Unrest in Europe: The battle lines have been drawn
This week we will mostly be concerning ourselves with tumult in Europe, unrest in South Africa, a new perspective on referee complaints and a week of tragic losses.
This week in South Africa: The coach apparently called up an aged lock from France as an emergency measure after the first-choice lock was banned for head-butting, only for that call to be denied by the French club and then the existence of any call-up denied. One of the country's brightest players spoke publicly of his irritation at not getting any game time. Another of the country's better back-row talents exited in disgust at both his lack of chances in the national team and his Super Rugby team having the rug pulled from under its feet. He says he is now gunning to play for Scotland. The national side stumbled to another defeat, with another ridiculous loss of discipline costing them at a crucial moment and the same weak links in the side costing them the rest of the time.
It's a tough time to be a South African rugby fan right now, even more so to be the national coach. But two things we will say for Heyneke Meyer: he appears to be significantly better at handling criticism - deflecting is probably the better word - than his predecessor, and the game-plan so lambasted from every corner does have its merits at times; had the Boks beaten the All Blacks on Saturday, few would have been able to say they hadn't earned it.
Yet - and we have said this before - it was the lack of elite skills that looked the most costly. A dreadful pass from Zane Kirchner to an even worse flat-positioned Bryan Habana. A similar pass direct to touch later on, the pass delivered with twice as much power as required and less than half the accuracy. Two tries gone begging, both of which would have seen the Boks hit the front long before Habana's moment of magic. They can blame the ball all they want for missed kicks, but had the Boks just been able to play when required, they would have won. No game-plan is going to make up for that aspect this year.
It's been touched on elsewhere, so we're not going to ramble on too much about it, but the BT deal with Premier Rugby is nothing short of a revolution. It's whipped up a frenzy in all European rugby's offices, sent hordes of officials into dark filing cabinets and contractual clauses to find out just exactly who has rights to what, from and until when and who the best people to align with are.
And nobody knows right now. Premier Rugby (PRL) appear to have all this money promised, but for a tournament which doesn't actually exist yet. ERC also have a lot of money coming from BSkyB, also for a tournament which is now threatened with serious devaluation should the English clubs not participate.
It's ironic that the French - often the lone mavericks sparking such situations - are the ones sitting back and looking to choose their allies - on the one side England, fighting for a fairer future in terms of European qualification and structure, but on the other the Celtic Nations and ERC's stability - and the French are financially independent enough to more than survive under any circumstance. Meanwhile, Welsh, Scots, Irish and Italians are all now carrying on as best they can but labouring under a deeply uncertain top-end competition future over which they have little control. It was a wobbly future anyway, but the way PRL has gone about this business has enraged most of the other parties.
What is significant is how bold this move is by PRL, how much conviction it carries. They've had hissy fits before: strikes and threats and posturing, but to put pen to paper over so much money, to destabilise their European relations so thoroughly, is a real statement, one strong enough even to make the RFU make a comment.
European rugby now really does stand on the brink, but so might PRL. If the French decide that the possibility of losing matches like Clermont v Leinster is too much of a risk, they may side with the Pro12 clubs, leaving England alone. What happens to English rugby then? No European competition? Catastrophe...
PRL have taken a massive risk with this move, the risk factor shown in the rumbles of discontent from some club owners in England, not sure if it was a risk worth taking. Meanwhile, the French are asking lengthy and valid questions of PRL and the Celts are manning the battle stations. Once again, European rugby is drawn into discussion in a hostile and reactive atmosphere rather than a pro-active one.
Tuesday's ERC meeting is going to be a watershed moment. For some more than others.
There were plenty of disparaging comments on George Clancy's officiating on Saturday, which is par for the course these days. Elite referees just don't get a break.
But here's a perspective: in America at the moment, the NFL officials are on strike over certain conditions of their contract. That's a lot of officials too - you're talking about 150 plus.
In their place are 'replacement' officials, pulled up from amateur or semi-professional ranks and thrust into cauldrons all over the country. While their endeavours are earnest, their performances are at times almost comical in their ineptitude. One - four weeks ago just another NFL-mad American - was pulled from the roster for a game this weekend after it was revealed his Facebook timeline contained pics of him wearing fan gear of the team he was supposed to be officiating!
