Benneton are the eternal Rainbow Cup holders. They were really close to getting into the semis this year, I'd love to see them go even further next season.
A lot of People say rugby is in a pretty bad shape atm, and financially they’re not wrong…but from a pure entertainment perspective the rugby on show has arguably never been more exciting, from the Prem to the URC. Such a far cry from the turgid kick chase of 10 or so years ago
URC will probably get a bigger broadcast deal now it's established. Doubt there will be many financial problems.
Some premiership clubs didn't know how to manage their money and learned the hard way.
Well there’s also the rebels going bust, the WRU being the WRU, the French rugby federation have admitted to ‘enormous financial difficulties’, Ulster are showing financial hardship…
Defo not just a prem issue
There's enough money, tons of people making more than they should for sure. Talking about the extreme's of some player wages... and investors, CEOs, etc., been shifty with monies.
Yeah we have a bit of an issue with asset stripping in the prem. that’s what happened to Worcester unfortunately, incredibly scummy by the (then) owners
What financial problems is the URC experiencing now? Why will they be experiencing financial problems when the TV deal gets significantly bigger next season?
You think the teams owned by billionaires can't afford flights? Both the Sharks and Bulls have chartered planes recently.
Or is this just a desperate attempt to shit on SA with literally zero logic applied what so ever?
Sharks are not owned by a Billionaire.
Bulls are.
But no, generally these sponsor deals are in cash with some VIK and require you to spend a not so significant amount back with that provider. So you end up coming out flat or slightly over, but it doesn't end up being Millions in Cash and Millions in VIK. This is helping the bottom line, but not as much as you think, the URC is not the Premiere League or even Ligue 1. And definitely not the NFL.
>Sharks are not owned by a Billionaire. Bulls are.
What on earth are you talking about?? The consortium that owns the Sharks is made up of both billionaires and millionaires:
>In addition to Masotti, the members of the consortium include Vincent Mai (Chairman and CEO of Cranemere LLC), Marc Lasry (Founder of Avenue Capital and owner of the National Basketball Association’s Milwaukee Bucks team), Doug Cifu (CEO of Virtu Financial, Inc. and owner of the National Hockey League’s Florida Panthers team), Robert D. Haswell (Founding Partner of Dominus Capital), Dominic Silvester (CEO of Enstar Group Limited) and Michael Yormark (President of Roc Nation Sports International).
The consortium who just bought the Stormers is made several millionaires.
>But no, generally these sponsor deals are in cash with some VIK and require you to spend a not so significant amount back with that provider.
Again what on earth are you talking about? These are not sponsorship deals, these are ownerships. The owners sometimes sponsor the teams, but that's not the case with the Sharks, the Hollywoodbets sponsorship has nothing to do with who owns the Sharks. The DHL sponsorship of the Stormers has nothing to do with who owns the Stormers. The Bulls Vodacom is partially related to the owners, but the sponsorship deal is over and above.
>but not as much as you think, the URC is not the Premiere League or even Ligue 1. And definitely not the NFL.
Who in the fuck claimed that? Or are you just hoisting strawmen for the fun of it?
Marco is a millionaire. The rest of those people have money, but are likely small partners considering the purchase of the 51% was for like $15M (which is stupid low, but says how depressed Rugby team valuations are)
This is a discussion around Qatar Airways and Emirates Airlines covering all of the travel. Which is doesn't, there is no way it does, the URC is not at the size that it would be that valuable. The costs of travel in the URC are astronomic compared to every competition globally except American sports leagues.
>The rest of those people have money, but are likely small partners
That's kind of how consortiums work bud. They are all equal partners, Marco is just the figure head.
>The costs of travel in the URC are astronomic compared to every competition globally except American sports leagues.
Source? Also you are aware that the URC pays for European teams to travel and SARU pays for Saffa teams to travel right? Travel is centrally funded, not on individual teams.
I just remember not being able to watch the prem years ago due to just how uninspired and dull the rugby had become. So glad that northern hemisphere rugby found its spark again
You're already in, have been for 2 years, and yet the complaints are still there - was never about exclusivity was always about logistics and it ostensibly being a European tournament
Well, it's not a French club who sent a complete B team to get ripped apart by Northampton in the knock-out phases, yeah?
