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The full pool listing is at [www.ercrugby.com]

That looks like quite a nice draw

Newcastle drew Exeter

I knew we'd get Connacht!

Prato is in Tuscany and traditionally their craft is textiles.

[en.wikipedia.org]

So yay, I'm going to Italy

If we don't qualify in that group... then I'll eat my... season ticket!

Here's a link to the tourist office in Prato - places to stay, eat etc. I'm already VERY excited!

[www.pratoturismo.it]

I woudn't mind the trip to Prato, direct flights from LGW to Florence seems easy enough. Just hope that it's a weekend game and not a Thursday or Friday night.

Great Southern France and Itlay!

A weekend of surfing and Rugby in S France and a weekend of sightseeing, food and rugby in Itlay. Should be good!

Bayonne.......Does that mean we get to see Ace again?

I heard Ace is retiring and I think heading back to Southern Hemisphere. He'll be at Tani's game though so we can all reacquaint ourselves then!

Hi all
Anyone know how easy it is to get from Knock or any other airport nearby to Galway without hiring a car.
Easy enough on Trains/Buses etc ? Thanks

A nice pool result...!

Claire-m,

Start baking!! See the linky thing for Prato biscuits!! Yumm

Just think, if we had sneaked into the top 6 instead of London Irish we could have ended up with the easy group of Toulon, Munster and Ospreys - shame that

"Traditionally cantucci combine with vin Santo generally or liqueur wines, although they are very good even with the dry wines such as sparkling wines"

Sounds like they are aware of our sophisticated palates

Bayonne is a great place. Some fantastic restaurants and bars. The old town has some great tapas bars as well. I've been to Bayonne many times but only been to one rugby match a local derby against Pau... I seem to recall ice cold beers and baguettes filled with Bayonne ham on a warm September evening.

I have a friend (an ex. Rosslyn Park and Saracens player) who lives 20 minutes from Bayonne and runs a holiday property business.

Hurrah! No trip to Paris! Please, please, the god of rugby fixtures, can we be at home on the w/e of 9th October?

Nice group, really glad we've got our friends from Galway, and France & Italy represented as well.

We are very proud to host the London Harlequins in Prato!!!!

Vin Santo, Cantuccini, Italian Red Wine, Italian Pasta, Italian Pizza... and everything you need!


Dan from Prato

you type in great english for an italian

Hi Dan,

Looking forward to my trip to Prato and to sample the delights of your local coffee shops and cakeries.

We'll give you a very warm welcome to the Stoop!

Definately off to Italy for me. Can't wait (but please don't make it in December)!!!!

Connacht, na I'll leave that this year, Bayonne - maybe but probably not.

Think I'll coincide it with a visit to Pisa with the significant other. I'm sure that will get me a free pass and stop her whining about 'going to another bloody rugby match'.

Quote:

IMT
I'm sure that will get me a free pass and stop her whining about 'going to another bloody rugby match'.

You can but live in hope...

I fancy a trip to Prato but I won't rely on the ERC for info on where the ground is, see here [www.ercrugby.com].

@ Quin Guy
I studied my undergrads at the University of Bath


Cavalieri Prato is a very young Rugby Club
This season was our very first year into the Italian Premiership and we got fifth at the end of the season, at only one point to the fourth place, and next season will be our very first time into a European Cup

Prato is the third city of Central Italy for inhabitants, after Rome and Florence (to which we are only 20 km away)

Before the globalization, we have been one of the most important textile districts in Europe. Now we are undergoing an industry transformation towards knitwear, mainly led by the Chinese.

One curiosity: Prato is the hometown of Roberto Benigni, the famous actor and film director.


Daniele

Daniele: can you recommend a good hotel/B&B to stay at in Prato?

Looking forward to it already!!

This is a nice and very central Bed&Breakfast in Prato:
[www.bed-and-breakfast-in-italy.com]

it's where the American parents of my sister in law came to stay for the wedding


Dan

Prato... could be a fun trip. Bayonne... will hopefully make that as I love Southern France. Nice draw, hopefully we'll do well.

Wahey - Connacht! Family trip, wohoo!

