Connacht v Harlequins, Discussions, Banter and teams.

First topic message reminder :

The final match of pool 6 see's Irish newboys Connacht host English pace setters Harlequins at the Sportsground.

If Quins win this game then with a little luck they could get one of the runner up spots with a haul of 20 points. If they getting a winning bp then that's almost assured, although the men in quarters will have a little bit of hope riding on their fellow Englishmen of Gloucest that they can get one over heavy weights Toulouse and so potentially gift Quins the top spot in the pool.

Of course this is all assuming they get that win in Galway; Connacht have been tough opposition so far in this comp and don't let the lack of W's fool you, they've scared both the English clubs in their pool for long periods. Gloucester and Quins both had to come back from behind at home to them to manage wins in bitterly contested games Gloucester only managing to get ahead on the 74th minute. So even if the Irish team does lose on Fri I think they can be pleased with their showing in Europe this season.

Anyway on to my prediction, I can see this game being again very close and contested mostly through the physicality of the packs in what I assume will be mucky conditions. But with Harlequins extra experience in this comp and their place in the knock outs at stake I expect Robshaw and Evans to steer them to victory.

I'm going for Quins by 10 no try bp.

DOD wrote:

Knackeredknees wrote:Flip it yet another home desicion by nige, ball goes forward both on the floor ping quins.

Now i normaly rate Nigel owens as one of the best in the world, but today he's been hopeless and so onesided it embarrassing

Bollix....

not really how many last warnings for scrum infringements did they need?

well Toulouse "derriere" just got saved by Connacht....how poetic can the HC be sometimes!
thanks Connacht !!!

now looking forward to el classico leinster-stade toulousain in the QF!

WHAT a win! Amazing! can't believe those tackle stats either, that's just incresdible. Just Brilliant Connacht They had to fight so hard for that against a very, very determined Quins side.

Unreal performance Connacht, thanks for ensuring that there are three provinces in the quarters. Hopefully one of them will do Connacht a favour and get them qualified again next year, they'd thoroughly deserve it. What a defensive performance. Inspirational!

Congratulations Connacht!!!!! Amazing effort! Ulster through!

SUFTCM!!!

worst ever english year confirmed.

Is that zero in the quarters?

THE WEST'S AWAKE! THE WEST'S AWAKE! THE WEST'S AWAKE!

Arent Sarries still on to make it?

Connacht you absolute legends!

So are ulster definitely through regardless of tomorow?

Golden wrote:Love to see the tackle stats for this.
Well done Connacht!

Connacht made 153 tackles to Quins 47.

I didn't watch the game, was watching the cracking Glouscester v Toulouse game. Sounds like an excellent effort from Connacht though, look forward to watching it later.

Losing by 1 point Quins are going to seriously rue their 33% kick success rate. Looking at the stats, seems like they should have done a lot better from the ball they had as well.

an error

Golden wrote:So are ulster definitely through regardless of tomorow?

Yes!!!!!!

ChequeredJersey wrote:Arent Sarries still on to make it?

#

could they?

it won't paper over the cracks of the mess of our urine weak prem will it. Second rate and until someone wakes up we're going to be the bottom of the heap for a long time.

Amazing result Connacht!!

And on behalf on all Edinburgh fans - thank you!

trebellbobaggins wrote:

Pot Hale wrote:Break in the game and a Connacht fan runs onto the field with a bag full of blood capsules for the Quins players to drink from.

Connacht just have plain old water.

Really?

That's shameful if it really happened.

Eh no it didn't. Don't be a plonker.

Though it would be an awful way of getting through, if Edinburgh and Cardiff both get dominated is it still a mathematical possibility?

Pot Hale wrote:
Eh no it didn't. Don't be a plonker.

oh it was a joke. i was just reading back quickly. pleased to hear it.

You could hardly call Sarries an English club

Quite enjoyed that. Mike Brown found out what a real game of rugby is about...got smashed everytime he had the ball....

I think, unless Northampton or Ospreys get a surprising bonus point win, Edinburgh or Cardiff only need a losing bonus point??

What a game!What a result!
Hats off Connacht, superb tonight.

viewtothegym wrote:You could hardly call Sarries an English club

Well they are providing 4/7 of the potential English starting backline against Scotland plus some forwards and Saxons, so they probably do count as an English club, yes

EDIT: sorry if that sounded snappy but I've had a rough couple of days and could have done with the uplift of a Quins QF qualification so I'm a bit pissy. From an English perspective, how were Robshaw, Sharples etc today?

Knackeredknees wrote:

DOD wrote:

Knackeredknees wrote:Flip it yet another home desicion by nige, ball goes forward both on the floor ping quins.

Now i normaly rate Nigel owens as one of the best in the world, but today he's been hopeless and so onesided it embarrassing

Bollix....

not really how many last warnings for scrum infringements did they need?

I also rate Owens but he has seemed to be a bit of a homer in this and the Munster v Saints match ... Guess both places can be a bit intimidating ...

Today really summed up whats great about the Heineken Cup. Two teams show huge amounts of pride, passion and guts to give us two great games when they had nothing to play for (competition wise).

There really are no dead rubbers in this competition and thats what makes it the best competition anywhere in the world.

So what I need is losses for one of Edinburgh or Cardiff then also for Clermont, Ospreys, Biarritz, and no 4 try BP for Saints or Leicester. Seems likely

Please win tomorrow Ulster!

I don't think I have ever shouted so loud for the Westies so please for them.

