The Quickening 2017

[riocard911]

Quite. They were dire the first half an hour. How they pulled off a win is one of the sorrowful mysteries... I was prayin at the end for Bleyendaal to miss the conversion and thereby leave it a draw - 2 points each - but no joy.

[Oldschool]

Quite. They were dire the first half an hour. How they pulled off a win is one of the sorrowful mysteries... I was prayin at the end for Bleyendaal to miss the conversion and thereby leave it a draw - 2 points each - but no joy.

Weren't we all?

[johng]

Top 6 Fix

Round 16 Friday 24 Feb 19:35 Munster Rugby v Scarlets Thomond Park
Round 16 Sunday 26 Feb 17:05 Ospreys v Glasgow Warriors Liberty Stadium
Round 17 Saturday 4 Mar 19:35 Leinster Rugby v Scarlets RDS Arena
W/E 30 March Euro Quarters
Round 19 07/08/09 Apr Munster Rugby v Glasgow Warriors Irish Independent Park
Round 19 07/08/09 Apr Ospreys v Leinster Rugby Liberty Stadium
Round 20 Saturday 15 Apr 15:00 Munster Rugby v Ulster Rugby Thomond Park
W/e 22 April Euro Semis
Round 21 28/29/30 Apr Ospreys v Ulster Rugby Liberty Stadium
Round 21 28/29/30 Apr Leinster Rugby v Glasgow Warriors RDS Arena
Round 22 Round 22 Saturday 6 May 17:15 Scarlets v Ospreys Parc y Scarlets
Round 22 Saturday 6 May 17:15 Ulster Rugby v Leinster Rugby Kingspan Stadium

Home and away for each team

Home
Glasgow: Dra, Con, Zeb, Edi.
Leinster: Sca, Car Gla.
Munster: Sca, Gla, Uls, Con.
Ospreys: Gla, Lei, Uls.
Scarlets: Edi, Tre, Osp,
Ulster: Zeb, Tre, Car, Lei.



Away
Glasgow: Osp, Mun, Lei.
Leinster: Dra, Osp, Con, Uls.
Munster: Car, Zeb, Tre.
Ospreys: Edi, Tre, Car, Sca.
Scarlets: Mun, Lei, Dra, Con.
Ulster: Zeb, Drag, Mun, Osp.

Leinster did their Job this week 5 points. We will have to keep the 5 pointers rolling though as Munster's smash and grab in Ospreylia will make them think they are invincible.
Hard to see anyone catching them for top spot.

Our battle now seems to be with Ospreys for the other home semi. Munster would have to slip up at home for anyone to get near them as their 3 away matches are Cardiff and the 2 Italians.

We have the chance to take points off the Ospreys in round 19 the week after our European QF with Wasps. The fixture has not yet been set nor has Ospreys Challenge cup QF v Stade Francais as they are waiting on Swansea FC v Midlesboro before they can book it in. Hopefully they get a Sunday for CC.

Ulster have come into form at the right time. No Euro distractions and 3 Italian games in a row to come. Could get into 4th spot before the 6N is over.

Glasgow circling the drain with all remaining away games v the top 3 clubs. If they could bounce back next week and knock over the Ospreys it would be good. But it is extremely unlikely.

Tadhg Beirne's Scarlets could knock Munster over too. Looks about as unlikely. We live in hope.

Historically we have struggled with the Dragons away. We won there 3 times in a row under Joe Schmidt but only once before and once since. That's 5 wins and 8 loses since the Dragons came into being for a total of 321 points against and 251 for.

We really need the win there next week. Fingers crossed.

[Angelsea Angst]

With Leinster getting five points against Dragons and Munster failing to get any point from Scarlets is it now too much to believe that Leinster can finish top of the league?

[blockhead]

Finishing 2nd would be fine by me.

[Grumpy Old Man]

With Leinster getting five points against Dragons and Munster failing to get any point from Scarlets is it now too much to believe that Leinster can finish top of the league?

Let's see what happens next week. Scarlets will certainly have their tails up after tonight's performance.

[MunsterSugar]

Finishing 2nd would be fine by me.

Being honest there effectively no major benefit of 1st over 2nd really

Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk

[Cianostays]

With Leinster getting five points against Dragons and Munster failing to get any point from Scarlets is it now too much to believe that Leinster can finish top of the league?

You'd have to believe that Munster's relatively kind run in should still see them top the league, despite the loss this evening. Top 2 is all we need anyway to ensure a SF in the RDS.

[simonokeeffe]

With Leinster getting five points against Dragons and Munster failing to get any point from Scarlets is it now too much to believe that Leinster can finish top of the league?

Let's see what happens next week. Scarlets will certainly have their tails up after tonight's performance.

Fupp them, we'll have Leavy back

[Oldschool]

Sixth place has just opened up a tad with Glasgow losing again today without even a LBP and Connacht picking up the expected TBP win in Italy.

[blockhead]

Ospreys up to 2nd. Going to be some battle to win a home semi.

[johng]

Top 6 Fix

Round 17 Saturday 4 Mar 19:35 Leinster Rugby v Scarlets RDS Arena
W/E 30 March Euro Quarters
Round 19 Saturday 8 Apr 15:00 Ospreys v Leinster Rugby Liberty Stadium
Round 19 Saturday 8 Apr 19:35 Munster Rugby v Glasgow Warriors Irish Independent Park
Round 20 Saturday 15 Apr 15:00 Munster Rugby v Ulster Rugby Thomond Park
W/e 22 April Euro Semis
Round 21 28/29/30 Apr Ospreys v Ulster Rugby Liberty Stadium
Round 21 28/29/30 Apr Leinster Rugby v Glasgow Warriors RDS Arena
Round 22 Round 22 Saturday 6 May 17:15 Scarlets v Ospreys Parc y Scarlets
Round 22 Saturday 6 May 17:15 Ulster Rugby v Leinster Rugby Kingspan Stadium

Home and away for each team

Home
Glasgow: Dra, Con, Zeb, Edi.
Leinster: Sca, Car Gla.
Munster: Gla, Uls, Con.
Ospreys: Lei, Uls.
Scarlets: Edi, Tre, Osp,
Ulster: Tre, Zeb, Car, Lei.

