European Champions Cup [Most Improved]

[simonokeeffe]

Whatever about the 2013 Challenge Cup win, if we were in the competition from the start now I think it would be better to save the Internationals' minutes for the Pro12.

Last thing we want is them having to go to Siberia

[cormac]

So the only personnel change in the backs was O'Driscoll for Rob Kearney. More changes in the forwards, Healy was the leading 1 back then, Strauss started the big matches, Leo for Quinn Roux. Was SOB injured in the Challange Cup final?

I'm pretty sure Rob Kearney was originally selected for the Pro12 final but tweaked something in the warm-up. Conway was called up to start with Dave Kearney replacing him on the bench.

[Flash Gordon]

There was a Heineken Cup game a few years ago that involved a French team breaking through and deliberately running back from the try line - can't remember who was involved!

Whatever the competition, it's a bit much to sell your fans tickets knowing full well that you can't be arsed.

[ribs]

Don't forget the 2013 challenge cup gave us an extra place in the following year's Heineken

[wprathead]

Don't forget the 2013 challenge cup gave us an extra place in the following year's Heineken

Connacht Remembers

[simonokeeffe]

Don't forget the 2013 challenge cup gave us an extra place in the following year's Heineken

Connacht Remembers

We got them into Europe what 4 times? And then they go and beat us in the league final, ingrates

[Flash Gordon]

Zebre conceded 134 points in 2 games after their 7-52 home defeat to Connacht at the weekend. These guys aren't competitive in the Pro-12 they shouldn't be anywhere need the Champions Cup! Worse still, with the best 3 2nd placed team qualification system they actually distort the qualification system.

[Ruckedtobits]

Ire - 75%
Fr - 54%
Scot- 50%
Wal -50%
Eng - 46%
It - 0%

A weekend of European rugby. Not bad, if Leinster are least successful Irish performers by results. Take out the Italians and its a pretty good weekend for Pro12, which continues upwards. But it really is a nonsence to see Ospreys and Cardiff in Challenge Cup and Zebre in Champions Cup

[Ruckedtobits]

Ire - 75%
Fr - 54%
Scot- 50%
Wal -50%
Eng - 46%
It - 0%

A weekend of European rugby. Not bad, if Leinster are least successful Irish performers by results. Take out the Italians and its a pretty good weekend for Pro12, which continues upwards. But it really is a nonsence to see Ospreys and Cardiff in Challenge Cup and Zebre in Champions Cup

BTW, the chart should really show:
Russia - 100%
Ire - 75%
Fr - 54%
Scot - 50%
Wal - 50%
Eng - 46%
It - 0%

Credit where credit is due!

[Flash Gordon]

Ire - 75%
Fr - 54%
Scot- 50%
Wal -50%
Eng - 46%
It - 0%

A weekend of European rugby. Not bad, if Leinster are least successful Irish performers by results. Take out the Italians and its a pretty good weekend for Pro12, which continues upwards. But it really is a nonsence to see Ospreys and Cardiff in Challenge Cup and Zebre in Champions Cup

Absolutely - you could make a similar argument for Quins, Gloucester or Bath. Any one of those would put 50 points on Zebre.

[leinsterforever]

I suppose the people who think there shouldn't be an Italian team in the Champions Cup also think the 2015 World Cup would have been better with NZ Maori, England Saxons and Ireland Wolfhounds competing in place of Namibia, USA and Uruguay?

[rooster]

Zebre conceded 134 points in 2 games after their 7-52 home defeat to Connacht at the weekend. These guys aren't competitive in the Pro-12 they shouldn't be anywhere need the Champions Cup! Worse still, with the best 3 2nd placed team qualification system they actually distort the qualification system.

Would that be the same Zebre who a few weeks ago were beating Connacht until the weather prevented them having a bonus point win ?

