginger up their cup competition which is in danger of losing its sponsor.

They obviously harbour hopes that the English will then let us join their Premiership. Dream on, boys!

Along with many others, I liked the Celtic League. It was OK and it was getting better.

In a few years it would have been more than a match for the increasingly sterile English Premiership.

And it was working as the Welsh Grand Slam showed this year. I feel particularly bitter as I've just renewed my Ospreys season ticket.

Now I've got perhaps seven home games. What message does that send out to Ospreys supporters?

N HOPKINS

Brynmill, Swansea

Colin

Freddie Benson · Post by **Freddie Benson** » Thu Jun 16, 2005 1:33 pm

The fallacy that the groups containing the Italian sides in the ERC will automatically provide two QF qualifiers still persists. What bollo!!

The sides that qualify best should have the advantage of a home QF tie.

Also the same correspondant believes that he has seen better games in division 2 west. Says it all really.

At least the rest of the comments are reasonably sensible - although I could never see a London Celts side surviving. London Irish are one of the best supported sides in the ZP and any large transferral of ex-pat support would seem unlikely.

pwrmoore · Post by **pwrmoore** » Thu Jun 16, 2005 1:36 pm

ejoyed most of them Colin. Looks like there is a rump of common sense in Wales after all.

colinh · Post by **colinh** » Thu Jun 16, 2005 1:44 pm

Agreed Paul but I fear on Fri we will sell our souls for the geat green money god.

Colin

pwrmoore · Post by **pwrmoore** » Thu Jun 16, 2005 2:00 pm

our-souls ( sounds about right)

ding dong2u · Post by **ding dong2u** » Thu Jun 16, 2005 2:02 pm

Some good sense talked by a few of those Taffs, pity they weren't working for the WRU. We all need a strong CL and the sooner we realise it the better. It has to be made strong with a binding contract (written) to attract a sponsor and some TV coverage outside of Wales. The BBC regions really need to play their part in this.

Agree about the Italian sides FB Treviso are quite a handful now and they will be even stronger when Italian rugby goes regional. No longer the whipping boys I reckon.