The Dew Drop Inn

First topic message reminder :

Welcome to the virtual rugby pub - a place where you can come in for a sly beverage and discuss whatever's on your mind, or just eavesdrop on the regulars if you fancy a break from all the rugby chat.

The only rule in this pub is one of mutual respect for everyone in it, oh and no defacing the Tommy Bowe photo on the bar. That's a banning offence

So pull up a chair....what'll it be?

Notch wrote:Yeah, and Scarlets fans aren't touchy at all! Especially when it comes to referee decisions...

Notch, pls don't start them again, not sure I can take any more!!

http://twitter.com/#!/scarlets_rugby
ERC site crached
Scarlets on Twitter
Leinster in Pool 3

Biarritz - pool 5, @LeicesterTigers - pool 4, @cardiff_blues - pool 2, Toulouse - pool 6, Munster - pool 1

Tier 2 teams
Northampton - pool 1, Harlequins - pool 6, Bath - pool 3, London Irish - pool 2, Clermont - pool 4, Ospreys - pool 5

Notch wrote:Yeah, and Scarlets fans aren't touchy at all! Especially when it comes to referee decisions...

I thought everybody was touchy when it came to referee decisions

Pool 6 for Ulster please- not Pool 4!

Tier 3
Saracens - pool 5, Ulster - pool 4, Scarlets - pool 1

Sorry Notch

Argh!!! Ulster draw Leicester AND Clermont Auvergne! The pool will be completed by an Italian side.

Well that smarts...

No worries Kia- there's always next year eh?

red_stag wrote:

roddersm wrote:

red_stag wrote:We all have our crosses to bear. I genuinely think no matter what kind of running rugby Musnter try to play they will never lose the boring 10 man rugby stereotype.

Actually I thought that the Munster stereotype was that you were a bunch of cheats

We have a few. Being bald is another Keith Wood, John Hayes, Paul O'Connell, Peter Stringer, Paul Burke, Paul Warwick and Keith Earls have done us no favours.

Ha ha Rory Best and Jerry Flannery must have got mixed up at birth then!

Only joking Stag I know you guys are no more cheats than anyone else and you play a fetching brand of attacking rugby, even if it is often 10meters behind the gainline

Notch wrote:Argh!!! Ulster draw Leicester AND Clermont Auvergne! The pool will be completed by an Italian side.

Scarlets have got Munster and Saints so far. Love sacks!

Munster v Scarlets
Munster v Saints
Munster v Castres

I'm happy

rugbydreamer wrote:Scarlets have got Munster and Saints so far. Love sacks!

Munster
Northampton
Scarlets
Castres

Afternoon alll. What have I missed?

rugbydreamer wrote:Scarlets have got Munster and Saints so far. Love sacks!

Oh, that!

Pool 6
Toulouse
Harlequins
Gloucester
Connacht

I am very very happy with that! Reckon we'll struggle against Toulouse but should be ok with the others.......anyone fancy a trip to Connacht??

Prop - I'll meet you in Galway. Its only 2 hours from me.

what are Castres like? I don't know too much about them

And why the for Munster v Scarlets Stag? (acutally, please don't answer that....)


Hmmm, none of those are v close for an away trip. Shall manage one I reckon, which to choose....

pfft european cup who? everyone knows the big money's on winning the league...

red_stag wrote:Prop - I'll meet you in Galway. Its only 2 hours from me.

That may just be a plan, will try to round up some others to come over. All depends on when the matches are, fingers crossed for the christmas back-to-backs

Oops. Late for a video conference. They'll be looking at Test Card

Laters...

IM NOT Flip TOUCHY, RIGHT!

Blues have definitely got the best group of the Welsh regions, would back them's as the only ones to progress for us I think.

Scarlets in the pool of death, can't believe it.

https://www.606v2.com/t6535-heineken-cup-draw

That was fun watching twitter and updating the thread at the same time - went quite smoothly amazingly!

Pool 1: Munster, Northampton, Scarlets, Castres
Pool 2: Cardiff, London Irish , Edinburgh, Racing
Pool 3: Leinster, Bath, Glasgow, Montpellier
Pool 4: Leicester, Clermont, Ulster, Aironi
Pool 5: Biarritz, Ospreys, Saracens, Treviso
Pool 6: Toulouse, Harlequins , Gloucester, Connacht

Come on dreamer, Ulster are in the pool of death.

Notch - what, with Aironi? How?

Notch wrote:Pool 1: Munster, Northampton, Scarlets, Castres
Pool 2: Cardiff, London Irish , Edinburgh, Racing
Pool 3: Leinster, Bath, Glasgow, Montpellier
Pool 4: Leicester, Clermont, Ulster, Aironi
Pool 5: Biarritz, Ospreys, Saracens, Treviso
Pool 6: Toulouse, Harlequins , Gloucester, Connacht

Come on dreamer, Ulster are in the pool of death.

Aironi?

I think the Scarlets will be the whipping boys away in pool 1. Oh dear.

I could not be happier with Edinburgh's draw. As asbo pointed out bonus points could be the deciding Factor in pool 2 with every team capable of winning their home games.

