IRLCC xi
List of associations:
COA - APOC Coalition
CCU - Copper Cuprum
DAR - Darmen
HIN - Kita-Hinode
KOR - Ko-oren
SRX - Seraxinbourgh
UAR - Union of Socialist Alpine Republics
The Eleventh IRLCC is upon us, and we have seven competing leagues this year! All five of the previous edition are back, and we have regained the Alpine Republics, and our new addition is Seraxinbourgh! Given 14 teams, we are two short of a nice number - and that means we have a huge playoff round. To reach two groups of four teams in the group stage, six teams need to go and that lands a whopping twelve out of fourteen clubs in the playoff round! Only the two champions of the two strongest leagues are safe, which are Copper Cuprum's and Ko-oren's winners. With no final venue bids, the final will be played at the Stade sur la Baie, in Aminey, a city that supplies two teams to Ko-oren's top level of rugby league.
Playoffs
Eb Deg Bulldogs (CCU) 3–0 Twyford Broncos (UAR)
Rogerton Wildcats (DAR) 6–6 Twyford Rovers (UAR) (6–6 AET) (2–3 pen.)
Storm (COA) 8–8 South Hinode (HIN) (8–10 AET)
Coraboa Cobras (SRX) 10–8 Kamandu (HIN)
Piranhacondas (COA) 2–6 Brady City Giants (DAR)
Linieux Harriers (KOR) 16–0 Loues Lions (SRX)
Group Stage
Group A Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts
1 Eb Deg Bulldogs 6 5 0 1 82 27 +55 20 — 12–2 20–1 8–0
2 Ferrovente Scorpions 6 2 1 3 29 43 −14 10 6–16 — 8–0 5–0
3 Twyford Rovers 6 2 1 3 24 48 −24 10 8–4 9–2 — 0–8
4 Brady City Giants 6 1 2 3 30 47 −17 8 10–22 6–6 6–6 —
Group B Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts
1 Coraboa Cobras 6 4 0 2 38 17 +21 16 — 2–6 14–1 6–0
2 South Hinode 6 3 0 3 46 43 +3 12 4–0 — 6–8 2–5
3 Uld Deg Stingrays 6 3 0 3 41 46 −5 12 0–6 19–4 — 12–2
4 Linieux Harriers 6 2 0 4 36 55 −19 8 6–10 9–24 14–1 —
Semifinals
Eb Deg Bulldogs (CCU) 6–6 South Hinode (HIN) (8–6 AET)
Coraboa Cobras (SRX) 4–10 Ferrovente Scorpions (KOR)
Final - @ Stade sur la Baie, Aminey, Ko-oren
Eb Deg Bulldogs (CCU) 8–2 Ferrovente Scorpions (KOR)
In the eleventh edition, we see that teams from smaller leagues can occasionally get some points off of the established teams. That didn't stop the Eb Deg Bulldogs from reaching their third consecutive final and winning their second consecutive IRLCC, congratulations!
With that, I immediately want to propose the next cutoff date for the twelfth IRLCC, to coincide roughly with the RUCT: Friday, 31st of May, 21:00 CET. As always, associations may enter up to two teams. Final venue bids are due on the same day.
I also want to propose a format change:
Instead of going for either 8 or 16 group stage teams, I want to work with any multiple of four in the group stage. That means that in this case, we would have had three groups. It prevents these huge playoff rounds.
I want your advice on the following: with a field of 12 or more teams, do you want to go straight to the semifinals (4 teams advancing) or to introduce quarterfinals (8 teams advancing)?
Please take your discussion to the OOC thread or TG me.