La Rochelle and Bulls travel plans

Rugby Fan wrote:La Rochelle are already in Ireland. A tweet from Cork Airport shows the team arriving at around mid-day on Monday. Looks like they had a night's sleep after the Stormers game, then got straight on a plane.

https://twitter.com/CorkAirport/status/1777294644167970856

Meanwhile, SA Rugby says the Bulls are set to fly on Tuesday night, which will put them on the ground in England around Wednesday morning/mid-day.

Think I'd prefer the La Rochelle schedule. Perhaps the Bulls were constrained, as Jake White says, by not being able to confirm flights until the Saint-Munster game finished.

Rugby Fan wrote:La Rochelle are already in Ireland. A tweet from Cork Airport shows the team arriving at around mid-day on Monday. Looks like they had a night's sleep after the Stormers game, then got straight on a plane.

https://twitter.com/CorkAirport/status/1777294644167970856

Meanwhile, SA Rugby says the Bulls are set to fly on Tuesday night, which will put them on the ground in England around Wednesday morning/mid-day.

Think I'd prefer the La Rochelle schedule. Perhaps the Bulls were constrained, as Jake White says, by not being able to confirm flights until the Saint-Munster game finished.

“Media are advised that SA Rugby provided 38 flights for the Vodacom Bulls Investec Champions Cup quarter-final squad – 33 in business class and five in economy class. The playing squad will arrive in London before 08h00 local time on Wednesday having travelled overnight in business class on two airlines: British Airways (24 players and management) and Lufthansa (four players and management).

“The coach and CEO also flew directly to London overnight on Virgin in business class. The balance of eight of the tour squad (four management and four players) travelled via Zurich, Doha, and Dubai. Media will appreciate that the high demand for business class seats in and out of South Africa, allied to the reduced number of flights into the country and the late confirmation of the required seats made it well-known to all parties that securing business class seats on a single flight would be impossible.

“Pre-booking seats was discounted as an option in view of the potential risk of loss of 100 per cent of the flight cost for a group booking, should it not be required as it was unknown until 48 hours before departure whether the Vodacom Bulls would qualify, or be playing home or away (in the event of qualification).

“SA Rugby believes that the flights sourced by SA Rugby for the Vodacom Bulls represent the very best outcome it was possible to achieve in the circumstances.”

doctor_grey wrote:That would be a shame.  I want Saints to get through, but also want to know how good they are.  I wanted to see a full strength Bulls side.  So if Saints win, we still learn nothing until the following round which will be like putting themselves in a French or Irish meat grinder.  Playing either La Rochelle or Leinster is a ‘reward’ for getting to the semi-finals?

geoff999rugby wrote:

doctor_grey wrote:That would be a shame.  I want Saints to get through, but also want to know how good they are.  I wanted to see a full strength Bulls side.  So if Saints win, we still learn nothing until the following round which will be like putting themselves in a French or Irish meat grinder.  Playing either La Rochelle or Leinster is a ‘reward’ for getting to the semi-finals?

Better than playing Toulouse imo - the stand out team in Europe at the moment

Welshmushroom wrote:Looks like Jake has left the stars behind, 11 springboks left at home for Northampton.

Second string side going over there.  Does nothing for the profile of the Champions Cup.  

formerly known as Sam wrote:

Welshmushroom wrote:Looks like Jake has left the stars behind, 11 springboks left at home for Northampton.

Second string side going over there.  Does nothing for the profile of the Champions Cup.  

If the Bulls don't put in a competitive performance having left those players behind they should get fined heavily.

geoff999rugby wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:

Welshmushroom wrote:Looks like Jake has left the stars behind, 11 springboks left at home for Northampton.

Second string side going over there.  Does nothing for the profile of the Champions Cup.  

If the Bulls don't put in a competitive performance having left those players behind they should get fined heavily.

A lot of teams would get have to get fined to make it consistent - in all three leagues.
Unworkable

doctor_grey wrote:Here’s the thing that I don’t understand: why would they go all out against Lyon in the first round of the knockouts, but not continue in the next round?  What was in it for the players to win last week if they were only going to put out a much weaker squad this week?