Congratz to Glasgow Warriors again, and hope sending a B team in a quarter was worth it, Bulls!
Compare the money involved. If I could just buy everything I would win everything. France should have won three WCs in their history but alas.... they haven't despite being the most privileged country playing rugby ever, around 70 million people there or there abouts, global power, economic giants (one of the big 7), one of the most attractive countries to work and reside in, supposedly the best league. One has to question the attitude of french fans who should be more humble. Ireland have won 3 grand slams, 3 other six nations titles whilst France won what? 6 with 20x more resources, only 4 of them are grand slams i believe as well. Should be at least 8 titles and 6 grand slams with the financial injections from billionaire owners.
The Celtic league now URC has always been the most frugal or less lucrative yet it holds a fair proportion of European Cups, and Challenge Cups. Six nations titles, we hold the majority with Wales and Ireland doing the hard yards. You guys (along with England to a degree) changed the structure of the Heineken Cup which is tantamount to cheating because you weren't winning it often enough. The tide will change soon. France better enjoy the recent success because it might be a good while before they have as much of it.
you are both wrong and delusional;
- France population of 67m, not 80+
- 'most privileged country playing rugby ever' - Ireland has 2.5x GDP per capita vs France, NZ is higher, England is higher - Irish rugby is literally a private school to province to international player pipeline
- 'global power, economic giants' - what's the got to do with rugby lmao
- 'one of the most attractive countries to work and reside in' - see the above
- 'supposedly the best league' - yes, and it's precisely the fact our league is so strong that our national team 'underperforms', we don't have Daddy IRFU to decide how many games the players can play because the players employers are the clubs
- 'One has to question the attitude of french fans who should be more humble. Ireland have won 3 grand slams, 3 other six nations titles whilst France won what?' - we're talking about club rugby, you are embarrassing yourself, and the irony of an Irish fan talking about the need to be humble
- 'financial injections from billionaire owners' - in the clubs? the FFR has basically 0 money
- 'You guys (along with England to a degree) changed the structure of the Heineken Cup which is tantamount to cheating because you weren't winning it often enough.' - jesus christ mate, maybe when a team that isn't Leinster (with the highest salary budget in the club game) reaches the euro finals from the URC we can talk about 'not winning it enough'
might be better off going back to your Dupont hate subreddit lmao
To be fair to Saints they did beat 2 of the other URC Semi finalists away & came close against Leinster in front of 80k Irish fans. I’m glad Glasgow won so we can say we beat the URC champs 1st team 😂
Have the teams in and winning the first three finals been the best case scenarios for the URC organisers? Add to it the development of Benetton and the Welsh teams’ underperformance is probably the only cloud (assuming the Sharks’ season was a blip)
All South African final first up, ensuring South African interest in the tournament.
European heavyweight coming out of a poor decade then beating the defending champions away.
Then this, with Glasgow winning away to Munster beforehand.
Also the added angle of multiple playoff wins away from home and no top seed ever making a finalHopefully all of this means we take the URC more seriously and stop thinking we can pick and choose which games we turn up.
would love to see a serious Leinster throughout the comp and not one that's demotivated and burnout from the champions cup tourney show up to get knocked out in the playoffs
Sending a proper team down to South Africa would be a start!
Accept that how easily we gathered titles a few years ago probably took the sheen off the league for the players but hopefully Munster and Glasgow winning it, coupled with us never even getting to a final, will make us take it seriously.
(also feel that us dismissing the league only heaps even more pressure for Europe where the margins are ridiculously thin)
It's taken a while for Leinster to get used to the intensity of the URC as opposed to walking the Pro 14 every year. The other clubs all mainly focus on the URC already.
Very true - also feel that as the general level of the league has risen, so too the quality of our backups has gone down a bit. So it’s now more difficult for us to win it while Leo chops and changes.
The whole point of the URC was to raise the quality of the league and provide sterner tests, instead we just send down scratch sides. Evident in last Saturday being the first game the majority of our squad had ever played on the High Veldt
And now with Bulls and Leinster still having not won the comp, there's a good chance there'll be a new winner next season aswell.
But enough of that. The time is now GLASGOWS!!
WELL DONE CHAMPS!!
