European Rugby Champions Cup

[simonokeeffe]

Anyone hazzard a guess at when the matches will be on due to which ones Sky/BT have?

Cant see us wanting Easter sunday for filling the Aviva. There was a vote about good Friday closing that got rid of it last summer I think, anyone no if it in place for this year?

The Intoxicating Liquor (Amendment) Bill, to be precise!

Its not statute yet but has passed the Dail. Would be nice if it came in for this Easter and even nicer if those of us in the industry had sufficient time to plan for it or not

[Dave Cahill]

It has been passed by both houses of the Oireachteas alright, just not sure if its law as of yet

[Oldschool]

It has been passed by both houses of the Oireachteas alright, just not sure if its law as of yet

El Presidento has to sign it into law.
Give him a buzz and ask him to get the finger out.

[Cianostays]

As good as they are, I just couldn't see the Scarlets ambushing us again in Dublin. If we can get past Saracens, I believe we'll get to Bilbao but have no idea who we'd face.

Toulon are nowhere near as brittle as typical French teams on the road. Clermont are decimated by injuries so I could see Racing turning them over. I think all the QF's will be 10pts or less between the teams.

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[simonokeeffe]

It has been passed by both houses of the Oireachteas alright, just not sure if its law as of yet

Knowing Ireland it will come in mid April cos ah sure sure wasnt Eastet early this year

[ronk]

It has been passed by both houses of the Oireachteas alright, just not sure if its law as of yet

Knowing Ireland it will come in mid April cos ah sure sure wasnt Eastet early this year

Getting rid of the law would kill the novelty though. More fun to grant an exception just for the match while the paperwork is held up.

[simonokeeffe]

It has been passed by both houses of the Oireachteas alright, just not sure if its law as of yet

Knowing Ireland it will come in mid April cos ah sure sure wasnt Eastet early this year

Getting rid of the law would kill the novelty though. More fun to grant an exception just for the match while the paperwork is held up.

If they did their jobs in a timely manner thats novelty enough for all

[fourthirtythree]

Bit awkward on an old phone but I s not here http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/isbc ... l#letter_I

[fourthirtythree]

Oh and given that the current Taoiseach has been known in a former role to abuse his ministerial powers (being a Leinster supporter) to have a b&i cup match designated as an event of cultural importance to allow alcohol be sold in the RDS I wouldn't worry about it.

[neiliog93]

I think Racing will beat Clermont. Munster vs Toulon is 50-50. I think whoever has home advantage in the semi-final will make the final. Thus, for me, Racing or Toulon will make the final. Scarlets being at home to La Rochelle is absolutely crucial. If we can get past Saracens, I expect a thriller of a semi-final in the Aviva that we might just edge.

I'm therefore predicting a Leinster vs. Toulon/Racing final, which admittedly is predicated on the basis of Racing turning over Clermont in their 1/4, and the effect that has on home advantage in the semis. If Munster beat Toulon, I think Racing will be too strong in France, winning a tight game as happened at the weekend. If Toulon beat Munster, I think Toulon will edge past Racing with the (sort of) home advantage of playing in Marseille.

[artaneboy]

I think Racing will beat Clermont. Munster vs Toulon is 50-50. I think whoever has home advantage in the semi-final will make the final. Thus, for me, Racing or Toulon will make the final. Scarlets being at home to La Rochelle is absolutely crucial. If we can get past Saracens, I expect a thriller of a semi-final in the Aviva that we might just edge.

I'm therefore predicting a Leinster vs. Toulon/Racing final, which admittedly is predicated on the basis of Racing turning over Clermont in their 1/4, and the effect that has on home advantage in the semis. If Munster beat Toulon, I think Racing will be too strong in France, winning a tight game as happened at the weekend. If Toulon beat Munster, I think Toulon will edge past Racing with the (sort of) home advantage of playing in Marseille.

I don’t see Racing as being strong. They were lucky to best a stuttering Munster in Paris. I have to say that I see Munster making their way through that side of the draw.

We do have the stronger side. The Saracens match will be a deadly physical struggle. If we win that, I see the even more dangerous Scarlets giving us a huge fright in a shoot-out. And if we win both of those huge scraps, we face either our most intense local rivals- or our knock-‘em-down; drag-‘em-out compadres Clermont or Toulon from previous campaigns.

Pffftt!


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[neiliog93]

Yeah, our side of the draw is stronger than Munster's (albeit Toulon look strong again lately). A possible advantage of that is that IF(!) we make the final, we'll have been exposed to higher calibre opposition along the way, which might put us in a slightly stronger/battle ready position. The same argument applies to more of our guys getting 6 Nations game time, with the obvious downsides of injuries and fatigue.

[CiaranIrl]

We might have 4 massive games against the Scarlets this year. We should get someone doing analysis of them full time for the next couple of months!

[olaf the fat]

We win - "good" for Rugby!
Scarlets get to the s final - good for Pro 14 & thereby good for us -
F everyone else.

(left out the s!)

[simonokeeffe]

We might have 4 massive games against the Scarlets this year. We should get someone doing analysis of them full time for the next couple of months!

Youre not wrong
Treating them like the Exeter away game might be the way to go

[riocard911]

We might have 4 massive games against the Scarlets this year. We should get someone doing analysis of them full time for the next couple of months!

Youre not wrong
Treating them like the Exeter away game might be the way to go

With a bit of luck Leinster Squad Rotation will do for Scarlets home and away in the Pro 14 and hopefully also in the ERCC semi!!

[COYBIB]

EPCR 2018 European Player of the Year nominees:

Tadhg Beirne (Scarlets)
Levani Botia (La Rochelle)
Gareth Davies (Scarlets)
Scott Fardy (Leinster)
Owen Farrell (Saracens)
Tadhg Furlong (Leinster)
Conor Murray (Munster)
Isa Nacewa (Leinster)
Leone Nakarawa (Racing 92)
Morgan Parra (ASM Clermont Auvergne)
Dany Priso (La Rochelle)
Alivereti Raka (ASM Clermont Auvergne)
Jonathan Sexton (Leinster Rugby)
Josua Tuisova (RC Toulon)
Victor Vito (La Rochelle)

Any chance we could convince Beirne to come to Leinster instead at this late stage?

[blockhead]

From that list, Fardy or Sexto did not play in either game V Montpellier.

[OTT]

Would have thought Henshaw was a shoe in for that list.

[Lar]

Would have thought Henshaw was a shoe in for that list.

+1 (in fact x1,000)