Ulster Rugby 2017-18

First topic message reminder :

I was thinkung similar McCloskey for me has been better than Arnold and Farrell and just isnt being picked. Hopefully a resurgent Ulster will make it all better

That's the thing, in it I think it was Thornley spoke about Kiss' thing not being the choke tackle but shooters from the line. Guys like BOD had the freedom to read the game and shoot out of the line to pressure the attacking team.

We never really saw that from Ulster except with Trimble, maybe the problem was he didn't trust those he had at his disposal hence the Doak being prevented from addressing the team issue.

Heard there about some bust up Kiss had with Cave in one of the Ireland camps when they came to blows, hence he dropped him when he came in.

I guess this is common knowledge, no wonder Kiss didn't last as Cave is influential with the Ulster hierarchy.

I'm not saying that there isn't some truth to the story and they didn't have a dust up and it didn't colour opinions but Marshall and McCloskey were starting centres and Cave still got his fair share of game time

Robin Copeland will finish with the province at the end of this season. The 31-year-old back row has made 62 appearances, scoring 11 tries, since his debut against Treviso in September 2014. In his time at Munster, he produced a man-of-the-match performance in the historic win against the Maori All Blacks in November 2016, and played an instrumental role in securing the British and Irish Cup with Munster A in 2017.

On the international front, Robin represented the Ireland Wolfhounds against England Saxons in January 2014 and later that year played in Emerging Ireland’s Nations Cup winning campaign in Romania where he was awarded Player of the Tournament.

The Wexford native went on to make his senior debut against Georgia in the Guinness Series that November.

Speaking about Copeland’s departure, Head Coach Johann van Graan said: “While it has been great to retain so many of our players this season, we respect Robin’s decision to move on.

“A physical and versatile player, we know he will continue to be successful, and everyone at Munster wishes Robin all the best for the future.”

Could he?

marty2086 wrote:

Robin Copeland will finish with the province at the end of this season. The 31-year-old back row has made 62 appearances, scoring 11 tries, since his debut against Treviso in September 2014. In his time at Munster, he produced a man-of-the-match performance in the historic win against the Maori All Blacks in November 2016, and played an instrumental role in securing the British and Irish Cup with Munster A in 2017.

On the international front, Robin represented the Ireland Wolfhounds against England Saxons in January 2014 and later that year played in Emerging Ireland’s Nations Cup winning campaign in Romania where he was awarded Player of the Tournament.

The Wexford native went on to make his senior debut against Georgia in the Guinness Series that November.

Speaking about Copeland’s departure, Head Coach Johann van Graan said: “While it has been great to retain so many of our players this season, we respect Robin’s decision to move on.

“A physical and versatile player, we know he will continue to be successful, and everyone at Munster wishes Robin all the best for the future.”

Could he?

He'd definitely be a good signing for us but wonder if he's off to Connacht to replace Muldoon?

With Bierne moving to Munster there was always going to be a surplus down there with Stander, O'Mahoney, Clute, O'Donnell, O'Donahue in the back row.

Stander would be the ideal signing for us but can't see it ever happening.

marty2086 wrote:

Robin Copeland will finish with the province at the end of this season. The 31-year-old back row has made 62 appearances, scoring 11 tries, since his debut against Treviso in September 2014. In his time at Munster, he produced a man-of-the-match performance in the historic win against the Maori All Blacks in November 2016, and played an instrumental role in securing the British and Irish Cup with Munster A in 2017.

On the international front, Robin represented the Ireland Wolfhounds against England Saxons in January 2014 and later that year played in Emerging Ireland’s Nations Cup winning campaign in Romania where he was awarded Player of the Tournament.

The Wexford native went on to make his senior debut against Georgia in the Guinness Series that November.

Speaking about Copeland’s departure, Head Coach Johann van Graan said: “While it has been great to retain so many of our players this season, we respect Robin’s decision to move on.

“A physical and versatile player, we know he will continue to be successful, and everyone at Munster wishes Robin all the best for the future.”

Could he?