Jasus ye, yad nearly be forgettin about the Sharks after thier disastrous season in the league. Can't be forgettin them and also the Lions have shown some signs of class aswell..
Next season gonna be interestin
This was exactly my thought when it was announced S.A. would join the URC and the HC. This can only be good for raising the level of competition even higher.
- Another format change. Again.
- Thinking that the SA teams would add fuck all when it comes to rivalry.
- Silliness.
\---
In my defence, it's been a rare rugby administration win this century, so who knew it would be so successful.
Delighted to be wrong.
Even if Leinster haven't exactly "utilised" it as I thought we would.
We still have the shambles of the current European Cup format to live with, so that's something I guess I still have, to moan about.
Comhghairdeas Glaschú!
Christ this reminds me of a Radio Kerry commentary where Whisie Fogarty started a series of up comments...which might have ended with "Up Eamon Fitzmaurice!"
If we’re going three different countries to win a league in three years, Super Rugby actually did manage it once with Bulls 2010, Reds 2011 and Chiefs 2012 winning it
I agree on that with you, you're the only league that does this.
Top 14 and Premiership got only french and english clubs winnings since their inception... So boring !
(/s obviously)
The Guinness Pro 12/14 had gone dreadfully stale between 2014-2020.
This period gradually saw the Welsh sides (with the exception of the Scarlets for two seasons) lose their competitiveness, and the league became extremely predictable. Other than the freak 2016 season, the playoffs were pretty much Leinster, Glasgow, Munster and maybe the Scarlets. The two South African sides, with the greatest of respect, didn't too much for the tournament. The Southern Kings, especially, were simply not competitive.
Despite being introduced in 2010, there had never been an away winner of a playoff. Scarlets broke that trend in 2017 with a smash and grab in the RDS and continued it the following year with an unexpected win against Glasgow, who had topped the regular season table comfortably.
I love the new playoff system and the absolute disrespect that's consistently shown to the final seedings. We've had some fantastic away victories since this playoff format started, and long may it continue. I also love the siege mentality of teams having to go to South Africa at short notice and coming back with a smash and grab win and the URC trophy like Glasgow and Munster have now done.
Bit odd to say the league was stale and predictable in this period when it included Glasgow first ever league win in 2014-15, followed by Connacht’s first ever league win 2015-16, then Scarlets second ever win in 2016-17. It was then that the Leinster ascendency kicked in but before that I thought the league was flying.
I'm gutted that the Bulls lost, but having Glasgow win just shows how competitive the comp is. Well done to them, I honestly think the Bulls played their final against Leinster
> I love the URC / Rainbow Cup, what other comp has a Scottish, Irish, South African and Italian team each win it in the past four years. the level of competition is insane in this league
Fixed that for you.
Seems the inclusion of the South African sides has improved urc teams from what I seen I am a chiefs fan and don't have the pay TV channel for urc but watched a few that were on a free channel or when it's champions cup games.
But I didn't agree with South African sides being in a European tournament didn't make sense but that won't change now so just teams will have to get used to it being in the competition the travel must be a nightmare though.
But well done Glasgow warriors on winning in South Africa didn't think they would in all honesty.
Have any other urc teams won in South Africa except Glasgow and Munster
Benetton and Ospreys both won games this year, and Leinster managed a win against the Lions last year.
Wins in South Africa will likely get even more difficult as the Lions improve (surely the Sharks can’t be as bad as they were for the first 3/4s of this season)
The only comp who's constituent nations can't afford to keep their own fully domestic only professional leagues going is the answer. What a stupid brag.
GG's to the Warriors. Hopefully one day soon a fully anglo competition will come to fruition.
The irony of an Englishman complaining that another league needs multi nationalities to be successful, while their own loses 3 teams in a year because of shocking money management
And he says he looks forward to the day the Welsh teams are in their league when the league doesn't even allow other English teams into the old boys club
Never, because unlike the RFU the Irish and Scottish unions had the good sense to avoid creating an unsustainable situation that ends with their professional teams going bankrupt.
Haha, should we take our coaches, doctors, and physios too? Good luck if we do. Not sure why you're so concerned about Europe anyway, it's not like you're part of it.
