European Rugby Champions Cup

[Peg Leg]

He is correct though. In rugby the gate is massive revenue stream. The pot shot at the RFU and that excuse of a coup militia acting as a tournament organiser is a bit rich.

[R-Dog]

If the Head to heads go the same way next week with Claremont winning at home and Ospreys winning at home come round 5 Sarries visit to the Ospreys almost becomes a winner takes all for a chance of getting out of the group.

It would hurt but would find myself cheering on our Welsh cousins

[desperado]

That's rich coming from Nigel who was part responsible for ripping apart the previous organisation and replacing it with EPCR.

[riocard911]

Just reading Robert Kitson moaning in the Grauniad about "statistically the worst weekend for the Premiership in the history of Europe’s flagship tournament." LMFAO!!!!! https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/ ... mpions-cup

[fourthirtythree]

Just reading Robert Kitson moaning in the Grauniad about "statistically the worst weekend for the Premiership in the history of Europe’s flagship tournament." LMFAO!!!!! https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/ ... mpions-cup

But they'd still win the 6N donchaknow?

The important quote from this for me is "Imagine if Saracens had flown to France to play on an artificial pitch in the nation’s capital, with a bad weather forecast widely flagged up. It is fair to assume they would also have wondered aloud about the lack of contingency planning, not least the inability to find an alternative venue when Harlequins could play Ulster – on grass – a few anti‑clockwise junctions around the M25."

Saracens, hilariously lashing out at their own Frankenstein creation for their incompetence while ignoring the simple fact that the fault is theirs, is utterly par for the course. What collective madness has gripped England?

If the shower of venal self serving Brexiteers were in any way competent rather than deluded low information idiots could we be any worse off?

[outcast eddie]

Just reading Robert Kitson moaning in the Grauniad about "statistically the worst weekend for the Premiership in the history of Europe’s flagship tournament." LMFAO!!!!! https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/ ... mpions-cup

But they'd still win the 6N donchaknow?

The important quote from this for me is "Imagine if Saracens had flown to France to play on an artificial pitch in the nation’s capital, with a bad weather forecast widely flagged up. It is fair to assume they would also have wondered aloud about the lack of contingency planning, not least the inability to find an alternative venue when Harlequins could play Ulster – on grass – a few anti‑clockwise junctions around the M25."

Saracens, hilariously lashing out at their own Frankenstein creation for their incompetence while ignoring the simple fact that the fault is theirs, is utterly par for the course. What collective madness has gripped England?

If the shower of venal self serving Brexiteers were in any way competent rather than deluded low information idiots could we be any worse off?

This sentiment keeps rearing it's head. It was a 48 - 52% vote. It doesn't get much closer than that in a referendum. The country is divided, painfully, down the middle and it is simply wrong to tar them all with the same brush.

[fourthirtythree]

Pardon me, I really did not intend that to refer to all English, or British people. Essentially just the Tories, UKIP, and high profile Brexiteers each of whom is catastrophically incompetent. Already they are wriggling out of the agreement they signed last week after realising that their own party will knife them in the back over it. The agreement will end up being worthless as an internal power struggle will get rid of the current shower.

For me this is pretty analogous to the arse the English Premiership are making of European competition - the Nigel Sugar Daddies with willing cheerleaders (of which the Grauniad was one of the worse) will ruin everything they touch.

[jimbobjoe]

Pardon me, I really did not intend that to refer to all English, or British people. Essentially just the Tories, UKIP, and high profile Brexiteers each of whom is catastrophically incompetent. Already they are wriggling out of the agreement they signed last week after realising that their own party will knife them in the back over it. The agreement will end up being worthless as an internal power struggle will get rid of the current shower.

For me this is pretty analogous to the arse the English Premiership are making of European competition - the Nigel Sugar Daddies with willing cheerleaders (of which the Grauniad was one of the worse) will ruin everything they touch.

Absolutely. They're so self important and have such disregard for anyone outside of their own sphere. When it all goes tits up for them I fully expect them to look across the water and say to their european counterparts 'you let us down, now fix this for us'.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I had very brief dealings with Nigel Wray a while back and it totally changed my opinion of him, he was an absolute gent. Very genuine guy who's very passionate about rugby and helping people, not the soulless arrogant tycoon that you'd imagine.

[Oldschool]

I had very brief dealings with Nigel Wray a while back and it totally changed my opinion of him, he was an absolute gent. Very genuine guy who's very passionate about rugby and helping people, not the soulless arrogant tycoon that you'd imagine.

Most businessmen have necks as thick as a jockeys bollux, out of necessity.
They're are usually passionate about their business and they are super optimists (either that or insane because you'd need to be given the obstacles put in their way)
A lot of them are slow to admit their mistakes too.
They can be very personable people but that neck is what loses them sympathy.

