Celtic chiefs 'protect' Magners League
Fri, 29 Aug 2008 20:15
The scrum for a position of power in the European rugby calendar is well and truly on after Celtic League rugby chiefs sought confirmation from the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) that an expanded Anglo-Welsh cup competition would not outrank the Magners League.
The Magners League bosses are insisting that their seasonal league format should enjoy primary importance over the Anglo-Welsh Cup format, which was known last season as the EDF Energy Cup.
Earlier this week, WRU Chief Executive Roger Lewis announced that plans were being drawn up to expand the Anglo-Welsh Cup into a much bigger competition involving all the Guinness Premiership clubs, the four Welsh regions, and also, up to four teams hailing from England's National League One.
According to the Western Mail, Lewis also said that the aim was to run another competition alongside the Anglo-Welsh Cup. This second format would ideally include eight more National League One clubs from England, as well as six other teams from the Welsh Premiership.
"We would like to see it happening in September 2009," said Lewis.
"This is something that should be seen as very exciting and dynamic for Welsh rugby.
"It will create exciting competition which we all know the game desperately needs, but it will also bring additional money into Welsh rugby for the regions following the demise of the EDF Cup, and for the Premiership clubs too."
The 2008/09 Magners League season was officially launched on Wednesday, and Celtic League Tournament Director David Jordan took the opportunity to talk about the future of the tournament in light of the proposed expansions to the Anglo-Welsh Cup, saying that he was unaware of any concrete plans thus far.
"I had not been told about that, but I am led to believe it's still at the exploratory stage," Jordan told the Western Mail.
"I am not concerned about that. We have an agreed set-up with guiding principles, which we have rolled out and which have been signed off."
Jordan seemed confident that the Magners League would still enjoy the same status as it has done in the past, and that in most cases, matches would be scheduled around international fixtures, so that international players would be available for their Magners League teams.
"With the exceptions of two weekends, the international players will be available for every game, which will increase intensity and interest in the competition," Jordan said.
The Magners League also announced plans to include a knock-out phase at the end of its round-robin stages from the 2009/10 season onwards.
The knockout phase is set to follow the same format as the Super 14 and the Guinness Premiership tournaments, with the four top teams form the league stages entering into semifinal competition.
The two successful semifinalists would then in turn contest a Grand Final for the Magners League title.
According to Jordan, these measures were taken to ensure the growth of the Magners League, and Welsh rugby in general. He stated that attendances were steadily growing at matches in Wales, and that champions Leinster's average gate of over 14,000 last season was second only to Stade Francais, Toulouse and Leicester Tigers in European rugby.
"Magners League teams and players also enjoyed success in other competitions last season - the Six Nations champions, Heineken Cup and Anglo-Welsh Cup winners are from amongst our ranks - whilst the representation of capped players in Magners League games is higher than other European leagues," said Jordan.
Not only did Welsh teams really thrive in European competition last season - Wales won the Six Nations, Ospreys won the EDF Energy Cup, and Munster won the Heineken Cup - but Jordan also felt that the Magners League would be the ideal platform for players to stake their claims for a place in the British and Irish Lions squad for the 2009 tour of South Africa.
"This is the ideal time for those players to make their mark," Jordan exclaimed.
"Celtic rugby is always striving to align itself with other professional rugby tournaments around the world, consequently this season will be the last that the Magners League is played in its present format.
"From 2009/10 we will be introducing an end-of-season play-off to determine the Magners League champions with the top four teams qualifying for the knockout stage.
"It will maintain interest in the league through to the end of the year.
"Without relegation there is not a lot of jeopardy, but I believe the play-offs will fix that.
"I am sure the closeness of our league will ensure teams in fifth and sixth place are challenging for play-off places and confident it will improve the competitiveness of it.
"We also intend to address the irregular nature of the competition by creating a rhythmic season, achievable as Magners League weekends will not compete with any other tournament."