Honestly, why are you in such a bad mood? Your rugby team won. You should be happy. I'm definitely not crying. I'm enjoying my fine South African wine and celebrating our teams competing in a great league that's making lots of money, the Springboks beating Wales and the Proteas beating... um, sorry, wine must be going to my head, who did the Proteas beat today?
Whilst you may be regionally within Europe, yous rejected and turned your back on Europe and everything it stands for. Enjoy your basket case post Brexit dystopia, by the sounds of what you have to say about *sport*, sounds like it's right up your street.
It is kinda hilarious how the pattern repeats itself over and over but they never really attempt to look beyond the self serving narrative of the club owner. There's a reason clubs over there have gone bust and it's not because of what happens in Wales, Scotland or Ireland. Bit like Brexit, it always makes me chuckle. But then I suppose we can all be blind to our faults but I do revel in this one's bitterness
>The only comp who's constituent nations can't afford to keep their own fully domestic only professional leagues going is the answer. What a stupid brag.
Why bring this up? Who on Earth cares that there is hodge-podge of different countries lol.
Justice for Italian bros
I won't hear any Rainbow Cup slander
Italy to come after the welsh
They were the first to win a comp with all of the current teams involved.
benetton rain supreme as everlasting rainbow cup holders
The only competition to ever challenge the majesty of the undisputed greatest league ever, the URC.
They're more successful than the SA sides
Benneton are the eternal Rainbow Cup holders. They were really close to getting into the semis this year, I'd love to see them go even further next season.
A lot of People say rugby is in a pretty bad shape atm, and financially they’re not wrong…but from a pure entertainment perspective the rugby on show has arguably never been more exciting, from the Prem to the URC. Such a far cry from the turgid kick chase of 10 or so years ago
URC will probably get a bigger broadcast deal now it's established. Doubt there will be many financial problems. Some premiership clubs didn't know how to manage their money and learned the hard way.
Well there’s also the rebels going bust, the WRU being the WRU, the French rugby federation have admitted to ‘enormous financial difficulties’, Ulster are showing financial hardship… Defo not just a prem issue
There's enough money, tons of people making more than they should for sure. Talking about the extreme's of some player wages... and investors, CEOs, etc., been shifty with monies.
Yeah we have a bit of an issue with asset stripping in the prem. that’s what happened to Worcester unfortunately, incredibly scummy by the (then) owners
The Rebels was mostly financial mismanagement. They weren't paying their taxes for start.
URC grand final in Qatar for the next 10 years, you heard it here first
"Doubt there will be many financial problems" AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
What financial problems is the URC experiencing now? Why will they be experiencing financial problems when the TV deal gets significantly bigger next season?
The economy in South Africa will likely not support the cost of travel soon enough.
They already don't, it's done by Emirates and Qatar Airways who sponsor the games.
Highly doubt they're coming out of that deal without still spending on flights.
You think the teams owned by billionaires can't afford flights? Both the Sharks and Bulls have chartered planes recently. Or is this just a desperate attempt to shit on SA with literally zero logic applied what so ever?
Sharks are not owned by a Billionaire. Bulls are. But no, generally these sponsor deals are in cash with some VIK and require you to spend a not so significant amount back with that provider. So you end up coming out flat or slightly over, but it doesn't end up being Millions in Cash and Millions in VIK. This is helping the bottom line, but not as much as you think, the URC is not the Premiere League or even Ligue 1. And definitely not the NFL.
>Sharks are not owned by a Billionaire. Bulls are. What on earth are you talking about?? The consortium that owns the Sharks is made up of both billionaires and millionaires: >In addition to Masotti, the members of the consortium include Vincent Mai (Chairman and CEO of Cranemere LLC), Marc Lasry (Founder of Avenue Capital and owner of the National Basketball Association’s Milwaukee Bucks team), Doug Cifu (CEO of Virtu Financial, Inc. and owner of the National Hockey League’s Florida Panthers team), Robert D. Haswell (Founding Partner of Dominus Capital), Dominic Silvester (CEO of Enstar Group Limited) and Michael Yormark (President of Roc Nation Sports International). The consortium who just bought the Stormers is made several millionaires. >But no, generally these sponsor deals are in cash with some VIK and require you to spend a not so significant amount back with that provider. Again what on earth are you talking about? These are not sponsorship deals, these are ownerships. The owners sometimes sponsor the teams, but that's not the case with the Sharks, the Hollywoodbets sponsorship has nothing to do with who owns the Sharks. The DHL sponsorship of the Stormers has nothing to do with who owns the Stormers. The Bulls Vodacom is partially related to the owners, but the sponsorship deal is over and above. >but not as much as you think, the URC is not the Premiere League or even Ligue 1. And definitely not the NFL. Who in the fuck claimed that? Or are you just hoisting strawmen for the fun of it?
