Rugby Union 2009

[Aberdonian Stu]

Flights to London are booked. There were substantial cheers in the Horse Show House at full time of the Bath game. While I'm sure it's a lovely town to visit, I'd say it'll be fairly dead on Easter weekend.

[pete]

Anyone know of any streams for todays games ?

No red button on NTL but eventually found stream for Munster game.

I think its now 3 games & no tries for Leinster which has to be worrying for Ireland given a lot of those players needed & have the same backs coach.

Munster were solid today & Montaban were no push overs. O'Leary offers a good option for breaking off the back of the scrum but takes an extra touch before each pass which is an invite for the opposition to target him. The passing by the Munster backs was very slick - Ireland could really do with a Mafi.

[Real ale Madrid]

Delighted with Munster's display today. They have tended to switch off in the past when a Q-Final spot was guarenteed. Leinster have got a nice draw for themselves. They should be well capable of turning over Harlequins. i wonder will that game be switched to Twickenham?

Fair played to Connacht who have got into challenge cup quater-finals. Their squad rotation system seems to be working well enough - they are away to Northhampton who are 8th in the premiership. Not the worst draw in the world. On thier day they could beat a lot of teams. Disapointed to see Viadana miss out. It would be nice to see an Itialian team make the knockout stages but they lost 24-22 at home to Bayonne, conceeding an 78th minute try to miss out. Rugby needs more nations competing at euro level.

Rest of the challenge cup quarter finals.

London Irish v Bourgoin
Northampton v Connacht
Saracens v Newcastle
Worcester v Brive

[Macy]

Strange to see people writing off a 23 year old

On the weekend, hopefully the break will do Leinster good and they will click after the 6 nations. A few years ago they would've been criticised for not battling through to get results whilst playing badly, whilst now they can front up to some degree and win a game without scoring a try.

[Youths4Ever]

Flights to London are booked. There were substantial cheers in the Horse Show House at full time of the Bath game. While I'm sure it's a lovely town to visit, I'd say it'll be fairly dead on Easter weekend.

The cheers where for the fact that Quins should be an easier team to beat than Bath. Rugby reasons not drinking ones although drinking ones are good also

As for the game being in Twickenham rumors yesterday that Quins want it in their home ground but not sure if it meets requirements for quarter final in respect to min attendance. If it not in Twickenham could be interesting for tickets.

[WexCar]

the semi-final draw for the heineken cup has drawn munster and leinster together(should they both win of course), with munster getting home advantage.

According to aertel due to competition rules munster may be forced to play their 'home' tie at the RDS. What rule would that be?doesn't really make sense to me .

http://www.rte.ie/aertel/206-02.html

[Bald Student]

According to aertel due to competition rules munster may be forced to play their 'home' tie at the RDS. What rule would that be?doesn't really make sense to me .

The semi finals are in a neutral venue. Munster can nominate any ground in Ireland so long as it's 20,000 capacity and not Thomond. The rule have been bended in the past and probably will be again if the situation comes up.

[Youths4Ever]

The semi finals are in a neutral venue. Munster can nominate any ground in Ireland so long as it's 20,000 capacity and not Thomond. The rule have been bended in the past and probably will be again if the situation comes up.

dont think it will be RDS if need 20,000 capacity from what remember sell out in RDS is 18,500 or so but as you said rules can be bent. If Lenister keep playing as then are not very likely but there is always hope

[hula4]

its an age old argument but i really think croke park should be looked at, assuming munster get there and no matter who they play. in a "recession" the money it would generate would be massive, as has been seen in limerick on match weekends

[Aberdonian Stu]

Well if it is a Munster vs Leinster clash, or indeed even Munster vs Quins, it'll be hard to see it anywhere other than Croker. There simply isn't a non-GAA ground on the island that can cope and the GAA will only, at least in the short-term, allow Croke Park to be used for such a rental procedure. Likewise the GAA will not risk the ire of the public reaction to forcing a 'home' game for an Irish province to be moved overseas.

[Jinxy]

How would the GAA be forcing it overseas?

