Pro14 structure

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/40649652...er&ns_linkname=wales

Well looks like the details will be next week

£6 million per season is a big chunk of change for the SARU to be paying for the pleasure (before additional TV income). Anyone remember how much the Italians paid?

pinky wrote: So the Pro12 confirm they're having a bit of a chin-wag with the Boks and there'll be a few details whenever.
www.pro12rugby.com/2017/07/19/statement-...african-rugby-union/

Talking about rushing to get something out the door before 5 ...... You could barely call it a statement.

www.the42.ie/kieran-marmion-connacht-pro...ion-3505912-Jul2017/

Kieran's hoping South-Africa will be as much a great trip as Siberia expedition was (as he missed it)...

One of the Leinster Fans said that there will be less home games with the two 7 teams format.
And season ticket holders have paid over the odds. And would be cheaper to buy home games one by one.

Is this true?

I think BBC have rumoured that it will be a 2 conference system. So each team will play the teams in their own conference twice. Then play the teams in the other Conference once, then play 2 rounds of home derbys

So that's 6 home games Vs our own conference then max 4 home games Vs the other conference and then more than likely another home game for the interpro

Effectively we should still get 11 home pro 12 games under this system

I would imagine if there ends up being less home games the branch and the IRFU will make a decision in relation to season tickets and quite possibly could offer a refund based on the reduced matches.

The fact of the matter is until an official announcement comes no one knows how many games there will be. Everyone is just speculating.

Westie85 wrote: I would imagine if there ends up being less home games the branch and the IRFU will make a decision in relation to season tickets and quite possibly could offer a refund based on the reduced matches.

The fact of the matter is until an official announcement comes no one knows how many games there will be. Everyone is just speculating.

I think it'd be lunacy not to play the (potential) missing interpros as part of an "interpro league". Make a few videos similar to the ones for the RWC bid to big up the historical significance of the interpro series, get a few respected journos hyping it up, give each member on the winning team a watch, whatever.

There doesn't seem to be any suggestion of InterPros being lost.

The rumoured 21 game scenario would have you playing everyone in your own conference twice, everyone in the other conference once, and the two "missing" InterPros for Ireland and Wales (Scots, Italians, Saffers would play each other twice more meaning they face off 3 times a year).

The upside of this is that this schedule - 21 rounds + 3 weekends of playoffs - matches the existing one - 22 rounds + 2 weekends playoffs - in terms of weekends required to play off the competition.

The first downside is that half the teams get 10 home games and half get 11. You could equalise this very easily by having the number of home games as first tie-breaker for teams on the same number of points, so if two teams are level on points then the one who had fewer home games is placed ahead of the other. Only of they have played the same number of games would the usual tiebreakers (number wins, points diff. etc.).

The second downside is that 7 teams lose a home game. Even if both South Africans and Zebre (who barely exist and have no fans) are told to suck it up, 4 of the other 11 teams will need to compensate their season ticket holders. Again I think this can be dealt with easily enough: if Connacht were to tell me, sorry, we only have 10 home league games, but we'll make it up to you by adding a midweek minor test in November vs. Samoa/Fiji/USA/Japan/Georgia (or even someone better) I'd be happy with that.

I'd much rather a 22 game regular season with 11 home games for everyone, but if that can't be accommodated I'm sure it can be worked round.

Zebre have announced that they intend to withdraw from the Guinness PRO12.
The Italian Rugby Federation have released a statement confirming they have been informed by the club of the news.
The FIR say they remain committed to having two Italian sides in next year's competition and are meeting today to discuss the next step.
Zebre entered the PRO12 in 2012 but have finished in the bottom two every season.
The format for next year's competition is yet to be determined, due to the possible inclusion of two South African sides.

Zebre Mk I being replaced by Zebre Mk II. Under new management so to speak. Mk I went bust.