Sad but the results of a professional club set up under a pure structure

it appears very likely that the new team will be italian rugby union owned and operated on similar lines to the irfu model and will prob be based in rome using the stadio flumini as a home venue.

will definately make it an attractive away fixture for the wags.

ridiculous idea to have a pro team in a town of 18000 people, do feel sorry for them though

connachtexile wrote: To be frank with the budget they were working with it was just a matter of time. A team in Rome...Hmm well it would be easier to get to for a start. It could be a positive with some luck and a few results.

Budget is/was bigger than ours or Scottish sides (and from next season Welsh sides too ) and half Italian home based squad ...

To be frank with the budget they were working with it was just a matter of time. A team in Rome...Hmm well it would be easier to get to for a start. It could be a positive with some luck and a few results.

Sad to see, they had some good moments in the last couple of seasons (Biarritz and Munster) and did a number on us a couple of times but ultimately the outgoings were large and they were struggling down the bottom and in the HC so its was always going to be tough to bring in the revenue. Its a pity as they were slowly improving. Treviso had the benefit of a relatively stable core to their side when they joined the Rabo. Aironi were playing catch up from the off really.

Talk of a new franchise in Rome which could be good or bad news and could be very dependent on a couple of good results in the first season or two, I'd imagine the majority of the Aironi players will shunted south if there is a team entered.

Otherwise its bad news for everyone really, the league needs strong representation from Italy now more than ever, also 11 isn't a good number, basically leaves 4 free extra weekends for each team.

I love to see the development of Italian and Arg rugby as this can only benefit us all

I agree,

sad to see any team suffer this fate,

especially sad for the supporters as the players were paid, they were not.

Ger C wrote: Just read this on the Rabo site

"The FIR have today issued a press release announcing that they have revoked the Aironi licence to participate the RaboDirect Pro12 due to Financial Pressure.


Aironi will honour all fixtures until the end of the Current season and the FIR have started a procedure to form a new franchise to participate in next year's competition.
RaboDirect PRO12 will issue more information as it becomes available."

Feel for the supporters mainly, the administrators and most of the players will no doubt reappear with the new Franchise when it's announced.

Unbelievable that with the money invested and the experience in the squad that they weren't able to be more competitive. Some senior players (Italian Internationals) taking good money and not putting the effort in or showing leadership when they pulled on the Aironi jersey...

Just read this on the Rabo site

"The FIR have today issued a press release announcing that they have revoked the Aironi licence to participate the RaboDirect Pro12 due to Financial Pressure.


Aironi will honour all fixtures until the end of the Current season and the FIR have started a procedure to form a new franchise to participate in next year's competition.
RaboDirect PRO12 will issue more information as it becomes available."