just to add we had our CEO attacking our coaches complaining about participating in the Champions CupTorquemada 1420 wrote: Tue Dec 24, 2024 10:37 amOkay, I'll hold my hand up and repeat what I said at the timeOomStruisbaai wrote: Tue Dec 24, 2024 9:20 am United Rugby Boss
https://www.unitedrugby.com/latest/inte ... -ten-years
“That would be when we brought the South African teams in and created the United Rugby Championship,” he declares.
“They have been tremendously successful in terms of performance and attendance, as well as financially and commercially.
“Pretty much anybody you speak to in the league will say they have raised the standard of the competition on and off the field and they will continue to do that.”
Expanding on the financial benefit, he said:
“It’s a game changer. It’s millions.
“More than half our revenue comes from South Africa via television and sponsorship.
“They are also providing more value to EPCR, via Investec’s sponsorship of the Champions Cup.
“It is a huge part of the rugby economy for Europe.”
- Soup was a stitch up for SA perpetuated by Aus who has no viable ntl comp to sustain themselves through the professional era
- whereas both SA and NZ had world class domestic tournies in the CC and Provincial rugby
- NZ bought into the ploy and I can see reasons why, but not for SA who had the most financial clout and were always going to be shafted by the travel
And here we are today. Chickens roosting. Soup over extended itself massively and Aus are f**ked and NPC (still the most enjoyable comp in the world for me) has gates that a Federale side in France would be embarrassed by, CC has been diminished and Soup is just a meaningless bore.
SA in Europe? Made sense once a long time ago: maybe more so at intl level given the time zones.
Now, as for the contentions in that post
1) URC has been such a shambles in its various guises for so many years, I'll leave othesr to judge improving standards. Results in Europe would suggest otherwise.
2) As for economics, I don't doubt SA revenue has helped there but I'm going to dispute the impact on the HEC. I can categorically say SA's presence has brought nothing to the table for the Fre teams. There is nothing in SA's participation for France.
Bulls and Sharks criticism
Jake White has been a critic of the extra travel and last season defended his decision to play a weakened squad in the Champions Cup quarter-final against Northampton Saints.
John Plumtree also recently gave a forthright view after the Sharks’ heavy defeat to Leicester Tigers last weekend when he left many of his stars at home.
“I want to bring our strongest Sharks side here and play on the biggest stage. I can understand their [the fans’] frustration,” Plumtree said following the 56-17 loss to Leicester.
“I want to go out there and give Leicester a good hiding in front of their home crowd. Don’t worry about that.
“We’re all competitive. But the reality is we’ve got to look after these athletes. They are not robots. They don’t front up every week. And right now, the South African boys are treated like robots.”
CEO feels that the URC and, by extension the EPCR, have given them an opportunity after they were ousted from Super Rugby in 2020.
‘Does not help our cause’
“That is the reality. Our teams want to play in professional leagues and the United Rugby Championship and European competitions offer exactly that,” he told Rapport.
“The South African clubs have to live with the fact that they are competing in two competitions at the same time. It does not help our cause to be so critical.
“Remember, there are clubs in the European competitions [Champions Cup and Challenge Cup] that don’t want us there. We have to be careful not to shoot ourselves in the foot by constantly criticising a competition that we participate in by invitation. After all, it is our lifeblood.
“One must not forget that Super Rugby kicked us out. If it wasn’t for the URC and European competitions, we would only have Currie Cup rugby to play now.”
forgot about Percy.
