European Club Rugby
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All Blacks might have to choose between the black jersey and the riches available in Japan if the Rugby World Cup hosts press ahead with new plans to set up a professional domestic competition that runs from August to January. Japan Rugby Football Union vice-president Katsuyuki Kiyomiya told Japanese financial newspaper Nikkei that he wanted to leverage the success of the Japanese team at the Rugby World Cup to launch the 12-team new competition in the second half of 2021.Kiyomiya's plan is to recruit players from the southern hemisphere to give the competition star power and tee up a broadcasting deal with streaming giant DAZN, which already holds the rights to Japan's J-League football competition, "We will turn the new union into the Pacific Rim union that can generate [annual revenue of] about 50 billion yen [$NZ730 million], to be on a par with the European market," he said. The report will not surprise NZ Rugby, which has been keeping a close eye on the fluid Japanese situation for at least a year, but it does add another layer of uncertainty for in terms of player retention.Beauden Barrett's four-year deal with the Blues includes an option for the All Blacks star to take up a short-term contract in Japan beyond 2020, although when the deal was struck it was assumed Barrett would miss a Blues campaign at some point for the Japanese experience. However, if the new Japanese competition replaces the existing Top League format in the Japan rugby calendar, Barrett would to sacrifice his All Blacks jersey for the majority of a test season to get a Japan 'sabbatical' in the August to January period. That is something the playmaker might not be willing to do and NZ Rugby – armed with the security of a rich new deal with Sky – might also find this too much to accept.All Blacks stars such as Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock have already announced deals with Japanese deals built into them. Retallick is set to take up a deal in Japan in 2020 – the existing Top League competition clashes with Super Rugby next year – then take an extended break from rugby before another season in Japan in 2021. However, that was based on the understanding that the 2021 Japanese season would also run in the first part of the year. NZ Rugby will hope Retallick's deal will stay that way so they don't need to get involved in a tug-of-war for his services.Whitelock's deal with Japanese side Panasonic is unaffected, as it is only locked in for the first half of 2020. After that he will return to New Zealand and Crusaders."When we started talking to Brodie the expectation was that he'd play two competitions for Kobe and they would fall in a 12-13 month period," Lendrum told Stuff in June. NZ Rugby therefore had to show flexibility when Kobe's two-season deal ruled Retallick out of Super Rugby for the majority of 2021, with Lendrum admitting the deal took the star lock away from the Chiefs for a longer period they had hoped for.It appears now that the Japanese want to avoid a clash with Super Rugby, which is excellent news for that competition, but means top All Blacks might have to skip some test rugby if they want to enjoy the financial benefits of playing in rugby's rising powerhouse. -
@Stargazer Well that will be good news for non AB NZers, they can play both SR and this league, hpefully means more stay in NZ for our teams? Also the comp will also be missing Japanese Test stars, cos it's the same test windows for them.
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@Machpants It might be bad for Mitre 10 Cup though. Unless NZR stays strict on SR players who are allowed to go on an overseas' stint (as in "only those who have earned it" by playing SR for several years and staying loyal to NZ for a long time).
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Nerd numbers
Analysis: How European clubs are managing wage inflation, increased revenue and squad growth
The latest 'European Rugby by Numbers' review from Esportif Intelligence is out and it makes for intriguing reading for anyone interested in rugby finances.
€$£
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The first time I saw that tactic was from a SA team in SR.
Another more common in the NH was the halfback sliding the ball along the ground because the ball is not out until it is lifted off the ground and outside the hindmost foot. Even at the RWC we saw halfbacks and other players using their hands to move the ball back from a ruck. Make the fuckers use their feet!
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@Machpants
Its ridiculous, if its a ruck the ref should have his arm out the 5 is off side. If its not it should be obstruction as soon as the half back picks it up.The laws need to be enforced properly. As well as the 5 seconds to use it. I didn't see this live but I highly suspect it took them more then 5 seconds to form that up and roll the ball to the back.
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@mooshld said in NH club rugby:
@booboo said in NH club rugby:
They should rip up his contract. He's a bit part player for racing anyway. In the matches I've seen him play he's lucky if he's still running after 15 minutes in the pitch.
I'm astonished it's that much. Pathetic to see someone like that in a professional sport.
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@antipodean I remember people ripping up the ABs for letting him go LOL
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@Bovidae said in NH club rugby:
When Tameifuna played for the Chiefs he was very mobile and fit despite his size. I'm not excusing his work ethic over there but it probably says a little about the standards in French club rugby too. Think of Bastareaud as another example.
He took so much hand holding by the coaches to stay at that (over) weight too. Little wonder that some senior AB supposedly told him that the only AB jersey he'd ever wear was the one for the squad photo.
Don't get me wrong, I loved him for the Chiefs, but he was miles away from staying an AB squaddie. For whatever reason, Akira seems to be in the same boat, whether that is for attitude or fitness, we still don't know
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English rugby giants Saracens have been slapped with an unprecedented 35-point deduction and £5million fine for breaching the salary cap.
It's a bombshell for the North London club and will send shockwaves through the global game with Saracens being the current Premiership and Heineken European Cup champions.
It now sees Saracens heading into next weekend's Premiership clash with Gloucester at Kingsholm on minus 26 points and in real danger of being relegated to the Greene King IPA Championship next season.
The punishment comes after a seven-month investigation involving Premiership Rugby and then specialist arbitrators Sport Resolutions, the outcome of which was delayed during the Rugby World Cup so as not to derail England's campaign.
In March a newspaper investigation reported investment partnerships between owner Nigel Wray and top players including England skipper Owen Farrell, Maro Itoje and Billy and Mako Vunipola. PRL launched a formal review in April, and it is understood the case was then passed to Sport Resolutions for a formal disciplinary panel late in the summer.
In addition to Farrell, Itoje and the Vunipola brothers, Saracens also have Liam Williams and Vincent Koch on their books and have signed England star Elliot Daly, from Wasps, for the coming season. -
@Daffy-Jaffy Holy smokes! I imagine they'll be able to make up those 26 points with that roster though...puts them 30 points behind Bath....only 6 bonus point wins isn't it?
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Stuff