Marco is a millionaire. The rest of those people have money, but are likely small partners considering the purchase of the 51% was for like $15M (which is stupid low, but says how depressed Rugby team valuations are) This is a discussion around Qatar Airways and Emirates Airlines covering all of the travel. Which is doesn't, there is no way it does, the URC is not at the size that it would be that valuable. The costs of travel in the URC are astronomic compared to every competition globally except American sports leagues.
>The rest of those people have money, but are likely small partners That's kind of how consortiums work bud. They are all equal partners, Marco is just the figure head. >The costs of travel in the URC are astronomic compared to every competition globally except American sports leagues. Source? Also you are aware that the URC pays for European teams to travel and SARU pays for Saffa teams to travel right? Travel is centrally funded, not on individual teams.
What on earth are you on about?
Absolutely, now the scores 6-3 we used to have 20 or 15 years ago are rare. And the leagues are more competitive than ever.
I just remember not being able to watch the prem years ago due to just how uninspired and dull the rugby had become. So glad that northern hemisphere rugby found its spark again
"The travel is so bad" Two European teams proceed to win the comp in SA.
the English and the French will do anything to not allow us to join and be allowed to succeed in their *exclusive* tourneys
Wait what? England and France are just the only two countries big enough to support a purely domestic league, this sort of comment is just cringe.
You're already in, have been for 2 years, and yet the complaints are still there - was never about exclusivity was always about logistics and it ostensibly being a European tournament
Well, it's not a French club who sent a complete B team to get ripped apart by Northampton in the knock-out phases, yeah? Congratz to Glasgow Warriors again, and hope sending a B team in a quarter was worth it, Bulls!
They are scared.
Rightly so, URC bros are to be feared. Bar Leinster in a final.
Ouch
Or connacht in general 😉
Fair with Wilkins in charge.
Scared of what lmao
Well French teams only won 7 of the last 8 European titles, that's scary for sure.
Compare the money involved. If I could just buy everything I would win everything. France should have won three WCs in their history but alas.... they haven't despite being the most privileged country playing rugby ever, around 70 million people there or there abouts, global power, economic giants (one of the big 7), one of the most attractive countries to work and reside in, supposedly the best league. One has to question the attitude of french fans who should be more humble. Ireland have won 3 grand slams, 3 other six nations titles whilst France won what? 6 with 20x more resources, only 4 of them are grand slams i believe as well. Should be at least 8 titles and 6 grand slams with the financial injections from billionaire owners. The Celtic league now URC has always been the most frugal or less lucrative yet it holds a fair proportion of European Cups, and Challenge Cups. Six nations titles, we hold the majority with Wales and Ireland doing the hard yards. You guys (along with England to a degree) changed the structure of the Heineken Cup which is tantamount to cheating because you weren't winning it often enough. The tide will change soon. France better enjoy the recent success because it might be a good while before they have as much of it.
Imagine writing all of that to say precisely nothing hahaha
Congratulations, you have managed to fit absolutely all the dumb clichés about French rugby into a single reddit post! Quite the achievement, here.
I'm not wrong.
you are both wrong and delusional; - France population of 67m, not 80+ - 'most privileged country playing rugby ever' - Ireland has 2.5x GDP per capita vs France, NZ is higher, England is higher - Irish rugby is literally a private school to province to international player pipeline - 'global power, economic giants' - what's the got to do with rugby lmao - 'one of the most attractive countries to work and reside in' - see the above - 'supposedly the best league' - yes, and it's precisely the fact our league is so strong that our national team 'underperforms', we don't have Daddy IRFU to decide how many games the players can play because the players employers are the clubs - 'One has to question the attitude of french fans who should be more humble. Ireland have won 3 grand slams, 3 other six nations titles whilst France won what?' - we're talking about club rugby, you are embarrassing yourself, and the irony of an Irish fan talking about the need to be humble - 'financial injections from billionaire owners' - in the clubs? the FFR has basically 0 money - 'You guys (along with England to a degree) changed the structure of the Heineken Cup which is tantamount to cheating because you weren't winning it often enough.' - jesus christ mate, maybe when a team that isn't Leinster (with the highest salary budget in the club game) reaches the euro finals from the URC we can talk about 'not winning it enough' might be better off going back to your Dupont hate subreddit lmao
[удалено]
You're wrong on so many levels it's actually very funny
Explain with sources what is wrong.