Glas a du wrote:

Notch wrote:Pool 1: Munster, Northampton, Scarlets, Castres
Pool 2: Cardiff, London Irish , Edinburgh, Racing
Pool 3: Leinster, Bath, Glasgow, Montpellier
Pool 4: Leicester, Clermont, Ulster, Aironi
Pool 5: Biarritz, Ospreys, Saracens, Treviso
Pool 6: Toulouse, Harlequins , Gloucester, Connacht

Come on dreamer, Ulster are in the pool of death.

Aironi?

I think the Scarlets will be the whipping boys away in pool 1. Oh dear.

Nah, Munster's away form hasn't been terrific recently in the HC (happy to stand corrected if not an accurate statement) and Castres can be very hit&miss - should be an interesting group, Glas

You never know Notch. A blustery saturday night at Ravenhill, bucketing down with rain, an French/English infringment on the halfway line, IH steps up to take the kick... we can but dream... As for the away matches eh play for a draw?

Some interesting match-ups though. Spence vs Manu - the rematch and IH returning to his old stomping ground. Tough ask to qualify though...

rugbydreamer wrote:Notch - what, with Aironi? How?

Best second tier side in the competition, one of the three best first tier sides in the competition. Leicester are a better side than Munster, and Clermont are a better side than Saints.

Pool 1: Munster, Northampton
Pool 2:
Pool 3: Leinster, Bath
Pool 4: Leicester, Ulster
Pool 5:
Pool 6: Toulouse

I don't want to get into a discussion about the rights and wrongs of the seedings for the draw, but am I right in thinking that the Blues were in the top group because they won the Amlin (what will be) two years ago and got to the semi-final the year before that?

I'm not sure I'd agree that Clermont are better then Saints.

To be honest Saints are going to be the killer for the Scarlets in this group, and I fully expect Munster to be better in europe next season then they were this time round. Definitely one of the worst groups we could have picked, we don't have an Italian side to guarantee points, as it were, although I fully expect both Aironi and Treviso to be tougher challenges this year.

Amazing how quickly the Heino draw degenerates into a my pool is tougher than your pool rabble!!!

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:Amazing how quickly the Heino draw degenerates into a my pool is tougher than your pool rabble!!!

Surely that's a discussion to have round about May next year...

Believe me, we played Saints last season- they are very beatable, home or away.

Problem is, Scarlets don't have the forwards to take them on. Basically if you win the forwards battle, you beat them. I'm concerned that Scarlets lack the raw power to stop them.

Notch wrote:Pool 1: Munster, Northampton, Scarlets, Castres
Pool 2: Cardiff, London Irish , Edinburgh, Racing
Pool 3: Leinster, Bath, Glasgow, Montpellier
Pool 4: Leicester, Clermont, Ulster, Aironi
Pool 5: Biarritz, Ospreys, Saracens, Treviso
Pool 6: Toulouse, Harlequins , Gloucester, Connacht

At first glance, the only QFs I would predict would be Leinster and Toulouse. Even there, I can see banana skins
Bath were definitely improving towards the end of the season
T H and G may look at Connacht as a "pseudo"-Italian team - i.e. guaranteed 5 points home and away, not realising how difficult it can be to get 5 points at the Sportsground;
Pool 1 - only one qualifier I reckon; Scarlets improving, Saints - any psychological damage from the end of this season?

Anyway - all very exciting. Time to go to vet

luckless_pedestrian wrote:I don't want to get into a discussion about the rights and wrongs of the seedings for the draw, but am I right in thinking that the Blues were in the top group because they won the Amlin (what will be) two years ago and got to the semi-final the year before that?

The Blues (good man they are NOT Cardiff FFS ) get seeded due to winning the Amlin 2009-10 and reaching the HEC Semi the season before that .

ah I know, true As, I'll behave myself now

Notch - I think stating the obvious comes to mind there

Wasn't it Rava that said "bring it on, we'll qualify against anybody" on Facebook?

I think Munster have a challenging pool but I'm very happy with it. South France is NEVER easy. Saints will be targetting a Thomond Park win and have the guts to do it. Scarlets actually have a bit of Euro pedigree about them and have no fear. I can't wait for it.

Think I'll try get to as many Irish sides games in England as possible next year. Bath would be awesome as would Franklins Gardens.

Glas a du wrote:Wasn't it Rava that said "bring it on, we'll qualify against anybody" on Facebook?

It was also Rava who said he wanted to draw Leicester, Clermont and Aironi on facebook.

PenfroPete wrote:

luckless_pedestrian wrote:I don't want to get into a discussion about the rights and wrongs of the seedings for the draw, but am I right in thinking that the Blues were in the top group because they won the Amlin (what will be) two years ago and got to the semi-final the year before that?

The Blues (good man they are NOT Cardiff FFS ) get seeded due to winning the Amlin 2009-10 and reaching the HEC Semi the season before that .

Why are Welsh posters so precious about names? Call me a traditionalist, but I like Cardiff, Newport, Llanelli ....

Tee hee!

:run1: :run2:

It is also Rava who just sent me a text message to say "you heard it here first. Ulster to qualify with 22 points as best runner up".

MBTGOG wrote:Think I'll try get to as many Irish sides games in England as possible next year. Bath would be awesome as would Franklins Gardens.

Just talking to hughie on WhatsApp about hosting a raiding party for that one, Munsty - should be grand

red_stag wrote:It is also Rava who just sent me a text message to say "you heard it here first. Ulster to qualify with 22 points as best runner up".

So he's happy. In all seriousness, I expect us to win 4 out of 6 games which is probably not going to be enough.