Away
Glasgow: Mun, Lei.
Leinster: Osp, Con, Uls.
Munster: Car, Zeb, Tre.
Ospreys: Edi, Tre, Car, Sca.
Scarlets: Lei, Dra, Con.
Ulster: Drag, Mun, Osp.

Leinster did their Job yet again this week 5 points. Poor old Drags booed off by their own supporters. Munster look vincible again dropping to 3rd.

2 x home games v Welsh teams for Leinster then it gets even harder for the rest of the season.

Wasps home, Ospreys away, Connacht away, IF we beat wasps then Toulon or Clermont away, Glasgow home and Ulster away. Ouch!

Tadhg Beirne's Scarlets could knock Munster over too. Looks unlikely. We live in hope.

Waaahooo!

From a league pov the Os Game in the Library is looking more and more crucial.

We could do Ulster a huge favour next week they are 5 points behind Scarlets with 2 x Italian games in 2 weeks.

[Angelsea Angst]

Our game in Liberty stadium against Ospreys could well be the game to decide who comes second and third in the league. If we win we will probably come second (assuming we win our other games) and would entertain Ospreys in the RDS in the semifinal. If we lose we would travel again to the Liberty Stadium to meet Ospreys in the semifinal.

[curates_egg]

Our game in Liberty stadium against Ospreys could well be the game to decide who comes second and third in the league. If we win we will probably come second (assuming we win our other games) and would entertain Ospreys in the RDS in the semifinal. If we lose we would travel again to the Liberty Stadium to meet Ospreys in the semifinal.

We've a dreadful run-in. Theirs is much less daunting.
We will need to avoid any slump or dip to get a home semi.

[simonokeeffe]

will be optimistic and say Ospreys have 2 away derbies including a bouyant Scarlets plus tricky visit of Ulster

[johng]

Good News chaps.

http://www.epcrugby.com/matchcentre/mat ... xid=220555

The Os are playing Stade in the Mill Stad on Sunday the 2nd of April. Giving us an extra day to recover from Wasps before playing them.

[curates_egg]

Good News chaps.

http://www.epcrugby.com/matchcentre/mat ... xid=220555

The Os are playing Stade in the Mill Stad on Sunday the 2nd of April. Giving us an extra day to recover from Wasps before playing them.

Don't you - and/or someone else - usually do a points estimate for the run-ins of the main contenders on this thread?
Chop chop or I want my money back!

My pessimistic estimate would give us 14-15 points from our remaining games; my optimistic one would give us 19-20. 14 points might leave us struggling for top 2 but I certainly couldn't be arsed to do any more maths tonight.

[curates_egg]

Good News chaps.

http://www.epcrugby.com/matchcentre/mat ... xid=220555

The Os are playing Stade in the Mill Stad on Sunday the 2nd of April. Giving us an extra day to recover from Wasps before playing them.

Don't you - and/or someone else - usually do a points estimate for the run-ins of the main contenders on this thread?
Chop chop or I want my money back!

My pessimistic estimate would give us 14-15 points from our remaining games; my optimistic one would give us 19-20. 14 points might leave us struggling for top 2 but I certainly couldn't be arsed to do any more maths tonight.

Add a point on to all my estimates. Some result!

[johng]

Top 6 Fix

Round 19 Saturday 8 Apr 15:00 Ospreys v Leinster Rugby Liberty Stadium
Round 19 Saturday 8 Apr 19:35 Munster Rugby v Glasgow Warriors Irish Independent Park
Round 20 Saturday 15 Apr 15:00 Munster Rugby v Ulster Rugby Thomond Park
W/e 22 April Euro Semis
Round 21 28/29/30 Apr Ospreys v Ulster Rugby Liberty Stadium
Round 21 28/29/30 Apr Leinster Rugby v Glasgow Warriors RDS Arena
Round 22 Round 22 Saturday 6 May 17:15 Scarlets v Ospreys Parc y Scarlets
Round 22 Saturday 6 May 17:15 Ulster Rugby v Leinster Rugby Kingspan Stadium

Home and away for each team

Home
Glasgow: Con, Zeb, Edi.
Leinster: Car Gla.
Munster: Gla, Uls, Con.
Ospreys: Lei, Uls.
Scarlets: Edi, Tre, Osp,
Ulster: Zeb, Car, Lei.

Away
Glasgow: Mun, Lei.
Leinster: Osp, Con, Uls.
Munster: Zeb, Tre.
Ospreys: Tre, Car, Sca.
Scarlets: Dra, Con.
Ulster: Drag, Mun, Osp.

Leinster did their Job yet again this week 5 points. In style too. Missed the 2nd half. Looking forward to watching it. That's 20 out of 20 for the 6N period. AFAIK unprecedented.

From a league pov the Os Game in the Library is looking more and more crucial.

Even truer now. If we win this game on the 8th of April it is an 8 pointer like no other. This and Wasps are the 2 biggest games in each comp.

[Ruckedtobits]

The top three are off and running and nothing can be taken for granted, in how they will finish, as they re-integrate their returning internationals.

The next three, Scarlets, Ulster and Glasgow are also almost free of the clinging Connacht and each have talented Squads which have the potential to finish strongly and even cause upsets in the Play-offs.

A really good League of 8/9 teams with talent and competitive instincts. The bottom three need work.