[Jofspring]

The GAA aren't forcing a match over to England. There's a perfectly good 26,000 capacity stadium in Limerick. ERC rules say a semi-final match must have capacity of at least 20,000 and to the best of my knowledge the Irfu will also have last say on where the match is played if it involves two Irish teams or at least the ERC will leave it to the IRFU to decide. So if they say its thomond park then its thomond park. Munster v Leinster = Thomond Park ( Bigger ground than RDS and no reason for Munster to give Leinster home advantage), Munster v Harlequins = RDS (as Quins will say Munster can't play at home). Croke Park is out of the Question i'd say, i don't like the GAA but can understand why they wouldn't open it up to Munster v Leinster, they only agreed to International Games, nothing about club matches. Trying to convince them to open up croke park could be more hassle than its worth when they have Thomond Park.

[Aberdonian Stu]

I meant to put quotation marks around forcing. The idea being that they'd be removing the sole viable option and be blamed in the public eye regardless.

Thomond won't be allowed for a semi as the ERC has become quite clear about using a pure home venue, which in the Heineken Cup it is, for semis. This will put the ball squarely in the GAA's court, albeit wholly involuntarily on the part of the GAA, and they'll allow the exception to be made as it both makes too much financial sense and would be a PR nightmare otherwise (and contrary to popular belief, there are limits to how much damaging PR the association is willing to tolerate).

[Youths4Ever]

The GAA aren't forcing a match over to England. There's a perfectly good 26,000 capacity stadium in Limerick. ERC rules say a semi-final match must have capacity of at least 20,000 and to the best of my knowledge the Irfu will also have last say on where the match is played if it involves two Irish teams or at least the ERC will leave it to the IRFU to decide. So if they say its thomond park then its thomond park. Munster v Leinster = Thomond Park ( Bigger ground than RDS and no reason for Munster to give Leinster home advantage), Munster v Harlequins = RDS (as Quins will say Munster can't play at home). Croke Park is out of the Question i'd say, i don't like the GAA but can understand why they wouldn't open it up to Munster v Leinster, they only agreed to International Games, nothing about club matches. Trying to convince them to open up croke park could be more hassle than its worth when they have Thomond Park.

the game cannot be in Thomond as Stu said the ERC are quiet clear on that is home country advantage for the semi final with venue selected by ERC.

Hopefully the IRFU will have some say but doubt the ERC will back down allow Munster to play in Thomond.

Hopefully the IRFU can see the possible problem and start talks with the GAA about the usage of Croke Park for the semi final if munster get through as if then do then get home country advantage no matter who then play

[brianw82]

Are people not just slightly jumping the gun over this issue?

Both teams have to win their QFs first!

[Dodge]

Are people not just slightly jumping the gun over this issue?

Both teams have to win their QFs first!

Absolutely. Most will remember the great leinster v Munster final planned for lansdowne some years ago

[Youths4Ever]

Are people not just slightly jumping the gun over this issue?

Both teams have to win their QFs first!

Maybe some are slightly junping the gun on the fact that it will be a Munster Lenister semi final but if Munster win and Lenister lose their quarter final Munster still have home country advantage and no venue.

I am aware an "if" then win QF final scenaro still there but Munster have a very good chance of winning the QF.

[Youths4Ever]

Just read elsewhere that Munster nominated RDS as there neutral venue at start of year. Also that the capacity of RDS can be expanded to meet the attendance requirements so Munster would probably play their semi final in RDS if then beat Osperys no matter who their opposition in the semi final

[jbyrne]

Croke Park is out of the Question i'd say, i don't like the GAA but can understand why they wouldn't open it up to Munster v Leinster, they only agreed to International Games, nothing about club matches. Trying to convince them to open up croke park could be more hassle than its worth when they have Thomond Park.

there is no mention of international games only. GAA central council has been given the power to decide on the stadiums use. if its an all-ireland semi it will be in croke park. money would be too good to turn down in present circumstances

[pete]

I think ye all jumping the gun a bit as it assumes Leinster will win.

Would the GAA turn down E1m for that potential match?

I remember the Leinster-Munster semi final a while back at Lansdowne & was one of the best rugby games I have been at.