Meeting to continue tomorrow.

It appears my last post was a tad haste!

Twitter is a flutter with reports that all nations have reached agreement and only the finer contractual details remain to be sorted.

Pro12 is potentially gone after this. Wru either fold or expel the regions and if they do what about the players
Thing is this statement will get a lot of support from the welsh rugby public and media. They despise the pro12 and always have. Mainly because they hate playing second fiddle to the Irish but also because of their tradition of playing bath, Gloucester etc
The wru have played this very badly. They backed RRW into a corner when lewis said that if they didn't sign the new agreement they would effectively cut off central funding. They expected the regions to fold but they have come out fighting on the eve of the meeting . Offering only 1m between 4 regions to keep top players in Wales was insulting tbh. It had to be 1m each to achieve its goal.
What will happen tomorrow now?

If I were a betting man; I would say neither Euro competition will go ahead in 2015. Infact, I think nothing will happen until post the World Cup when everyone will be desparate for the money.

Bad times ahead, smaller playing panels, less money. Connacht to survive, but on semi pro basis?

If the WRU ever wanted an excuse to sort out the Regions and recognise how awful they have been, then here is their chance. Newport, Pontyprydd, Cardiff RFC and Neath in Rabo next year? What next for Regions. The Premiership? Seems like a last throw of the dice.I wonder if the Scottish clubs (and BT) move next; then Ireland will be isolated. Tough times ahead.

I'm unsure what will happne now. If nothing happens tomorrow, which is likley, when do the Unions step in, especially the IRB. What will French union do, Blanco is incoming president and he is on record that he does not support a new competition. We need some certainty.

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/24632135

Regional Rugby Wales statement comes out in favour of RRC!

Someone said this is a desperate move for them that they want the welsh fans to be able to see the best Welsh players compete against the welsh regions!

ERC talks are scheduled for tomorrow.

Was beginning to miss our good friend McCafferty!

Its been left to the LNR to fuel the propaganda machine today with the rugby paper quoting Mrs Goze as saying that the RCC was now the only show in town and it was that or no cup. He also stated that there would be a big announcement by RCC in early November .
Thornley in the times has a good go at RCC and reveals some of the proposed schedule. It will be 2 tranches of 3 games at a time with the knockout phase also being a 3 game cycle in April. Doesn't sound very attractive .

The meeting of the ERC board to negotiate a new deal is tomorrow in Dublin. Given that there have been a lot of behind the scenes meetings already it will be interesting to see if the PRL/LNR show up.

It's actually the LNR that are imposing the limit on non-French players not the FFR, or not directly at least. Seems there's a growing division between the French Clubs and their representative body. It's getting a bit like the end of reservoir dogs, when everyone starts pointing a gun at everyone else's head...

Will be interesting to see if some of the other big clubs like Racing follow them using this tactic. Things just got more interesting/muddled.

Looks like tantrum. The FFR are limiting the number of non French players. Naturally, Toulon are a bit unhappy.

Another twist! Or tantrum??

www.thescore.ie/toulon-heineken-cup-1134478-Oct2013/

Scarlets beating Quins, Ulster beating Leicester, Connacht running Saracens close.

The Anglo-French competition would be mind-numbingly boring in comparison with the great spectacles we are getting this weekend.

ummm, wrote:

galway_gas wrote: Interesting article here. Sounds like worm is turning.
www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/clu...ntrol-escalates.html

Unlike 1995-96 and 1998-99 I don't think the English clubs would allow themselves to become fully isolated - there's too much financially at stake. More likely they'll take the compromises on offer and make it sound like a victory.

I got as far as "Connacht shouldn't be in the competition" before I stopped. Tell that to Harlequins and Biarritz.

Just hope this isn't the year they prove they shouldn't. These first two rounds aren't coming at the best time considering injuries and recent form. A heavy defeat to Saracens at home and any loss albeit away to an improved Zebre side wouldn't help their case.

pinky wrote: Was anyone else surprised to hear this from Alfredo Gavazzi (FIR)?

“The Italian Federation also believes that it is crucial to keep four of our clubs in the Amlin Challenge Cup to allow our young players to develop. Overall, I am confident that an agreement can be reached.”

I would nearly have thought they'd be glad to see the back of that part of the deal. Notwithstanding Catania and Prato's victories over a certain Irish side, the Italian teams are generally on a guaranteed hiding in the Challenge Cup.
Having amateur and semi-pro teams is a good idea if they're from emerging nations but for a country that already has two fully pro teams, it doesn't make a lot of sense.
It makes me worry about how willing the PRO12 unions are to compromise on format.

www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/san-siro-...-cup-final-1.1552997

For the Italian "clubs" the Amlin (while not a perfect competition bu any stretch) is very important, especially for player recruitment for the domestic league whether for domestic or foreign players...

galway_gas wrote: Interesting article here. Sounds like worm is turning.
www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/clu...ntrol-escalates.html

Unlike 1995-96 and 1998-99 I don't think the English clubs would allow themselves to become fully isolated - there's too much financially at stake. More likely they'll take the compromises on offer and make it sound like a victory.

I got as far as "Connacht shouldn't be in the competition" before I stopped. Tell that to Harlequins and Biarritz.

Gerry was clearly stuck for some column filling with that. What he quoted Craig on is two weeks old. PRL have been remarkably quiet since by their standards.

galway_gas wrote: Interesting article here. Sounds like worm is turning.
www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/clu...ntrol-escalates.html

Unlike 1995-96 and 1998-99 I don't think the English clubs would allow themselves to become fully isolated - there's too much financially at stake. More likely they'll take the compromises on offer and make it sound like a victory.

Gerry Thornley in today's IT; not quite a Copy/Paste but similar story.
www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/heineken-...inal-fling-1.1554404