Anyone got any ideas when they announce the dates for these? Am looking at our holiday calender at work and and praying we don't travel there in November....

Please let the Rugby gods be kind to me...

Cavalieri rugby fans are very happy to be in the same pool with Harlequins. Every fan I know was thinking of Harlequins as the preferred choice as many of us will join the Cavalieri team in Twickenham Stoop for this magic event.

Our club was just founded in 2000, and none of us would have imagined to join the international rugby elite! Since then rugby has grown a lot in Tuscany. Cavalieri are the top team and they have a project involving other 13 tuscan clubs to represent the professional rubgy of our region. Our rugby ground is currentely under renovation and it will be expanded to 2800 seated and covered seats by september. Last season we had an average attendance of 1500 fans. That's not bad for Italian Super 10.

How many Harlequins fans uasually follow the team in the European Cup abroad ? If we need a 5000 stadium we have to kick out of town the local football team ! ) So we have to talk to our major soon ;°)

I guess many of you are awere of our beautiful and precious region. Prato is just ten miles north west of Florence. Prato has a beautiful medieval walled historical centre with old churches, museums, a castle, pubs, and great local reastaurants serving delicious tuscan food. Have you ever heard of tuscan T-bone Steak? We call it "bistecca alla fiorentina" or fficial&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=qQcRTNiWJOaTON3_0ckH&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4&ved=0CDgQsAQwAw">"florentine steak".

DamianoCavalieriPratoItaly,

I am really looking forward to meeting you all next season. I can't wait to find the date for the visit to Prato. I've already looked into flight to Florence. Hopefully one of the people on this site who regularly travel to away games especially those who went to the Stade Francais game in 2008 should be able to estimate how many are likely to travel to you.

Vino, Pasta and Pizza and the odd historical site, here come!

PS You will definately be assured a very big welcome at the Stoop. You might see a few more supporters at the Stoop than at your ground though!

@twickenham yeti

I can't wait for our trip to the Stoop! I already have goose bumps !

I just forgot to mention our wine ! That's so obvious...

Prato has got great local red wines: Carmignano, Carmignano reserve, Barco Reale. But you can find easily the best regional products such as Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino, Rosso di Montalcino, Morellino di Scansano. Or Supertuscans such as Bolgheri, Sassicaia, Ornellaia and Tignanello.

Who needs the H Cup when you can go to Tuscany for your rugby...great food, wine, culture, beautiful girls and great rugby hosts!! Galway for great golf and 'that' dog track! Finally Bayonne, surfing and all the great things about South West France!

COME ON ERC ANNOUNCE THE DATES SO WE CAN BOOK!!!!

Stuff Cardiff and Sale, I'd have Italy any day!

Magnificent group for tourism! I really love Italy. Such a shame its not HC.

Quote:

Our rugby ground is currentely under renovation and it will be expanded to 2800 seated and covered seats by september. Last season we had an average attendance of 1500 fans. That's not bad for Italian Super 10.

But that wont be enough just for the quins away support!

Quote:

harlequinade

Quote:

Our rugby ground is currentely under renovation and it will be expanded to 2800 seated and covered seats by september. Last season we had an average attendance of 1500 fans. That's not bad for Italian Super 10.

But that wont be enough just for the quins away support!

By the way, we also have a football stadium with 6.500 seats
the match might be moved to there

Dan

I tifosi di rugby di Prato:

I will visit you in the summer as I am off to Perugia in August: we will stop by in August to visit: where do you suggest rugby fans should go for some good, rugby-style Prato hospitality?

Hi Bolly-Quin

Perugia is two hours far from Prato, if you travel by car.
Just consider the date of your travel to Prato. Cavalieri will train on the Appennines mountains (50 km north of Prato ) most of the month as the city can be really hot in August with temperatures around 35 c° during the day and 25/28 c° at nights. Last year italian Super 10 started on September 12.

August is the holiday month in Italy, and people move from the cities to the turistic spots along the coasts. I'll be out of town too. But you can contact my club “Allupins rugby Old Prato” (“the warriors the third Half”), and if some guys is around town he'll be really happy to show you around.

Yesterday I was at the ground and we are thinking to organize an Old rugby match with Harlequins fans if you have an Old team travelling to Prato.

