European Champions Cup [Most Improved]

[blockhead]

10-13 to quins at HT. 1 try each.
Good chance that the EPL will get their 2nd win this weekend.
3-6 to Racing at HT.

[kingtiger]

up for the 2nd half

[url]acestream://1fe43ca7c5dc8f4ece0142ca35d477bfa5b4944f[/url]

http://kingtigerrugby.weebly.com/

[Ruckedtobits]

Another great weekend for the might of the PRL!
Wins for Northampton & Quins (against PRL opponents) but Tigers, Sale, Saracens, Wasps and Bath fail to cut it. Surely it can't be the refereeing every week.
Well done Glasgow, Scarlets, Munster, & Leinster. Ulster, Ospreys & Treviso couldn't quiet fly the Pro 12 flag this week.
Toulon, Racing, Clermont & Toulouse kept the French ahead of the posse, but Montpelier & Castres suffered home defeats. French teams still ahead in % terms.

[Made Of Ale]

Another great weekend for the might of the PRL!
Wins for Northampton & Quins (against PRL opponents) but Tigers, Sale, Saracens, Wasps and Bath fail to cut it. Surely it can't be the refereeing every week.
Well done Glasgow, Scarlets, Munster, & Leinster. Ulster, Ospreys & Treviso couldn't quiet fly the Pro 12 flag this week.
Toulon, Racing, Clermont & Toulouse kept the French ahead of the posse, but Montpelier & Castres suffered home defeats. French teams still ahead in % terms.

Quins would be the only PRL team in the QF's as it stands. A bit on the early side though.

[Vamos los azules]

Another great weekend for the might of the PRL!
Wins for Northampton & Quins (against PRL opponents) but Tigers, Sale, Saracens, Wasps and Bath fail to cut it. Surely it can't be the refereeing every week.
Well done Glasgow, Scarlets, Munster, & Leinster. Ulster, Ospreys & Treviso couldn't quiet fly the Pro 12 flag this week.
Toulon, Racing, Clermont & Toulouse kept the French ahead of the posse, but Montpelier & Castres suffered home defeats. French teams still ahead in % terms.

Quins would be the only PRL team in the QF's as it stands. A bit on the early side though.

Northampton should be in the mix to qualify as they still have a double header against Treviso to come.

It's not impossible that they will be the only English qualifier though. Leicester, Sale and Bath are pretty much gone, Wasps and Quins might seal each other's fate and Saracens aren't necessarily streetwise enough to outmanoeuvre both Clermont and Munster.

[Morf]

. . . it's what the fans want.

[blockhead]

http://www1.skysports.com/watch/video/s ... ugby-union

Highlights of this weekends games

[blockhead]

So, after 2 rounds the mighty EPL has 4 wins and 8 losses against teams from the Pro12 and Top14.
The Pro12 has 5 losses and 7 wins against the EPL and the Top 14.
Its 5wins and 2 losses for the Pro12 v the EPL.
So the Pro12 really is a chyte league.

[offshorerules]

I know they have all sorts of injury issues but if I were Richard cockeril I would be looking over my shoulder. Leicester were brutal by all accounts.

[blockhead]

Scarlets had their own injury problems in that game. One lad got injured in the warm-up and his replacement had to be replaced after 30mins! Scott Williams replaced after 19 mins. Priestland missing a rake of easy kicks too. Leicester were abysmal, 22 turnovers I think.

[mtleinster]

. . . it's what the fans want.

Nailed it

[JB1973]

I know they have all sorts of injury issues but if I were Richard cockeril I would be looking over my shoulder. Leicester were brutal by all accounts.

terrible game , both sides were poor. Priestland is possibly the worst front line kicker in the competition and Leicester back play would not have looked out of place in my local park on a Saturday afternoon. Unless there is a big change in form Toloun will do the double over Leicester

After 2 round the Usual suspects look to be leading the way, with Glasgow coming to the party would be great if ends up with a last 8 of pro 12 and French sides and no ap teams to be seen.

[offshorerules]

Sorry to be the bubble burster lads but nothing we have seen this season to suggest quins will be easy either home or away and Northampton will win their group I reckon. The pl is far from dead yet.

[JB1973]

Not convinced about the quins, still not sure there is enough "dog" in the team to get the job done vs Leinster.

