Olympus Rugby XV pull out of the Amlin

News breaking today that Olympus Rugby will not compete in this years Amlin Challenge Cup due to financial constraints.

They are in the same pool as London Irish and the club have released a statement...

http://www.london-irish.com/news/Irish91718.ink

London Irish has been made aware of the situation regarding Olympus XV’s position in the Amlin Challenge Cup.
The club would like to advise supporters at this time not book travel for the fixture on 19th October until further notice. We are working with the tournament’s rightsholder, ERC and will advise supporters on developments as soon as their position is clarified.


Fans of London Irish chatting about it here.


Not sure who would take their place if they don't play.

Could they fast track in a team from a smaller nation (Spain/Russia)? Wouldn't be suprised if Ponty wrote to the ECB saying that they would take on the fixtures either.

Coleman wrote:Could they fast track in a team from a smaller nation (Spain/Russia)? Wouldn't be suprised if Ponty wrote to the ECB saying that they would take on the fixtures either.

Good call...

Dont know much about Olympus Madrid...are they one of the bigger / biggest club in Spain?

I agree it would be better to replace them with a team from a similarly developed rugby country / club of similar stature...

Coleman wrote:Could they fast track in a team from a smaller nation (Spain/Russia)? Wouldn't be suprised if Ponty wrote to the ECB saying that they would take on the fixtures either.

Yes, but I think Pontypridd are committed to the British & Irish Cup which is played at the same time, I believe, as the Amlin. Maybe Agen, who came 13th in the 2012/2013 Top 14, would be happy to take on the challenge (unless they have some 'domestic' competition of their own which makes them unable to participate or are financially unable to afford it).

Pontypridd still have to play a qualification game vs Cardiff RFC to gain a place in the BandI Cup.

A bit of a gaff on my part, Spain just popped in to mind. But you got my point.

GeordieFalcon wrote:Dont know much about Olympus Madrid...are they one of the bigger / biggest club in Spain?

I agree it would be better to replace them with a team from a similarly developed rugby country / club of similar stature...

Olympus Madrid are a representative team from the Spanish League, made up of the best players from other clubs. Bizkaia Gernika who were Spains representatives last year, went bust, with their participation in the Amlin apparently contributing to that.

Ah i see...well thats not good for development is it?  

One of the lads who regular contributes on The Craic is Spanish and posted this earlier...

"Re: Valladolid Game cancelled
Posted by: Props are not stupid (IP Logged)
Date: 31 July, 2013 13:16

Hi. I have read all the statements from Spanish Rugby and Olympus. They have been trying to get some help from the ERC and from sponsors without any luck. The sponsors have even cut down their support due to the crisis. Gernika rugby went bust last year after participating in the Amlin Cup and had to get rid of all the players who wanted to earn a minimum living wage. Spanish rugby say that all the money goes to the very successful sevens and there is no money left in the pot. Unless someone outside Spain wants to help Spanish rugby this will be the end of professional rugby over there. Remember rugby in Spain is a very minor sport unable to stay professional."


Doesn't sound as if Spanish rugby is in a great place right. Surely the IRB need to step in and lend a hand here.

Spain as a whole are in the brown smelly stuff, did anybody see top gear a few weeks ago ? There were deserted villages/towns, an empty airport the whole country is in a mess, where the likes of Real Madrid F.C and Barcelona F.C get their money from though is a mystery.

Arent they bankrolled by the government...im sure Real are anyway

Ozzy3213 wrote:One of the lads who regular contributes on The Craic is Spanish and posted this earlier...

"Re: Valladolid Game cancelled
Posted by: Props are not stupid (IP Logged)
Date: 31 July, 2013 13:16

Hi. I have read all the statements from Spanish Rugby and Olympus. They have been trying to get some help from the ERC and from sponsors without any luck. The sponsors have even cut down their support due to the crisis. Gernika rugby went bust last year after participating in the Amlin Cup and had to get rid of all the players who wanted to earn a minimum living wage. Spanish rugby say that all the money goes to the very successful sevens and there is no money left in the pot. Unless someone outside Spain wants to help Spanish rugby this will be the end of professional rugby over there. Remember rugby in Spain is a very minor sport unable to stay professional."


Doesn't sound as if Spanish rugby is in a great place right.  Surely the IRB need to step in and lend a hand here.

Maybe it's not the IRB that needs to step in but the Unions far closer to home to open up both club and International teams to realistic competition.
It's not just the currently economically beleaguered Spanish teams that are hampered but other similarly but much less financially handicapped nations that haven't a snowball's of rising to the elite level.

Hopefully they put a Russian team in to replace them then.

The Russians have been playing hell for years trying to get their teams into the amlin.

LordDowlais wrote:Spain as a whole are in the brown smelly stuff, did anybody see top gear a few weeks ago ? There were deserted villages/towns, an empty airport the whole country is in a mess, where the likes of Real Madrid F.C and Barcelona F.C get their money from though is a mystery.

Fans who are willing to pour what money they have into their club, from poor working class men to wealthy business men. Not just from Spain either, worldwide.

Oh yeah and MAHOOSIVE television deals. They negotiate their own TV deals worth multi-millions each year. Soccer is a religion in Spain- rugby is a curiosity. I can't imagine it has any more status than a sport like handball does in the UK.

This also illustrates a very pronounced worldwide trends and that is developing rugby nations prioritizing Sevens over the 15-man game. Expect that to continue.