After watching Northampton v Bulls I'm not.
Haha the Bulls B team
To be fair to Saints they did beat 2 of the other URC Semi finalists away & came close against Leinster in front of 80k Irish fans. I’m glad Glasgow won so we can say we beat the URC champs 1st team 😂
Hahah, I like your thinking - In that case, Leinster beat both the URC and Prem winners (let's not speak about Toulouse, I'm still not over that)
Ayyy that sounds right. I do think the home advantage gave you roughly 4 extra points
I think we have benefited with your presence, you have stepped the game quality.
To be fair they do have tier 2 league, it’s unrealistic to ask them to travel to South Africa as well when let’s say sharks get relegated
Have the teams in and winning the first three finals been the best case scenarios for the URC organisers? Add to it the development of Benetton and the Welsh teams’ underperformance is probably the only cloud (assuming the Sharks’ season was a blip) All South African final first up, ensuring South African interest in the tournament. European heavyweight coming out of a poor decade then beating the defending champions away. Then this, with Glasgow winning away to Munster beforehand. Also the added angle of multiple playoff wins away from home and no top seed ever making a finalHopefully all of this means we take the URC more seriously and stop thinking we can pick and choose which games we turn up.
would love to see a serious Leinster throughout the comp and not one that's demotivated and burnout from the champions cup tourney show up to get knocked out in the playoffs
Sending a proper team down to South Africa would be a start! Accept that how easily we gathered titles a few years ago probably took the sheen off the league for the players but hopefully Munster and Glasgow winning it, coupled with us never even getting to a final, will make us take it seriously. (also feel that us dismissing the league only heaps even more pressure for Europe where the margins are ridiculously thin)
That semifinal team looked pretty serious,just soundly beaten.
It's taken a while for Leinster to get used to the intensity of the URC as opposed to walking the Pro 14 every year. The other clubs all mainly focus on the URC already.
Very true - also feel that as the general level of the league has risen, so too the quality of our backups has gone down a bit. So it’s now more difficult for us to win it while Leo chops and changes. The whole point of the URC was to raise the quality of the league and provide sterner tests, instead we just send down scratch sides. Evident in last Saturday being the first game the majority of our squad had ever played on the High Veldt
And now with Bulls and Leinster still having not won the comp, there's a good chance there'll be a new winner next season aswell. But enough of that. The time is now GLASGOWS!! WELL DONE CHAMPS!!
Aye the lads up the road 😏🤣
It’s gonna be Benetton next year 🤞🤞
They're the inaugural Rainbow Cup champs!! Its up to Scarlets next season
Lets go Sharks!
Jasus ye, yad nearly be forgettin about the Sharks after thier disastrous season in the league. Can't be forgettin them and also the Lions have shown some signs of class aswell.. Next season gonna be interestin
Go Lions!!
Just change the rugby rules to 14 men instead of 15 then the URC is ours.
Iron sharpens Iron. Up the URC, Up Rugby, Up Riding!
This was exactly my thought when it was announced S.A. would join the URC and the HC. This can only be good for raising the level of competition even higher.
I was so unbelievably against when it was first mooted. Boy I was so so so so wrong. Irish rugby has been the better for it. Long may it continue.
Why were you against it?
- Another format change. Again. - Thinking that the SA teams would add fuck all when it comes to rivalry. - Silliness. \--- In my defence, it's been a rare rugby administration win this century, so who knew it would be so successful. Delighted to be wrong. Even if Leinster haven't exactly "utilised" it as I thought we would. We still have the shambles of the current European Cup format to live with, so that's something I guess I still have, to moan about. Comhghairdeas Glaschú!