The highest level of the sport just moves at a different pace and with a whole host of different tricks. Elite referees know how to handle it way better than anyone else, even if they don't always get it right.
Can you imagine how rugby would be if that happened? Aside from your team winning more, obviously...
Outside of all the politicking, it's been a rough week for the fraternity all over the place.
In Ulster, the squad and community are still reeling from the dreadful loss of Nevin Spence to a bizarre farm accident over the weekend, while Perpignan's big day out - and big win - in Barcelona were tainted by the loss to a sudden heart attack of team bus driver Paul Okesene. In South Africa, the almost as sudden loss of former Springbok analyst Malome Peter Maimane has left many saddened.
Our condolences to all. Kind of makes all the unnecessary politics taste a little sour doesn't it?
Loose Pass compiled by Richard Anderson
Comments
leinsterblue says...
@jameslineinhope - only the top 8 from the Celtic league qualify for HC...the exception is any year where two teams from the same country qualify for the HC final, the following season that country gets an additional spot...
@APV1 - agree, but the more worrying thing is the lack or respect creeping into the game...players still respect the institution of the game (how many players have really slammed a ref post match), but fans, commentators and the powers that be have really shown how much disrespect has crept into the game - Leinster fams booing Poite after the Rabo final; ref's life being threatened if he sets foot in South Africa; the deal just signed with BT and English rugby...unfortunately I could go on...in my own opinion, the biggest driver for this is hard, cold cash....if the AP really thought the HC was unfair based on rugby, then their argument for an overhauled system would stand up...but that doesn't stand up as the AP and Top14 teams do have bigger budgets, can pay bigger wages, but look where the last 5 out of 6 HC winners have come from...
Posted 16:32 18th September 2012
Sincero says...
Let me make this clear: the English and French leagues get 6 berths each, while the Celtic league gets 10. As the latter is the only European league, it makes perfect sense that it should contribute more teams to a European Cup, as it represents 4 Unions.
My solution to the issue has always been to discount qualification based on nationality (top three Irish teams and Welsh teams plus both Scottish and Italian teams in) and base it solely on league standings, while obviously keeping the 10 berths to which we are entitled (having produced three of last year's semi-finalists, and having 6 Cups in the cabinet representing the rugby interests of four unions). That would mean qualification on merit- plus a fairer shake for Connacht, the dragons etc. The Italian and Scottish teams would need to fight for their spots, as they should in a meritocracy. Treviso, most likely would make the cut this year, whereas Zebre would make do in a competition more at their level at the moment. Can't see it doing them much good getting tanked in the Cup anyway, plus it skews the whole competition. That said, no disrespect meant, as both Aironi and Treviso have shown their worth in the past by taking big scalps. Connacht would make the cut too, and if Edinburgh were to do what they did last season it's mean Challenge Cup.
That makes a fairer and more balanced and better European Cup, while making the league a meritocracy and keeping it interesting at both ends of the table. Win win win win win. Everyone goes to the pub happy.
Posted 15:54 18th September 2012
APV1 says...
@ crunchfit, celticspirit, et al - for those who believe that Edinburgh didn't rest players, I'll take Edinburgh's word over yours any day:
http://tiny.cc/4d1sjw
They did. It is indisputable. They declared as much on the ERC web site. End of that side of the debate.
I know why they did it and if I were them, I would have done it too. But I don't think it's right that it should have been a viable option. The Pro12 meant so little (look at where they ended up) that they didn't give it the respect it deserves. As such, the whole competition is devalued.
I'll say again what I've said before. One of the major issues is what we each feel the HC is for. There are those who feel it's primary purpose is to have represenatation for the selected nations' clubs and, therefore, improve performance at club level in those nations. There are those who think it should be between the top clubs in Europe, regardless of the nations involved. The fact that The Zebre qualify automatically is unfair, imo, as is the fact that some teams are almost encouraged to "do an Edinburgh".
Bear in mind, also, that the HC was in place before the Pro12. As such, the Pro12 clubs changed the qualifying criteria in an established competition. Why? Because each of the nations involved couldn't sustain club rugby at any meaningful level.
Top 6 from T14, Pro12 & AP + next top 2 from Amlin (previous seasons).
