Draw for H Cup / Champions Cup 2019

[cormac]

Semi-final draw is

1 or 8 v 4 or 5
2 or 7 v 3 or 6

[Serb]

Semi-final draw is

1 or 8 v 4 or 5
2 or 7 v 3 or 6

Not true anymore. Highest seeds from the group stage get the home semi.

[leinsterforever]

Semi-final draw is

1 or 8 v 4 or 5
2 or 7 v 3 or 6

Hmmm, so if we finish as third seeds rather than second seeds, we're relying on team 7 to beat team 2 to get a home semi

[johng]

A slim chance is better than no chance which is what you would have had in 3rd or 4th spot last year.

[cormac]

Semi-final draw is

1 or 8 v 4 or 5
2 or 7 v 3 or 6

Not true anymore. Highest seeds from the group stage get the home semi.

I was responding to Riocard who thought the draw was very different, not showing which teams gets home country advantage

[riocard911]

Gotcha, Cormac. GRMA! So Hendy missing out does hurt us, cos we would prefer Ulster to beat Racing, which could help us get 2nd place at the end of the pools guaranteeing us a home semi, assuming we win our quarter final. Alles klar!!!

[paddyor]

Semi-final draw is

1 or 8 v 4 or 5
2 or 7 v 3 or 6

Not true anymore. Highest seeds from the group stage get the home semi.

So
1, 4 or 5 v 4, 5 or 8
2, 3 or 6 v 3, 6 or 7

[Degz]

Loads of variables, but at this stage I’d say something like the following;

Racing v Ulster
Sarries v Glasgow
Leinster v Toulouse
Munster v Montpelier

Which would have us in England playing Sarries, in any semi we reached.

Twickenham probably, which wouldn’t exactly be intimidating, probably 50/50 support.

[Ruckedtobits]

Loads of variables, but at this stage I’d say something like the following;

Racing v Ulster
Sarries v Glasgow
Leinster v Toulouse
Munster v Montpelier

Which would have us in England playing Sarries, in any semi we reached.

Twickenham probably, which wouldn’t exactly be intimidating, probably 50/50 support.

At this point, I still think Cockers will find a way through with Edinburgh, at the expense of Montpelier. Otherwise, broadly agree with your assessment.

[Oldschool]

Loads of variables, but at this stage I’d say something like the following;

Racing v Ulster
Sarries v Glasgow
Leinster v Toulouse
Munster v Montpelier

Which would have us in England playing Sarries, in any semi we reached.

Twickenham probably, which wouldn’t exactly be intimidating, probably 50/50 support.

Can't see Munster finishing 4th seeds.
Edinburgh more likely than Montpellier.
Ulster and Montpellier likely to be fighting it out for the last Q/F spot.
Going to be close.

[Degz]

I think Embra will lose in Toulon and then home to Mont.

Ulster to win at Tiggers to sneak in as last runner up.

[Oldschool]

I think Embra will lose in Toulon and then home to Mont.

Ulster to win at Tiggers to sneak in as last runner up.

Well what I would agree is the the results of the Toulon v Edinburgh and Leicester v Ulster games will likely decide their respective futures.
I also think both Edinburgh and Ulster are good enough to get something from their games against Montpellier and Racing especially if fat is in the fire.

[Hornet]

Loads of variables, but at this stage I’d say something like the following;

Racing v Ulster
Sarries v Glasgow
Leinster v Toulouse
Munster v Montpelier

Which would have us in England playing Sarries, in any semi we reached.

Twickenham probably, which wouldn’t exactly be intimidating, probably 50/50 support.

Sarries have played at Wembley (including against us), a few times.

[wixfjord]

Loads of variables, but at this stage I’d say something like the following;

Racing v Ulster
Sarries v Glasgow
Leinster v Toulouse
Munster v Montpelier

Which would have us in England playing Sarries, in any semi we reached.

Twickenham probably, which wouldn’t exactly be intimidating, probably 50/50 support.

Sarries have played at Wembley (including against us), a few times.

Ah Tinie Tempah, will we ever forget thee!

[Degz]

Loads of variables, but at this stage I’d say something like the following;

Racing v Ulster
Sarries v Glasgow
Leinster v Toulouse
Munster v Montpelier

Which would have us in England playing Sarries, in any semi we reached.

Twickenham probably, which wouldn’t exactly be intimidating, probably 50/50 support.

Sarries have played at Wembley (including against us), a few times.

Ah Tinie Tempah, will we ever forget thee!

He was positively f%~king brilliant compared to 'stand up, for the Saracens'. Nightmare stuff. Although those last defensive phases were the stuff of legend.

From a quick search, Sarries have only ever moved group games to Wembley; their latest knock out (home) game was actually at the Not Nots old ground. Again, not exactly an intimidating venue.

[cormac]

Sarries haven't played ko games at big grounds for a few years now. All their home quarter-finals have been played at their home ground, while their last home semi-final was played at Reading (2016).

[The Doc]

Sarries haven't played ko games at big grounds for a few years now. All their home quarter-finals have been played at their home ground, while their last home semi-final was played at Reading (2016).

Yeah there's a reason for that - they would like not to be outnumbered by away fans - or have a half empty large stadium (what year was it that there was a half empty Twickers or Wembley for a semi final)

[Cianostays]

It was against Toulon I believe. 2013.

[desperado]

Sarries haven't played ko games at big grounds for a few years now. All their home quarter-finals have been played at their home ground, while their last home semi-final was played at Reading (2016).

and there was less than 17k at that semi

[rooster]

Sarries haven't played ko games at big grounds for a few years now. All their home quarter-finals have been played at their home ground, while their last home semi-final was played at Reading (2016).

Yeah there's a reason for that - they would like not to be outnumbered by away fans - or have a half empty large stadium (what year was it that there was a half empty Twickers or Wembley for a semi final)

Ulster played them in a quarter final in Twickenham in 2013, their fans complained that it was too hard to get to and we outnumbered them on the day, horrible experience with their disco playing through the stadium speakers continually.
They claimed 37,888 to get a record crowd for a quarter final but they gave away thousands of tickets and I seriously doubt if there was 20k at match, backfired on them though as they had to pay Ulster their share of 37,888 tickets at the ERC price