pinky wrote: Yeah, considering they cut the two free guest tickets this season, they could have just added those back in and that would have made most people happy without costing them too much.

I have no evidence of this, but I think they had to stop offering the free tickets, due to the number of season ticket holders. Basically, they could only allow a small number of fans to take them up on the offer at each match.

They should just give us all 4 free drink vouchers. I'd be happy with that

A lot more new rules to trip the unprepared up. Hope everyone is on top of their game.
Can't wait to see a more diverse pool of referees as the players had definitely seen the same faces too often last season.
Familiarity bred contempt with ridiculous outcomes.
Ideally it will jolt everybody involved out of their comfort zones and improve the rugby on show.
Here's hoping.

How in the name of God did they manage to get the number of home games wrong? Looks like last season's amateur hour stuff again.

Yeah, considering they cut the two free guest tickets this season, they could have just added those back in and that would have made most people happy without costing them too much.

Sorry, I phrased that poorly. They are offering a full refund if you're unhappy. They know full well that nobody will take them up on that. They aren't really accounting for the lost game. The Bristol pre-season isn't the same as a competitive game.

sparking wrote: Seems like other team are trying to placate their season ticket holders by offering extra game tickets to compensate for the 1 fewer game. Connacht are pretending a low value pre-season friendly is the same as a league game. Full refund or nothing

To be honest. If they did offer a refund, I'd like to think that the fans would not take them up on it.

That said I'm sure if you really wanted a refund they would oblige.

Seems like other team are trying to placate their season ticket holders by offering extra game tickets to compensate for the 1 fewer game. Connacht are pretending a low value pre-season friendly is the same as a league game. Full refund or nothing

If confirmed, I hope at least the non-interpro home games against other conference will Scarlets and Kings

Just got an email clarifying that we will only have 10 home games this season. Odds are really stacked against us already.

Danger would be that say Edinburgh make a bit of an improvement and hoover up a few points against Dragons/Kings/Treviso, even if they don't challenge for a playoff spot, they could have the last European spot sewn up while teams in the other conference are sharing points around a bit more.

EDIT: That said, bookies seem to have Kings at around 16 or 18-1 for the title, not that far below Cheetahs at 11-1 so maybe the expectation is that they'll sort out their squad situation and be a tougher prospect.

Decadence wrote:

tlocke wrote:

connachta wrote: YEEEEEEEEEEES we have the easiest pool! Makes my day

Interesting .... Looks to me as the harder of the two pools.

I'd definitely agree tlocke. Great that they have come up with a formula for deciding the conferences each year, very smart touch.

Well I forgot about the (unfair) derbys for a moment, I was a bit excited all this is really happening.
It's balanced indeed... I still do think Scarlets and Dragons may have been as tough as Ospreys and Cardif in the end...
My only issue is Glasgow...

Happy for Poolman too, such a good opportunity to bounce back with S-A franchise, now or never!

pinky wrote: I guess an extra home game should negate any disadvantage from being in the tougher conference.

Ish. It is the much tougher conference. In our conference only Zebre are obvious marks. In the other Dragons & Kings (who need to sign 30ish players this month) are not going to challenge anyone, and Treviso and Edinburgh may or may not improve.

It's evened out for us (hard conference, 11 home games) and Leinster (easy conference, 10 home games) but 3 or 4 teams in our conference will have it doubly hard (hard conference, 10 home games) while some in the other conference will have it doubly easy.

I guess an extra home game should negate any disadvantage from being in the tougher conference.

Email from Connacht confirming that we wont lose any home games this season

On 'player welfare' - there was a suggestion at some point in the speculations that the games in SA would avoid their peak summer months. Nothing like that in the statement unfortunately. I'm a bit surprised too that they think flying overnight will be helpful to the players, not my experience, & I'm quite a bit smaller than most pro scrum-halves.

columoc wrote: I wonder as the Pro 14 will be in the Super Rugby off season if there is a risk that the SA teams will be allowed to avail of other players from other Super Rugby squads such as those returning from injury or needing game time?

Kings and Cheetahs have in the past taken players from the stronger franchises on season long loans. I can't find any evidence of short term deals, and given the Super/Pro12 franchises also have to support Currie Cup Qualifier and full Currie Cup squads this is hardly surprising.

Given the dodgy Irish loan deals we've seen over the past few years (John Cooney playing for Leinster and Connacht against Dragons in successive weeks was particularly dodgy) I don't think we should be casting aspersions.