URC Semis

[Neils]

Glasgow playing at Munster = a fair game.

Leinster playing in Pretoria completely unfair. Got no truck with Leinster normally but why the hell does the NH have to go and play at over 4,000 feet above sea level.

All games should be within the same altitude parameters. They want to play the north so play fairly ( a concept unknown to Saffers I know).

[Neils]

Now Glasgow have to go to altitude with, by the time they get there, less than a week of acclimatisation.
Very wrong.

[Robson9]

Is it really that unfair? Knockouts are played at the home ground of the top seeded team - bulls finished 2nd and would only have played away if they'd played munster.

You can't let teams into a competition and then say 'home/away' or seeding rules don't apply. The URC was more than happy to take the cash and let the saffas in - so now they're reaping tbe consequences.

If leinster didn't want to play their semi in Pretoria, maybe they shouldn't rotate their team for half the league games to focus on Europe, and got more points than the bulls.

[Neils]

Is it really that unfair? Knockouts are played at the home ground of the top seeded team - bulls finished 2nd and would only have played away if they'd played munster.

You can't let teams into a competition and then say 'home/away' or seeding rules don't apply. The URC was more than happy to take the cash and let the saffas in - so now they're reaping tbe consequences.

If leinster didn't want to play their semi in Pretoria, maybe they shouldn't rotate their team for half the league games to focus on Europe, and got more points than the bulls.

Yes

[andermt]

If leinster didn't want to play their semi in Pretoria, maybe they shouldn't rotate their team for half the league games to focus on Europe, and got more points than the bulls.

Very much this, the fact that Leinster, probably the best club side out there with most of the top rated Irish national side have lost again, really cheers me up.

For years they have had advantage after advantage, the whole Aviva stadium cheat, the playing a 2nd string side most weekends and bringing the big guns out for the key matches has always felt like they were taking the proverbial out of the URC as they thought they could win at a cantor, great to see them lose.

As for the SA teams, they should be nowhere near the URC or Europe competitions.

[jamestaylor002]

Is it really that unfair? Knockouts are played at the home ground of the top seeded team - bulls finished 2nd and would only have played away if they'd played munster.

You can't let teams into a competition and then say 'home/away' or seeding rules don't apply. The URC was more than happy to take the cash and let the saffas in - so now they're reaping tbe consequences.

If leinster didn't want to play their semi in Pretoria, maybe they shouldn't rotate their team for half the league games to focus on Europe, and got more points than the bulls.

You make a fair argument, if you're happy to take the cash, you have to be happy for anything that comes out of it.

I suppose it depends on how badly the URC need the cash because they could quite easily have told the SA teams they were welcome to join but not to expect playing any URC games in South Africa. If memory serves me right, it was the SA clubs who were looking to leave Super Rugby first.

If anything, it's the French and English clubs who I'd have more sympathy with as surely they wouldn't have had a say in the SA teams joining the URC (which became the catalyst to their eventual inclusion in the Champions Cup) and now being bound to any potential long trips that come out of that.

[Neils]

Is it really that unfair? Knockouts are played at the home ground of the top seeded team - bulls finished 2nd and would only have played away if they'd played munster.

You can't let teams into a competition and then say 'home/away' or seeding rules don't apply. The URC was more than happy to take the cash and let the saffas in - so now they're reaping tbe consequences.

If leinster didn't want to play their semi in Pretoria, maybe they shouldn't rotate their team for half the league games to focus on Europe, and got more points than the bulls.

You make a fair argument, if you're happy to take the cash, you have to be happy for anything that comes out of it.

I suppose it depends on how badly the URC need the cash because they could quite easily have told the SA teams they were welcome to join but not to expect playing any URC games in South Africa. If memory serves me right, it was the SA clubs who were looking to leave Super Rugby first.

If anything, it's the French and English clubs who I'd have more sympathy with as surely they wouldn't have had a say in the SA teams joining the URC (which became the catalyst to their eventual inclusion in the Champions Cup) and now being bound to any potential long trips that come out of that.

The English and French clubs at least for the last stages of the Champions Cup have the SA teams required to base themselves and play in Europe.