So who's going to the Mungo's on Sunday? No surprise that we are going :). Supporting the ancestral home - Eire. And also Les Bleus agin The Old Enemy I guess......ahhh yeah nah. I'll just watch.
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So who's going to the Mungo's on Sunday? No surprise that we are going :). Supporting the ancestral home - Eire. And also Les Bleus agin The Old Enemy I guess......ahhh yeah nah. I'll just watch.
i will be there $20.00 for a day out bargain:magners:
I'll be there.
Ten bucks for two games in the upper tier behind the goals in the South Stand! Can't wait, pulling out the old Western Reds jersey and a France XIII one for good measure!
I'll be there - In my Force jumper. Could probably pass off as supporting France in it. Might make a a good #FUREAU post on twitter
Speaking of Mungo's; I reckon the IRB will gain some ectra impetus to facilitate the IPRC from the RLWC. The improvement in the PI teams performances will not go unnoticed. Too many Rugby boys going to NRL. Tonga and Fiji in particular have the potential to knock out one of the big 3. Tonga v NZ on Saturday is going to be huge.
I am actually curious, looking at the Pacific Islands sides, one could make a compelling case that league is now bigger than union, especially looking at Tonga. Certainly, allowing heritage players helps. One wonders what would happen if the Olympic committees of these countries said "RL guys can be included in our Olympic 7s squads"
Of course, Hayne would still miss out 8-)
:). Credit where it's due though he's played really well @ 5/8 so far.
Thing is ATM there are lots of pro contracts closer to home in NRL as opposed to Super Rugby. BUT with 6 IPRC franchises (to start) there will be more opportunities closer to home. I'm sure the IRB has sussed this out. The current FUARU, OTOH, with their constant reviewing of strategic options as new scenarios open up, are probably gaming ways to scupper it.
I would recommend putting up some banners to tell the public what you think of the ARU. The leaguies will give you plenty of sympathy as they don't like the ARU either and it will be on FTA tv with an international feed.
But with the inception of IPRC it will be able to infuture. We already have the Fiji Drua. No reason why they can't compete in IPRC and NRC. Ditto Tonga & Samoa - or at least a combined PI team in IPRC with other PI players spread into the asian franchises.
Personally, I don't mind which code they play. Just that I'd much prefer to see them play in our time zones and still earn what they deserve.
TBH I'm a little disappointed we didn't get one of them at NIB. Saturdays Tonga v NZ match at Waikato stadium is going to be huge. Apart from the game itself I can't wait to see if the pre-match cultural challenges can match last week's. The bloke who called that one is normally a Super Rugby commentator and in his words "We have never seen scenes like this in NZ". It really was something!