Pro14 2019/2020

That statement stinks of the b*ll*cks we've been hearing from the British government over Brexit: we decided what we want but now we've decided we don't want it after all. No timeline. No disputing a word of what Scarlets or the PRB said, and a Brexit secretary CEO gone and some other eejit sent it to negotiate as if that will make a difference.

As a Connacht fan I feel sorry for any club/region/province going to the wall, but where Ospreys are now - no stadium of their own, no money, no support from the other regions or the WRU - is at least 3/4 of their own making. Can only imagine they won't exist or will be playing in Colwyn Bay in 2020/21.

From that you'd think there wasn't any issues within the Ospreys, and that there were moves to relocate a team from the South northwards. If it was that simple they could just shift the Dragons north, the WRU owns them they're the worst side with the lowest attendances and Cardiff are extremely close anyway. I'd have thought that would have made the most sense if things were as the Ospreys say. That's what makes me think that the Ospreys are the ones lying.

The difference is that the WRU own Rodney Parade and ended up getting a bargain price for it when they bought up Dragons. They don't have a controlling influence in the Ospreys like they do at the other regions (to a greater or lesser degree) and Ospreys don't own their own stadium which means their only significant assets are their playing staff.

www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/pro14/pro...han-normal-1.3822096

Next season’s Pro 14 campaign will begin four weeks later than usual and games will continue during the Rugby World Cup in Japan.

The competition will kick off on Friday, September 27th and there will be three rounds of games before a break for the weekend of the World Cup quarter-finals on October 19th and 20th. It will resume for round four on October 25th and there will also be a full round the following weekend when the World Cup final takes place in Tokyo on November 2nd.

Then there will be a further series of league games a week later before a break for two weeks when the opening two rounds of the Champions Cup takes place on the weekends starting November 15th and 22nd. Clubs have been told that a further round of the Pro 14 will take place on the final weekend in November before breaking again for the third and fourth series of European games on December 6th and 13th. The usual Christmas derby games will then be scheduled with the two remaining rounds of European pool action on the weekends starting January 10th and 17th, 2020. The Pro 14 is expected to confirm its schedule in the coming weeks, almost six months after the French and English announced their plans for the 2019-20 season.

It is believed that uncertainty over the number of South African teams participating – there were strong suggestions a year ago that two more teams were planning on joining – may have been a factor in the delay announcing the schedule. The uncertainty over the regional situation in Wales is not believed to be a factor as the WRU is committed to fielding fourth teams. The Top 14 in France will, as usual, gets under way in late August with four rounds of games planned prior to the World Cup and another four while the competition is taking place in Japan.

The Premiership in England will not commence until the weekend of the World Cup quarter-final on October 20th. The English clubs will participate in a domestic cup competition prior to the World Cup, while the Premiership final has been put back to June 20th, 2020 as they embark on an 11-month season with defined breaks in-season for players. The Top 14 final will take place on June 26th, 2020, while a date and venue for the Pro 14 final is expected to be announced in the coming weeks amid speculation in South Africa that the tournament decider could be hosted there.

Fri Sep 27 - Sun Sep 29 Pro 14 Round 1 / RWC Group Phase
Fri Oct 4 - Sun Oct 6 Pro 14 Round 2 / RWC Group Phase
Fri Oct 11 - Sun Oct 13 Pro 14 Round 3 / RWC Group Phase
Sat Oct 19 - Sun Oct 20 RWC QF
Fri Oct 25 - Sun Oct 27 Pro 14 Round 4 / RWC SF
Fri Nov 1 - Sun Nov 3 Pro 14 Round 5 / RWC Final and 3rd place game
Fri Nov 8 - Sun Nov 10 Pro 14 Round 6
Fri Nov 15 - Sun Nov 17 Heiny Round 1
Fri Nov 22 - Sun Nov 24 Heiny Round 2
Fri Nov 29 - Sun Dec 1 Pro 14 Round 7
Fri Dec 6 - Sun Dec 8 Heiny Round 3
Fri Dec 13 - Sun Dec 15 Heiny Round 4
Fri Dec 20 - Sun Dec 22 Pro 14 Round 8
Fri Dec 27 - Sun Dec 29 Pro 14 Round 9
Fri Jan 3 - Sun Jan 5 Pro 14 Round 10
Fri Jan 10 - Sun Jan 12 Heiny Round 5
Fri Jan 17 - Sun Jan 19 Heiny Round 6

Am I the only one that finds it bizarre that they've put a break on the weekend of the world cup quarter final and not the weekend of the final?

Despite all the claims and counter claims, peace has broken out in Welsh rugby and there will be no change to the regions for the 2019/20 season.

neill_m wrote: Despite all the claims and counter claims, peace has broken out in Welsh rugby and there will be no change to the regions for the 2019/20 season.

What a pity - I was looking forward to the delights of Colwyn Bay in November!

Navidi dislocated elbow was relocated soon after but still out for "roughly a month". Massive boost from a Connacht POV, he's their talisman missing in the Sportsground for them

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We should miss Bealham, they will miss Navidi

www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-...am-star-out-16045470

Seems there will be a re-rank for 19/20:

Conference A Ireland 1 & 4 (Leinster + Connacht), Wales 2 & 3 (Scarlets + Ospreys), Scotland 1 (Glasgow), Italy 2 (Zebre), South Africa 1 (Cheetahs)
Conference B Ireland 2 & 3 (Munster + Ulster), Wales 1 & 4 (Cardiff Blues + Dragons), Scotland 2 (Edinburgh), Italy 1 (Benetton), South Africa 2 (Southern Kings)

Based on the 1st 18 rounds.

Re-rank based on points gained in the 21 games in the regular season for the 18/19 season.

Not much variation there with just Leinster & Scarlets moving over.