Would be very useful. Suppose we can hope.

marty2086 wrote:

Robin Copeland will finish with the province at the end of this season. The 31-year-old back row has made 62 appearances, scoring 11 tries, since his debut against Treviso in September 2014. In his time at Munster, he produced a man-of-the-match performance in the historic win against the Maori All Blacks in November 2016, and played an instrumental role in securing the British and Irish Cup with Munster A in 2017.

On the international front, Robin represented the Ireland Wolfhounds against England Saxons in January 2014 and later that year played in Emerging Ireland’s Nations Cup winning campaign in Romania where he was awarded Player of the Tournament.

The Wexford native went on to make his senior debut against Georgia in the Guinness Series that November.

Speaking about Copeland’s departure, Head Coach Johann van Graan said: “While it has been great to retain so many of our players this season, we respect Robin’s decision to move on.

“A physical and versatile player, we know he will continue to be successful, and everyone at Munster wishes Robin all the best for the future.”

Could he?

I wonder if anyone's even talking to him. You'd hope so wouldn't you?

Well anyone going tomorrow feel free to ask Bryn, Copeland isn't a top line player but we need decent squad players as much as anything to create depth and allow for competition and rotation

Currently he'd be another Diack but would be great to add depth. If he got some form back like when he was in Cardiff, and more gametime could be the key to getting that, then he'd be a great addition.

Looking a lot like BBC are going to miss out on the Guinness pro 14 games to Premier Sports.
I know one thing for sure if Premier Sports think I will adding them to the ever increasing list of pay tv providers I have to subscribe to so I can watch rugby and other sports then they will be very disappointed.

neilthom7 wrote:Looking a lot like BBC are going to miss out on the Guinness pro 14 games to Premier Sports.
I know one thing for sure if Premier Sports think I will adding them to the ever increasing list of pay tv providers I have to subscribe to so I can watch rugby and other sports then they will be very disappointed.

It could be EirSport for NI.

9/23 on the U20s squad for Scotland game are Ulster Academy - two of those not native Ulstermen, and one of those played in an Ulster Schools Cup Final.

Lol the way I read that i thought you meant 9/23 of the Scotland squad

Premier Sports?? A channel that's not available on BT? So dumb. They have an app,, but only for IOS at this stage. 9.99 per month to watch matches on my computer.
Who is bankrolling this lot? Hadn't even heard of them.

clivemcl wrote:Premier Sports?? A channel that's not available on BT? So dumb. They have an app,, but only for IOS at this stage. 9.99 per month to watch matches on my computer.
Who is bankrolling this lot? Hadn't even heard of them.

Not available on BT? It’s available on Sky/Virgin and streams both iOS and Android.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premier_Sports

Their website homepage has Sky, Virgin, subscriptions and App Store and GooglePlay app downloads on it.

I see the google play link now, but I guess this page is out of date.

https://www.premierplayer.tv/subscribe/new-customer

Horrendous website.

So with BBC NI losing the rights to Ulsters games the season ticket prices not changing makes more sense, the games are going to be less accessible to fans making a season ticket more valuable even though there might be less games and lesser quality games

Pot Hale wrote:

neilthom7 wrote:Looking a lot like BBC are going to miss out on the Guinness pro 14 games to Premier Sports.
I know one thing for sure if Premier Sports think I will adding them to the ever increasing list of pay tv providers I have to subscribe to so I can watch rugby and other sports then they will be very disappointed.

It could be EirSport for NI.

Don't know much about them but they are pay as well right?

marty2086 wrote:So with BBC NI losing the rights to Ulsters games the season ticket prices not changing makes more sense, the games are going to be less accessible to fans making a season ticket more valuable even though there might be less games and lesser quality games

That is a point, you wonder though did Ulster know about this or did this just come at a good time for them.

Either way I think it's a bad thing for the league, it's one thing being on pay TV when it's Sky or BT but on a small channel who most people don't know exists and which really the Pro 14 is the big draw for the channel is not a good thing. I doubt too many would be rushing to buy Premier Sports to watch the Pro 14.