Fantastic idea! See Nicksb for details of The Real Quins! Our first Away Fixture!

Try,Try and Try again....!

I can't wait!

count me in! I may have to disappear for hours on end visiting the cake shops of Prato though. Research purposes, you understand.

And for half-time refreshments Claire! Hmmm... I may go and get my boots clean in preparation!

Currently polishing my walking stick!

Don't forget it could be the January game! That's a lot of polishing and cleaning!!!

Why dont we block book the tickets and charter our own easijet flight from Gatwick. I am sure Sterios would oblige if there were a couple of hundred of us travelling together, 'QuinsAir'

Hi Dan

Great to hear from you and I can't wait to come to Italy (depending on the dates, unfortunately). Just a quick question, I am a wheelchair user, whould you know of any hotels that would be suitable and would you be aware of the wheelchair facilities at either of the stadiums that the game would be played at?

Lex

Hi Lex!

That's great you are coming to Tuscany!

We still don't know which stadium Cavalieri-Harlequins are going to play. We have to wait for the dates first.

There is still some probabibily that the match will be moved to Florence. But my guess is that in the end it will be held at Prato football stadium, where there shouldn't be any problem with wheelchair.

I leave you my email ------------------, so that you can contact me in the next days when the location of the match will be confirmed.

I can look no problem for wheelchair-friendly hotels too.

See you soon!


Dan



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010:06:12:21:32:10 by daniele.baroncelli.

Daughter No 1 is Honeymooning in Florence....pretty please fixture Gods.....

Try,Try and Try again....!

deadly, not so sure your future son-in-law will be praying to the fixture gods!!!

...especially as he is a London Oirish supporter...but then whats the point of a son in law if you can't make him feel uncomfortable...?

Try,Try and Try again....!

Can anyone tell me when we'll know the dates?

RESPECT THE REF - NO REF, NO GAME!

Went to Italy for the first time last year and now SO excited to have a reason to go back soon. Fantastic draw. Tuscany is beautiful

Here is some news from Prato.
Yesterday Cavalieri Prato signed an aggreement with other 10 clubs of the region and they are going to change their name into "Cavalieri Toscana" (Knights Tuscany) rappresenting the elite rugby of the region. Cavalieri Prato still hold 55% of the shares.
It means “Cavalieri Toscana” is going to structure to play as a Rugby Franchise of region Tuscany.
The new Franchise will be based in Prato at Iolo Rugby Ground (2800 seats), but will play some match in Florence and Siena also.

Latest news say Cavalieri Toscana – Harlequins will be played either at Prato Footbal Stadium (6.500 seats) or in Florence Athletic Stadium (10.000 seats). The two places are 15 miles away.

In both cases i say it will be a great experience visiting us in Tuscany !!

Any trip to Italy is worthwhile. Toscana is beautiful. Florence is good, but I love Siena. I want to attend a Palio one year.......

I prefer Siena too HQ but will happily go anywhere in Italia!

Sorry - do like Siena, but Florence edges it for me. Still some of the best meals of my life in that City - oh and proposed (and was even accepted) during one of the trips. Wouldn't turn down Siena if forced however.

Quote:

Bolly-Quin
I tifosi di rugby di Prato:
I will visit you in the summer as I am off to Perugia in August: we will stop by in August to visit: where do you suggest rugby fans should go for some good, rugby-style Prato hospitality?

Hi Bolly-Quin, now we have some news for you.

Cavalieri Prato are performing their first friendly match of the season on suturday 21th at 5.00 pm in Prato (Stadio Chersoni) against Lazio Mantovani Roma.

A bunch of Cavalieri fans will show up for the match, and it would be great having you with us. We are planning a fans dinner after the match.

Another possibility is on saturday 28th in Prato (Stadio Chersoni). Cavalieri, Crociati (former Overmach Parma) and Petrarca Padova are playing a three team tournament.

Let us know if you would attend for the matches.

Damiano:

I will arrive in Firenze ta midday/1pm: i will send you my mobile phone number by personal message - then you can send yours and we can meet up before the game.

Cheers and look forward to seeing you all on Saturday...