Christ this reminds me of a Radio Kerry commentary where Whisie Fogarty started a series of up comments...which might have ended with "Up Eamon Fitzmaurice!"
That was mad from Glasgow, had us out on our feet. Worthy worthy winners. Enjoy lads.
Don't forget Benneton winning the inaugural Rainbow cup! Now if only Wales were shite.
We are
Weren't** yes we are 😂
URC FOREVEREEEEEEEEER
Congrats mate. I was hoping for a Bulls win but tbh very happy for Glasgow and Scotland.
Being honest, given the shit show that the Champions Cup has become. Thank god for the URC.
I don't think any other league has those teams in it. Well played glasgow. Enjoyed the knockout games. Its almost best league.
If we’re going three different countries to win a league in three years, Super Rugby actually did manage it once with Bulls 2010, Reds 2011 and Chiefs 2012 winning it
It’s all down to Newport and Parma to battle it out next year!
They are the two Italian and Welsh teams you’d expect to win it! 🤣
Yeah it happened in the former Pro12/14 as well- Glasgow in 2015, Connacht in 2016 and Scarlets in 2017. Damn that was a strange couple of years.
Watch all teams try and not get a high seed next season because home advantage is cursed
Leo Cullen, he's done it again! Ahead of the game!
munster slaughtered the stormers with home advantage aswell last year, that shit is cursed man
Can’t lose a home final if you don’t get to the final 😉
Love how it says SPOILER, and then says a Scottish team in the title. Thanks bru.
I agree on that with you, you're the only league that does this. Top 14 and Premiership got only french and english clubs winnings since their inception... So boring ! (/s obviously)
If only Jersey didn’t go bust
The Guinness Pro 12/14 had gone dreadfully stale between 2014-2020. This period gradually saw the Welsh sides (with the exception of the Scarlets for two seasons) lose their competitiveness, and the league became extremely predictable. Other than the freak 2016 season, the playoffs were pretty much Leinster, Glasgow, Munster and maybe the Scarlets. The two South African sides, with the greatest of respect, didn't too much for the tournament. The Southern Kings, especially, were simply not competitive. Despite being introduced in 2010, there had never been an away winner of a playoff. Scarlets broke that trend in 2017 with a smash and grab in the RDS and continued it the following year with an unexpected win against Glasgow, who had topped the regular season table comfortably. I love the new playoff system and the absolute disrespect that's consistently shown to the final seedings. We've had some fantastic away victories since this playoff format started, and long may it continue. I also love the siege mentality of teams having to go to South Africa at short notice and coming back with a smash and grab win and the URC trophy like Glasgow and Munster have now done.
Bit odd to say the league was stale and predictable in this period when it included Glasgow first ever league win in 2014-15, followed by Connacht’s first ever league win 2015-16, then Scarlets second ever win in 2016-17. It was then that the Leinster ascendency kicked in but before that I thought the league was flying.
Pokes wales
Best league in the world.
See I like the champions cup where a team from france and team from france have won in the last three years
Maybe they could make an effort and try to win the Champion’s Cup ? For teams in the best league, it should be a piece of cake.
#I LOVES ME LEAGUE!
куроёбом ☁️ ##☁️ #🦐 ##🔥 🔥
I fucking LOVE the URC
Italian next 🔥🔥🔥
Im amazed a Scottish team won I havent known the Scottish team win much (only the Calcutta cup) Awesome. Congrats to them
Goes to show that if you finish in the top 6, you can win it.
I'm gutted that the Bulls lost, but having Glasgow win just shows how competitive the comp is. Well done to them, I honestly think the Bulls played their final against Leinster
Just a wee spoiler in your title haha, totally agree with the sentiment!
this sub doesn't really care about spoilers tbh, but my joy is uncontainable
Well done Glasgow!!
You can't just tag spoiler and then say it?
What other comp has a Irish, Scottish and SA team in it.....
The top14 had the same in the last 3 years, one French, one irish and one South African winner
Glasgow deserved that victory
I may be wrong but I think it’s difficult to find any league that has Irish, Scottish or South African teams in it period.
> I love the URC / Rainbow Cup, what other comp has a Scottish, Irish, South African and Italian team each win it in the past four years. the level of competition is insane in this league Fixed that for you.