I also though Muldoon, Swift, McCarthy and O'Conner were superb

I like Connacht and congrats to them.
They do it for me in more ways than one.

Finally we get a win.

Great defence.

Conditions were terrible.

Hope now this should give us confidence fir the remainder of the season.

Just had a call from an Uster fan, think he was doing cartwheels.

Anytime Ulster, anytime

Again, great win.

The westisbest tonight.

The west is most certainly best! You guys are the pride of Ireland!

Robshaw tried to hard, with some very poor decision making from the senior members of the Quins team, they really thought they would win it and win it comfortably,
turned down kicks at goal and seemed out of ideas when Connacht manned up in defense.
Brown had zero kicking game and just ran in to traffic and cost his team turn overs from isolation.

The Fields Of Athenry were sung in their proper home tonight. I loved that. Now Connacht, start putting a run together in the PRO12.

So proud of them tonight - as a Leinster man. They dug deeper than deep and prevailed.

Jeez, has to be best defensive performance I've ever seen. Connacht ye were awesome and showed what pure guts can do - hold your heads up in pride out west. Quins though were abysmal, when pick and go didn't work no plan B.

And just as it was grand to see Ben Youngs throw a strop when Leicester were tanked by Ulster last week, lovely to see that little charmer Danny Care get shown the door by our westies.

Seen lots of grateful posts from our friends up north for the free pass Connacht gave Ulster - hope we'll see lots of northern money flowing into the tourism industry in the west this year. Ye owe them one big time.

Ulster, with the pressure off tomorrow is the time to go hell bent for the win against Clermont - think about it three Irish home QF's.

And somebody from Ireland - god even Munster - win the HC this year to make sure Connacht are back again!

Just so pleased for Connacht.

Well done lads.

I know it helps Ulster but that is beside the point (although we are very grateful.)

What a result!

Over the moon for them. Delighted.

I hope the Beeb have noted the country of origin of the team which defeated the pride of English rugby tonight.

They did a preview of HC matches for the weekend and told us two or three times that ALL three of the Irish teams could qualify. Wasn't quite sure where they were locating Connacht in that synopsis.

Congratulations Connacht; superb performance; as was said above Quins had no plan B when plan A was not working; poor decision making by Robshaw on a couple of occasions; backline was anonymous; thought Turner-Hall was supposed to be a strong player, he got pushed back three or four times; only time I noticed Monye was when the ball bounced over his head (he was unlucky in that, but I thought maybe Smith had inadvertantly impeded him); Quins did try, but Connacht played with all the pride they could muster and some.

Congratulations Connacht. I just finished watching the game (sky+).
3 of the Provinces through and possibly 3 home games.
Well done on a hard fought win - hope your national side doesn't take heart though in a couple of weeks - no offence.






Now back to find those posts claiming the Jeff is streets ahead of the pro 12 due to it's intensity etc etc ............

I would say the AVIVA is the best at telling everyone that its the best League in the world.

viewtothegym wrote:I would say the AVIVA is the best at telling everyone that its the best League in the world.

Ironic that they are the sponsors of the national stadium of this seasons most successful club sides in the European Cup

As a Connacht fan who has endured the previous 14 defeats can I just say THANK YOU! to everyone who took to the pitch tonight AND the supporters. What a fantastic night to be present in the Sportsground. I will remember it for my lifetime...

Optimist

Crucial mistake had to be Quins going for the scrum at the start of the second half when they had an easy kick in front of the sticks. They thought it would be a comfortable win clearly even at that point!

Well done Connacht...! Great win. knew you could do it.

Just noticed that Connacht only made two changes in that game. That's remarkable. Fair ply to them

I'm Optimist wrote:As a Connacht fan who has endured the previous 14 defeats can I just say THANK YOU! to everyone who took to the pitch tonight AND the supporters. What a fantastic night to be present in the Sportsground. I will remember it for my lifetime...

Oh Yes. Enjoy it Sir. These moments make it all worthwhile.All the pain and agony. And I think, every fan in these Islands - besides Quins fans, were fully behind you.

Well done lads. Ye dug deeper than deep, against the best team in England, looking for a QF spot, with only pride at steak. And won.

That will give them and Elwood so much momentum for the PRO12.

I phhoking love rugby.

De Wesht is Awake!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYtNJDqwex4

This is fromtoday's (Saturday) Irish Times. As it is not on the sports pages you might miss it.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0121/1224310575819.html

Superb article in the Irish Times.


"At the end of last Saturday afternoon’s game in Toulouse, the rare acknowledgement by the French team of the visiting fans was one of those special instances when professionalism gives way to chivalry."

"It must have been entirely alien to the Toulouse players, to hear the loyal cheers and chants from the Irish section of the ground even though it was clear their team was doomed to lose. The great thing was that it was not a patronising gesture but rather a recognition that Connacht, whatever its position on the league and cup tables, represented whatever it is that a sports “club” is meant to be."

I promise. Leinster will win the Heino again. Connacht will progress and grow. They will go to the HC ball again.
Munster and Ulster will have their say too. Its all good.

4 Provinces. ONE country under Rugby.

Believe.

Well done Connacht, great effort that deserved a win, superb commitment and defence.

Slack performance from Quins, they threw that game away with terrible decisions, innacuracy and poor kicking.

Great thread. Well done all posters(except for the barstool-ref). I missed the game but read this, this morning and really got a good feel for the game.

It shows again what a great competition this is. The result has a bearing, not just on the group but also the QF line-ups.