[Fireworks]

Glasgow let us down a bit by losing at home to Montpellier. Had they of gotten the home win and we do a double over Exeter, the group is all but home and hosed going into the final two rounds, especially when one of those games is away in France.

With the knock-out set up the way it is now, being a top 2 seed is crucial for the home quarter and potential home semi, more than ever you can win the cup in the group stages.

Lets just hope we're a Sunday game in the final round, we always seem to be up early and never have the luxury of knowing a draw would do or that we would need exactly x amount of tries.

Last season 24 group points would have been enough and we're on 14. No reason why we shouldn't look to push for 2 bonus point wins in the next two home games, I thought we were unlucky not to have a couple more tries in Exeter and I'd imagine Glasgow wont show much interest in Dublin and presumably eliminated.

Glasgows performance was disappointing but understandable as they had nothing to play for. They need to bring back some form of seeding factor which will make teams care about these games.

[kermischocolate]

I had very brief dealings with Nigel Wray a while back and it totally changed my opinion of him, he was an absolute gent. Very genuine guy who's very passionate about rugby and helping people, not the soulless arrogant tycoon that you'd imagine.

In fairness after Glasgow's trip to Saracens last year my opinion was similarly changed.
Doesn't mean I wasn't whole-heartedly supporting Clermont last night though.

[neiliog93]

I had very brief dealings with Nigel Wray a while back and it totally changed my opinion of him, he was an absolute gent. Very genuine guy who's very passionate about rugby and helping people, not the soulless arrogant tycoon that you'd imagine.

In fairness after Glasgow's trip to Saracens last year my opinion was similarly changed.
Doesn't mean I wasn't whole-heartedly supporting Clermont last night though.

I think a big question here is: what the hell is happening to Saracens? International call-uos or not, they've now lost 6 or 7 in a row and were falling off basic tackles (37 missed!). Just from extended highlights, they looked demoralised, dejected, disorganised and unfit. They didn't want to be there and lacked any coherence or technical ability. They never had star quality in the backs and this finally looks like it's getting exposed

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

[simonokeeffe]

Maybe Venters influence has finally worn off

Funniest moment of the match was when Austin Healy said its the same personnell essentially as when they last met, then camera cuts to Itoje and Vunipola in the stands THEIR TWO BEST PLAYERS LET ALONE FORWARDS

Worth remembering Clermont had a guy playing outhalf who played once there for CUS u14s or something

[Ruckedtobits]

Maybe Venters influence has finally worn off

Funniest moment of the match was when Austin Healy said its the same personnell essentially as when they last met, then camera cuts to Itoje and Vunipola in the stands THEIR TWO BEST PLAYERS LET ALONE FORWARDS

Worth remembering Clermont had a guy playing outhalf who played once there for CUS u14s or something

However, possibly of marginally greater relevance is that he played in the same position for New Zealand before his 20th birthday, prior to the 2007 RWC. He's had serious injuries and a certain Mr Carter as obstacles over the past decade, but he certainly looks like a masterclass on the evidence of last Monday.

[blockhead]

So to add to the:
a) Pro14 teams don't have relegation/rest their players.
b) French teams dont have a salary cap/have too much money
narrative,
We now could have a new one,
http://sport.bt.com/sport-hurts/are-eng ... 4236773206
Twas the refs that fupped us!

[Dexter]

So to add to the:
a) Pro14 teams don't have relegation/rest their players.
b) French teams dont have a salary cap/have too much money
narrative,
We now could have a new one,
http://sport.bt.com/sport-hurts/are-eng ... 4236773206
Twas the refs that fupped us!

Yeah, because we're so used to French refs in the Pro14....

[paddyor]

So to add to the:
a) Pro14 teams don't have relegation/rest their players.
b) French teams dont have a salary cap/have too much money
narrative,
We now could have a new one,
http://sport.bt.com/sport-hurts/are-eng ... 4236773206
Twas the refs that fupped us!

I do think there's something in that tbh. DOC was on OTB on Monday and he said there was a lot of stuff particularly in the Munster game that would be an immediate peno in the AP and the English teams set themselves up according to a very strict interpretation of the breakdown. That said, I don't think there's an over-arching reason for the whitewash. Realistically the only games they would have "expected" to win were probably Saracens vs ASM and Exeter vs Us.

[blockhead]

DOC was also saying that fatigue with the prem sides was a factor. In December! What will they be like come post 6Ns?
Meanwhile, Quins have named a depleted squad for friday game up in ravers. Surely it has to a 5 pointer for the Ulstermen.

[Dave Cahill]

Well as has been said many times before - don't send fully loaded squads to pre-season friendlies!