Jiffy having a go at the Italians...

[LukeFitzgerald]

Whatever about the Italian teams going to France, it makes absolutely no sense for one Italian team to be guaranteed a spot in the CC. Treviso this year conceded the most points, conceded the most tries (every team that played against them scored a try bp against them) and had the worst points difference. It's ridiculously unfair on the teams in the other pools as two teams are almost guaranteed to go through to the knock out rounds if they have an Italian side in their pool.

 

[smartcooky]

Sorry, but this is nonsense. The timing of Italy's admission might have had some relevance to their results back in 2000 or 2001. But it is no excuse for their continued failure to develop stronger teams 15 years later.

I only said it was one of the reasons. never said it was an excuse

Also there's absolutely no way a Santiago Phelan coached side would have ever beaten the All Blacks had they joined in 2008.

They came very close (within a couple of minutes) in 2001 and again in 2006 under Marcelo Loffreda. His decision to retire as Pumas coach was announced in March 2007 after the January 2007 decision by SANZAR not to include Argentina in the Tri Nations.

Given the opportunity to coach in the Rugby Championship, Loffreda, might not have retired to go to Leicester and instead stayed on a couple of years. I guess we'll never know

 

[Car]

I'd also be in favour of replacing one of the Italian teams with a Georgian team is travelling isn't too costly. With one team only, Italy should be able to do better.

 

[dragos03]

I'd also be in favour of replacing one of the Italian teams with a Georgian team is travelling isn't too costly. With one team only, Italy should be able to do better.

Why a Georgian team? Every good Georgian player is in France so their domestic league is weak. When they played in the Challenge Cup qualifiers two years ago, a squad of the best players from the Georgian league named Tbilisi Caucasians was beaten both home and away by Italian club Rovigo and eliminated. To put it in perspective, Rovigo was absolutely destroyed this year by Romanian and Russian clubs. They lost 45-13 against Romanian club Timisoara Saracens and 31-0 and 39-5 against Russian club Enisey-STM.

It is Romanian and Russian clubs that deserve to play at a higher level. Romania and Russia have professional domestic leagues and 2-3 clubs from each of them have a decent standard. Clubs from these countries have played in the Challenge Cup before and have beaten French and English opponents.

But the Pro 12 will never expand anyway. Maybe they will even reduce the number of teams and kick out the Italians, who bring nothing to the competition.

 

[Car]

I was thinking of the national team's strengths, but I'm also fine with a Romanian or Russian team. Whoever deserves it most.