The Dew Drop Inn Virtual Rugby Pub

First topic message reminder :

Welcome to the Virtual Rugby Pub - a place where you can come in for a sly beverage and discuss whatever's on your mind, or just eavesdrop on the regulars if you fancy a break from all the rugby chat.

The only rule in this pub is one of mutual respect for everyone in it, oh and no defacing the picture of Maxime Medard* above the bar!


So pull up a chair....what'll it be?




Last Pub: https://www.606v2.com/t21314-the-dew-drop-inn-virtual-rugby-pub



* While the other suggestion of Owens, Thomas and Hughie had merit, I couldn't face having Hughie's mug on the wall

Feel the power of the Force run through your veins, young PJ.

Believe.

Until February at least.

The England 6N squad is named today. I expect there will be quite a few new faces in there. Some very exciting young guys set to be named apparently, could be the start of a resurgence for England.

Gibson wrote:Feel the power of the Force run through your veins, young PJ.

Believe.

Until February at least.

Mate, are you up early? Or are you up late?

Excellent, Rava. I love it when the Six Nations squads are named, the tournament becomes real then.

Morning folks.

This to me is mind boggling






THE IRFU have questioned IRB indications that Wales will be allowed to play their pool games at the Millennium Stadium at the next World Cup.
It had been proposed that Cardiff would host one of the World Cup quarter-finals in 2015 and now it has emerged that the IRB are open to the possibility of Wales playing their pool games at home.
"Yes, there is the issue of Wales playing at home," confirmed IRB chief executive Mike Griffiths. "For people in the west of England, it's much easier to get to Cardiff than it is to get London.
"No decision has yet been taken on use of the Millennium Stadium. That will be on the agenda for our meeting in March. Firstly we will set the dates for the tournament, then we will see what stadia are available and move forward from there."
With England supposedly the sole hosts of the tournament, if Wales were permitted this significant advantage it would raise the question of Ireland, Scotland and France being allowed similar leeway -- as happened in previous tournaments in 1991 and 1999.
Yesterday, the IRFU questioned how allowing Wales home advantage would benefit the tournament.
"The IRFU's understanding is that the successful bid for the 2015 Rugby World Cup was based on England hosting the tournament, with the Millennium Stadium hosting one of the quarter-finals," said a spokesman.
"The IRFU are not aware of any discussions or decision that has been made to change this, but would be interested to hear the rationale to play group matches outside of England that would benefit the tournament."





How on earth can the IRB allow Wales 4 home games when the World Cup is in England??

We shouldn't be allowed to, Hughie. Simple as that.

Financial rewards will always come before fair play don't ye know. In other words they are worried already about filling stadiums.

I can understand the rationale behind at least a QF in the Millennium (some smart long term thinking by the WRU in 1999) but allowing Wales to play all of their pool games there would be unfair.

Morning all by the way.

I think your both right, like I wouldn't be against a game like Wales v Kenya in the Millennium, a game they would win anyway but an important group game against France or someone......dont think so, play it in Newcastle i say

Didn't this all come out in the world cup anyway? It was for financial reasons?

Why have the IRFU taken so long to notice?

And I didn't think we could play all our pool games there, just the ones against a tier 2/3 side, no, because we'd be guaranteed to sell it out? (see financial reason question above)

And bore da/morning all

Hughie - I honestly don't think we have an agreement to play the big pool games in the MS, against tier 1 sides, we'd have to play elsewhere. Let me see if I can find the article....

Why should the tier 2/3 teams be put at an even bigger disadvantage than they already are?

MS should be assigned to a QF before the pool draw is made, that way if Wales make the QF and are drawn to play there it’s just the luck of the draw.

oh hey I'm in agreement with you Mickado, but for financial reasons (i.e we're guaranteed to sell it out, thus make up the £££) I can see us getting them.

The only nation that should have home advantage in a World Cup is the host nation.

Here we go, here's the article from back in October, SANZAR unions already appose it: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/oct/17/wales-rugby-world-cup-2015-cardiff

rugbydreamer wrote:oh hey I'm in agreement with you Mickado, but for financial reasons (i.e we're guaranteed to sell it out, thus make up the £££) I can see us getting them.

Guaranteed??? Well you know my feelings on Welsh attendences

luckless_pedestrian wrote:The only nation that should have home advantage in a World Cup is the host nation.

+1

hughie1986 wrote:

rugbydreamer wrote:oh hey I'm in agreement with you Mickado, but for financial reasons (i.e we're guaranteed to sell it out, thus make up the £££) I can see us getting them.

Guaranteed??? Well you know my feelings on Welsh attendences

for regional attendances of course, you don't shut up about it

For the national side though? they'll be sell outs, no question.

