Pro 12 - General Thread

[johng]

They haven't a hope in hell. They do howe er have a mathematical chance however.

[Ruckedtobits]

How did Ospreys lose to Stade in that Q/F and what does that say about Pro12 standards?

[simonokeeffe]

How did Ospreys lose to Stade in that Q/F and what does that say about Pro12 standards?

Ospreys did lose last week to Treviso; theyre royally screwing the pooch without AWJ

[Munsterboy]

How did Ospreys lose to Stade in that Q/F and what does that say about Pro12 standards?

Two Pro12 semi-finalists in ECC, one T14, one AP. That is all.

[rooster]

How did Ospreys lose to Stade in that Q/F and what does that say about Pro12 standards?

Two Pro12 semi-finalists in ECC, one T14, one AP. That is all.

Time to change the rules again then

[blockhead]

Cockers off to Toulon

Mike Ford has left Toulon by mutual consent after six months in the post with Richard Cockerill taking over as head coach until the end of the season.

Former France international scrum-half Fabian Galthie has already been announced as Toulon's new coach for next season.

I thought he was going to Edinburgh?

[Dave Cahill]

He's already at Toulon til the end of the season, got the job 4 days after losing the Tigers gig and its only until the end of the season

[enby]

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugb ... t-12836767

some hand wringing going on in Wales over the implications of the weekend's events

[blockhead]

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugb ... t-12836767

some hand wringing going on in Wales over the implications of the weekend's events

From that article;

But, when it comes to punching above their weight, nobody can compete with Munster. On paper, their squad is inferior to that of the Ospreys and the Blues.

Conor Murray, CJ Stander, Simon Zebo and Peter O’Mahony are fine players and Keith Earls is decent. But the likes of Dave Kilcoyne, Donnacha and John Ryan, Jaco Taute and Darren Sweetenham are hard workers and nothing more.

The Ospreys squad contains Alun Wyn Jones, Justin Tipuric, Rhys Webb, Dan Biggar, Sam Davies, Nicky Smith, Scott Baldwin, Dan Lydiate, Bradley Davies, Eli Walker, James King, Ashley Beck and emerging talents like Keelan Giles, Sam Underhill and Olly Cracknell.

Blues have the likes of Sam Warburton, Gethin Jenkins, Gareth Anscombe, Alex Cuthbert and Super Rugby winners Rey Lee-Lo and Willis Halaholo on their cast list.

Go through the Munster squad man for man and you won’t convince me it’s better than that of the Ospreys or Blues.

Ouch!

[scentofgunpowder]

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugb ... t-12836767

some hand wringing going on in Wales over the implications of the weekend's events

From that article;

But, when it comes to punching above their weight, nobody can compete with Munster. On paper, their squad is inferior to that of the Ospreys and the Blues.

Conor Murray, CJ Stander, Simon Zebo and Peter O’Mahony are fine players and Keith Earls is decent. But the likes of Dave Kilcoyne, Donnacha and John Ryan, Jaco Taute and Darren Sweetenham are hard workers and nothing more.

The Ospreys squad contains Alun Wyn Jones, Justin Tipuric, Rhys Webb, Dan Biggar, Sam Davies, Nicky Smith, Scott Baldwin, Dan Lydiate, Bradley Davies, Eli Walker, James King, Ashley Beck and emerging talents like Keelan Giles, Sam Underhill and Olly Cracknell.

Blues have the likes of Sam Warburton, Gethin Jenkins, Gareth Anscombe, Alex Cuthbert and Super Rugby winners Rey Lee-Lo and Willis Halaholo on their cast list.

Go through the Munster squad man for man and you won’t convince me it’s better than that of the Ospreys or Blues.

Ouch!

I'd imagine this is just deliberately provocative clickbait, if the author genuinely believes that rubbish he should never be allowed write about rugby again. Laughable to dismiss the two Ryans, Taute and Sweetnam as "just hard workers" and then try to imply the likes of Smith, Baldwin, Lydiate, Davies, Walker, King, Beck, Anscombe, and Cuthbert are top talent.

[simonokeeffe]

At least two or three of those Ospreys didnt play at the weekend

And have Cardiff ever finished above Munster or Leinster in the league?

[jimbobjoe]

I'd imagine this is just deliberately provocative clickbait, if the author genuinely believes that rubbish he should never be allowed write about rugby again. Laughable to dismiss the two Ryans, Taute and Sweetnam as "just hard workers" and then try to imply the likes of Smith, Baldwin, Lydiate, Davies, Walker, King, Beck, Anscombe, and Cuthbert are top talent.

It is. Wales Online is an absolute toilet.

[cormac]

That's one delusional Welsh journalist right there

[neiliog93]

It's silly to claim their squads are superior to Munster's in such a dismissive way, but he does have a point about the underperformance of Welsh regions.

[hugonaut]

That's one delusional Welsh journalist right there

Whatever about the Ospreys, bringing the Blues into the conversation is downright batsh¡t.

Gethin Jenkins is legitimately an all time great, but he's 36 now and has a huge amount of miles on the clock – 330ish first class pro games.

Alex Cuthbert? He has been a very effective weapon in the past [and can still be a difficult player in the Pro12], but if you take a look at his test career his big impact came right at the start – 3 tries in the 2012 Six Nations, 4 tries in the 2013 Six Nations ... and then 1 in the last four editions of the tournament. Ditto his club form – 22 tries in his first two seasons [2011-12 and 2012-13] and then the same number spread over the next four seasons, i.e. essentially halving his scoring rate.

He came out of nowhere into a Welsh side with threats all over the backline [prime Roberts, JJVD and North] and benefitted from the attention defenders had to pay to them. In fairness to him, he took his chance and did really well at that stage. Since people have become aware of him though, his limited skillset has made him a lot easier to defend, and in any case his confidence really affects his form. He doesn't have a rounded skillset to rely on, so if he can't hit his straps he can become a real weakness.

Anscombe is a tidy footballer, nothing special. Halaholo played one season of Super Rugby – it's to his credit that he was part of a good Wellington side, but he was hardly the star of it. Lee-lo is good and can be difficult, but he's not outstanding.

The writer is correct though when he says that Munster have much better team spirit and cohesion than any of the Welsh sides.

[blockhead]

I know I asked this before, but...
If Leinster were to somehow secure a home semi V Munster, could it be played in the Aviva?

[johng]

Yes. We played one there v Tolouse in 2011 and Perpignan in 2003. And Munster played one in Croker in 2009.... Also LR In 2004

Oh. And Black Sunday

[Cor. Ind.]

I know I asked this before, but...
If Leinster were to somehow secure a home semi V Munster, could it be played in the Aviva?

Yes. Money talks...

[dropkick]

That's nothing new to come out of Wales. They genuinely believe that. When Munster were successful it's because they were great at cheating. When Ireland win it's because Nigel O'Wens is reffing etc.

[blockhead]

Yes. We played one there v Tolouse in 2011 and Perpignan in 2003. And Munster played one in Croker in 2009.... Also LR In 2004

Oh. And Black Sunday

Since this is the Pro12 thread, I was obviously reffering to the Pro12 semis!