Still might make me more interested in buying one of those season tickets so Ulster might benefit

neilthom7 wrote:

marty2086 wrote:So with BBC NI losing the rights to Ulsters games the season ticket prices not changing makes more sense, the games are going to be less accessible to fans making a season ticket more valuable even though there might be less games and lesser quality games

That is a point, you wonder though did Ulster know about this or did this just come at a good time for them.

Either way I think it's a bad thing for the league, it's one thing being on pay TV when it's Sky or BT but on a small channel who most people don't know exists and which really the Pro 14 is the big draw for the channel is not a good thing.  I doubt too many would be rushing to buy Premier Sports to watch the Pro 14.

Still might make me more interested in buying one of those season tickets so Ulster might benefit

Either way, it’s a bad thing for the league?

I don’t understand why. If BBC NI was paying let’s say £980k for the rights to TX 8-9 Ulster home games and another broadcaster comes along and is willing to pay, say, twice that much based on say getting 25,000 subscribers, would that be a bad thing? And if, say, the same broadcaster was also selling subs to expats in other parts of the UK or other countries for those games, would that be a bad thing? Or if that broadcaster made its channel available on the Sky or Virgin platforms and was part of a wider bundle package so that if you bought a BT subscription, you’d also get Premier Sports as part of the package, would that be ok?

Or if you’re an Irish expat in the US, and you’d like to watch a channel featuring Irish sports and Irish teams including GAA and rugby, would you be willing to pay $15 a month on a rolling contract to do that when games were on during the year?

And if that was replicated across other TV territories which resulted in the overall current TV income from B&I broadcasters of £11.5m increasing to, say, £17-£20m, meaning that every club in the WRU, SRU and IRFU shared from that increase in income for its games, would that be a bad thing?

And if the move from FTA to digital/online resulted in 1-2 thousand fans in each clubs territory getting off their armchair and going to watch a game, would that be ok?

Random bit of info, if you are following the trial you may have heard, the lads Whatsapp group had a name which was an acronym of first surname letters. After a stupid amount of digging, I've found the same word used as hashtags a few times by certain people.
Anyway, the point is i'm 90% Jackson and Olding were the only Ulster players in that group conversation.

(and for the record, if I had concluded some players may have been in the group, I 100% would NOT have named them - just before anyone gets their knickers in a twist).

clivemcl wrote:Random bit of info, if you are following the trial you may have heard, the lads Whatsapp group had a name which was an acronym of first surname letters. After a stupid amount of digging, I've found the same word used as hashtags a few times by certain people.
Anyway, the point is i'm 90% Jackson and Olding were the only Ulster players in that group conversation.

(and for the record, if I had concluded some players may have been in the group, I 100% would NOT have named them - just before anyone gets their knickers in a twist).

You mean the OJ trial?

Pot Hale wrote:

neilthom7 wrote:

marty2086 wrote:So with BBC NI losing the rights to Ulsters games the season ticket prices not changing makes more sense, the games are going to be less accessible to fans making a season ticket more valuable even though there might be less games and lesser quality games

That is a point, you wonder though did Ulster know about this or did this just come at a good time for them.

Either way I think it's a bad thing for the league, it's one thing being on pay TV when it's Sky or BT but on a small channel who most people don't know exists and which really the Pro 14 is the big draw for the channel is not a good thing.  I doubt too many would be rushing to buy Premier Sports to watch the Pro 14.

Still might make me more interested in buying one of those season tickets so Ulster might benefit

Either way, it’s a bad thing for the league?

I don’t understand why.  If BBC NI was paying let’s say £980k for the rights to TX 8-9 Ulster home games and another broadcaster comes along and is willing to pay, say, twice that much based on say getting 25,000 subscribers, would that be a bad thing?  And if, say, the same broadcaster was also selling subs to expats in other parts of the UK or other countries for those games, would that be a bad thing?   Or if that broadcaster made its channel available on the Sky or Virgin platforms and was part of a wider bundle package so that if you bought a BT subscription, you’d also get Premier Sports as part of the package, would that be ok?