Northampton are a very big strong side and have try scorers in their back line, they would be the 1 AP side I would expect to get through if I'm honest.

[suisse]

http://www1.skysports.com/watch/video/s ... ugby-union

Highlights of this weekends games

I know I probably sound like a broken record on this, but the quality of rugby coverage in the NH (not sure about Super rugby) is absolutely dire, if you don't have a TV/living abroad. Is there anywhere you can watch the game again, in case you were not able to see it live? The official website for the Champions Cup has highlights for each game, but all of them are under 2 mins and they only show 2 or 3 important moments per game. The highlights on the Sky and BT websites are not available in Asia. The Leinster website has 10 mins on the Castres game. That's fair enough. But what about extended highlights, delayed coverage, full match reply and also individual videos for all the important moments in the game?

I am convinced that rugby does not want to explore the possibilities of the internet. The 6 Nations and Pro12 are the same. But I would have thought that a new tournament like this would have had the ability to lock down an agreement with the broadcasters allowing for much better access to games through its own website.

When you compare rugby in Europe to the main sports in the US and Canada plus the popular sports in Asia, it is ridiculous how inaccessible rugby is. Without a TV, it seems your only possibilities are watching games through some dodgy, illegal streaming on line, or watching poxy highlights or crappy gifs.

[fourthirtythree]

I'm convinced that sky and BT have subscriptions to sell. For television exclusivity.

Edit: longer version. I would be quite surprised if sky and BT didn't want that exactly the way it is to drive people to their live product. Sport is one of the only things people watch live. And on paid for TV. It's worth not making it convenient.
The way this will go away is when all cable is online. HBO are moving their offering online. Goodbye the real golden age of television by the way. They will not be able to fund the event television that drives subscriptions rather than momentary ratings in the future.

[Peg Leg]

http://www1.skysports.com/watch/video/s ... ugby-union

Highlights of this weekends games

I know I probably sound like a broken record on this, but the quality of rugby coverage in the NH (not sure about Super rugby) is absolutely dire, if you don't have a TV/living abroad. Is there anywhere you can watch the game again, in case you were not able to see it live? The official website for the Champions Cup has highlights for each game, but all of them are under 2 mins and they only show 2 or 3 important moments per game. The highlights on the Sky and BT websites are not available in Asia. The Leinster website has 10 mins on the Castres game. That's fair enough. But what about extended highlights, delayed coverage, full match reply and also individual videos for all the important moments in the game?

I am convinced that rugby does not want to explore the possibilities of the internet. The 6 Nations and Pro12 are the same. But I would have thought that a new tournament like this would have had the ability to lock down an agreement with the broadcasters allowing for much better access to games through its own website.

When you compare rugby in Europe to the main sports in the US and Canada plus the popular sports in Asia, it is ridiculous how inaccessible rugby is. Without a TV, it seems your only possibilities are watching games through some dodgy, illegal streaming on line, or watching poxy highlights or crappy gifs.

You on across the tasman?
Most games can be downloaded from there.

[suisse]

Robby Kitson talks about how hard it can be to watch live rugby, but he's more banging on about Pay TV vs terrestrial TV.

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2 ... y-bt-sport

Yeah, I know, I know. I shouldn't read Kitson and he doesn't really have mush insight anyway but he did get to name check his buddy at Bath a few times.

[paddyor]

Robby Kitson talks about how hard it can be to watch live rugby, but he's more banging on about Pay TV vs terrestrial TV.

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2 ... y-bt-sport

Yeah, I know, I know. I shouldn't read Kitson and he doesn't really have mush insight anyway but he did get to name check his buddy at Bath a few times.

I'd understand if it any other paper than the grauniad but the obsession is bizarre. It's BT sport too who love the club owners(see Montpellier vs Glasgow around 50m for more more on Mohed Altrad the owner(AKA benefactor) and some footage of that seriously fat b$&%@#d Goze.

It must be soccer envy for the rugby journalists

[simonokeeffe]

Second captains had a bit on the half time player interviews, pre match ones etc
IMO theyre stupid as no real analysis or insights or players saying anything worthwhile but Dennis Hickie really had a go at it and the bar room style post math interviews; BT just trying to turn rugby coverage into Top Gear #banter etc