European Rugby Champions Cup

[Blue not red blood]

Reckon Jordi can’t contain his excitement

[neiliog93]

Okay not strictly the H Cup, but the 2nd legs of the Continental Shield SFs are this weekend. The 2 finalists will play in the Challenge Cup next year. 1st leg scores in brackets.

Krasny Yar (22) v Enisei STM (47)
Heidelberger RK (20) v Timisoara Sarries (26)

Do you know which countries each team is from?

Krasny Yar and Enisei are Russian, Heidelberger are German (owned by the German) who invested in Stade Francais and Timisoara Saracens are Romanian.

[blockhead]

Public voting is now open on epcrugby.com/epoty and will close following the Champions Cup final at the San Mamés Stadium on 12 May. The winner will receive the Anthony Foley Memorial Trophy, a specially-struck commemorative medal and one million air miles courtesy of Turkish Airlines.

Shortlist for EPCR European Player of the Year 201
Scott Fardy (Leinster Rugby)
Tadhg Furlong (Leinster Rugby)
Maxime Machenaud (Racing 92)
Leone Nakarawa (Racing 92)
Johnny Sexton (Leinster Rugby)

2017/18 panel of judges: Stuart Barnes (Sky Sports/The Sunday Times), Chris Jones (BBC Radio 5 Live), Matthieu Lartot (France Télévisions), Emmanuel Massicard (Midi Olympique), Brian O'Driscoll (BT Sport), Dimitri Yachvili (beIN SPORTS).

Roll of Honour

2017: Owen Farrell (Saracens)
2016: Maro Itoje (Saracens)
2015: Nick Abendanon (ASM Clermont Auvergne)
2014: Steffon Armitage (RC Toulon)
2013: Jonny Wilkinson (RC Toulon)
2012: Rob Kearney (Leinster Rugby)
2011: Sean O'Brien (Leinster Rugby)

3 French and 2 English judges on the panel of 6.

[Peg Leg]

Public voting is now open on epcrugby.com/epoty and will close following the Champions Cup final at the San Mamés Stadium on 12 May. The winner will receive the Anthony Foley Memorial Trophy, a specially-struck commemorative medal and one million air miles courtesy of Turkish Airlines.

Shortlist for EPCR European Player of the Year 201
Scott Fardy (Leinster Rugby)
Tadhg Furlong (Leinster Rugby)
Maxime Machenaud (Racing 92)
Leone Nakarawa (Racing 92)
Johnny Sexton (Leinster Rugby)

2017/18 panel of judges: Stuart Barnes (Sky Sports/The Sunday Times), Chris Jones (BBC Radio 5 Live), Matthieu Lartot (France Télévisions), Emmanuel Massicard (Midi Olympique), Brian O'Driscoll (BT Sport), Dimitri Yachvili (beIN SPORTS).

Roll of Honour

2017: Owen Farrell (Saracens)
2016: Maro Itoje (Saracens)
2015: Nick Abendanon (ASM Clermont Auvergne)
2014: Steffon Armitage (RC Toulon)
2013: Jonny Wilkinson (RC Toulon)
2012: Rob Kearney (Leinster Rugby)
2011: Sean O'Brien (Leinster Rugby)

3 French and 2 English judges on the panel of 6.

I reckon Fardy, just because he would get the most practical use of the free air miles

[riocard911]

Public voting is now open on epcrugby.com/epoty and will close following the Champions Cup final at the San Mamés Stadium on 12 May. The winner will receive the Anthony Foley Memorial Trophy, a specially-struck commemorative medal and one million air miles courtesy of Turkish Airlines.

Shortlist for EPCR European Player of the Year 201
Scott Fardy (Leinster Rugby)
Tadhg Furlong (Leinster Rugby)
Maxime Machenaud (Racing 92)
Leone Nakarawa (Racing 92)
Johnny Sexton (Leinster Rugby)

2017/18 panel of judges: Stuart Barnes (Sky Sports/The Sunday Times), Chris Jones (BBC Radio 5 Live), Matthieu Lartot (France Télévisions), Emmanuel Massicard (Midi Olympique), Brian O'Driscoll (BT Sport), Dimitri Yachvili (beIN SPORTS).

Roll of Honour

2017: Owen Farrell (Saracens)
2016: Maro Itoje (Saracens)
2015: Nick Abendanon (ASM Clermont Auvergne)
2014: Steffon Armitage (RC Toulon)
2013: Jonny Wilkinson (RC Toulon)
2012: Rob Kearney (Leinster Rugby)
2011: Sean O'Brien (Leinster Rugby)

3 French and 2 English judges on the panel of 6.

So there I click on epcrugby.com/epoty to vote for J10 only to come across the following, which to my mind "does not compute":

Voting is open until the end of the final on 12 May with EPCR European Player of the Year being announced after the match, earning the accolade of Europe’s finest and one million air miles from official partners, Turkish Airlines. Again, a combination of the public opinion and the verdicts of the judging panel will define the winner.

Vote now and be in with a chance of winning 1500 EUROs worth of Turkish Airlines flights*

*To be booked by 30th June 2018

This poll is now closed.


"Voting is open ... poll is now closed"? WTF? Or am I missing something?

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I reckon Fardy, just because he would get the most practical use of the free air miles

[neiliog93]

Machenaud didn't make the 15-man longlist. Seems to have shoehorned in after a fine semi-final display!

[kermischocolate]

Public voting is now open on epcrugby.com/epoty and will close following the Champions Cup final at the San Mamés Stadium on 12 May. The winner will receive the Anthony Foley Memorial Trophy, a specially-struck commemorative medal and one million air miles courtesy of Turkish Airlines.