Or if you’re an Irish expat in the US, and you’d like to watch a channel featuring Irish sports and Irish teams including GAA and rugby, would you be willing to pay $15 a month on a rolling contract to do that when games were on during the year?

And if that was replicated across other TV territories which resulted in the overall current TV income from B&I broadcasters of £11.5m increasing to, say, £17-£20m, meaning that every club in the WRU, SRU and IRFU shared from that increase in income for its games, would that be a bad thing?  

And if the move from FTA to digital/online resulted in 1-2 thousand fans in each clubs territory getting off their armchair and going to watch a game, would that be ok?  

Firstly I would have my doubts 25 thousand people would sign up to say Premier Sports just to watch Ulster play. I mean I certainly won't be and of all the people who I know who are into watching Ulster or rugby in general I am the one who would try the hardest to watch games.

It's not just that though it's short term thinking, less people will see it and so less people will be interested.

The Pro 14 is not the Premier League, if it moves channels people will make the jump but I'm not sure that people will not just decide the Pro 14 isn't worth the extra money.

Look at other things such as F1 or the Champions League. F1 had a massive loss of viewers and it went to a platform which a lot more people have than Premier Sports. Even the new owners of F1 don't like it.
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/jun/21/f1-uk-tv-deal-detrimental-sport-formula-one

The Champions league is a huge footballing showcase and it went from one pay tv provider to a slightly smaller (maybe) but still very large and well known pay tv provider and also had big losses.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2016/02/12/uefa-concerned-by-bt-sports-dismal-champions-league-viewing-figu/

Can the Pro 14 really afford to suffer big viewership losses? Is it a short term gain for long term problems (something Ulster are starting to see can happen)

Les Kiss to London Irish (alongside Declan Kidney...)

Pot Hale wrote:

neilthom7 wrote:

marty2086 wrote:So with BBC NI losing the rights to Ulsters games the season ticket prices not changing makes more sense, the games are going to be less accessible to fans making a season ticket more valuable even though there might be less games and lesser quality games

That is a point, you wonder though did Ulster know about this or did this just come at a good time for them.

Either way I think it's a bad thing for the league, it's one thing being on pay TV when it's Sky or BT but on a small channel who most people don't know exists and which really the Pro 14 is the big draw for the channel is not a good thing.  I doubt too many would be rushing to buy Premier Sports to watch the Pro 14.

Still might make me more interested in buying one of those season tickets so Ulster might benefit

Either way, it’s a bad thing for the league?

I don’t understand why.  If BBC NI was paying let’s say £980k for the rights to TX 8-9 Ulster home games and another broadcaster comes along and is willing to pay, say, twice that much based on say getting 25,000 subscribers, would that be a bad thing?  And if, say, the same broadcaster was also selling subs to expats in other parts of the UK or other countries for those games, would that be a bad thing?   Or if that broadcaster made its channel available on the Sky or Virgin platforms and was part of a wider bundle package so that if you bought a BT subscription, you’d also get Premier Sports as part of the package, would that be ok?

Or if you’re an Irish expat in the US, and you’d like to watch a channel featuring Irish sports and Irish teams including GAA and rugby, would you be willing to pay $15 a month on a rolling contract to do that when games were on during the year?

And if that was replicated across other TV territories which resulted in the overall current TV income from B&I broadcasters of £11.5m increasing to, say, £17-£20m, meaning that every club in the WRU, SRU and IRFU shared from that increase in income for its games, would that be a bad thing?  

And if the move from FTA to digital/online resulted in 1-2 thousand fans in each clubs territory getting off their armchair and going to watch a game, would that be ok?  

The short answer is probably still no.

You see it with other sports and it tends to mean long term death for very little short term gain, if any.

In terms of the subscription bit, it's unlikely that Ulster will see much uptick from TV money, maybe a bit more from increased ticket sales (potentially offseting some of the losses they'll see next year from season ticket holders not renewing), but a gradual loss in merchandising and other revenues.

More importantly it'll allow other sports with other teams to more readily compete for supporters time and money. It's hard to support a team you can't watch. Much more likely the kids will opt for a new Liverpool jersey as they can more readily follow them week in, week out.

