Gutting ending for the Blues

So, the HC pool stages are over and the Blues are back in the 1/4 finals after 2 years of disappointment after that dramatic SF against Leicester.

But, with Ritchie Rees's being just short of the try line, and 2 lineouts in the 22 in the last minutes not working out combined with Edinburgh last ditch try at Murrayfield means that they now have to go to Dublin in the 1/4 finals.

Mixed emotions, I thought a semi final was possible with a home 1/4 - but now?

Still, what a great game, though I would have prefered it if it wasn't so damned close!

Blues 36 - 30 Racing

Lucky they didnt get pinged for a penalty as Bobo was tackled without the ball...

606,

The first proirity was the win which they got but they just cudn't shake Racing off enough to risk going for the 4th.

Even at the end when news filtered trhough that they had to go for thr 4th one they nearly came a cropper with a breakaway.

Cracking game thought Halfpenny had cracking game and Cuthbert took his try very well indeed.

Leinster away in the quarters will not be nice place to go to unfortunately.

You forgot the illegal try in the first half as well.

bedfordwelsh wrote:606,

The first proirity was the win which they got but they just cudn't shake Racing off enough to risk going for the 4th.

Even at the end when news filtered trhough that they had to go for thr 4th one they nearly came a cropper with a breakaway.

Cracking game thought Halfpenny had cracking game and Cuthbert took his try very well indeed.

Leinster away in the quarters will not be nice place to go to unfortunately.

Halfpenny was superb, his defence was exceptional as was his tactical and place kicking.

After watching Scarlets vs Castres yesterday, Halfpenny has to kick for Wales in the 6N.


Cuthbert's first try was the best piece of finishing I have seen this season, he has a really habit of try scoring and runs good support lines.

Lot's of rugby to be played before April the form sides could be different by then.

Tbh I wouldn't have been chuffed with either Clermont or Leinster or for that matter any of the other teams still in the comp. This year there's no such thing as an easy draw, there rarely ever is in the Heino.

Great final game but Blues are the least impressive side left in, not a single TBP in six games. Still glad that at least we got one through, even if it is delaying the kill by all means. As they say, it isn't over till it's over and who knows, the regions are still due some luck to compensate for years of suffering.

Blues am byth

What a disinterested performance from a poor Blues team, Racing were at least trying but got unlucky as Blues notched up some lucky tries. Somebody needs to teach them the rules of rugby as it's evident from this season that they are very unsure. They'll get another 50 put on them in Dublin fo' sho. The only thing saving them from a good slagging from the pundits and public in Wales is the Ospreys who will deservedly take all the criticism. Scarlets could get the Amlin, although I am not in a good position to judge as I have not seen much of Stade this seaon.

Winners in bold:
Munster v Ulster
Leinster v Cardiff
Edinburgh v Toulouse
Sarries v Clermont.

All Irish final which is too close to call.

Leinster having to go to Clermont or sarries is a big game. Wouldn't fancy them in France but probably would back them over sarries

Do the top two seeds not also have a home semi, or is the draw for the semi's a lottery?

Morgannwg wrote:Do the top two seeds not also have a home semi, or is the draw for the semi's a lottery?

The draw was done on sky after the Blues vs Racing game, not sure why it is done this early though, surely it would be better to do the draw after the quarter finals.

wales606 wrote:
Cuthbert's first try was the best piece of finishing I have seen this season.

So you never watch Leinster games

Hopefully we will get to show you a few examples in Lansdowne rd at Easter.

That's true. Leinster are the best team in europe and playing some of the best rugby. Only the French with their forwards and Munster are capable of stopping them winning the competition.

I thought the Blues were poor, if they play anything like that they will be hammered. The Blues can't afford Parks missing tackles and kicking the ball away. The Blues created very little, their tries all came from luck, it looked the type of performance for an away match. I prefer Sweeney at 10 and not G Evans in the centre when you are going for tries.

I hope Roberts is back for the quarter's to add both in attack and defence.

To be honest, based on this weekends matches, the Blues are the weakest qualifiers.

They nearly blew it against a side that made 15 - 20 schoolboy errors

mpc28 wrote:

Morgannwg wrote:Do the top two seeds not also have a home semi, or is the draw for the semi's a lottery?

The draw was done on sky after the Blues vs Racing game, not sure why it is done this early though, surely it would be better to do the draw after the quarter finals.

Can't do that as the semis have to be in neutral venues, not home grounds. Home in the semis means in the team's country of origin, not the team's home ground.

So each possible semi-final "home" team has to nominate a neutral venue - in advance of the quarters being played - that has been provisionally booked/prepared. The home semi-finalists are either Munster or Ulster so likely they'd pick Lansdowne Road (or Ulster could pick Thomond if they wanted) and Saracens or Clermont so presumably Twickenham or somewhere in France.