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European Champions & Challenge Cup
Heineken Cup talks "have now ended"
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<blockquote data-quote="coolbawn" data-source="post: 612531" data-attributes="member: 70385"><p>I'm not going to criticize Ian Ritchie and Bill Beaumont yet (if ever). Surely negotiating behind the scenes isn't weakness ?</p><p></p><p>The RFU has always been in a pivotal position. I don't know these guys from Adam but Ian Ritchie has a good track record and is trying to work behind the scenes and Bill Beaumont always seems like one of the really plausible union types who has loads of contacts throughout European rugby. I don't believe for a moment that Ian Ritchie didn't know about the other unions' meeting or that he was upset not to be invited. That's just a smokescreen to ward off the grief he would have got from the PRL camp if he had issued a joint statement with the other unions. Basically, it looks as if he helped the other unions towards agreeing reasonable changes so it was time for those unions to offer the changes to PRL so PRL would look unreasonable if they still turned them down.</p><p></p><p>Only the unions can possibly put/keep all the interwoven pieces of the rugby community in place and that costs money so they should be in charge (albeit with commercial input from clubs etc). The unions can justifiably wield influence over cross-border matters; for example, the RFU might quietly remind the IRFU to accept the odd compromise if the IRFU wants the RFU to back the IRFU's RWC bid. The RFU is pivotal. The RFU's style is not like the FFR's. So I don't mind them negotiating behind the scenes and wish them well as they seem to see the big picture. I hope ....</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="coolbawn, post: 612531, member: 70385"] I'm not going to criticize Ian Ritchie and Bill Beaumont yet (if ever). Surely negotiating behind the scenes isn't weakness ? The RFU has always been in a pivotal position. I don't know these guys from Adam but Ian Ritchie has a good track record and is trying to work behind the scenes and Bill Beaumont always seems like one of the really plausible union types who has loads of contacts throughout European rugby. I don't believe for a moment that Ian Ritchie didn't know about the other unions' meeting or that he was upset not to be invited. That's just a smokescreen to ward off the grief he would have got from the PRL camp if he had issued a joint statement with the other unions. Basically, it looks as if he helped the other unions towards agreeing reasonable changes so it was time for those unions to offer the changes to PRL so PRL would look unreasonable if they still turned them down. Only the unions can possibly put/keep all the interwoven pieces of the rugby community in place and that costs money so they should be in charge (albeit with commercial input from clubs etc). The unions can justifiably wield influence over cross-border matters; for example, the RFU might quietly remind the IRFU to accept the odd compromise if the IRFU wants the RFU to back the IRFU's RWC bid. The RFU is pivotal. The RFU's style is not like the FFR's. So I don't mind them negotiating behind the scenes and wish them well as they seem to see the big picture. I hope .... [/QUOTE]
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European Champions & Challenge Cup
Heineken Cup talks "have now ended"
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