In fairness, as someone who has been known to buy the occasional Sky Now TV day pass at 7.99 for the Sky Ulster games, I'm sure I probably will pay 9.99 per month for 4 games.
It's pretty much the only think I watch live on TV. The biggest pain in the backside is, as a BT customer, I can only use teh app or browser which means I have no record facility.
That will seriously piss me off.

Also, yea, there are loads of viewers who watch Ulster Rugby without really caring all that much. Viewership will likely plummet.

4 games a month? Ulster would be lucky to be broadcast 4 games a season. I doubt premier sports will put all our games on. It might help attendances slightly, but will kill other interest.

Fair enough - we’re all doomed.

A lot of the hope for growing rugby as a sport relies on keeping enough people vaguely interested even while we suck, and then at times when we might begin to do well, the viewer at home and their kid may get super excited and want to play for ulster themselves one day...

If you have to pay a subscription, only committed rugby fans will pay. You therefore will only get rugby followers as a result of parents being rugby followers. Extremely unlikely anyone will take up the sport from a non rugby family. Especially if it's not on 'free' TV.

clivemcl wrote:A lot of the hope for growing rugby as a sport relies on keeping enough people vaguely interested even while we suck, and then at times when we might begin to do well, the viewer at home and their kid may get super excited and want to play for ulster themselves one day...

If you have to pay a subscription, only committed rugby fans will pay. You therefore will only get rugby followers as a result of parents being rugby followers. Extremely unlikely anyone will take up the sport from a non rugby family. Especially if it's not on 'free' TV.

It's up to the league, clubs, unions and broadcasters to up their visibility in other ways be it through social media, marketing, going into the communities etc

Hopefully Premier Sports will make some games free to air like the AP have done through Channel 5

It also has another advantage in that it may mean people paying more attention to the league as a whole, when your team is always on tv how many pay as much attention to other teams? With a smaller number of games will more people watch other teams compared to when most were available?

Also, Logan is coming out of hiding next Tuesday

http://www.newtownbredabaptist.com/1000-lives-mens/

Some good news in the doom and gloom - a healthy Ulster representation in the U20s v Scotland

15. Michael Silvester (Dublin University FC/Leinster) (7)
14. Angus Kernohan (Ballymena RFC/Ulster) (3)
13. Tommy O'Brien (UCD RFC/Leinster) Captain (8)
12. Angus Curtis (Queen's University RFC/Ulster) (3)
11. Mark Keane (Queen's University RFC/Ulster) (2)
10. Harry Byrne (UCD RFC/Leinster) (3)
9. Hugh O'Sullivan (Clontarf FC/Leinster) (3)
1. James French (UCC RFC/Munster) (3)
2. Ronan Kelleher (Lansdowne FC/ Leinster) (10)
3. Tom O'Toole (Banbridge RFC/Ulster) (3)
4. Matthew Dalton (Malone RFC/Ulster) (1)
5. Jack Dunne (Dublin University FC/Leinster) (3)
6. Joe Dunleavy (Malone RFC/Ulster) (0)
7. Matthew Agnew (Ballymena RFC/Ulster) (2)
8. Jack O'Sullivan (UCC RFC/Munster) (3)

Replacements:
16. AN Other
17. Jordan Duggan (Naas RFC/Leinster) (7)
18. Jack Aungier (St. Mary's College RFC/Leinster) (3)
19. Charlie Ryan (UCD RFC/Leinster) (2)
20. Ronan Foley (UCD RFC/Leinster) (2)
21. Jonny Stewart (Queen's University RFC/Ulster) (12)
22. Conor Dean (St.Mary's College RFC/Leinster) (7)
23. James Hume (Banbridge RFC/Ulster) (1)

marty2086 wrote:Also, Logan is coming out of hiding next Tuesday

http://www.newtownbredabaptist.com/1000-lives-mens/

So not available tonight but can make next Tuesday - really ?

And a mens only night in this day and age - really ?