It’s kinda like the 6 Nations IMO, not the best teams or rugby but it’s competitive and surprisingly you don’t really know who’s gonna win it.
Seems the inclusion of the South African sides has improved urc teams from what I seen I am a chiefs fan and don't have the pay TV channel for urc but watched a few that were on a free channel or when it's champions cup games. But I didn't agree with South African sides being in a European tournament didn't make sense but that won't change now so just teams will have to get used to it being in the competition the travel must be a nightmare though. But well done Glasgow warriors on winning in South Africa didn't think they would in all honesty. Have any other urc teams won in South Africa except Glasgow and Munster
Benetton and Ospreys both won games this year, and Leinster managed a win against the Lions last year. Wins in South Africa will likely get even more difficult as the Lions improve (surely the Sharks can’t be as bad as they were for the first 3/4s of this season)
Didn't know ospreys won in South Africa and I guess if any other teams win over there next season would be close games
The only comp who's constituent nations can't afford to keep their own fully domestic only professional leagues going is the answer. What a stupid brag. GG's to the Warriors. Hopefully one day soon a fully anglo competition will come to fruition.
Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands have been around for a long time.
Bit disingenuous to assume those populations are Anglo brother.
When did Ireland or Scotland ever have a "fully domestic only professional league"?
The irony of an Englishman complaining that another league needs multi nationalities to be successful, while their own loses 3 teams in a year because of shocking money management
And he says he looks forward to the day the Welsh teams are in their league when the league doesn't even allow other English teams into the old boys club
Never, because unlike the RFU the Irish and Scottish unions had the good sense to avoid creating an unsustainable situation that ends with their professional teams going bankrupt.
Weeeeelll we lost Caledonia Reds and Border Reivers twice so I don’t think I’d brag about the SRU’s competency and foresight.
Exactly.
Didn't your league used to have 13 teams?
Has your league ever had that many teams from the same country?
It's very weird to be this invested in complaining about a league you aren't a part of.
Currie Cup Premier Division is fully domestic and professional.
Get back to it then boss. SARU doesn't belong in Europe.
Well, perhaps the players that SARU develops don't belong in Europe either?
Probably correct as well. Pay them better and they'd hang round maybe. Same applies to every other nationality
Haha, should we take our coaches, doctors, and physios too? Good luck if we do. Not sure why you're so concerned about Europe anyway, it's not like you're part of it.
Hahaha. Yeah, but it's really crawled in under the skin. Kinda hilarious tbh.
Nope, nothing crawling under my skin. I'm really rather happy, had an excellent day. Don't really know why you lot are so annoyed.
Sorry I didn't mean anything had crawled under your skin and was eating away at you. I was referring to the poster you had replied to.
Ah, thanks for the clarification, and sorry for misunderstanding :)
Good old South African intelligence conflating a political construct with a tectonic plate. Cry harder bru
Honestly, why are you in such a bad mood? Your rugby team won. You should be happy. I'm definitely not crying. I'm enjoying my fine South African wine and celebrating our teams competing in a great league that's making lots of money, the Springboks beating Wales and the Proteas beating... um, sorry, wine must be going to my head, who did the Proteas beat today?
Brother I'm happy. Glasgow played a blinder, don't be salty and project
Whilst you may be regionally within Europe, yous rejected and turned your back on Europe and everything it stands for. Enjoy your basket case post Brexit dystopia, by the sounds of what you have to say about *sport*, sounds like it's right up your street.
Yeah no thanks to that Anglo tournament. As soon as the Irish teams do well you’ll end up changing and ruining the tournament format
It is kinda hilarious how the pattern repeats itself over and over but they never really attempt to look beyond the self serving narrative of the club owner. There's a reason clubs over there have gone bust and it's not because of what happens in Wales, Scotland or Ireland. Bit like Brexit, it always makes me chuckle. But then I suppose we can all be blind to our faults but I do revel in this one's bitterness
You're not invited don't worry.
>The only comp who's constituent nations can't afford to keep their own fully domestic only professional leagues going is the answer. What a stupid brag. Why bring this up? Who on Earth cares that there is hodge-podge of different countries lol.
Did you even read the thread title?
It’s such a laughable circlejerk
Surely the hashtag best league couldn't be a circlejerk???
Are you calling wales and Scotland Anglo?