Those who miss out should be in the Amlin.
Seems fairer to me and would make the Pro12 a more competitive and meaningful league = improved standard.
Posted 15:46 18th September 2012
leinster_goy says...
@davediablo
it's very likely that the english and french would not be whinging and stamping their feet like children if edinburgh hadn't qualified for the semi-finals last season. they don't realise that 2011-12 will go down as an anomalous year, mainly because it came after a world cup in the southern hemisphere, with many international players fatigued and burned out when they came back to their clubs in europe
to be fair, edinburgh have been playing an expansive brand of rugby since michael bradley took the helm, scoring lots of tries. however, they were in possibly the worst quality heineken pool in history, with racing metro, cardiff and london irish. note that they didn't get so much luck this time round. if they even finish 2nd in their pool this year, i'll plait sawdust
i reckon there wont be too much of a surprise when we see the 8 quarter-finalists in this year's tournament
Posted 15:23 18th September 2012
Sincero says...
StuntheMullet.... if you want fewer penalties whistled against you perhaps stop cheating? You can't buy all of the refs all of the time. Occasionally you do get ones that apply the odd Law. When that's the case try to rein in your more obvious foul-play and you might find the game flows more freely.
Posted 14:36 18th September 2012
Sincero says...
What the English see:
"on the one side England, fighting for a fairer future in terms of European qualification and structure"
What everyone else sees clearly:
"on the one side, the nation of greasy-till shopkeepers fear they, with more player resources and money than anyone else, could be getting more money somehow, so instead of trying to improve their standard of piss-poor rugby (God forbid), they do what they always do and threaten to pull out of a competition they can no longer win, while making under-the-table arrangements with morally bankrupt media corporations, attempting subversively to hamstring by the foulest of means their competitors who have been knocking them out of Europe by playing superior rugby, thinking if they take the ball home all rugby will immediately stop, while failing to realise people are laughing at them and couldn't really give a toss if they bring their cruddy brand of bosh 10-man snore-fest rugby to a European competition or not.'
Life goes on, folks. Remember 1998-99? Happy days... Were you missed? You really want to know? it might crush your out-of-whack egos if I tell you the answer.
While we're on the topic of comedy- do you remember a few years ago when you'd decided you wanted more dosh from the 6N, because you were thinking of breaking away to play the southerners only, because you couldn't be bothered playing Celtic teams like Ireland because they were so far beneath your standard??? Why did you drop that idea again?? Was it the fact that we handed you your rump on a plate year-in year-out since then, or did you finally get a temporary handle on reality? Because if you did, it seems to have escaped you English again, rather predictably.
Posted 14:33 18th September 2012
Waz4before says...
interestingly enough, reports in the Irish Press say that the English Premiership Rugby TV (Internet) deal worth 150million over 4 years will put about one-third of that in to the common pot as per normal to be shared with the other competing nations ... that may be quite persuasive in the end despite all the toys thrown out of the cot so far and, if true, suddenly the English aren't looking so greedy!
Posted 13:33 18th September 2012
rugby_rockstar says...
Davobiablo,
Apparently its unfair for the celtic regions to look after their stars by resting them in the same manner as players like Ritchie McCaw and Jean DeVilliers are rested during the ATM Cup and Curry Cup.
PRL believe that all the rugby players in europe should be similarily flogged to death week in week out just like Courtney Laws... and we all know how well he's been doing fitness wise, don't we.
PRL say that its unfair that the fit and rested celtic players are kicking their behinds in Europe and unless the celts do as they say they aren't going to play anymore...
I don;t know about you but fit rested rugby stars blowing away the opposition in europe is kinda like the bench mark everyone should be striving for right? So why should the PRO12 teams be bullied into accepting a sub standard alternative???
bye bye PRL. RFU... how about some english regions please!
Posted 13:17 18th September 2012
jamesliveinhope says...
@davodiablo
The crux of the complaint is that Pro 12 sides qualify for the competition as of right whilst AP and Top 14 sides have to qualify via their domestic league standings.