The man is a complete and utter tube and an disgrace to Ulster rugby
FOR GOD SAKE GO !!

Pot Hale wrote:

neilthom7 wrote:Looking a lot like BBC are going to miss out on the Guinness pro 14 games to Premier Sports.
I know one thing for sure if Premier Sports think I will adding them to the ever increasing list of pay tv providers I have to subscribe to so I can watch rugby and other sports then they will be very disappointed.

It could be EirSport for NI.

Fook sake, anyone know how to get these? Can you add on to sky?

geoff999rugby wrote:

marty2086 wrote:Also, Logan is coming out of hiding next Tuesday

http://www.newtownbredabaptist.com/1000-lives-mens/

So not available tonight but can make next Tuesday - really ?

And a mens only night in this day and age - really ?

The man is a complete and utter tube and an disgrace to Ulster rugby
FOR GOD SAKE GO !!

In his defence, I think this one was planned a while back and there are plenty of ladies only nights that take place all over the place but the rest I can't argue with

clivemcl wrote:In fairness, as someone who has been known to buy the occasional Sky Now TV day pass at 7.99 for the Sky Ulster games, I'm sure I probably will pay 9.99 per month for 4 games.
It's pretty much the only think I watch live on TV. The biggest pain in the backside is, as a BT customer, I can only use teh app or browser which means I have no record facility.
That will seriously piss me off.

It's definitely a fair enough that some people such as yourself will be happy to pay the money and get Premier Sports but I think overall most people probably won't.

Although it should be said the Pro 14 season lasts from September to April and there's only 21 matches if you don't make the play offs so that's more like 2.5 games per month on average. Will still have to have BT for the European matches off course.

rodders wrote:

Pot Hale wrote:

neilthom7 wrote:Looking a lot like BBC are going to miss out on the Guinness pro 14 games to Premier Sports.
I know one thing for sure if Premier Sports think I will adding them to the ever increasing list of pay tv providers I have to subscribe to so I can watch rugby and other sports then they will be very disappointed.

It could be EirSport for NI.

Fook sake, anyone know how to get these? Can you add on to sky?

they are on channel 423 (EirSport) and 428 (Premier) on Sky in NI Rodders. I thinkt o get them though you have to contact the broadcaster directly similar to how you do if you want BT Sport on your Sky box.

neilthom7 wrote:

rodders wrote:

Pot Hale wrote:

neilthom7 wrote:Looking a lot like BBC are going to miss out on the Guinness pro 14 games to Premier Sports.
I know one thing for sure if Premier Sports think I will adding them to the ever increasing list of pay tv providers I have to subscribe to so I can watch rugby and other sports then they will be very disappointed.

It could be EirSport for NI.

Fook sake, anyone know how to get these? Can you add on to sky?

they are on channel 423 (EirSport) and 428 (Premier) on Sky in NI Rodders. I thinkt o get them though you have to contact the broadcaster directly similar to how you do if you want BT Sport on your Sky box.

Thanks Neil any idea of the cost? Do premier have any other rugby?

I posted elsewhere

Well for me (Virgin) it will be cheaper overall to watch ECC, Aviva and Pro14
Currently have to pay for the Virgin package that contains BT sport plus Sky.
Next year drop Sky (£33 a month) and add Premier Sports (£8 a month) - that is a saving of £25 a month.
Now to be fair don't have Sky every month because it is too expensive but overall next year will be cheaper than this.

The only things Sky have now are the autumn Internationals and June International for England and Ireland.
No meaningful June internationals 18-19 so a couple of days on Sky Now, in November, but other than that no Sky - and they are the really expensive ones.

So I'll save money - I think it is fair to say in depends on what you have and what you want next year.
I will be absolutely amazed if we are tied in with the south I am 99% it will be part of the UK package.
Logistically that is far easier.
The big problem is regardless of which way we sit the we will not be a priority
EirSport will concentrate on Leinster and Munster
Premier Sport will concentrate on Wales, then Scotland, then us

Unless they show an awful lot of games I cant see us being on more than 8 times a year and the majority of those, because of our ground, are likely to be home games. 3/4 away games tops

Premier rugby is between £7.99 on Virgin and £9.99 elsewhere but as mentioned
you will not get, in all probability, that many games involving Ulster.

