Best chance ever ?
By Griff September 12 2007
The 2007/8 season is almost upon us, it's an odd feeling at the moment with the RWC starting to take shape over the Channel. It doesn't quite feel real that we play our first game on Saturday. What will the season hold for London Irish - back to the days of the relgation battle, the easy but dull mid-table comfort-zone or top of the table heroics ?
The 2007/8 season is almost upon us, it's an odd feeling at the moment with the RWC starting to take shape over the Channel. It doesn't quite feel real that we play our first game on Saturday. What will the season hold for London Irish - back to the days of the relgation battle, the easy but dull mid-table comfort-zone or top of the table heroics ?
The ups and downs of a top-flight rugby team are the stock-and-trade of the average rugby supporter. If everything was equal the same teams would win everything year-after-year and watching rugby (or any sport) would be dull. Of course some team do dominate but those teams have changed over the years. The variables that affect success are many - money, personalities, luck - the list is endless. How does this season look, ahead of the action, for the Exiles?
The EDF Anglo-Welsh Cup
The old Powergen/Tetley/Pilkington/John Player thingy has, in many eyes, become a shadow of it's former self. It's oft-called for scrapping to free up valuable players' game-time in an ever bulging season. With the removal of the lower divisions it has become a bit of a curate's egg - you no longer have the ignominy of losing to a minnow to worry about but at the same time the competition is the poorer for the loss of the FA Cup style plucky-underdog success story.
This year the groups have been shuffled. No more are we forced to brave Cardiff, Wasps and Sarries (all tough asks on their own) and in come Quins, Ospreys and Worcester. It would be plain wrong to suggest it's an easy draw but I think anyone would find it difficult to argue that it's any more difficult.
In the previous groupings Irish always struggled to make it to top of the pool. With the new opposition we may have the chance to see a semi-final - and who know what can happen after that? As always teams will try and get away with as junior a team as they can to make the grade. Quins success in the A league shows you all you need to know about their strength-in-depth,Wuss are always a hard opponent and the Ospreys have a fine side but you can't help but wonder if we can make the grade in this competition and revisit the glory of April 20th 2002.
Heineken Cup
Irish have a reasonable record in the top-flight European Cup, for a team new to the competition at least. First time out we managed to cause some upsets (beating Toulouse at home and, very nearly, away). At the second time of asking we propped-up the group but what a group it was! None of the results were terrible either, playing some of the best rugby of our season but being beaten by better sides. After the hopes had been raised it was somewhat disappointing but it wasn't an awful showing.
Rational supporters can't really expect their team to take this incredible competition on in the first few seasons and most of the Irish support simply look for a good showing and qualification for next year. Having been in the hunt for 2 years now, though, folks are hoping for a little more of a showing. Qualification into the final 8 brings big recognition, respect and, perhaps most importantly, bigger money. This would be an achievement of note for our club and is, perhaps, our aspiration of the season (besides the perennial "avoiding relagation" stipulation).This year Irish have, perhaps, the easiest of all the groups. In a competition of such quality there are no easy games but when your group consists of Perpignan, Treviso and Newport (not Ulster, Toulouse and Llanelli) you have to concede you've had a bit of luck.
It's still a big ask but of our three sojourns into the HC this is, by far, the biggest opportunity to make the quarters.
Guinness Premiership
The bread-and-butter competition has proved time and again that it is minute margins that separate the winner from the team to visit ND1. As a team that has, hopefully, put the end-of-season bunfight behind them it is vital that Irish don't forget about the penalty for mediocrity. Of the three competitions the GP is by far the toughest ask and has the harshest penalty for failure.
With the World Cup bludgeoning the start of the season it could be speculated that a team like Irish should benefit from their "unfashionable" tag. We have, however, lost many players to the world stage. It's still an opportunity to take the more fashionable teams on while they are without their big hitters. Traditionally the LI support has many members of the ABE but it's worth pointing out that they may want to suspend their membership for this tournament. If England make the QF stages, the match on the 14th October against Wasps becomes a different prospect altogether... Making the semis would mean Gloucester would be a few short too.
Later in the season the 6 Nations will, again, take players. It may be by then, though, that the England camp have come to their senses and may include Shane, Nick, Nils, Paicey and others. It may be that Irish become victims of the patently ridiculous season strucure. It's pretty unlikely, though.
2007/8 Season
So, goals for the season ? I suggest a good showing the the EDF Anglo-Welsh is a possiblity, the good thing is we'll know after the first and second matches whether it's worth putting the effort in.
Making it past the group stages of the HC would be a club milestone and bring in much needed cash. This year's draw gives Irish that opportunity and it would be unfortunate if we weren't to capitalise on it. The worry, though, comes if we manage this at the expense of our GP run. Witness how Northampton made it through last season, it became more of a distraction and drain of valuable resources when they needed action to avoid the drop. The same could happen to Irish. A good start to the campaign would steady the nerves and allow a bit of confidence in all competitions.
Ideally 2008/9 would see Irish EDF champions, having made a HC semi-final and finished top four in the GP. That would give us a massive spring-board for the next season (and allow the resruitment of some huge names). More realistically I'm hoping for top-half of the GP and an HC quarter. A good show inte EDF would be good but only if it's not at the expense of the other goals.
Really, this is the best opportunity for London Irish to make in-roads into the domain of the Tigers and Wasps for a long time (possibly ever).
