The tired overplayed French and the fresh PRO12 with a Mickey Mouse league

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An article in the Irish Times

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0501/1224315404313.html

FORMER LEINSTER head coach Michael Cheika has warned French authorities to make changes or risk seeing Celtic teams dominate Europe’s top competition for the foreseeable future.

The man who led the defending Heineken Cup champions to their first European title believes Clermont Auvergne paid for the punishing schedule that French clubs have faced this season.

“Clermont were too tired to win,” Cheika told French rugby newspaper Midi Olympique, after watching his old side hold on to win Sunday’s Heineken Cup semi-final in Bordeaux.

“Between the Top 14, the European Cup, the Six Nations and the World Cup, it’s unmanageable. The schedule is too heavy for French clubs. With more freshness, Clermont would have without doubt won this semi-final.”

Leinster fans would point out that Clermont were comfortably able to rotate their expensively-assembled squad in advance of Sunday’s game. However, Cheika is not alone in France in believing that changes are required in order for French clubs to consistently compete in the latter stages of European competition.

“If the French governing body don’t review the organisation of the calendar, they risk seeing the Celts winning every year.”

The Stade Francais coach also feels the current system of qualification for the Heineken Cup is unfair on French clubs.

“The method of qualification has to change. Edinburgh are second last in the Celtic League but they’re assured of playing in the Heineken Cup next season. In those conditions, it’s obviously easier to manage the amount of time players play.”

Strangely he starts off by giving the impression that he's urging the French to make changes. But then in the end his only proposal is for the Celts to change their qualification rules.

The Montpellier coach also has a view

In his column in sports daily L’Equipe, meanwhile, Fabien Galthié suggested Leinster’s victory proved that Irish rugby had got its organisation right.

“In the end, the all-Irish final validates the provincial system in the country,” the Montpellier coach said. “After the domination of Munster, we’re now experiencing that of Leinster and the rise in power of Ulster, although that province is organised a little differently with a strong South African influence.

I think he's right in that he points to the Irish system working very well. Not necessarily the Welsh, Scottish or Italians, who've never won a HC. Surely one other nation from the league would have at least one cup win along with Ireland's 6 if it was the league that gave such an advantage. The Irish are getting it more right than anyone, no matter what league they're in. They take care of star players. They rotate squads, keep everyone fresh and still compete well on all fronts. And they're outperforming the expensively assembled French squads with mostly home grown players.

In my opinion all 6 Nations have to be guaranteed representation in Europe's top tournament. That's the whole point of it. That's why it was created. So qualification based on PRO12 position is a non starter. You could very quickly see the Italians or the Scots disappear from the HC altogether which is not good for the long term health of European rugby. It's the European Cup. All 6 nations must be involved

I'd be happy to increase the number of French and English teams to relieve some of the pressure to qualify. And I'd be happy to base each years HC seeding on league position, to ensure a PRO12 team can't ignore the league without scuppering their seeding for the next year.

But the fact that the English and French believe they're flogging their own players half to death is not Ireland's problem. They must look at their own fixture list, their own lack of a reasonable limit on player game time, possibly their own relegation, and the English must look at the size of the salary cap.

I don't want to see them potentially ruin Italian rugby in its infancy, in order to increase their own chances of silverware. If they have a problem, it's solvable by looking at what they themselves are doing. If they don't want to change then fair enough. But don't expect the PRO12 teams to change their rules to help French and English teams win the HC. Have a look at the ingredients of Irish success. And see if there's anything you can take from it.

BigTrevsbigmac wrote:profitius wrote:
The Rabo league is a good league and clearly getting better. The negative press seems to be non stop and everybody is queuing up to criticise it. I'd advise posters to stop reading the negative BS and see the league for what it is. Its raising the bar for Celtic teams in terms of growing rugby. Its still not perfect and some games are poor but its light years better than it was not so long ago.

Substitute Celtic for Irish & I would agree with you.

If players are good enough they are old enough in any league.

I accually think you can add Italian to that also. Treviso are now no push over and aronini as rubbish as they are are better then an italian club side