The days of every game on TV are gone

marty2086 wrote:

geoff999rugby wrote:

marty2086 wrote:Also, Logan is coming out of hiding next Tuesday

http://www.newtownbredabaptist.com/1000-lives-mens/

So not available tonight but can make next Tuesday - really ?

And a mens only night in this day and age - really ?

The man is a complete and utter tube and an disgrace to Ulster rugby
FOR GOD SAKE GO !!

In his defence, I think this one was planned a while back and there are plenty of ladies only nights that take place all over the place but the rest I can't argue with

Understand it was planned some time ago but for two reasons it is crass.
Firstly he has been MIA for months and suddenly turns up at a event but cant/wont make an Ulster event a few days earlier
Secondly in the current climate with respect to mens attitude to women (given particular importance regarding Ulster to the ongoing trial)
attending a mens only event at a church with a significantly lower % of ordained women that Anglican, Lutheran, Pentecostal or Methodist chuches
strikes me as, potentially, opening yourself up to criticism.
That is the last thing Ulster rugby needs - we need to be squeaky clean for the next few months and beyond.

Gee that is pretty terrible the way thing are going. I'm on sky but looks like I may dump it.

Surely this will hit Ulster financially too as they won't have the revenue for their own TV deal?

Ulster revenue from this deal is better than currently.
I understand every team, at least in the NH, will get more under the new deal.

Given the way rugby is going Sky is definitely not the platform to be on - you will get rugby cheaper through BT or Virgin.
Sky now only have - November internationals (England and Ireland only), June internationals (England or Ireland only), Top 14 and SH
If the European Cups, Aviva or Pro14 interest you move elsewhere.

Just rang up the club and the person was unaware there was an event going on tonight

Seriously ! - this is supposed to be a professional outfit

I do wonder how many of the Ulster games Premier Sports will bother to televise though. With this season having multiple broadcasters all was fine but with the one broadcaster will they select who to televise between the provinces when matches clash? Will there be a red button choice of which match to watch? What's happening folks? Help!!!!

geoff999rugby wrote:Just rang up the club and the person was unaware there was an event going on tonight

Seriously ! - this is supposed to be a professional outfit  

Is there any chance Ulster Rugby are currently filming a reality, comedy documentary? Surely only a comic genius could write these goings on.

Pete330v2 wrote:I do wonder how many of the Ulster games Premier Sports will bother to televise though. With this season having multiple broadcasters all was fine but with the one broadcaster will they select who to televise between the provinces when matches clash? Will there be a red button choice of which match to watch? What's happening folks? Help!!!!

It'll all depend on their approach. They don't have much live sport at the right time for European viewers, outside of the Spanish second tier and GAA it's mostly in the middle of the night here so their schedule could have a lot of room to show a lot of Pro14 rugby and given what they will likely spend on it, it may take prominence over NHL highlights.

If you look at how BT Sport and Sky do it, you could get a game on Friday night, at least one on both Saturday or Sunday and likely two at least one of those days so you could be looking at 3 to 5 games from 7 a weekend

Pete330v2 wrote:I do wonder how many of the Ulster games Premier Sports will bother to televise though. With this season having multiple broadcasters all was fine but with the one broadcaster will they select who to televise between the provinces when matches clash? Will there be a red button choice of which match to watch? What's happening folks? Help!!!!

Honestly Pete I not one of us have a clue. Until it's all ANNOUNCED (big fan fair, trumpets, laser lights the whole 9 yards) it's all just speculation.
So we sit and wait

Pete330v2 wrote:

geoff999rugby wrote:Just rang up the club and the person was unaware there was an event going on tonight

Seriously ! - this is supposed to be a professional outfit  

Is there any chance Ulster Rugby are currently filming a reality, comedy documentary? Surely only a comic genius could write these goings on.

Best bit is, there's another event on this afternoon in the same place