The main argument from over here is that, whilst English sides are having to manage their squads through a competitive season on a capped squad budget, Pro 12 sides are able to prioritize their resources towards the European competition in the absence of any fear of damaging (a) their survival in their own league or (b) their qualification for the following season. Add to that the fact that the absence of relegation/HC qualification in the Pro12 league makes it competitive only within the top 4 or 5 sides - Pro 12 sides are able to enter the knockout stages fresher due to the fact that either (a) only 1 in three of their domestic opposition could expect to beat their second string or (b) their failure to remain in the domestic hunt has effectively created a schedule of dead rubbers in the run in.
This has been a criticism of the Irish contingent for a little while but became quite a big issue last season when Edinburgh were so blatant about it as to make a mockery of the Pro 12.
My personal view is that this has been the case since the Celtic league stopped being a club competition so why now.
My main truck with the set up is that we have a situation where the competition is seeded based on ERC rankings. We still have a situation where Zebre will give a guaranteed 10 points to every other team in their group thereby guaranteeing the group runner up progression to the knock-out phase (and the corresponding ranking points). This will artificially skew the ranking structure making it more difficult for those teams who don't always qualify to gain seedings appropriate to their true ability.
Posted 11:54 18th September 2012
APV1 says...
@ StunTheMullet - perhaps all SH trolls (and NH ones too) could be banned from this site. Off you trot, sunshine. Leave the rugby fans - from where-ever they hail - to enjoy the differences.
Posted 11:21 18th September 2012
lawynd says...
...What the Celtic and Italian commentators also haven't realised is that if the Pro12 were to be more competitive it would become a more attractive tournament to watch, attracting higher television ratings and boosting attendances to games, solving Welsh and Scottish rugby's dire financial plight.
Personally I feel that PRL and the LNR have gone about things in completely the wrong way but I don't disagree with the points made above, and the Pro12 clubs have refused to even discuss the issue for a number of years now.
What I feel might be a good compromise is to reduce the number of automatic qualifiers from the Pro12 - two Irish, two Welsh, one Scottish and one Italian entrant, based on league positions relative to each other, similar in a way to the Super 15 amalgamated table for qualification purposes. This way, no nation will ever not qualify but the number of teams are reduced, some additional competition is introduced (especially when it comes to local rivalries) and in theory, everyone could be happy. Of course it will never happen like that!
Posted 10:57 18th September 2012
lawynd says...
@davodiablo - the issue is that because the qualification from the Pro12 is dictated by nationality rather than league position, as well as having more entrants, the qualifying clubs do not need to worry about league positions in order to qualify whereas those entrants from the Premiership and Top 14 do.
In essence, this means that Italian and Scottish teams never have to fight for position in the Pro12 at all, and the Irish and Welsh regions only have to not be the worst in their country, which isn't hard when you look at the relative strengths of Connacht and Newport-Gwent Dragons. Because of this, nobody ever seriously challenges the dominant teams (Munster, Leinster and Ospreys) at league level, allowing them to play virtual development teams at times in league fixtures and keep their powder dry for Heineken Cup games, whereas their English and French counterparts have to fight for the points in every game throughout the season to ensure they finish in the top six league places. In addition, those extra four teams make the group stages unnecessarily long and make qualification from the groups needlessly complicated; 20 teams (six from each league plus last season's European and Challenge Cup winners) is a far more manageable format. The crux however of this is that the Celtic and Italian teams don't consider the Pro12 a traditional league for qualification purposes.
Cont...
Posted 10:55 18th September 2012
cuw3100 says...
"One of the country's brightest players spoke publicly of his irritation at not getting any game time. Another of the country's better back-row talents exited in disgust at both his lack of chances in the national team and his Super Rugby team having the rug pulled from under its feet."
The second line is interesting becoz, Vermulen was called into the squad with minimal game time - whereas Strauss had a good S15. Does this mean powers that be in SA test apparatus do not recognize him as a capable international?
maybe a SA fan can explain this either way.( for example it is not un heard of - Robbie Freuen and Matt Todd are not in the AB setup despite some good work in the S15. )
Posted 05:55 18th September 2012
Waz4before says...
@ davodiablo - Edinburgh finishing second bottom of the Celtic League and still qualifying seems to sum it up... that what you were fishing for?
Posted 02:26 18th September 2012
Mr_Right says...
