HC Back to Backs

So.....

Here we are at the most exciting part of the pool stages in the best club comp in the known universe.

Most English rugby fans that I talk to in the real world are looking forward to their clashes, seeing them as the best and most important games of the season so far, how ever on here..... My perception is that a lot of English fans see this as just about as important as the Low Value cup.

Is this because they are jaded from all the rows over the future of the comp?

Or because they are pi$$ed of that they will not be in it next year and are pretending that it is not important?

Or because it is so long since any of them have won it they have lost interest?

Or am I wrong and most English Rugby fans on here actually ARE looking forward to it?

I will admit that the constant bickering over the future of the comp has me a little jaded. Still want to win it though. Especially as it will likely be the last one in it's present form.

Most exciting part of the HC pool stages really? Not for me personally.

Back to back matches vs Zebre? I enjoy the HC but these matches certainly aren't bigger than the AP matches we have had in recent weeks.

Away game vs Toulouse is the one I care about the most. That's Round 5. That should be a huge match.

This is why I feel that a change to European rugby is definitely needed.

beshocked wrote:Most exciting part of the HC pool stages really? Not for me personally.

Back to back matches vs Zebre? I enjoy the HC but these matches certainly aren't bigger than the AP matches we have had in recent weeks.

Away game vs Toulouse is the one I care about the most. That's Round 5. That should be a huge match.

This is why I feel that a change to European rugby is definitely needed.

Actually, considering who you have in the back to backs. You have a point.  

People I speak to in real life are Leicester, Northampton and Quins fans mainly.

beshocked wrote:Most exciting part of the HC pool stages really? Not for me personally.

Back to back matches vs Zebre? I enjoy the HC but these matches certainly aren't bigger than the AP matches we have had in recent weeks.

Away game vs Toulouse is the one I care about the most. That's Round 5. That should be a huge match.

This is why I feel that a change to European rugby is definitely needed.

Don't they usually try to make it so the two favourites from the group play each other in these back to back games  

I'd agree with you scarlet that I thought the two favourites usually play each other in the back to back games.  But then Leinster played Bath back-to-back a couple of seasons ago, so I started to question it.

Yep I was expecting to get Leicester in the back to backs but they went  for Montpelier which surprised me. The exciting thing about this stage is that is we can take 9/10 points from the next two we could be in a seriously commanding position

Standulstermen wrote:Yep I was expecting to get Leicester in the back to backs but they went  for Montpelier which surprised me. The exciting thing about this stage is that is we can take 9/10 points from the next two we could be in a seriously commanding position

Normally I'd have expected the Tigers to have made a stronger impact on our pool, SU. But results are hard to string together as they are now down to the bare bones, I wouldn't be surprised if Montellier provide you with the stiffer challenge in the new year.

Plus the draw is pulled out of the proverbial hat isn't it?

Montpelier at ravenhill though. I know Leicester have some key injuries but I still expect them to win at home to the French. If the head to head ends up one win a piece I will be delighted

Jenifer McLadyboy wrote:So.....

Here we are at the most exciting part of the pool stages in the best club comp in the known universe.

Most English rugby fans that I talk to in the real world are looking forward to their clashes, seeing them as the best and most important games of the season so far, how ever on here..... My perception is that a lot of English fans see this as just about as important as the Low Value cup.

Is this because they are jaded from all the rows over the future of the comp?

Or because they are pi$$ed of that they will not be in it next year and are pretending that it is not important?

Or because it is so long since any of them have won it they have lost interest?

Or am I wrong and most English Rugby fans on here actually ARE looking forward to it?

I will admit that the constant bickering over the future of the comp has me a little jaded. Still want to win it though. Especially as it will likely be the last one in it's present form.

Jen, possibly true for some "English rugby fans", but not for fans of English rugby clubs!! Can't wait - Toulon back-to-back, hopefully the atmosphere at SP will be akin to Leinster's visit last year, altho I'd like a different result this time; and then next weekend, we're off to south-east France and some mediterrannean sun - what's not to get excited about?!

Standulstermen wrote:Montpelier at ravenhill though. I know Leicester have some key injuries but I still expect them to win at home to the French. If the head to head ends up one win a piece I will be delighted

I don't blame you: so would I. But then I initially thought (before the injuries struck) that the Tigers' strongest challenge would come from France, not Ireland.

ScarletSpiderman wrote:

beshocked wrote:Most exciting part of the HC pool stages really? Not for me personally.

Back to back matches vs Zebre? I enjoy the HC but these matches certainly aren't bigger than the AP matches we have had in recent weeks.

Away game vs Toulouse is the one I care about the most. That's Round 5. That should be a huge match.

This is why I feel that a change to European rugby is definitely needed.

Don't they usually try to make it so the two favourites from the group play each other in these back to back games  

You would think so but for example Quins didn't play in the back to back vs Biarritz last season either.

Beshocked, I think that the clubs have some say about the scheduling,would it possible that Saracens preferred the Zebre games at this point because:
A - They wanted to play Tolouse at Wembley and it isn't free at this time
B - Better to play a double header against the weakest side in the group at a point just after the AIs when they might have had players missing through injury/suspension?
Would make sense in terms of the bigger picture.

Think Sky would have a greater say

'shocked - it must be true the Scarlets have Clermont in the back to backs this season, and we all knew before the pool started it would come down to those two. Being serious though, a few years back the back to back games did have a bit of extra spice because the fixtures, planned or otherwise, did always seem to have the two dominant sides clashing in the back to backs, and the two minnows battling out to save face too. It seemed to make the games far more interesting as even if you were the groups whipping boys (granted you wouldn't have suffered this, but I have) you would know that these were the games that you could target, and they would have a major impact to make a difference to where you finished off in the pool.

Irish Londoner very true plus the AP has far more consequence when you think that after Zebre x 2 we have Leicester at home. That's the big one.

True scarletspiderman but sometime what can happen is that because one side wins both the back to back matches it effectively knocks one team out of contention meaning they have nothing to play for. E.g. that's what happened to Leinster last season.

The best scenario is generally one win apiece because it makes more to play for and a tighter competition.

beshocked wrote:Irish Londoner very true plus  the AP has far more consequence when you think that after Zebre x 2 we have Leicester at home. That's the big one.

True scarletspiderman but sometime what can happen is that because one side wins both the back to back matches it effectively knocks one team out of contention meaning they have nothing to play for. E.g. that's what happened to Leinster last season.

The best scenario is generally one win apiece because it makes more to play for and a tighter competition.

Wasn't actually. We went down to the wire only losing out to Munster on tries scored. An extra bonus point in any of the 6 games would have seen us away to Quinns.