Champions & Challenge Cup finals to be held in Spain

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/39479673

Looks a cracking stadium. Bilbao 2018 looks like a great weekend

Hmmm... I was going to say the organisers will have their work cut out for them getting two sides into the final that will fill that... but I did my wiki stuff and it holds only 53,000. It looks much bigger in that photo from the BBC site.

Dare I say it may attract the neutral fan easier than Edinburgh will.

Sunshine and cervezas infinitely more appealing than the Scott Monument and that ugly parliament.

And hopefully far enough away from Gibraltar to avoid the Great British Brexit Bombing

The Spanish could be doing their own 'bombing' - Bilbao is in Basque country.

Of course, when Britain starts making a fool of itself, defend it by slandering other countries...how very British!

Senlac wrote:Of course, when Britain starts making a fool of itself, defend it by slandering other countries...how very British!

Libel not slander!

Senlac wrote:Of course, when Britain starts making a fool of itself, defend it by slandering other countries...how very British!

Who's British? SecretFly?! Oh boy!

Maybe we'll see a Spanish team make their first final

It looks like a beautiful city.

They drink kalimotxo in Bilbao. I've tried that. Far too drinkable.

Isn't this a bit of a kick in the teeth for Italy who have had the hosting plucked out of their grasp on an occasion or two?

Cyril wrote:Isn't this a bit of a kick in the teeth for Italy who have had the hosting plucked out of their grasp on an occasion or two?

It is. But sure aren't the Italians used to getting kicked in the teeth at this stage? If they didn't get kicked in the teeth they might be induced to bring forth a lawsuit that might ruin the EPCR.

SecretFly wrote:

Cyril wrote:Isn't this a bit of a kick in the teeth for Italy who have had the hosting plucked out of their grasp on an occasion or two?

It is.  But sure aren't the Italians used to getting kicked in the teeth at this stage?  If they didn't get kicked in the teeth they might be induced to bring forth a lawsuit that might ruin the EPCR.

The Pro12 kicked their molars out first though. The EPCR are just sweeping up the enamel.

Cyril... you're a delicious cad at times

Jaysus. Bilbao one year, Newcastle the next.

So they're going for the biggest meteorological and cultural contrasts year to year as they possibly can then?

So they're going for the biggest meteorological and cultural contrasts year to year as they possibly can then?

So Bilbao has bad weather and nobody likes to party?

How Sad.

TrailApe wrote:

So they're going for the biggest meteorological and cultural contrasts year to year as they possibly can then?

So Bilbao has bad weather and nobody likes to party?

How Sad.

That's it exactly. You cannot get a decent bottle of Brown in Bilbao.

Cyril wrote:Isn't this a bit of a kick in the teeth for Italy who have had the hosting plucked out of their grasp on an occasion or two?

Which Italian city bid for it?

marty2086 wrote:

Cyril wrote:Isn't this a bit of a kick in the teeth for Italy who have had the hosting plucked out of their grasp on an occasion or two?

Which Italian city bid for it?

Milan (San Siro). It all got caught up in the cross-over from Heineken to Champions Cup in 14/15 and it went to HQ (the safe option, I guess, given the turmoil over negotiations). I think Stade was the other bid.

You would have thought Italy would have been considered the next time they went outside of the Home Nations or France?

I think the Pro 12 will be happy with the Spanish choice, its one of the places that was talked about expanding into.
They had a big crowd for last years local cup final, the Top 14 final and some H-cup games in the past. This could be a nice tester to see if there is the support for a Pro 12 team, and would certainly generate intrest to make it more viable.

Cyril wrote:

marty2086 wrote:

Cyril wrote:Isn't this a bit of a kick in the teeth for Italy who have had the hosting plucked out of their grasp on an occasion or two?

Which Italian city bid for it?

Milan (San Siro). It all got caught up in the cross-over from Heineken to Champions Cup in 14/15 and it went to HQ (the safe option, I guess, given the turmoil over negotiations). I think Stade was the other bid.

You would have thought Italy would have been considered the next time they went outside of the Home Nations or France?

2014/15 isn't this season, did any Italian cities bid this season?

