RaboDirect Pro 12 - Cardiff Blues vs Edinburgh - 22/04/2012

[dullonien]

Yes, 14,000 is good, but unfortunately that is just one of three matches which have over 10,000 all season (Scarlets 12,000, Cardiff Blues 11,000)

out of interest, the highest attendance league match for the Ospreys outside the derbies was 7,500 in the recent match against Treviso, not the team you would think would be the highest outside the Welsh derbies

pretty much every match this season at the Ospreys has been 5,000, every Heineken Cup match 7,000 (with the exception of the Treviso match which was 5,000)

as for the Cardiff Blues, their crowd numbers have been more inconsistent than the Ospreys, their highest attendance was also against the Dragons with 10,700, and also got over 10,000 for the London Irish Heineken Cup match

today's match was the worst attended of the season (with the exception of an LV Cup game), with a measly 3,500 turning up to see Jenkins, Williams, Molitika, Laulala etc for the last time at home

Kinda my point. Ospreys start playing some good rugby that's entertaining to watch and the crowds come in their droves. As I said the Shane factor would have attracted a couple of thousand alone most probably, but I put the rest down to some decent, winning rugby for the first time in a long, long time (even when the Ospreys have won in recent years, the playing style and performance have been close to infuriating). No idea if it will last. No idea if Tandy is a good coach, or just experiencing his honeymoon period. Hopefully it continues.

 

[welshglory]

The O's crowds should start rising next year. There seems to be a positive vibe at the moment and they've got that ridicoulsly cheap season ticket offer going, if that doesn't work we might as well give up on the regional rugby project. Scarlets should continue to rise, Dragons will fall a bit next year i reckon, losing Tovey, Brew and Charteris has ****** off a lot of supporters. If the Blues continue to play in the CCS then things will continue to get worse, move back to the CAP and things will get better simples. Don't think they'll be competitive for a couple of years though with their young and very inexperienced squad

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Things won't simply get better for the Blue if they move back to the Arms Park, you must be dreaming if you think so.

 

[welshglory]

I mean things will be better than they are now. Obviously there are deeper problems at the Blues, but getting consistant crowds of 9,000 with some atmosphere will surely help.

 

[Jayatron]

Things won't simply get better for the Blue if they move back to the Arms Park, you must be dreaming if you think so.

I personally think if the Blues were to go back to CAP next season that would solve a lot of problems. They need to get back ASAP!

 

[TRF_Cymro]

I personally think if the Blues were to go back to CAP next season that would solve a lot of problems. They need to get back ASAP!

Moving stadium is not going to solve the problems at player / management level as well as the financial side of things. Moving will help but there are deeper problems than just moving back to the CAP.

 

[Jayatron]

Moving stadium is not going to solve the problems at player / management level as well as the financial side of things. Moving will help but there are deeper problems than just moving back to the CAP.

There are a few under lying issues but the core of a good team is there. Likes of Warbunton, Halfpenny and the likes. Don't get me wrong the team will need work but I think it is more of a rebuilding process rather than a restarting process, a little like the Scarlets did. They have also brought in Tovey, which is a wise investment and that 8 looked good as well.

With the new Director of Rugby coming in that should steady the ship and their focus on youth will really pay off in a season or two.

As for the CCS we have all heard how much that place cost to run and the fact that they are still paying for CAP. If they were to go back to the CAP then that will free up a lot of money and bring back supporters. Could easily get 12k a week in there if they were to move back full time. Also their profit margins would be significantly more as they wouldn't have to share with CCFC.

On top of that when I went there for the Ulster game I honestly belief if that game was in the CCS we would have won. I was there the year before in the CCS and the game was so dull. The only pick me up was that we won with a bonus point. But the CAP is such a hostile place that I think it will help the Blues next year. On the form we are in at the moment they couldn't beat us, but for other teams playing in such a hostile environment will help them turn teams over. And we all know what success does for a team.