European Champions Cup [Most Improved]

[jimbobjoe]

In the latest edition of English rugby journalist comedy hour...

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/ ... up-la-liga

[johng]

Look who's playing for Toulouse now.

18. Maks Van Dyk,

[TerenureJim]

In the latest edition of English rugby journalist comedy hour...

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/ ... up-la-liga

Bizzare article, also factually a bit messy as I'm fairly certain Cardiff were in the last 8 in this decade even if you might say they didn't quite turn up against us that day in Lansdowne during the 2012 season

Also didn't the English press go off on one when Edinburgh made the semi final in 2012? Now they'd be delighted if they did?

And bemoaning the lack of diversity, and no Italians, well isn't that what the English press campaigned for?

perfidious albion What Ho?

[paddyor]

Bath 15 with the non try..... subbed straight away

[kermischocolate]

Bath 15 with the non try..... subbed straight away

I did enjoy that.

[blockhead]

Freddie, Freddie, Freddie, oh my Lord!
Smiling to his mates, kissing his badge. All before he actually scored.
Biggest howler I think I've ever seen.
And it decided the game too.

[FLIP]

Freddie, Freddie, Freddie, oh my Lord!
Smiling to his mates, kissing his badge. All before he actually scored.
Biggest howler I think I've ever seen.
And it decided the game too.

https://www.reddit.com/r/rugbyunion/com ... end_burns/

Nsfw audio. But funny

[blockhead]

I've banged on about this before but the Welsh fans/media moaning about the Pro14 and blaming our team selections for their low attendances is a load of meboll!x.
Heineken Cup opening round at home, Scarlets got to the semis last year and are/were contenders for this season. They play arguably the most exciting brand of rugby in Northern Hemisphere. Racing are the opponents, about as glamorous a visiting team as you can get and the stadium is half full.
I mean, what do Scarlets have to do to get the locals to back them.

[blockhead]

Go Cardiff. 21-30 away to Lyon!
Glocks beat Castres 19-14.

[Ruckedtobits]

No matter how I try to rationalise the various factors of player injuries, weather conditions, arguable refereeing decisions, there is no getting away from how far ahead Leinster's performance has been this weekend. With only Glasgow v Sarries to go of the first round of Pool games, no team has approached the standards and skills demonstrated by the entire Leinster 23.

Add in the players that Leinster can rotate through their Pool games and the fact that almost all of those players have the dual motivation of attacking the competition rather than defending the trophy, plus the objective of showing Joe Schmidt that their current form deserves National selection for the Autumn Internationals and the potential reward of a place in the RWC Squad, ahead of their national competitors for places, and Cullen, Lancaster & Contepomi must be as satisfied as I am, with what they have seen.

Leinster will be glad of the size of challenge that Toulouse away represents historically. 2006 is a long time ago but the majority of the Leinster Squad will have grown up in the era of European dominance by the princes of French rugby. So, emotionally this game will motivate every Leinster player.

European Pool games are have a unique rhythm, slow, slow, quick, quick, slow, slow but an away game in France a fortnight before an international game in the US has the potential to motivate all those involved. McFadden, Leavy, Jack McGrath, Fardy, Treacy, Conan and O'Loughlin will all have points to prove. Roll on next weekend.

[johng]

Toulon go down at home to Newcastle. Only the second team to beat them at home in Europe ever

[nc6000]

Wow, big result there for Newcastle.

[johng]

Sadly Glasgow come up short v Sarries.

[hugonaut]

Sadly Glasgow come up short v Sarries.

High quality and feisty game, I thought. Certainly enjoyed it more than the Exeter vs Munster game, which wasn't a great watch for the neutral.

Saracens look a much bigger threat than Exeter on the evidence of the weekend. They just have so many more quality individual players in their side. They also fielded one of the biggest back fives I have ever seen: Skelton [203cm/140kg], Kruis [200cm/115kg], Itoje [198cm/116kg], Rhodes [198cm/109kg], Vunipola [188cm/130kg] - an average of 197cm/122kg. Jesus.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

And yet Glasgow felt they could maul them off the park instead of just taking three points.

Saracens do look much better than last season (although if the Vunipolas are both out for a while then things change hugely) but Glasgow were useless. They defended well close to their line but apart from that I'd struggle to come up with many positives for them.

[John23]

The three wins by Gloucester, Newcastle and Saracens have put a bit of gloss onto the Premiership performances.

[cormac]

And yet Glasgow felt they could maul them off the park instead of just taking three points.

Saracens do look much better than last season (although if the Vunipolas are both out for a while then things change hugely) but Glasgow were useless. They defended well close to their line but apart from that I'd struggle to come up with many positives for them.

Glasgow's ability to make the wrong decision never ceases to amaze me.

[johng]

High quality and feisty game, I thought. Certainly enjoyed it more than the Exeter vs Munster game, which wasn't a great watch for the neutral.

Saracens look a much bigger threat than Exeter on the evidence of the weekend. They just have so many more quality individual players in their side. They also fielded one of the biggest back fives I have ever seen: Skelton [203cm/140kg], Kruis [200cm/115kg], Itoje [198cm/116kg], Rhodes [198cm/109kg], Vunipola [188cm/130kg] - an average of 197cm/122kg. Jesus.

Agreed on the game and on Sarries (and probably Racing) being a bigger threat than exe.

They said on commentary that big Willie had lost 20kg but that still leaves a lot of heavy horses.

We were lucky that we caught them in a slump without big Billy last season.

Also agree that Glasgow make bad decisions

[kermischocolate]

And yet Glasgow felt they could maul them off the park instead of just taking three points.

Saracens do look much better than last season (although if the Vunipolas are both out for a while then things change hugely) but Glasgow were useless. They defended well close to their line but apart from that I'd struggle to come up with many positives for them.

Glasgow's ability to make the wrong decision never ceases to amaze me.

You're not alone there.

[Oldschool]

A good weekend for the Irish provinces.
The Champions played like Champions and were the only team to pick up 5 points.
Munster played the conditions and got a great draw away from home.
If they win all their home games and pick up a few BPs they'll get to the Q/F.
Ulster get a good win and a big confidence builder.
Connacht won too. Their games against Sale will decide their group.
The Pro14 teams in general proved that the Pro14 league is every bit as competitive as the English and French leagues.