Rava wrote:

Gibson wrote:Feel the power of the Force run through your veins, young PJ.

Believe.

Until February at least.

Mate, are you up early? Or are you up late?

Following another temp resolution Rav. Get up before it gets dork. I failed, I was up at 05:30 this morn. Still dark.

Was in bed at 10:30 last night. 1st time in years. Trying to get ready for work discipline again TBH.

Why Newcastle ? Why not London ? (Twickenham, Wembley, Emirates are the proposed venues) or is it because you think we should be forced to play at the venue furthest away ?
Wouldn't be the first time games have been played outside the host country. In 2007 Cardiff hosted 3 pool games (Wales v Australia, Fiji v Canada & Wales v Japan - Wales' other 2 pool games were in Nantes - which, incidentally is 'twinned' with Cardiff) and a Quarter-Final, whilst Murrayfield hosted 2 Scottish pool games

However, I think all games should be played in the host country

rugbydreamer wrote:

hughie1986 wrote:

rugbydreamer wrote:oh hey I'm in agreement with you Mickado, but for financial reasons (i.e we're guaranteed to sell it out, thus make up the £££) I can see us getting them.

Guaranteed??? Well you know my feelings on Welsh attendences

for regional attendances of course, you don't shut up about it

For the national side though? they'll be sell outs, no question.

Oooohhh I'm not trecckkkingggg up from the Valllllleys for a game against Kenya when I have to traveklll to Londooon for a game the next week.


Fickle bunch you Welsh lot

Oh I know we’re all on the same page here, I’m just thinking out loud. An extension of that logic would say let 4 of the 6nations host their pool games at home because they’ll all sell out.
And while we’re walking all over the very point of the world cup, why not show a few soccer matches in the stadium before or after the rugby, to get the crowds in.

PenfroPete wrote:Why Newcastle ? Why not London ? (Twickenham, Wembley, Emirates are the proposed venues) or is it because you think we should be forced to play at the venue furthest away ?
Wouldn't be the first time games have been played outside the host country. In 2007 Cardiff hosted 3 pool games (Wales v Australia, Fiji v Canada & Wales v Japan - Wales' other 2 pool games were in Nantes - which, incidentally is 'twinned' with Cardiff) and a Quarter-Final, whilst Murrayfield hosted 2 Scottish pool games

However, I think all games should be played in the host country

Your dead right, literally chose Newcastle because it was the furthest away

true Hughie we can be, but this is the Wales national side games we're talking about here, not the likes of the Blues. Add to that the chance of a match day in Cardiff? Sell out, guaranteed, especially from the valleys lot!

Im amazed its even a debate. Its blatent corruption that a country outside of the hosting country can buy the right to play at home.

PenfroPete wrote:Why Newcastle ? Why not London ? (Twickenham, Wembley, Emirates are the proposed venues) or is it because you think we should be forced to play at the venue furthest away ?
Wouldn't be the first time games have been played outside the host country. In 2007 Cardiff hosted 3 pool games (Wales v Australia, Fiji v Canada & Wales v Japan - Wales' other 2 pool games were in Nantes - which, incidentally is 'twinned' with Cardiff) and a Quarter-Final, whilst Murrayfield hosted 2 Scottish pool games

However, I think all games should be played in the host country

I see your point Mick, but I think Wales have jumped on this chance as the MS is already in agreement to host pool games as well as a QF (and not just a QF which it seems is what the IRFU think). None of the other home nations (apart from England obv!) have an agreement to have a stadium in use.

I dunno, all seems a bit weird to me. What I really don't understand is why the IRFU are questioning it now, 3 months after it was initally proposed. That to me is strange.


Stag - how are they buying the right??

I like the idea of the Millenium Stadium being used for group matches, as it's probably the best rugby stadium out there, but I really don't think that Wales should be in any of those games.

MBTGOG wrote:I like the idea of the Millenium Stadium being used for group matches, as it's probably the best rugby stadium out there, but I really don't think that Wales should be in any of those games.

Agree.

MBTGOG wrote:I like the idea of the Millenium Stadium being used for group matches, as it's probably the best rugby stadium out there, but I really don't think that Wales should be in any of those games.

+1. However, with the RFU having to give £80m from ticket sales, I can see them giving a couple of games to Wales. They will want the £££.

[quote="rugbydreamer"]

PenfroPete wrote:Stag - how are they buying the right??

Them playing at home is obviously part of the condition of letting them use Millenium.

MBTGOG wrote:I like the idea of the Millenium Stadium being used for group matches, as it's probably the best rugby stadium out there, but I really don't think that Wales should be in any of those games.

I am more than happy for the MS to be used munsty, in fact I hope to god Ireland get a pool game them. Wales however should not be let anywhere near it.

