EPCR Champions Cup - Pool 4 Thread

[LondonTiger]

Teams:

Leicester Tigers
Founded: 1880
Ground: Welford Road
Capacity: 25,849
Captain: Tom Youngs
Coach: Geordan Murphy (Interim)


Racing 92
Founded: 1892
Ground: Paris La Defense Arena
Capacity: 32,000
Captain: Dimitri Szarzewski
Coach: Laurent Labit / Laurent Traver


Scarlets
Founded: 2003
Ground: Parc y Scarlets
Capacity: 15,180
Captain: Ken Owens
Coach: Wayne Pivac


Ulster
Founded: 1879
Ground: Kingspan Stadium
Capacity: 18,000
Captain: Rory Best
Coach: Dan McFarland



Fixtures:

Round 1
Saturday 13th October, 17:30 Scarlets v Racing 92 (BT Sport/beIN Sports)
Saturday 13th October, 17:30 Ulster v Leicester (BT Sport)

Round 2
Friday 19th October, 19:45 Leicester v Scarlets (BT Sport)
Saturday 20th October, 17:30 Racing 92 v Ulster (beIN Sports/BT Sport)

Round 3
Friday 7th December, 19:45 Scarlets v Ulster (BT Sport)
Sunday 9th December, 15:15 Racing 92 v Leicester (FR2/BT Sport/beIN Sports)

Round 4
Friday 14th December, 19:45 Ulster v Scarlets (BT Sport)
Sunday 16th December, 13:00 Leicester v Racing 92 (BT Sport/beIN Sports)

Round 5
Saturday 12th January, 15:15 Ulster v Racing 92 (BT Sport/beIN Sports
Saturday 12th January, 17:30 Scarlets v Leicester (BT Sport)

Round 6
Saturday 19th January, 15:15 Racing 92 v Scarlets (beIN Sports/BT Sport)
Saturday 19th January, 15:15 Leicester v Ulster (BT Sport)



Season's Form:

Leicester - Pl 6, W3, L3
Racing 92 - Pl 7, W4, L3
Scarlets - Pl 6, W4, L2
Ulster - Pl 6, W3, D1, L2



Squads:

Leicester:
Props: Bateman, Cole, Cortes, Feao, Genge, Gigena, Heyes
Hookers: Polota-Nau, Stevens, Youngs
Second Row: Fitzgerald, Kitchener, Lewis, Spencer, Wells, Williams
Back Row: Denton, Evans, Kalamafoni, Mapapalangi, O'Connor, Reffell, Thompson
Half Backs: Ford G, Ford J, Hardwicke, Harrison, White, Youngs
3/4s & FB: Aspland-Robinson, Eastmond, Holmes, May, Owen, Olowofela, Smith, Thompstone, Toomua, Tuilagi, veainu, Worth


Racing 92
Props: Ben Arous, Colombe, Gogochashvili, Gomes Sa, Johnston, Kakovin, Tameifuna
Hookers: Avei, Baubugny, Chat, Szarzewski
Second Row: Bird, Claassen, Maka, Nakarawa, Palu, Ryan
Back Row: Chouzenoux, Diallo, Lauret, Le Roux, Sanconnie, Joseph
Half Backs: Chauveau, Gibert, Iribaren, Machenaud, Russell, Volavola
3/4s & FB: Chavancy, Dulin, Dupichot, Imhoff, Klemenczac, Lagarde, Paris, Pauvert, Rokocoko, Thomas, Vakatawa, Zebo


Scarlets
Props: Dylan Evans, Rob Evans, Gardiner, Wyn Jones, Kruger, Lee, Price
Hookers: Elias, Marc Jones, Owens
Second Row: Ball, Bulbring, Helps, Cummins, Rawlins
Back Row: Boyde, Cassiem, James Davies, Kennedy, Macleod, Shingler, Thomson
Half Backs: Gareth Davies, Jonathan Evans, Hardy, Hidalgo-Clyne, Dan Jones, O'Brien, Patchell, Smith
3/4s &FB: Asquith, Blommetjies, Jonathan Davies, Steff Evans, Fonotia, Halfpenny, Hughes, McNicholl, Nicholas, Parkes, Prydie


