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Unless they can bring a pot of cash to the table, good riddance.

They need us more than we need them. Particularly if they want to develop rugby on their domestic front.

The home games for us will rival the Scottish games in terms of lowest possible gates, whilst the away matches will be big drains on our budgets (teams as well as fans).

I know there's the 'for the greater good of rugby' arguement, but that's what the IRB is for, not professional clubs / regions / etc..

Doesn't surprise me.
£3m per team? How could they afford that on top of massive travelling expenses, piddly home attendances and who are their sponsors?

the Italians are still coming by the looks of it:

[www.independent.ie]

Hope it does happen, I think they will be a great addition to the league especially if they can tempt some of the italians who play in france back to Italy.

Quote:

jake 1
the Italians are still coming by the looks of it:
[www.independent.ie]

Hope it does happen, I think they will be a great addition to the league especially if they can tempt some of the italians who play in france back to Italy.

If it happens it will be like adding two lesser Connachts to the league.
Also unless our expenses are covered, we'll end up losing money on travel and accommodation together with an additional matchday to pay for at SDR.

As for tempting the top Italian players; I can't see that happening. The Bergamasco brothers, Parisse and Castrogiovanni, for example, are on shed loads where they are at present. Would they get the same playing in Italy? I doubt it.

I hope it happens like most of you.

Even if they can not get their star players to return, a quota on foreigners will have the effect of increasing the potential pool of players they can select from.

For a few years the rugby will be dire, but you got to start from somewhere!

Quote:

BlueButtyBoy
I hope it happens like most of you.
Even if they can not get their star players to return, a quota on foreigners will have the effect of increasing the potential pool of players they can select from.

For a few years the rugby will be dire, but you got to start from somewhere!

What will the Italians bring to the Magners table other than more expense for us and another 4 games to squeeze into the fixture list of a league competition that is pants anyway?

i am glad if the Italians do enter the magners league. They would add another dimension to a magners league that is desperately trying to improve itself. I am glad that the majority of correspondents here don't decide, talk about "Little Englanders" they are "Little Cardiffians!". welcome Italians, your participation will unleash the Latent Potential that Carwyn James foresaw.

That's a name for you, Carwyn James!

Did anyone see that docu-drama a few months back about him.

Back to the Italians, at least there will be a chance of us not ending up last.

Seriously, it will help Italian rugby develop enormously. The Anglo Welsh will then take its proper position then as a development trophy.

Quote:

Bluepragmatist
i am glad if the Italians do enter the magners league. They would add another dimension to a magners league that is desperately trying to improve itself. I am glad that the majority of correspondents here don't decide, talk about "Little Englanders" they are "Little Cardiffians!". welcome Italians, your participation will unleash the Latent Potential that Carwyn James foresaw.

Can you explain this "dimension" you refer to and how the introduction of the Italian teams will benefit us? What the Magners needs is intensity and I can't see this being the answer unless it attracts a bigger sponsor and therefore more to play for.
The Italian sides will get a damn good thrashing in all of their games as their players will be mostly semi pro types by the look of it.

We've already got a big enough drain on our resources at the SdL.
Because of this, we can't keep some of the class we've got, or strengthen our positions of weakness.

Yes we'd all appreciate the extra competition of stronger Italian teams in Euro competitions, and in the 6N, but can we, the Blues, really afford to bleed away more cash (which we already lack) on trips to Italy and an even more empty stadium for the returns?

[www.cardiffblues.com]

Quote:

Bluepragmatist
i am glad if the Italians do enter the magners league. They would add another dimension to a magners league that is desperately trying to improve itself. I am glad that the majority of correspondents here don't decide, talk about "Little Englanders" they are "Little Cardiffians!". welcome Italians, your participation will unleash the Latent Potential that Carwyn James foresaw.

I love the name. So Ironic. So far from pragmatic as you could be. we have no money so we have to weaken the squad still further and yet we should do out bit for the Italians! Why?

If only the alikadoos realised that northern Italy gets a bit cold in the winter, they may not have been so keen to secure their two jollies every season there.

I also like the talk of supporters following their teams there.

Treviso, stand by to be swamped by Connacht fans!

Its pasta Joke!