2017 -2018 Champions Cup Seeding

[johng]

[riocard911]

Gas!!!!

[BlueBlue]

Love it, and we've all met taxi drivers like this.

The last thing we need is experts ! - Brexit

[wixfjord]

Exeter's Campagnaro out for 9 months: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/41147552

[simonokeeffe]

Exeter's Campagnaro out for 9 months: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/41147552

Think they normally use him as an impact sub but hes a very good player and a loss to them

[jimbobjoe]

Fatty Waldrom, LCD and Short are all big enough losses to them too.

[wixfjord]

Fatty Waldrom, LCD and Short are all big enough losses to them too.

Waldrom is short term I think, but Shortt and LCD seem to be longer. Still a while to go before December so anything could happen.

[Ruckedtobits]

Lots of coverage in French rugby media about FFR President Laport in serious potential bother about "forgiving" Montpelier a fine for their abuse of the salary cap / Top14 League Rules. Unlying the media abuse is the implication that he ran roughshod over the same Rules whilst with Toulon. Allegations have quoted other French Club Presidents (anonimously) calling him a hypocrit.

Watch this space, as it could provoke a backlash against MontP - who are no longer loved by French Rugby supporters.

[simonokeeffe]

Lots of coverage in French rugby media about FFR President Laport in serious potential bother about "forgiving" Montpelier a fine for their abuse of the salary cap / Top14 League Rules. Unlying the media abuse is the implication that he ran roughshod over the same Rules whilst with Toulon. Allegations have quoted other French Club Presidents (anonimously) calling him a hypocrit.

Watch this space, as it could provoke a backlash against MontP - who are no longer loved by French Rugby supporters.

When you horse out the local academy players so Jake White doesnt have to learn new names thatll happen; never underestimate French cultural nationalism

[wixfjord]

Glasgow's new front row signing Oli Kebble looks to have picked up a serious enough injury against Ospreys.

[Ruckedtobits]

Montpelier continue on their unbeaten run with another big home victory, this time against Toulon who could have gone top with a win.

Finishing 43-20 with a bonus point win they are now already 5 point leaders in the Top 14.

Leinster top Conference 2. Exeter top the Premiership. Montpelier top the French championship and Glasgow run 2nd to Munster in the other Pro14 Conference. Group of Death anyone?

[Ruckedtobits]

Over the next two weekends the runaway leaders of the Top 14 take on the two teams anchored at present to the relegation spots in the French league. Brive are the next victims to the slaughter in Montpelier where they will seek their first competition points of the season.

The following week, Vern Cotter's team travel to Paris to face Stade Francais who have conceded 83 points in their two successive away games over the past fortnight. They acquired their four points to date in a surprise win against La Rochelle on the first weekend in September but the path since then has been downward.

Montpelier have been led very strongly by their new international half-back pairing of Pienaar and Cruden. These two, in combination with their enormous backline including Nagusa, Steyn, Tomane and Nadolo, have steamrolled everybody in their path so far and Pienaar has already topped 50 points in the four matches to date.

Sat 14th October at 1 p.m. in the RDS will see the commencement of a huge collision and Leinster will certainly need to be at concert piich to take on the Herault outfit.

Cotter hasn't had a win in the RDS in his coaching career and it would be a great start to Leinster's European 2017 journey if we can preserve the status quo in this regard.

That same evening Dave Rennie takes his Warriors to Sandy Park to face Baxter's Chiefs, the defending Premiership Champions. Two of the best coaches in European rugby coming face to face in an encounter which will have a big impact on the ultimate Pool outcome.

After the somewhat farcical affair in far off Port Elizabeth last weekend, the pulse is beginning to beat a little faster at the prospect of these fixtures in less than three weeks.