I have done several rants on this blog about how ridiculous I think the European rugby calendar is, like in this post from just under a year ago.
Not sure if anything is ever going to change, so I will continue my humble protest through my blog in the form of my new logo for the Magners League which you’ll see above.
Don’t get me wrong – I’m really looking forward to the Six Nations Championship kicking off next weekend; it’s just a shame that the sport’s governing body doesn’t make an effort to ensure there’s local rugby interest right throughout the season.
Yes, I know I could always trek down to Templeville Road this afternoon and watch the crucial AIB Division One clash between St Mary’s College and Old Belvedere, but with all due respect that’s like closing the Abbey and expecting people to go watch local community theatre instead.
If both the French Top 14 AND the Guinness Premiership are staging games this weekend, why can’t Magners? Yes, I know, there won’t be any Six Nations players, but maybe Mr Conteponi could have made an appearance to justify the price of the ticket?
Now before you say it, yes, I know I'm a Leinster fan and yes, I know they're five points clear at the top of the ML table right now with a better-than-average chance of winning it. But when you consider that teams rarely put their full-strength teams out in these games, then as far as I'm concerned, the competition's net worth is to Leinster what the Triple Crown is to the Ireland team.
I read somewhere that the Cornish Pirates expressed an interest in joining the league – that would be a positive step, but maybe they could have the teams play each other three times per season as well? Would an extra Leinster v Munster matchup on the schedule be all that bad???
As far as I can make out from various websites, they appear to have finally removed the ridiculous rule that guarantees Leinster, Munster and Ulster Heineken Cup qualification regardless of what they do in the ML so at least that’s something.
We’ll wait and see, however, what happenes at the end of the season should Ulster’s dismal form continue and they finish rock bottom of the ML – would have history made next season as Connacht play their first match in the continent’s biggest club competition!!!
And if the league remains the same for the 2008/09 campaign, you can be pretty sure their players will be well rested for it!
Not sure if anything is ever going to change, so I will continue my humble protest through my blog in the form of my new logo for the Magners League which you’ll see above.
Don’t get me wrong – I’m really looking forward to the Six Nations Championship kicking off next weekend; it’s just a shame that the sport’s governing body doesn’t make an effort to ensure there’s local rugby interest right throughout the season.
Yes, I know I could always trek down to Templeville Road this afternoon and watch the crucial AIB Division One clash between St Mary’s College and Old Belvedere, but with all due respect that’s like closing the Abbey and expecting people to go watch local community theatre instead.
If both the French Top 14 AND the Guinness Premiership are staging games this weekend, why can’t Magners? Yes, I know, there won’t be any Six Nations players, but maybe Mr Conteponi could have made an appearance to justify the price of the ticket?
Now before you say it, yes, I know I'm a Leinster fan and yes, I know they're five points clear at the top of the ML table right now with a better-than-average chance of winning it. But when you consider that teams rarely put their full-strength teams out in these games, then as far as I'm concerned, the competition's net worth is to Leinster what the Triple Crown is to the Ireland team.
I read somewhere that the Cornish Pirates expressed an interest in joining the league – that would be a positive step, but maybe they could have the teams play each other three times per season as well? Would an extra Leinster v Munster matchup on the schedule be all that bad???
As far as I can make out from various websites, they appear to have finally removed the ridiculous rule that guarantees Leinster, Munster and Ulster Heineken Cup qualification regardless of what they do in the ML so at least that’s something.
We’ll wait and see, however, what happenes at the end of the season should Ulster’s dismal form continue and they finish rock bottom of the ML – would have history made next season as Connacht play their first match in the continent’s biggest club competition!!!
And if the league remains the same for the 2008/09 campaign, you can be pretty sure their players will be well rested for it!