As ever the green roller-coaster is going to be a fun one to ride. Keep your arms inside the carriage at all times.
COME ON YOU IRISH !
The EDF Anglo-Welsh Cup
The old Powergen/Tetley/Pilkington/John Player thingy has, in many eyes, become a shadow of it's former self. It's oft-called for scrapping to free up valuable players' game-time in an ever bulging season. With the removal of the lower divisions it has become a bit of a curate's egg - you no longer have the ignominy of losing to a minnow to worry about but at the same time the competition is the poorer for the loss of the FA Cup style plucky-underdog success story.
This year the groups have been shuffled. No more are we forced to brave Cardiff, Wasps and Sarries (all tough asks on their own) and in come Quins, Ospreys and Worcester. It would be plain wrong to suggest it's an easy draw but I think anyone would find it difficult to argue that it's any more difficult.
In the previous groupings Irish always struggled to make it to top of the pool. With the new opposition we may have the chance to see a semi-final - and who know what can happen after that? As always teams will try and get away with as junior a team as they can to make the grade. Quins success in the A league shows you all you need to know about their strength-in-depth,Wuss are always a hard opponent and the Ospreys have a fine side but you can't help but wonder if we can make the grade in this competition and revisit the glory of April 20th 2002.
Heineken Cup
Irish have a reasonable record in the top-flight European Cup, for a team new to the competition at least. First time out we managed to cause some upsets (beating Toulouse at home and, very nearly, away). At the second time of asking we propped-up the group but what a group it was! None of the results were terrible either, playing some of the best rugby of our season but being beaten by better sides. After the hopes had been raised it was somewhat disappointing but it wasn't an awful showing.
Rational supporters can't really expect their team to take this incredible competition on in the first few seasons and most of the Irish support simply look for a good showing and qualification for next year. Having been in the hunt for 2 years now, though, folks are hoping for a little more of a showing. Qualification into the final 8 brings big recognition, respect and, perhaps most importantly, bigger money. This would be an achievement of note for our club and is, perhaps, our aspiration of the season (besides the perennial "avoiding relagation" stipulation).This year Irish have, perhaps, the easiest of all the groups. In a competition of such quality there are no easy games but when your group consists of Perpignan, Treviso and Newport (not Ulster, Toulouse and Llanelli) you have to concede you've had a bit of luck.
It's still a big ask but of our three sojourns into the HC this is, by far, the biggest opportunity to make the quarters.
Guinness Premiership
The bread-and-butter competition has proved time and again that it is minute margins that separate the winner from the team to visit ND1. As a team that has, hopefully, put the end-of-season bunfight behind them it is vital that Irish don't forget about the penalty for mediocrity. Of the three competitions the GP is by far the toughest ask and has the harshest penalty for failure.
With the World Cup bludgeoning the start of the season it could be speculated that a team like Irish should benefit from their "unfashionable" tag. We have, however, lost many players to the world stage. It's still an opportunity to take the more fashionable teams on while they are without their big hitters. Traditionally the LI support has many members of the ABE but it's worth pointing out that they may want to suspend their membership for this tournament. If England make the QF stages, the match on the 14th October against Wasps becomes a different prospect altogether... Making the semis would mean Gloucester would be a few short too.
Later in the season the 6 Nations will, again, take players. It may be by then, though, that the England camp have come to their senses and may include Shane, Nick, Nils, Paicey and others. It may be that Irish become victims of the patently ridiculous season strucure. It's pretty unlikely, though.
2007/8 Season
So, goals for the season ? I suggest a good showing the the EDF Anglo-Welsh is a possiblity, the good thing is we'll know after the first and second matches whether it's worth putting the effort in.
Making it past the group stages of the HC would be a club milestone and bring in much needed cash. This year's draw gives Irish that opportunity and it would be unfortunate if we weren't to capitalise on it. The worry, though, comes if we manage this at the expense of our GP run. Witness how Northampton made it through last season, it became more of a distraction and drain of valuable resources when they needed action to avoid the drop. The same could happen to Irish. A good start to the campaign would steady the nerves and allow a bit of confidence in all competitions.
Ideally 2008/9 would see Irish EDF champions, having made a HC semi-final and finished top four in the GP. That would give us a massive spring-board for the next season (and allow the resruitment of some huge names). More realistically I'm hoping for top-half of the GP and an HC quarter. A good show inte EDF would be good but only if it's not at the expense of the other goals.
Really, this is the best opportunity for London Irish to make in-roads into the domain of the Tigers and Wasps for a long time (possibly ever).
As ever the green roller-coaster is going to be a fun one to ride. Keep your arms inside the carriage at all times.
COME ON YOU IRISH !
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StumbleuponRe: Best chance ever ?
Posted by: balpw2. (IP Logged)
Date: 2007:09:13:07:02:24
You might want to edit the bit about England making the semis affecting Gloucester. They haven't got any players in the England squad.
Re: Best chance ever ?
Posted by: Mr Realistic (IP Logged)
Date: 2007:09:13:08:03:13
But Glaws would be affected if Wales, Scotland, Italy or Fiji made the semis - which are all more likely than England!
Re: Best chance ever ?
Posted by: Props are not stupid (IP Logged)
Date: 2007:09:13:08:07:33
And how are you going to drum if you keep your arms inside?
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