Ulster:
Props: Ah You, Herbst, Kane, McCall, Moore, O'Sullivan, O'Toole, Warwick
Hooker: Andrew, Best, Herring, McBurney
Second Row: Henderson, O'Connor, Treadwell,
Back Row: Coetzee, Deysel, Henry, Murphy, Rea, Reidy, Ross, Timoney
Half Backs: Burns, Cooney, Angus Curtis, Graham Curtis, Lowry, McPhillips, Shanahan, Stewart
3/4s & FB: Addison, Cave, Gilroy, Kernohan, Ludic, McCloskey, Moore, Nelson, Speight, Stockdale

[Pete330v2]

Ulster's squad has been whittled down somewhat with injuries. We have a strong tradition of whittling our squad down in that fashion and have no intention of changing things this year.
Leicester don't have many happy memories when it comes to the Ravespan stadium but because of our injury list amongst other factors there has never been a better opportunity to exact some revenge for past indiscretions. The Tigers may not have roared as loudly this season but Ulster have barely uttered a wimper thus far. Records have been broken but sadly by our opposition only.

Optimism is not my thing today

[marty2086]

Marty Moore, Jordi Murphy, Will Addison, Craig Gilroy and Michael Lowry have resumed team training and their availability for this weekend will be monitored during the week.

Eric O’Sullivan sustained a concussion in the game against Connacht on Friday evening and is following the Return to Play Protocols.

The current injury list also includes:
Peter Browne
David Busby
Darren Cave
Wiehahn Herbst
Louis Ludik
Rob Lyttle
Luke Marshall
Kyle McCall
Henry Speight
Tommy O’Hagan
Jack Owens
Rob Herring

[Welly]

Tigers potential injury/out list from out european squad is currently
Genge
Polota-Nau
Stevens
Youngs
Cortes
Spencer
Fitzgerald
Kitchener
Denton
O'Connor
Evans
Simmons
Owen
May
Veainu

Hoping that Youngs, Veainu, Polota-Nau, O'Connor might be fit to play though.

[marty2086]

Which Youngs is injured Welly?

[LondonTiger]

A few of those Marty do not appear to be in the 41 man HCC squad.

Simmons not in our squad, Welly. How bad was Ben White's injury?



(Squads taken from EPCR website yesterday, not sure if these are finalised)

[RugbyFan100]

I expect Scarlets' Keiran Fonotia will be suspended this week for his elbow on George North. So the centres will be a bit depleted unless Jonathan Davies makes a return. Which he might.

Can't wait for some of these games. I'd like to see the Scarlets hammer Ulster. And they've never beaten Leicester in Leicester in something like 5 attempts I believe? There's never been a better time to right that wrong.

[marty2086]

A few of those Marty do not appear to be in the 41 man HCC squad.

It's just the rolling general update from Ulster, you may well see someone like Rob Lyttle come into the squad at some point

[Pete330v2]

OK so I might be wrong here but is our only available LH Warwick with O'Sullivan now crocked?

[marty2086]

OK so I might be wrong here but is our only available LH Warwick with O'Sullivan now crocked?

It gets better Pete, Rodney is cover there but was sent off in the Celtic Cup at the weekend

Could mean Super Schalk to the rescue

[Pete330v2]

OK so I might be wrong here but is our only available LH Warwick with O'Sullivan now crocked?

It gets better Pete, Rodney is cover there but was sent off in the Celtic Cup at the weekend

Could mean Super Schalk to the rescue

He'd be rescuing the Tigers. Jees we're utterly screwed when uncontested scrums would be our only hope.

[Welly]

Which Youngs is injured Welly?

Tom

[marty2086]

Which Youngs is injured Welly?

Tom

So all three of Tigers registered hookers are injured? Want to swap a loosehead for a hooker?

[PhilBB]

The Scarlets were not founded in 2003.

[LondonTiger]

The Scarlets were not founded in 2003.

According to EPCR they were.

When did WRU create the regions?

[marty2086]

The Scarlets were not founded in 2003.

According to EPCR they were.

When did WRU create the regions?

And Companies House say they were incorporated in 2003

But sure what would they know

[Welly]

Latest news from tigers is that
TPN
Youngs
O'Connor
Toomua
May
Veainu
Could all feature this weekend.

[formerly known as Sam]

I expect Scarlets' Keiran Fonotia will be suspended this week for his elbow on George North. So the centres will be a bit depleted unless Jonathan Davies makes a return. Which he might.