Dreamer, is it not absolute corruption though.

FIFA wouldn't get a look in with this.

Mickado wrote:Oh I know we’re all on the same page here, I’m just thinking out loud. An extension of that logic would say let 4 of the 6nations host their pool games at home because they’ll all sell out.
And while we’re walking all over the very point of the world cup, why not show a few soccer matches in the stadium before or after the rugby, to get the crowds in.

Never! Imagine what a mess the oinks would make of it. I was at a soccer game(IRL v Bulgaria I think) in Lansdowne, on the Sat, a few years ago, followed by a rugby International the day after. It was like two different Universes in the same stadium. We cant mix with the unwashed masses. We may get fleas.

"The Millennium Stadium in Wales will host Rugby World Cup 2015 matches after the International Rugby Board Council ruled that the iconic venue is strategically important to the hosting of the tournament"

FULL STORY

red_stag wrote:Dreamer, is it not absolute corruption though.

FIFA wouldn't get a look in with this.

absolute corruption? bit OTT, no?


Precedent has already been set for this, and as far as I'm aware, this is all going back to agreements made in 1999.

Besides, Wales don't play well at home anymore, so hardly an advantage!

It's still not right. I don't like it at all.

Penfro, that’s grand. Nobody is saying that it shouldn’t be used. We just think it shouldn’t be used for Wales games. Why not play all Irish pool games there, we’ll sell it out and we won’t have home advantage…

The Millenium Stadium doesn't need Wales to sell enough tickets for it to be viable financially. Get an Ireland game there and you'll get 60,000 people in which would be fantastic for a group game.

PenfroPete wrote:"The Millennium Stadium in Wales will host Rugby World Cup 2015 matches after the International Rugby Board Council ruled that the iconic venue is strategically important to the hosting of the tournament"

FULL STORY

Or cutting through that BS...
The Millennium Stadium in Wales will host Rugby World Cup 2015 matches after the International Rugby Board Council ruled that the iconic venue is strategically important to us making a shoite-load of shekels.


That's the bottom-line with the IRB. Fairness doesn't come into it with regards to the developing also-rans. It didnt in the 2011 RWC and it wont in this one either. I bet Wales get some Pool games at the MS. Guaranteed sell-outs.

Let's not be naive here.

Morning all. SportsGuru is back up

Me neither Lucky, I'd rather we get out of the goldfishbowl of Wales come WC time.

Perhaps Hughie's suggestion of playing up in Newcastle is not so bad after all......

Then again, we've played pool games there in the WC before when we weren't the host nation and no one kicked up a fuss. Not sure what's so different this time around.

The difference seems to be that it's only Wales that's getting home advantage this time round, Dreamer. I don't recall the Scots, the Irish or anyone else complaining when they had home games in the '99 World Cup.

luckless_pedestrian wrote:The difference seems to be that it's only Wales that's getting home advantage this time round, Dreamer. I don't recall the Scots, the Irish or anyone else complaining when they had home games in the '99 World Cup.

Because the World Cup is a different entity now to what it was back then. In 99 it was still trying to grow, now it can more than stand on its own two feet and call itself a legit major tournament.

ha sounds like a bit of an excuse that to me Munsty.....




anyhoo, do any of the Welsh regs know how easy it is to get to Llangennech? Or can you only drive there?

Mickado wrote:Penfro, that’s grand. Nobody is saying that it shouldn’t be used. We just think it shouldn’t be used for Wales games. Why not play all Irish pool games there, we’ll sell it out and we won’t have home advantage…

Great idea. IRB guaranteed sellouts. That would work. Wales could play at their beloved HQ - Twickingham. Everyone's a winner.

luckless_pedestrian wrote:The difference seems to be that it's only Wales that's getting home advantage this time round, Dreamer. I don't recall the Scots, the Irish or anyone else complaining when they had home games in the '99 World Cup.

rugbydreamer wrote:ha sounds like a bit of an excuse that to me Munsty.....




anyhoo, do any of the Welsh regs know how easy it is to get to Llangennech? Or can you only drive there?

Llangennech, Carmarthenshire ?

It's like Dr Ian Paisley. One week he's asking why Republicans want Northern Ireland to unite with them as opposed to Japan, what makes them so special just because they are next door and the next he's lobbying for farms in Northern Ireland to be considered part of Ireland and not the UK during the 2001 foot and mouth outbreak.

One week you lot on here are saying that Wales is not a country, it's England and Wales and now your saying of course it's a different country when it suits you! Unbelieveable!

I disagree that its over the top. To me it is absolute corruption. A money making decision that every one is agreed is not in the interest of fair play. Seems like what I'd regard to be corruption.