Kingshu wrote:I think the Pro 12 will be happy with the Spanish choice, its one of the places that was talked about expanding into.
They had a big crowd for last years local cup final, the Top 14 final and some H-cup games in the past. This could be a nice tester to see if there is the support for a Pro 12 team, and would certainly generate intrest to make it more viable.

They were all in Basque country too weren' they?

.

marty2086 wrote:

Cyril wrote:

marty2086 wrote:

Cyril wrote:Isn't this a bit of a kick in the teeth for Italy who have had the hosting plucked out of their grasp on an occasion or two?

Which Italian city bid for it?

Milan (San Siro). It all got caught up in the cross-over from Heineken to Champions Cup in 14/15 and it went to HQ (the safe option, I guess, given the turmoil over negotiations). I think Stade was the other bid.

You would have thought Italy would have been considered the next time they went outside of the Home Nations or France?

2014/15 isn't this season, did any Italian cities bid this season?

Oh, I didn't realise you meant this season! I'm not aware of who bid this season.

My point was more that European rugby (EPCR, Pro12 etc) seems to be wooing Spain while Italian rugby is on its knees. That's business though, I guess.

From wiki
There are over 51,123 registered rugby union players in Spain, with more than 220 clubs across the country.

The rugby club Biarritz Olympique, who come from the French Basque Country have played Heineken Cup matches at the 32,000-seat Estadio Anoeta in San Sebastián, Spain and attracted sell-out crowds.

On 17 April 2016, in what is considered by many a milestone in the increasing popularity of rugby in Spain, a crowd of 26,500 attended to the Copa del Rey de Rugby final at Estadio Nuevo José Zorrilla in Valladolid. This was the 6th time that this stadium was sold out since its inauguration in 1982, including football matches

Top 14 final in Camp Nou, Barcelona attracted 99,124

Cyril wrote:

marty2086 wrote:

Cyril wrote:

marty2086 wrote:

Cyril wrote:Isn't this a bit of a kick in the teeth for Italy who have had the hosting plucked out of their grasp on an occasion or two?

Which Italian city bid for it?

Milan (San Siro). It all got caught up in the cross-over from Heineken to Champions Cup in 14/15 and it went to HQ (the safe option, I guess, given the turmoil over negotiations). I think Stade was the other bid.

You would have thought Italy would have been considered the next time they went outside of the Home Nations or France?

2014/15 isn't this season, did any Italian cities bid this season?

Oh, I didn't realise you meant this season! I'm not aware of who bid this season.

My point was more that European rugby (EPCR, Pro12 etc) seems to be wooing Spain while Italian rugby is on its knees. That's business though, I guess.

How?

If the Italians didn't bid then what is expected to happen? You can't have people make bids then hand it to someone who didn't

As you said though it's a business, the bid that makes the best business case will get the games

marty2086 wrote:

Cyril wrote:

marty2086 wrote:

Cyril wrote:

marty2086 wrote:

Cyril wrote:Isn't this a bit of a kick in the teeth for Italy who have had the hosting plucked out of their grasp on an occasion or two?

Which Italian city bid for it?

Milan (San Siro). It all got caught up in the cross-over from Heineken to Champions Cup in 14/15 and it went to HQ (the safe option, I guess, given the turmoil over negotiations). I think Stade was the other bid.

You would have thought Italy would have been considered the next time they went outside of the Home Nations or France?

2014/15 isn't this season, did any Italian cities bid this season?

Oh, I didn't realise you meant this season! I'm not aware of who bid this season.

My point was more that European rugby (EPCR, Pro12 etc) seems to be wooing Spain while Italian rugby is on its knees. That's business though, I guess.

How?

If the Italians didn't bid then what is expected to happen? You can't have people make bids then hand it to someone who didn't

As you said though it's a business, the bid that makes the best business case will get the games

Yes, I realise that. I think we were at crossed purposes

I doubt the Spanish bid had the best business case (otherwise it would be England or France hosting every year). This looks like a 'growing the game' option.

Cyril wrote:

marty2086 wrote:

Cyril wrote:

marty2086 wrote:

Cyril wrote:

marty2086 wrote:

Cyril wrote:Isn't this a bit of a kick in the teeth for Italy who have had the hosting plucked out of their grasp on an occasion or two?

Which Italian city bid for it?

