London Irish vs Cardiff Blues - THE TEAMS

First topic message reminder :

London Irish: Delon Armitage; Topsy Ojo, Jonathan Spratt, Shontayne Hape, Adam Thompstone; Adrian Jarvis, Darren Allinson; Clarke Dermody (capt), David Paice, Faan Rautenbach, Nick Kennedy, Matt Garvey, Bryn Evans, David Sisi, Alex Gray.

Replacements: James Buckland, Alex Corbisiero, Paulica Ion, Bob Casey, James Sandford, Tom Homer, Steven Shingler, Paul Hodgson.



Blues: Leigh Halfpenny; Alex Cuthbert, Casey Laulala, Gavin Henson, Chris Czekaj; Dan Parks, Lloyd Williams; Gethin Jenkins, Rhys Thomas, Taufa'ao Filise, Bradley Davies, Paul Tito (capt), Michael Paterson, Sam Warburton, Xavier Rush.

Replacements: Ryan Tyrell, John Yapp, Scott Andrews, Maama Molitika, Josh Navidi, Richie Rees, Ceri Sweeney, Richard Mustoe.

Referee: Mr Neil Paterson (Scotland)

He played for Neath RFC before he signed for Blues.

Worst game ever. Should have known with Parks in it.

What the hell is "Rassing Metro"?

The correct way of pronouncing "Racing".

spiteful little pat on the back when the Irish player cocked up at the end there but it was nice to see the welsh lad realise it and he seemed to go right back to that player and apologise which takes some guts. Class overcomes over-excitement there i'd say.

Mate i don't think thats what it was. Parks patted Shingler on the back and then had a chat to him. Probably about the eligibility thing

BritishLion wrote:What the hell is "Rassing Metro"?

And for future reference it's Parc-uh Scarlets

gowales wrote:Mate i don't think thats what it was. Parks patted Shingler on the back and then had a chat to him. Probably about the eligibility thing

From an Australian to a Welshman

gowales wrote:Mate i don't think thats what it was. Parks patted Shingler on the back and then had a chat to him. Probably about the eligibility thing

oh fair enough.

AlynDavies wrote:

BritishLion wrote:Why did the Ospreys let Halfpenny go?

We did?

Yup, they kicked him out of their academy for being "too short"

Bet their kicking themselves now, or Halfpenny is kicking them because there are 50m away....

Looks like its all going down to the last weekend as usual in the HC.

Ulster, Edinburgh, Blues, Harlequins, Toulouse, Clermont are fighting it out for 5 places - 3 group winners and 2 runners up.

Someone is going to be very very disappointed next weekend.

Thats assuming Harlequins win today to be honest, if they dont they are out.

MrsP wrote:It doesn't come down to total tries scored if you are deciding between teams in the same group. They decide the placings on the 2 head to head matches between those 2 teams.

Table points
Tries
Cards.

The total tries scored in the pool stages is only used to separate teams from different groups that are tied on points.

Maybe that was what you meant. Just wanted to clarify.

I was unsure. Thanks for clarifying.

blues should easily beat rassin next week. the french side are out of it now and they wont come to the schitty schtadium trying to win. they will send some sort of development side and we could , hopefully, get a try bonus.

Artful_Dodger wrote:Looks like its all going down to the last weekend as usual in the HC.

Ulster, Edinburgh, Blues, Harlequins, Toulouse, Clermont are fighting it out for 5 places - 3 group winners and 2 runners up.

Someone is going to be very very disappointed next weekend.

If the Blues and Harlequins (twice) win and Ulster get a LBP away to Clemont then the points will be

Blues 21
Quins 20
Ulster 20

So it will be very close -
I expect Quins could pick up a TBP in Connacht, or tonight which would rule Blues out, unless the Blues finish top, in which case Edinburgh could go through anyway as they have a bucket load of tries.

Fingers crossed that Ulster win in Clemont

I haven't looked at all the groups, but so far, guessing the top 8 will be: Leinster, Ulster, Munster, Saracens, Clermont, Toulouse, Quins, Blues or Edinburgh? Not in order yet btw.

Correction, the best two runners up go through.

So, as long as the Blues win next week they will go through

(since Ulster would need 2pts, which would mean they top their group and Clemont would only have 18/19 - Unless Ulster lose, but get a TBP and LBP)

That missed kick could be huge for Irish.

Four points out and blues looking the superior team.

Molitika on for Tito. Scots man Shingler on for kiwi hape.

Parks misses another tackle

Morgannwg wrote:I haven't looked at all the groups, but so far, guessing the top 8 will be: Leinster, Ulster, Munster, Saracens, Clermont, Toulouse, Quins, Blues or Edinburgh? Not in order yet btw.

At the moment it will be

Leinster
Munster
Saracens
Toulouse

(Pretty much gaurenteed)

Then

Ulster/Clermont (probably Clermont)
Blues/Edinburgh

Then, 2nd place teams

(Edinburgh/Blues)/(Clermont/Ulster)/Harlequins - 2 go through

Not going to know until after the Harlequins vs Gloucester game, a LBP could still be enough for Ulster as if they finish on 20 and Harlequins finish on 20 it would come down to trys scored.

Still too many permutations to really set it out.

And the order on the 1/4s will be completely dependant on next weekend

Blues/Edinburgh are struggling for qualification, but the team that finishes top would be a good shout for a home 1/4 on 21/22 points

Artful_Dodger wrote:Not going to know until after the Harlequins vs Gloucester game, a LBP could still be enough for Ulster as if they finish on 20 and Harlequins finish on 20 it would come down to trys scored.

Still too many permutations to really set it out.

Yup :/

I hate it when qualification comes down to the last weekend.

I envy Leinster and Munster, they are miles from their competition in their groups.

So who do you think will drop down into the Challenge cup, and how many teams is it again, two or three?

I think Clermont and Toulouse will go through - one of Edinburgh, Blues and Ulster going to the Amlin

Of the second placed teams, the top 2 get through to the HEC quarters, the next three drop to the Amlin quarters and one has no further European competition this season.

I should say one of Ulster, Blues, Edinburgh and Quins going tot he Amlin.

MrsP wrote:Of the second placed teams, the top 2 get through to the HEC quarters, the next three drop to the Amlin quarters and one has no further European competition this season.

But with Scarlets losing at least we know we have some kind of quarter-final... we won't be the 12th seed.

Thank goodness Notch.

To have produced a performance like last night and still get nowhere would have been difficult.

Quite notch - but I'd take a Heineken QF over having a good chance to win the Amlin any day.

Artful_Dodger wrote:I should say one of Ulster, Blues, Edinburgh and Quins going tot he Amlin.

Perhaps Scarlets, Northampton or Ospreys to join them?

ugh Freddie Burns not helping