That typo should read the best TWO runners up not 3.... Or if people start saying an extra 2 group games is too much to add to a busy schedule, make it 32 teams with 8 groups of 4 and the top 2 qualify to a last 16.
Posted 00:24 18th September 2012
Mr_Right says...
Will everyone stop moaning about unfair qualification for the HEC, if it was extended to 30 teams? Top 10 in each league qualify, 6 groups of 5, with the winners and top 3 runners up qualifying for the last 8. No excuse for not making the top 10 in your league, even the top 14.
Rugby is supposed to be inclusive and surely all real fans want it to grow? That means as many countries as possible being included, not a competition with just 2 countries teams in it.
Every league has pro and cons, the French have huge squads and budgets but play more games, the English have a huge playing base and decent budgets but also have a salary cap, the Celts have no relagation as its just not possible and have easier qualification for HC but also have much smaller budgets, restrictions on foreign players and unavailablity of their players for a number of games.
If the English teams are so concerned with players being overplayed, why persist with the LV cup?? Does anyone care about it?
I for one hope it gets sorted out as The HC is a fantastic spectacle and if 6 Nations sides want to keep up with the Southern hemisphere nations we need a pan European club competition.
Posted 00:11 18th September 2012
schmidtyforpres says...
Rest in Peace Nevin Spence, his brother Graham and his father Noel. A huge loss to Irish rugby, the community and their family. My thoughts are with his grieving mother and sisters. Such a sad story.
Posted 23:05 17th September 2012
celticspirit says...
Applause to @provyd! Well said and exactly the point. It is not about LEAGUES getting teams into the HC, it is about countries' representatives in the HC! Which is why, you are missing the point twice, @Melkdave!
1) It doesnt matter whether it is fair to the English or French teams that the others can qualify without getting into a good position in the domestic league. It is about whether or not you want Scottish and Italian and a certain number of Welsh and Irish representatives in this competition. Scotland only have 2 teams, as do Italy. So would you really want to see the likes of Newcastle, Sale or Worcester or Mont-de-Marsan, Agen or Bordeaux in the HC that badly that you would miss out on any representatives from Italy or Scotland or a 3rd Welsh / Irish team for them.
The issue is that England and France have way more teams to start with and hence they can't all get into the HC. Booo-f...king-hooo. (Unless of course you want some 30 teams in the HC like the blown-out-of-proporition football equivalent... So, just man up PRL (@LondonWasp: You are right, it is not the fans or even players, it is the suits once again...) and just live with the fact that you cant have a guarantee. The fact of the matter is that Leinster (and to some extent Munster a few years back) are currently just playing the best Rugby. Resting your players isnt always a good thing anyway. Which leads me to:
2) @crunchfit is right @Melkdave, because Edinburgh did in fact NOT rest (m)any players and who says that would even have helped them. You have to keep your rhythm, too. And Leinster win the domestic league (or at least the regular season) despite resting players. it is called strength in depth. The ENG/FR tams just have to decide what they want more, like Bourgoin did some years back. It is up to them to prioritise. And it is not like Toulouse can't field 2 teams of high quality, is it?
Posted 21:58 17th September 2012
NHSaints says...
Definitely agree with the need for restructuring the HC, could really help the lower tier nations...secondly SA WOULD (and I say that with 100% conviction) have beaten the AB's with Lambie at 15 and Goosen at 10 for the whole match...
Posted 21:57 17th September 2012
StunTheMullet says...
@ Willy - There's a thing called advantage to keep the game flowing. Its a foreign concept to the likes of Rolland and Clancy.
Also, what ever happened to the law that a tackled player is able to place the ball that was being enforced in the last couple of years?
Seems to have gone back to 2009 this year where attacking team are being penalised as soon as they are tackled for not releasing the ball when they aren't even given time to place it.
Other notable physical impossibilities are penalising people a nano second after they have hit the ground or are being held down for "not rolling away".
Scrums were another area where they are being whistled up with free kicks/penalties from the first scrum onwards so never get time to settle and remain a mess for the whole game.
Personally I don't want to pay $180 to go to a game to see some dickhead with a whistle be the main attraction with 70 minutes of whistle and 10 minutes of actual play.
Posted 21:30 17th September 2012