Welsh Prem ,English Champ and Irish Div1

Any one else think that the top teams from the Welsh Prem English Champ and Irish Div1 would give a better showing in the Amlin group stages than the Spanish clubs?

Simple answer is yes, definitely.

But this is the Euro competitions so they do want to extend it to sides outside the 6 nations countries.

What I would like to know is why the Italians get to enter their 2 professional teams in the HC and other semi pro teams from their domestic comp in the Amlin.

Why can't we enter Ponty or Neath or whoever in the Amlin if the Italians can do it.

Why

Encouraging wider participation and getting the game to grow - its all good

doctornickolas wrote:Simple answer is yes, definitely.

But this is the Euro competitions so they do want to extend it to sides outside the 6 nations countries.

What I would like to know is why the Italians get to enter their 2 professional teams in the HC and other semi pro teams from their domestic comp in the Amlin.

Why can't we enter Ponty or Neath or whoever in the Amlin if the Italians can do it.

Why

Doc,

Didn't Neath raise that subject few seasons back when we automatically had 4 Regions in the HC?

Could these teams afford a trip to Portugal, Romania or whatever ?

view, any reason that you left out Scottish prem? The top 3 teams from the previous season are making a decent account of themselves in the B&I Cup this year, so might not fare too badly?

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:view, any reason that you left out Scottish prem?

Cos then we'd be stuck with Scottish refs ASBO ......

Personally I prefer having a weak Spanish or Romanian side in the Amlin than yet another weak Welsh/English/Scottish side.

I want to go back to the time when there was no ridiculous drop downs of failures in the HC.


The Romanians in particular put in a credible performance vs Worcester.

Rugby needs to develop in Romania and Spain. Constant exposure to quality sides will help this.

Italian rugby is improving. Look at Treviso - creditable performances in the Pro12 and HC. I think Italian rugby has more scope for growth than that of Scottish and Welsh.

beshocked wrote: I think Italian rugby has more scope for growth than that of Scottish and Welsh.

+ 1

Using the WRU, Regions and Welsh Prem as a guide here, there is one area where it could prove very embarrassing.

Lets say we stay as we are and one of our Regions remained in the Amlin then we allowed the top Welsh Premiership side in.

What if they were drawn toegther and the Semi-Pro side beat the fullitime Region.

That would be very embarrassing all round, well other than for the Semi-Pro side.

Thanks PenfroPete. I just personally feel that the British and Irish Cup's job is already there for the Welsh and Scottish sides in particular.

The likes of Leeds,Bedford, Cornish Pirates and Bristol are all tough enough competitors.

Italian rugby will likely become very popular in Northern Italy. Bit like rugby is probably the dominant sport in Southern France and Southern Wales.

It's hardly surprising rugby is likely to grow in Northern Italy. It is wealthier than the South. Treviso is the shining beacon for Italian rugby. You would expect Italian rugby to go from strength to strength. With a stronger Treviso the Italian national team will get better.

I know the Irish teams couldn't afford it, and nor would they be entered, as this is a Provincial level competation, and as such Irish clubs can't take part.

It should be seen in Wales as a regional level comp and Clubs can't enter.

Italy I'd say shouldn't either, for the same reasons, but I think they are in the middle of restructuring and aim to eventiually have 4 or 5 regions, it would be difficult to not allow clubs in that don't have a region yet.

Interestingly, the rumour that I have heard is that the B&I Cup will be scrapped and folded into a third tier of European competition - I quite like that idea, a slimmed down Amlin + another level in Europe