European Champions Cup [Most Improved]
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Re: European Champions Cup [Most Improved]
In the latest edition of English rugby journalist comedy hour...
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/ ... up-la-liga
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/ ... up-la-liga
Re: European Champions Cup [Most Improved]
Look who's playing for Toulouse now.
18. Maks Van Dyk,
18. Maks Van Dyk,
- TerenureJim
- Shane Jennings
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Re: European Champions Cup [Most Improved]
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 seasonjimbobjoe wrote:In the latest edition of English rugby journalist comedy hour...
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/ ... up-la-liga
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?
Re: European Champions Cup [Most Improved]
Bath 15 with the non try..... subbed straight away
Ruddock's tackle stats consistently too low for me to be taken seriously as a Six Nations blindside..... Ruddock's defensive stats don't stack up. - All Blacks Nil, Jan 15th, 2014
England A 8 - 14 Ireland A, 25th Jan 2014
Ruddock(c) 19/2 Tackles
England A 8 - 14 Ireland A, 25th Jan 2014
Ruddock(c) 19/2 Tackles
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Re: European Champions Cup [Most Improved]
paddyor wrote:Bath 15 with the non try..... subbed straight away
I did enjoy that.
Re: European Champions Cup [Most Improved]
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.
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.
You know I'm going to lose,
And gambling's for fools,
But that's the way I like it baby, I don't want to live FOREVER!
And gambling's for fools,
But that's the way I like it baby, I don't want to live FOREVER!
Re: European Champions Cup [Most Improved]
https://www.reddit.com/r/rugbyunion/com ... end_burns/blockhead wrote: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.
Nsfw audio. But funny
Anyone But New Zealand
Re: European Champions Cup [Most Improved]
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.
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.
You know I'm going to lose,
And gambling's for fools,
But that's the way I like it baby, I don't want to live FOREVER!
And gambling's for fools,
But that's the way I like it baby, I don't want to live FOREVER!
Re: European Champions Cup [Most Improved]
Go Cardiff. 21-30 away to Lyon!
Glocks beat Castres 19-14.
Glocks beat Castres 19-14.
You know I'm going to lose,
And gambling's for fools,
But that's the way I like it baby, I don't want to live FOREVER!
And gambling's for fools,
But that's the way I like it baby, I don't want to live FOREVER!
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Re: European Champions Cup [Most Improved]
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.
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.
Re: European Champions Cup [Most Improved]
Toulon go down at home to Newcastle. Only the second team to beat them at home in Europe ever
Re: European Champions Cup [Most Improved]
Wow, big result there for Newcastle.
Re: European Champions Cup [Most Improved]
Sadly Glasgow come up short v Sarries.
Re: European Champions Cup [Most Improved]
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.johng wrote:Sadly Glasgow come up short v Sarries.
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.
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Re: European Champions Cup [Most Improved]
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.
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.
Re: European Champions Cup [Most Improved]
The three wins by Gloucester, Newcastle and Saracens have put a bit of gloss onto the Premiership performances.
“Somedays you're the pigeon, somedays you're the statue.”
Re: European Champions Cup [Most Improved]
Glasgow's ability to make the wrong decision never ceases to amaze me.LeRouxIsPHat wrote: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.
Look out Itchy, he's Irish
Re: European Champions Cup [Most Improved]
Agreed on the game and on Sarries (and probably Racing) being a bigger threat than exe.hugonaut wrote:
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.
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
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Re: European Champions Cup [Most Improved]
You're not alone there.cormac wrote:Glasgow's ability to make the wrong decision never ceases to amaze me.LeRouxIsPHat wrote: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.
Re: European Champions Cup [Most Improved]
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.
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.
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall who's the greatest player of them all? It is Drico your majesty.