Milan (San Siro). It all got caught up in the cross-over from Heineken to Champions Cup in 14/15 and it went to HQ (the safe option, I guess, given the turmoil over negotiations). I think Stade was the other bid.

You would have thought Italy would have been considered the next time they went outside of the Home Nations or France?

2014/15 isn't this season, did any Italian cities bid this season?

Oh, I didn't realise you meant this season! I'm not aware of who bid this season.

My point was more that European rugby (EPCR, Pro12 etc) seems to be wooing Spain while Italian rugby is on its knees. That's business though, I guess.

How?

If the Italians didn't bid then what is expected to happen? You can't have people make bids then hand it to someone who didn't

As you said though it's a business, the bid that makes the best business case will get the games

Yes, I realise that. I think we were at crossed purposes

I doubt the Spanish bid had the best business case (otherwise it would be England or France hosting every year). This looks like a 'growing the game' option.

Why would England or France win the bids every year?

marty2086 wrote:

Cyril wrote:

marty2086 wrote:

Cyril wrote:

marty2086 wrote:

Cyril wrote:

marty2086 wrote:

Cyril wrote:Isn't this a bit of a kick in the teeth for Italy who have had the hosting plucked out of their grasp on an occasion or two?

Which Italian city bid for it?

Milan (San Siro). It all got caught up in the cross-over from Heineken to Champions Cup in 14/15 and it went to HQ (the safe option, I guess, given the turmoil over negotiations). I think Stade was the other bid.

You would have thought Italy would have been considered the next time they went outside of the Home Nations or France?

2014/15 isn't this season, did any Italian cities bid this season?

Oh, I didn't realise you meant this season! I'm not aware of who bid this season.

My point was more that European rugby (EPCR, Pro12 etc) seems to be wooing Spain while Italian rugby is on its knees. That's business though, I guess.

How?

If the Italians didn't bid then what is expected to happen? You can't have people make bids then hand it to someone who didn't

As you said though it's a business, the bid that makes the best business case will get the games

Yes, I realise that. I think we were at crossed purposes

I doubt the Spanish bid had the best business case (otherwise it would be England or France hosting every year). This looks like a 'growing the game' option.

Why would England or France win the bids every year?

We're getting off topic now You know the reasons why so let's not de-rail the thread, eh?

I just think that Spain is now the new flavour of the month.

Cyril wrote:

marty2086 wrote:

Cyril wrote:

marty2086 wrote:

Cyril wrote:

marty2086 wrote:

Cyril wrote:

marty2086 wrote:

Cyril wrote:Isn't this a bit of a kick in the teeth for Italy who have had the hosting plucked out of their grasp on an occasion or two?

Which Italian city bid for it?

Milan (San Siro). It all got caught up in the cross-over from Heineken to Champions Cup in 14/15 and it went to HQ (the safe option, I guess, given the turmoil over negotiations). I think Stade was the other bid.

You would have thought Italy would have been considered the next time they went outside of the Home Nations or France?

2014/15 isn't this season, did any Italian cities bid this season?

Oh, I didn't realise you meant this season! I'm not aware of who bid this season.

My point was more that European rugby (EPCR, Pro12 etc) seems to be wooing Spain while Italian rugby is on its knees. That's business though, I guess.

How?

If the Italians didn't bid then what is expected to happen? You can't have people make bids then hand it to someone who didn't

As you said though it's a business, the bid that makes the best business case will get the games

Yes, I realise that. I think we were at crossed purposes

I doubt the Spanish bid had the best business case (otherwise it would be England or France hosting every year). This looks like a 'growing the game' option.

Why would England or France win the bids every year?

We're getting off topic now You know the reasons why so let's not de-rail the thread, eh?

I just think that Spain is now the new flavour of the month.

No actually I really don't know why hence the question.

Part of the Spanish business case would likely include the growth of the game which is an added advantage for the Spanish bid and the future of ECPR

There was a Spanish team in the 2012–13 European Challenge Cup and the next near had to withdraw and were replaced by a Portuguese team Lusitanos XV

Im buzzing that we have it for 2019!!

Great work by the team. The World Cup here was a MASSIVE success, and im sure we'll put on a great show for the Cup finals aswell!