Heineken Cup no nearer a resolution

[tommill]

The BBC article says:

"But last week French teams committed to the current tournament - as long as their English counterparts also did."

So does this mean the French teams are no longer committed to the HC as the English teams aren't?

[Smudge]

Churchill is alive and well and posts under the name of Bill W.

Was it Dubya that referred to the French as "garlick munching surrender monkeys"?

[ourla]

tommill, correct, if you trust there word. Which nobody does, so we will wait and see.

[biffer]

Churchill is alive and well and posts under the name of Bill W.

Was it Dubya that referred to the French as "garlick munching surrender monkeys"?

The phrase you're looking for is "cheese-eating surrender monkeys" and it was coined by a Scotsman.


Groundskeeper Willie from the Simpsons.

[biffer]

The BBC article says:

"But last week French teams committed to the current tournament - as long as their English counterparts also did."

So does this mean the French teams are no longer committed to the HC as the English teams aren't?

I found the reporting of this a little vague tbh. Sometimes it sounded like the French insisting on English participation next season, sometimes it sounded as if they meant under the reconstructed organisation the following season.

[Phil B]

The BBC article says:

"But last week French teams committed to the current tournament - as long as their English counterparts also did."

So does this mean the French teams are no longer committed to the HC as the English teams aren't?

Having read what I have recently, I can see no incentive at the moment for the French to pull out of the HC next season. The struggle between their Clubs and their Union continues, but they will take their time to sort that out.

I do wonder what the "other possibilities" are that we seem to be looking at.

[Noddy555]

for j griffin: I still think that thereis a long way to go before any settlement. After all for the premiership teams times not really important, getting the right format both financially and professionally is. I am guessing
that this impasse will go on until at least May 2014 if not later.

[biffer]

I wouldn't hold out a lot of hope of the Welsh joining withthe English clubs. They've been perpetually at war with themselves for the last twenty five years, including (but not limited to)

• amateur era player payments
• bitterness over rugby league defections
• discipline problems in the national squad
• WRU committee upheavals
• splits over the Heineken Cup and European participation
• domestic league structuring
• discipline problems with the national squad
• WRU committee upheavals
• regions vs clubs
• overspending on the Millennium Stadium
• arguments over Rugby World Cup funding/ticketing/profits/legacy
• closure of the Celtic Warriors
• regional franchise funding
• central player contracts
• disciplinary problems in the national squad
• WRU committee upheavals

They're not happy unless they're trying to stab each other in the back. Do we really want to invite them into the Aviva and have these arguments extended across the whole of English rugby all the time?

[Noddy555]

Yes Biffer there is even talk of the regions taking the WRFU to court, it seems
we are comparatively benign to this lot. Watch this space my Irish friends tell me that the Irish regional clubs ie. the 4 provincial sides are non too happy with the IRFU either.

[Bill W (2)]

OK. So let's let the French argue amongst themselves and the Celts to fall out!

Do we (English Clubs) care?

[SouthMunster]

Watch this space my Irish friends tell me that the Irish regional clubs ie. the 4 provincial sides are non too happy with the IRFU either.

The IRFU own the 4 provinces lock, stock and barrel.

[Bill W (2)]

Watch this space my Irish friends tell me that the Irish regional clubs ie. the 4 provincial sides are non too happy with the IRFU either.

The IRFU own the 4 provinces lock, stock and barrel.

You can own their shares, locks, stocks and barrels. Does not mean you own their hearts and minds!!

[SouthMunster]

Watch this space my Irish friends tell me that the Irish regional clubs ie. the 4 provincial sides are non too happy with the IRFU either.

The IRFU own the 4 provinces lock, stock and barrel.

You can own their shares, locks, stocks and barrels. Does not mean you own their hearts and minds!!

The current European Cup is not ideal for anyone but I think most people here
believe that the IRFU stance was the right one.
In particular the Celtic Unions and Italy need to support one another.
So I think that in Ireland the IRFU is doing OK in the hearts and minds stakes.

[Bill W (2)]

The current European Cup is not ideal for anyone but I think most people here
believe that the IRFU stance was the right one.
In particular the Celtic Unions and Italy need to support one another.
So I think that in Ireland the IRFU is doing OK in the hearts and minds stakes.

I am delighted that you are numbered amongst the believers.

However there exist unbelievers.

Aren't you just glad you are not Welsh?

[Noddy555]

Would I be correct in assuming that South Munster was either born or lives in that part of the world? I trust that his obvious patriotism doesn't turn out to
be misplaced when the provinces do their about turn!