[Flash Gordon]

Zebre conceded 134 points in 2 games after their 7-52 home defeat to Connacht at the weekend. These guys aren't competitive in the Pro-12 they shouldn't be anywhere need the Champions Cup! Worse still, with the best 3 2nd placed team qualification system they actually distort the qualification system.

Would that be the same Zebre who a few weeks ago were beating Connacht until the weather prevented them having a bonus point win ?

Leaving aside that they've lost all 5 of their matches this year that kind of analysis is the rugby equivalent of "my granddad smoked 40 a day and lived till he was 100". On a very good day for them and a very bad day for another team (usually a very bad team) they might be competitive but over time they and their compatriots Treviso have been pretty useless. The only reason they are in the competition at all is because they are slightly less useless than Treviso.

No Italian team has won more than one game in the Champions/Heineken cup since 2005, they've had a long time to develop club rugby and its not working. My personal view is that the Challenge Cup is probably the right place for them in Europe.

[rooster]

Zebre conceded 134 points in 2 games after their 7-52 home defeat to Connacht at the weekend. These guys aren't competitive in the Pro-12 they shouldn't be anywhere need the Champions Cup! Worse still, with the best 3 2nd placed team qualification system they actually distort the qualification system.

Would that be the same Zebre who a few weeks ago were beating Connacht until the weather prevented them having a bonus point win ?

Leaving aside that they've lost all 5 of their matches this year that kind of analysis is the rugby equivalent of "my granddad smoked 40 a day and lived till he was 100". On a very good day for them and a very bad day for another team (usually a very bad team) they might be competitive but over time they and their compatriots Treviso have been pretty useless. The only reason they are in the competition at all is because they are slightly less useless than Treviso.

No Italian team has won more than one game in the Champions/Heineken cup since 2005, they've had a long time to develop club rugby and its not working. My personal view is that the Challenge Cup is probably the right place for them in Europe.

No doubt the Challenge Cup is their limit but sure the whole European Cup is such a mess now no one really cares, their TV deals are not working and the sponsors / partners are not exactly clamoring over each other for part of the action either. I doubt it will be still running in it's present form in 5 years

[simonokeeffe]

Guy who bit Roux got 9 weeks, guess he was wearing a really nice suit at the hearing

[jezzer]

Racing-Glasgow is a mazy, crazy and slightly hazy wild sort of a game. Very easy watching. Half an hour in and the Weegies should really win this. Racing have turned on Harlem Globetrotter mode and are just flinging it around without much interest in the basics of the game.

[blockhead]

So as it stands at tne moment,for this weekend;
Ulster BP win over Clermont
Munster 38-SFA against Leicester
Leinster BP win against Northampton away
Glasgow away win V Racing
Cardiff hammer Bath
Osprey's demolish Grenoble
Treviso give Bayonne a good hiding

But Dragons and Zebre lose, which just goes to prove that the Pro12 is shiiite!

[jezzer]

WE'RE SHÍT AND WE KNOW WE ARE, WE'RE SHÍT. ...

[paddyor]

Racing-Glasgow is a mazy, crazy and slightly hazy wild sort of a game. Very easy watching. Half an hour in and the Weegies should really win this. Racing have turned on Harlem Globetrotter mode and are just flinging it around without much interest in the basics of the game.

The commentator was saying that kicking just isnt in the Racing arsenal so they had to run it. It was mad, given they jad Glasgow in the LO cf Hogg trying the peno from his own half.

Very impressive defensive ffort from Glasgow, need to fix the LO to have any chance next week.

[blockhead]

So as it stands at tne moment,for this weekend;
Ulster BP win over Clermont
Munster 38-SFA against Leicester
Leinster BP win against Northampton away
Glasgow away win V Racing
Cardiff hammer Bath
Osprey's demolish Grenoble
Treviso give Bayonne a good hiding

But Dragons and Zebre lose, which just goes to prove that the Pro12 is shiiite!

And Edinburg beat Stade.

But the Pro12 is still shiiiite!!
Shite I tell ya.