I chanced my arm by visiting the website www.pro14rugby.com and I got re -directed to the Super Rugby website.

Wales Online reporting that the proposed additional derbies aren't going to happen so it would be just 19 games in the regular season, but they don't give any indication of why they think that. It's been re-reported in various other places to varying levels of hysteria. I can't for the life of me imagine why they would do such a thing so I assume it's nonsense. All will be revealed tomorrow.

pinky wrote: Anyway the opening fixture (or something) of the Pro14 (or something) is live on Sky Sports 5 at 6 this evening ...

Is that the Pro14 Liefdadigheid Skild you're on about? :whistle:

I see RTE and the 42 are now reporting Harold whatsisname's comments from earlier in the week:
www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2017/0713/890099-...bout-to-join-pro-12/
The Clan beat them to the schoop by a good 36 hours. I knew taking that course in Afrikaans was worthwhile.
Anyway the opening fixture (or something) of the Pro14 (or something) is live on Sky Sports 5 at 6 this evening ...

Any chance of a new thread for whatever dobby is talking about? I glazed over a bit but it is definitely nothing to do with this ...

Also in Pat Lam's final interview with the guys from Craggy Rugby, he explained a bit about the budget. With a smaller ground than the other provinces we generate less income so this affects our budget. In the last season or two we have re signed a lot of our existing players who due to their performances are earning more now than on their previous contracts all of which eats into the budget. Other provinces have players on Central contracts freeing up cash. We don't.
It's not that we're broke or f##ked financially it's just for a variety of reasons we have a smaller budget to work with.

He also said if finances weren't an issue he could have persuaded Piutau to join Connacht.

connemara man wrote:

dobby wrote:

connemara man wrote: Budgets as they are, are fairly tight and who will fit the bill?

What budgets. All a fan sees is no signings. So no budget. Is that your logic. Is there any chance Connacht could release business earnings,, cash-flow so we can understand how f**ked the province is. We can't afford anybody and I am getting really fed up with somebody saying we have no money. I would like to know why we have no money. Pat Lam said we are an entertainment business. So publish results. Provinces should provide balance sheets. This is bordering on stupid/. Are we just Western beggars

Way to take a point and take it completely out of context. Budgets in the pro12 just aren't as big as the English and French league to the point that the pro 12 charged Italy 6 mil to be in the competition to cover travel costs. Just like apparently each pro12 team will be getting a five hundred thousand in additional funds if this expansion goes ahead.

And somehow these teams form SA will be able to afford the expense of traveling around the pro12 countries with how awful the Rand is at the moment

In fairness Connemara Man (and I was being grumpy) I really would like all provinces to publish accounts.

connemara man wrote:

dobby wrote:

connemara man wrote: Budgets as they are, are fairly tight and who will fit the bill?

What budgets. All a fan sees is no signings. So no budget. Is that your logic. Is there any chance Connacht could release business earnings,, cash-flow so we can understand how f**ked the province is. We can't afford anybody and I am getting really fed up with somebody saying we have no money. I would like to know why we have no money. Pat Lam said we are an entertainment business. So publish results. Provinces should provide balance sheets. This is bordering on stupid/. Are we just Western beggars

Way to take a point and take it completely out of context. Budgets in the pro12 just aren't as big as the English and French league to the point that the pro 12 charged Italy 6 mil to be in the competition to cover travel costs. Just like apparently each pro12 team will be getting a five hundred thousand in additional funds if this expansion goes ahead.

And somehow these teams form SA will be able to afford the expense of traveling around the pro12 countries with how awful the Rand is at the moment

I honestly want to know budgets. I want to know the difference between Connacht and Leinster. I really want to know. I want to know how different provinces work. I want to know how Munster became a success with no money. I simply am utterly lost

dobby wrote:

connemara man wrote: Budgets as they are, are fairly tight and who will fit the bill?

What budgets. All a fan sees is no signings. So no budget. Is that your logic. Is there any chance Connacht could release business earnings,, cash-flow so we can understand how f**ked the province is. We can't afford anybody and I am getting really fed up with somebody saying we have no money. I would like to know why we have no money. Pat Lam said we are an entertainment business. So publish results. Provinces should provide balance sheets. This is bordering on stupid/. Are we just Western beggars

Way to take a point and take it completely out of context. Budgets in the pro12 just aren't as big as the English and French league to the point that the pro 12 charged Italy 6 mil to be in the competition to cover travel costs. Just like apparently each pro12 team will be getting a five hundred thousand in additional funds if this expansion goes ahead.

And somehow these teams form SA will be able to afford the expense of traveling around the pro12 countries with how awful the Rand is at the moment

connemara man wrote: Budgets as they are, are fairly tight and who will fit the bill?

What budgets. All a fan sees is no signings. So no budget. Is that your logic. Is there any chance Connacht could release business earnings,, cash-flow so we can understand how f**ked the province is. We can't afford anybody and I am getting really fed up with somebody saying we have no money. I would like to know why we have no money. Pat Lam said we are an entertainment business. So publish results. Provinces should provide balance sheets. This is bordering on stupid/. Are we just Western beggars

On the other hand Gazzetta della Sport seem a lot more doubtful about the whole thing:
www.gazzetta.it/Rugby/11-07-2017/rugby-p...o-210221638316.shtml
(Brief summary: Zebre and Treviso in until 2020, doubts about the South African teams, something about a meeting next Tuesday)

I'm not an avid listener of OFM but they have a quote from Harold Verster CEO of Free State Rugby that seems to confirm all is agreed.

Verster added that at this stage they cannot elaborate too much, seeing that the tournament organisers want to make the announcement themselves.
“Unfortunately they have opted to make the release themselves once everything is in place.
“That will be around about the 15th of July, once their board is in place. It’s a company and SA Rugby will be joining and be a part of the company as shareholders.
“Once those things have settled they will make the big announcement as to exactly where, when and how it will work.

ofm.co.za/article/rugby/246970/official-...ted-close-to-15-july

The suggestion that SA Rugby will be shareholders in Celtic Rugby (or a successor company) is a new one. Martin Anayi is apparently in Rome today to talk to the FIR - they were supposed to be joining as full partners in the league this season so maybe SARU are going to be given a similar deal straightaway.

dobby wrote: This is what puzzles me. It must have been agreed some time ago if it has any chance of happening for the new Pro12 season. So how come it wasn't announced? Its bizarre that all this will come to pass in the few weeks left before the new season kicking off with little or no media about it

I'd imagine reason for delay is legal/commercial given that South African sides are still involved in a competing league until Saturday and hence while announcement will be made after

I've heard that the Pro12 is just waiting for the European fixture weekends to be confirmed, before they announce their own fixture list.
Not sure how believable that is. I imagine it's more to do with the South African teams at this stage

CONN8 wrote: Does anyone know when they will be announcing the fixtures for the pro 12? I presume it should be soon enough as The English premiership has announced theirs.

There is talk of an announcement about the SA teams on Saturday.
www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/SuperRugby/kings...n-situation-20170709

salmson wrote:

pinky wrote: Meanwhile Munster have signed Chris Cloete from the Kings - not a great start to their Pro14 future if their players are getting snapped up ...
munsterrugby.ie/2017/07/07/new-additions-confirmed/

In fairness this was probably agreed months ago, maybe as far back as after the November internationals.

This is what puzzles me. It must have been agreed some time ago if it has any chance of happening for the new Pro12 season. So how come it wasn't announced? Its bizarre that all this will come to pass in the few weeks left before the new season kicking off with little or no media about it