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December 24, 2010

Posted on 12/24/2010

The season needs some slack

The Guardian's Paul Rees takes a look at the packed northern hemisphere schedule and while he believes there needs to be change, it's hard to find where to squeeze in a break.

"In the bleak midwinter, earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone and a toll was taken on the Heineken Cup and Amlin Challenge Cup. All the matches were played, but Edinburgh and Castres met behind closed doors at Murrayfield, Sale had to move their clash against Brive to Gala and only 98 spectators turned up, Wasps advised only supporters who could walk to Adams Park to turn up for the encounter with Newport Gwent Dragons and Toulouse had to wait a couple of days before playing Glasgow because the Scottish side's kit and equipment were held up at Heathrow.
"Premier Rugby is to raise the issue of scheduling with European Rugby Cup Ltd, believing playing the pool stages in two groups of three, rather than two rounds held in three stages in October, December and January, would offer a little more flexibility when extreme weather hits. It is a hazard of winter sports but, given that the Heineken Cup is regarded as the cream of European club rugby, is it right that matches are played whatever, regardless of the inconvenience to spectators? Playing three rounds in October and January would at least offer the prospect of rearrangements at the end of the month, even if international coaches would not be impressed.

"The December rounds, with Christmas beckoning, would lead to any backlog carried into the new year, which is why the matches all went ahead either last weekend or this week. Some club message boards contained angry responses from supporters who had not been able to get to grounds asking why matches were not postponed, while reduced attendances left clubs counting the cost."

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