paterson says magners is better than the premiership!

KingKong(2.15) · Post by **KingKong(2.15)** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 9:58 pm

hmm
really we need a koppaberg league, instead of the magners

dailywaffle · Post by **dailywaffle** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 11:23 pm

Jim__2 wrote:All weaker teams in the ML do not have the capability of beating the stronger teams. You don't see Connacht beating Munster or Leinster do you?

Connacht definitely beat the Ospreys last season, and I'm pretty sure beat them a couple of seasons previously.

The problem being that, certainly in 07/08, the team the Ospreys sent over to Ireland was a second XV that couldn't care less. Which illustrates the problem with the ML.

Bill W · Post by **Bill W** » Fri Jul 18, 2008 12:11 am

The ML? It is a joke OK!!!!

The sponsors lob in a little money - well what else is there? The minority TV channels have kittle else to show.

The minor teams play the major teams second XV's.

Jim__2 · Post by **Jim__2** » Fri Jul 18, 2008 12:21 am

Well they're lucky to still be going. They would've been done for if Magners didn't sponser the league.

dailywaffle · Post by **dailywaffle** » Fri Jul 18, 2008 8:50 am

IIRC, this season will be the 10th anniversary of the 'rebel season', which very nearly saw the establishment of a proper Anglo-Welsh league. Unfortunately, the clubs blinked before the unions, and the opportunity was lost.

Many Welsh rugby supporters must wonder what might have been, especially when their region puts out some half-ar*ed XV against the likes of Connacht.

tigerben · Post by **tigerben** » Fri Jul 18, 2008 9:14 am

He also seems to be forgetting the different formats, and therefore different midsets of clubs in each league.

obviously theres no relegation in the magners, and currently there isn't any playoffs (they may be introduced in the 09/10 season) so to win you have to finish top.

to win the GP (or have a shot at it) you just need to finish top 4 to get into the playoffs.

also in the ML the teams near the bottom are effectivly just battling against the other sides from their country for a HC place, rather than everyone around them to avoid relegation.

dailywaffle · Post by **dailywaffle** » Fri Jul 18, 2008 9:33 am

tigerben wrote:also in the ML the teams near the bottom are effectivly just battling against the other sides from their country for a HC place, rather than everyone around them to avoid relegation.

Unless you're Scottish (guaranteed HEC spot) or Welsh ('all in' this season, although the fourth placed region usually has to pre-qualify via a home match against Italy 3).

The only interest in the bottom half is whether or not the might of Connacht can finish ahead of Leinster, Munster or Ulster. I think hell might freeze over first.

As currently constituted the ML is not a serious competition in its own right, it is a training ground for the respective national teams and the HEC. Any comparison with the GP is therefore fundamentally flawed.

Ulster · Post by **Ulster** » Fri Jul 18, 2008 11:19 am

dailywaffle wrote:
Jim__2 wrote:All weaker teams in the ML do not have the capability of beating the stronger teams. You don't see Connacht beating Munster or Leinster do you?
Connacht definitely beat the Ospreys last season, and I'm pretty sure beat them a couple of seasons previously.

The problem being that, certainly in 07/08, the team the Ospreys sent over to Ireland was a second XV that couldn't care less. Which illustrates the problem with the ML.

Ospreys sent over a fullstrength team to Ireland. I'd say the Munster 2nd xv would give leicester a good run for their money
1)puccierlo (sp?)
2)sheahen
3)buckley
4)O'driscoll
5)Ryan - tipped to be the next POC in Munster
6)o'sullivan - top player, injury prone
7)Ronan - outshone wallace last season, very like jennings
8)?????
9)stringer
10)warwick
11)Horgan
12)Earls
13)Murphy
14)Carney
15)????? - lewis

That is a very strong team that could do well in the heineken cup. A fullstrength Munster only managed to beat connaght last season by a couple of points thanks to a howlett intercept in the last minute of the match

dailywaffle · Post by **dailywaffle** » Fri Jul 18, 2008 2:00 pm

Ulster wrote:Ospreys sent over a fullstrength team to Ireland.

You call this 'full strength'?

Paul James 1
Richard Hibbard 2
Cai Griffiths 3
Andy Lloyd 4
Lyndon Bateman 5
Hale T-Pole 6
Steve Tandy 7
Tom Smith 8

Rhys Webb 9
Shaun Connor 10
Kristian Phillips 11
Jonathan Spratt 12
Mark Taylor 13
Leigh Bevan 14
Gareth Owen 15

Connacht 24 - 20 Ospreys
Att. 1,463

Bill W · Post by **Bill W** » Fri Jul 18, 2008 4:52 pm

Ulster wrote: I'd say the Munster 2nd xv would give leicester a good run for their money

Well they better field it instead of their 1st XV then because I have memories of a famous victory at Thomond Park.

Caerlyr Osprey · Post by **Caerlyr Osprey** » Fri Jul 18, 2008 5:12 pm

The Tigers lost 3 times to Magners league opposition last year between the games in Europe and the EDF.

Granted they won 3 games as well and probably the overall points difference would be in the Tigers favour.

But if the ML was that weak shouldn't the Tigers have won all 6 games - bad season or not?

Wonder what will happen this time around with only 3 games and 2 of them in the Principality.

dailywaffle · Post by **dailywaffle** » Fri Jul 18, 2008 5:43 pm

C O, my criticism of the celts is not the teams, but their domestic competition.

Bill W · Post by **Bill W** » Fri Jul 18, 2008 5:46 pm

Just so daily, indeed, what passes for a domestic competition.

welshy3 · Post by **welshy3** » Fri Jul 18, 2008 7:03 pm

To be honest a english rugby person would have to travel a hell of a long way to admit the magners is better, and the Guiness is inferior even if it was by a mile.

Commercially it would be a disaster for clubs corporate sponsors and fans/shareholders to admit it.

Can you imagine sky sports effectively trying to market and "pay per view" the third worst league in the northen hemisphere - when you can watch a superior league for free?

So any debate is useless.

Professional rugby has changed the entire nature of the debate. It isn't Engand v Wales anymore...

It's Rupert Murdoch and his sporting investments and marketing and media machinery v Wales.

It's all about Marketing hype and believing what you want to believe, selling next years subscriptions and :censored: else, particuarly anything like results on the pitch.

Bill W · Post by **Bill W** » Fri Jul 18, 2008 7:33 pm

Were the ML a "better" competition than the GP then I am sure Mr. Murdoch's minions would pay to screen it.

That they do not of itself speaks volumes!