The IRISH RUGBY thread

[Baile Brigín 2]

Leicester coach Wigglesworth giving off apart the money Leinster have/spend compared to them. What planet is he on!

Yes you can point to the private schools system but not like Leicester are poor relations. Biggest club in England and regularly poach players from other clubs on big salaries including Pollard at 10.

Club v association owned franchise. I can see his point.

Well what do they want. The English clubs chose to move away from the RFU - more control and autonomy (profits). Plus their player pool is vast - biggest club in England!!! Leinster are the best run club in Europe (from an Ulster supporter).

Leinster aren't a club. They are a franchise.

[Walter Cronc]

Right whatever

[GiveItToTheShooters]

Leinster is a club, as are the rest of them.

[johnnycool]

The IRFU got the transition to the professional game bang on, Scotland and Wales trying to replicate, English club game running running on fumes.

[Tony Baloney]

The IRFU got the transition to the professional game bang on, Scotland and Wales trying to replicate, English club game running running on fumes.

The English club game is fucked in its current format. They simply cannot generate enough revenue to be self-sustaining so they are heavily reliant on sugar daddies. Not exactly a stable platform. Having said that they have soccer ball basically overlapping the rugby season so as well as significant structural issues there is a lot of competition to get bums on seats.

[Wildweasel74]

Good underage structures make all the difference, what would Ulster be if all Catholic schools played rugby instead if relying on a basis of 6/7 Belfast based private schools.

[Walter Cronc]

They are making inroads (nationalist areas) but more through clubs than schools. Rainey and Armagh two examples. One of our lads has been selected for Ulster u16s recently. Ulster Rugby could have a serious resource on their hands if the set up was right. To play GAA nowadays you have to be built like a middle distance runner. There's loads of athletic lads who are a bit too big for GAA but perfect physique for rugby.

[Baile Brigín 2]

Leinster is a club, as are the rest of them.

It's not though. The IRFU own 4 teams and use their other hat to tie down intenational players. Leinster wasn't set up like clubs were. It may have been the right approach but they aren't comparable to actual clubs

[Walter Cronc]

Well how can an ex Saracens player (franchise) have the gall to complain!!

Leinster by right have the biggest budget. They've the most centrally contracted players from the 4 provinces, thus freeing up money to sign top overseas players/project players. Until Munster and Ulster (unlikely) get the finger out this will only continue. Perhaps a draft system is the only way - Leinster won't like it you'd imagine.

[seafoid]

Well how can an ex Saracens player (franchise) have the gall to complain!!

Leinster by right have the biggest budget. They've the most centrally contracted players from the 4 provinces, thus freeing up money to sign top overseas players/project players. Until Munster and Ulster (unlikely) get the finger out this will only continue. Perhaps a draft system is the only way - Leinster won't like it you'd imagine.

Leinster have the biggest machine. They have the most internationals and they produce the largest quantity of young players. They will have the biggest concussion bills as well.

[JPGJOHNNYG]

Leinster is a club, as are the rest of them.

It's not though. The IRFU own 4 teams and use their other hat to tie down intenational players. Leinster wasn't set up like clubs were. It may have been the right approach but they aren't comparable to actual clubs

Ok Terenure and Cork con should be in the champions cup next year that should be interesting against Toulouse , Saracens etc. They would do well to keep them under 100 points

[GiveItToTheShooters]

Leinster is a club, as are the rest of them.

It's not though. The IRFU own 4 teams and use their other hat to tie down intenational players. Leinster wasn't set up like clubs were. It may have been the right approach but they aren't comparable to actual clubs

It is a club, we're not in America here😂 They don't "own" them they just partly fund them as they come under the IRFU umbrella, but sure that's no different to any of the clubs in England either. They largely have the autonomy to manage themselves and their own province.

[seafoid]

Leinster is a club, as are the rest of them.

It's not though. The IRFU own 4 teams and use their other hat to tie down intenational players. Leinster wasn't set up like clubs were. It may have been the right approach but they aren't comparable to actual clubs

Ok Terenure and Cork con should be in the champions cup next year that should be interesting against Toulouse , Saracens etc. They would do well to keep them under 100 points

Scotland, Wales , Ireland , South africa , Australia and New Zealand all chose to go down the road of conglomerate teams either  when rugby went professional or later.

[gallsman]

Prendergast starting tomorrow for Leinster in South Africa. A spot in France surely still too much of a stretch but he's special.

[seafoid]

Carbery isn't in the Munster squad. Is his World Cup over?