Shortlist for EPCR European Player of the Year 201
Scott Fardy (Leinster Rugby)
Tadhg Furlong (Leinster Rugby)
Maxime Machenaud (Racing 92)
Leone Nakarawa (Racing 92)
Johnny Sexton (Leinster Rugby)

2017/18 panel of judges: Stuart Barnes (Sky Sports/The Sunday Times), Chris Jones (BBC Radio 5 Live), Matthieu Lartot (France Télévisions), Emmanuel Massicard (Midi Olympique), Brian O'Driscoll (BT Sport), Dimitri Yachvili (beIN SPORTS).

Roll of Honour

2017: Owen Farrell (Saracens)
2016: Maro Itoje (Saracens)
2015: Nick Abendanon (ASM Clermont Auvergne)
2014: Steffon Armitage (RC Toulon)
2013: Jonny Wilkinson (RC Toulon)
2012: Rob Kearney (Leinster Rugby)
2011: Sean O'Brien (Leinster Rugby)

3 French and 2 English judges on the panel of 6.

So there I click on epcrugby.com/epoty to vote for J10 only to come across the following, which to my mind "does not compute":

Voting is open until the end of the final on 12 May with EPCR European Player of the Year being announced after the match, earning the accolade of Europe’s finest and one million air miles from official partners, Turkish Airlines. Again, a combination of the public opinion and the verdicts of the judging panel will define the winner.

Vote now and be in with a chance of winning 1500 EUROs worth of Turkish Airlines flights*

*To be booked by 30th June 2018

This poll is now closed.


"Voting is open ... poll is now closed"? WTF? Or am I missing something?

4 letters.

EPCR

[Dave Cahill]

Anyone get the email from Lifestyle sports yesterday about the Champions Cup final and how they have a full range of Leinster and Racing 92 kit in stock?

Nice to see that they haven't forgotten the needs of the munster supporter.

[Edna Kenny]

Anyone get the email from Lifestyle sports yesterday about the Champions Cup final and how they have a full range of Leinster and Racing 92 kit in stock?

Nice to see that they haven't forgotten the needs of the munster supporter.

Conway can dust off his Rock jersey

[Lar]

Speaking of Turkish Airlines. Have they not missed a possible marketing trick this week? Would it have been possible for them to have put two or three planes on the Dublin Bilbao route for the week-end and charged say €300 return. This would have undercut the demand from the usual airlines and given a competition sponsor huge kudos for keeping prices to and from Bilbao at an acceptable level. No idea what the demand for flights from Paris to Bilbao is but that might also have been possible. Giving a player from one of the final teams a million air miles sounds like a grand gesture but it means nothing to the fans/punters who will book seats on flights for holidays and/or business trips for the next five or ten years.

[footrush]

It is a tradition in the Basque Country to wear a Pena a kind of scarf round the neck at festival time, am going to bring as many spare Leinster flags without the pole as I can to dish them out to locals sitting around me , at the fete de Bayonne they tie flags around their necks and wrists , this might be a good way to spread some Leinster Blue around the ground ?.

[LeinsterLeader]

Machenaud out for Racing. Big loss for them

http://www.the42.ie/machenaud-out-of-20 ... 6-Apr2018/

[glenageary]

But that was a big impressive win for Racing, now they are firmly 2nd in the Top 14 after the BP win. Pressure was on them before this win to secure that spot as they were #3.

Now they have Agen (with nothing to play for) at home - so they will have an easy home game. If Racing get a BP then they are confirmed in #2 spot.

3rd place Toulouse are away to Clermont - and they must get a BP win - or trust Racing lose. Neither will happen. Clermont have been bad but they will still win.

So most probably Racing can afford to rest some players this weekend and they will not risk more injuries.

[Scooby Shaggy Swerve]

But that was a big impressive win for Racing, now they are firmly 2nd in the Top 14 after the BP win. Pressure was on them before this win to secure that spot as they were #3.

Now they have Agen (with nothing to play for) at home - so they will have an easy home game. If Racing get a BP then they are confirmed in #2 spot.

3rd place Toulouse are away to Clermont - and they must get a BP win - or trust Racing lose. Neither will happen. Clermont have been bad but they will still win.

So most probably Racing can afford to rest some players this weekend and they will not risk more injuries.

Racing are playing the best rugby in France presently (Toulon are also in fine fettle), really hitting form at the right time. With or without the petit General Machenaud, they'll be formidable opposition for us. It's going a full on title fight between two real heavyweights. Bring it on!

[LeinsterLeader]

Machenaud out for Racing. Big loss for them

http://www.the42.ie/machenaud-out-of-20 ... 6-Apr2018/

Also, Dimitri Szarzewski is out too says the Indo

(apologies if this is posted elsewhere, but I didn't see it)

[Peg Leg]

Machenaud out for Racing. Big loss for them

http://www.the42.ie/machenaud-out-of-20 ... 6-Apr2018/

Also, Dimitri Szarzewski is out too says the Indo

(apologies if this is posted elsewhere, but I didn't see it)

Leinsterfans Search: Porn Star

[le marseillais]

Could you please tell me what teams of the Pro14 will be qualified for the next Challenge Cup?
(yes, Challenge C, Clermont wil not play the EC)
Thank you

[Grumpy Old Man]

Could you please tell me what teams of the Pro14 will be qualified for the next Challenge Cup?
(yes, Challenge C, Clermont wil not play the EC)
Thank you

Zebre, Treviso, Connacht, Dragons.

Ospreys and Ulster have a play off for a Champions Cup spot, so the loser will be in the Challange Cup.

The South African teams are not able to enter either competition.

[le marseillais]

Thank you.
All the best for the final, the whole yelow army will support you;