GB72
Money List Winner
With a few back from injury, we have 2 nearly full strength teams tomorrow. Going to be a fierce old match between Tigers and Edinburgh at Welford Road tomorrow night. Too tight to call.
Grim news on the Welsh front at the moment. Players leaving the domestic league due to financial pressures, leaving the national team weaker as they can then not be selected. Doesn't look good for the World Cup this year for them.
GB72
Money List Winner
Nope but that is happening in England as well. Rugby developed wage inflation that the clubs could not afford. We wanted to run before we could walk. We are now dealing with that. I can see the wages at English clubs having to drop (not as much as Wales) and that will result in the best of the best going to higher paying leagues. I think Liam Williams (who left Cardiff today) has enough caps to still be able to be picked
D
Deleted member 1147
Guest
Is there any likelihood of the RFU paying the wages of England internationals, rather than the clubs - or perhaps making a contribution?
That could keep the players here and the clubs able to afford them.
D-S
Well-known member
That’s what happens in cricket doesn’t it? Albeit cricketers spend far, far more time away on international duty.
GB72
Money List Winner
Central contracts could happen and probably should have happened when the game went professional. The problem is that fans are already complaining about how little they see the internationals play. If you have central contracts, that is only going to get worse with more international trianing time, rest periods and even more internationals. Club rugby would become like county cricket with the star names only turning out once in a blue moon for big matches. That, in turn, would remove any chance of clubs being competitive in Europe.
There is at the moment a severe chance of the game of prefessional rugby going bust. You may end up with 3-4 English clubs surviving and trying to get in the URC
Last edited:
GB72
Money List Winner
If you had central contracts, rugby players I suspect would be away with England for most of the year as well.
HeftyHacker
Well-known member
The problem is that the RFU is that strapped for cash at the moment that would they even be able to compete with the French salaries anyway? I don't think we're that far away, in England and Wales at least, from the lure of guaranteed cash from overseas clubs overtaking the allure of staying in their home countries and fighting for am international spot that they may or may not get (and thus becomes a risky move financially).
I don't know if any of you listen to the Eggchasers podcast - I do as I used to play with JB (for my sins) - and, as much as there's hyperbole and doomsday scenarios, they do highlight just how bad this CVC deal has been for thr premiership and six nations sides. Its basically made the clubs uninvestible and the nations are liable to pay an enormous lump sum to cvc in 2028 - presumably to ensure that they get a return on their investment.
GB72
Money List Winner
Could we have got a worst draw for the group stages in Europe. La Rochelle, Leinster, Stade, Stormers and Sale.
HeftyHacker
Well-known member
Bloody hell, at least you don't have to play Sale!
I’m confused.
HeftyHacker
Well-known member
There are six teams in each group - 2 from each of the premiership, URC and Top 14 - you play everyone in your group once EXCEPT the team from the same domestic league as you.
So Leinster and Stormers, la rochelle and stade, leicester and sale won't play one another.
Last edited:
That’s a very interesting way to do it. Thank you for explaining!
HeftyHacker
Well-known member
No worries, I had to have it explained to me in some detail to understand it.
The reason for this pool of death is because only the winners of the champions cup and the winners of the three domestic leagues were "seeded" teams. So munster, sarries, la rochelle and toulouse were the seeded teams and are all in separate groups, the rest of the draw was completely open!
Captainron
Big Hitting, South African Sweary Person
The All Blacks are playing superb fast flowing yet clinical rugby again. They look bloody good.
PNWokingham
Journeyman Pro
Ypu boys need to up your game - just backed them with a 20 point spread!
Captainron
Big Hitting, South African Sweary Person
The boks have been so naive. Tried to play an expansive game which doesn’t work against the AB’s. Our best spell was when we kept it simple and used our strengths. Then got stupid and tried to go wild again. I doubt we would have won the game if we stuck to a good game plan though.
rudebhoy
Q-School Graduate
Fantastic second half from Scotland yesterday with 14 men. Played some lovely stuff.
Didn't see the England game, but that's a poor result with the WC just round the corner.
Didn't see the England game, but that's a poor result with the WC just round the corner.
NearHull
Well-known member
I agree with you about the Scotland/France game. The Wales/England game had its moments of flowing rugby, but a bit more ‘grinding’. The 16 handling errors that England had didn’t help.
Bunkermagnet
Journeyman Pro
Its about time that when the ref shouts "use it", he counts to 3 then penalises that side still sitting with the ball.
Similar threads