Can't wait for some of these games. I'd like to see the Scarlets hammer Ulster. And they've never beaten Leicester in Leicester in something like 5 attempts I believe? There's never been a better time to right that wrong.

I'm expecting a heavy loss in round 2. I just hope the Scarlets boys are sporting in victory. I remember Stephen Jones making some unsporting gestures to the Tigers fans after an early score a few years back. He was less vocal and more heads down by the end.

If Tigers can get some results at home the fans will be happy. Expectations are very low currently. Inability to stop opposition scoring tries combined by hit and miss attacking play is not the Tigers of old.

[RugbyFan100]

. I remember Stephen Jones making some unsporting gestures to the Tigers fans after an early score a few years back. .

Really? What gestures? That surprises me.

[Pete330v2]

. I remember Stephen Jones making some unsporting gestures to the Tigers fans after an early score a few years back. .

Really? What gestures? That surprises me.

I'll make a guess at the 'suck my balls' gesture

[Welly]

I remember this one by Lenny
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqF9Wig3sVw

The good old times when he was quick.

[ScarletSpiderman]

I remember this one by Lenny
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqF9Wig3sVw

The good old times when he was quick.

Most unsporting guesture to the crowd too

I’m looking forward to playing Leicester as it seems like an age since we played in a proper competitive match. Think last time we did Kristian Phillips was playing No8 for the Scarlets.

[formerly known as Sam]

. I remember Stephen Jones making some unsporting gestures to the Tigers fans after an early score a few years back. .

Really? What gestures? That surprises me.

Flicked the bird and gave a mouth full. Surprised me I'd assumed to that point he was mild mannered. The odd thing was the game was fairly new. Think he must have got too pumped up in the changing room. He certainly copped a fair bit back in the second half when the Scarlets conceded and he was down that end of the pitch.

I remember the Lenny one. That was a feisty game. Good game too.

[king_carlos]

I'm very interested to see Smurfs team for Saturday.

Denton injured is a blow as he's been playing well at 6. Denton and Kalamafoni at blindside and number 8 has looked a lot better than most Tigers back rows in recent years. That's with O'Connor and Evans injured plus Thompson coming back from injury as well.

TPN, O'Connor, Toomua and Veainu should be available plus rumours that May and Kitchener are close. Cortes may be available as well, although Heyes has stood up well.

1.Bateman
2.Youngs
3.Cole
4.Wells
5.Williams
6.Thompson
7.O'Connor
8.Kalamafoni

9.Youngs
10.Ford

11.May
12.Eastmond
13.Tuilagi
14.Thompstone
15.Holmes

16.TPN
17.Feao
18.Heyes/Cortes
19.Lewis/Kitchener
20.Mapapalangi
21.Harrison
22.Toomua
23.Veainu

Interesting to note that all 4 club captains in the pool are hookers, should make for some interesting head to heads.

[RugbyFan100]

. I remember Stephen Jones making some unsporting gestures to the Tigers fans after an early score a few years back. .

Really? What gestures? That surprises me.

Flicked the bird and gave a mouth full. Surprised me I'd assumed to that point he was mild mannered. The odd thing was the game was fairly new. Think he must have got too pumped up in the changing room. He certainly copped a fair bit back in the second half when the Scarlets conceded and he was down that end of the pitch.

I remember the Lenny one. That was a feisty game. Good game too.

Wow. I've never seen him do anything like that. I know Stephen personally and he's one of the nicest, most level headed guys you could meet. Strange one.

[LondonTiger]

20.Mapapalangi

After last weeks horror show I would be happy for him to be well away from the squad. Not sure on Evans fitness, but Reffell is in contention I believe and would be better, plus I would rather have Lewis cover back row than Mapapalangi.

[marty2086]

Ulster team

M Lowry; C Gilroy, W Addison, S McCloskey, J Stockdale; B Burns, J Cooney; A Warwick, R Best, R Kane; A O’Connor, I Henderson; M Coetzee, J Murphy, N Timoney.

Subs: A McBurney, E O’Sullivan, M Moore, K Treadwell, S Reidy, D Shanahan, A Curtis, A Kernohan.

[LondonTiger]

Leicester:

Holmes, Thompstone, Tuilagi, Eastmond, Olowofela, Ford, Youngs, Bateman, Youngs, Cole, Williams, Wells, Thompson, O'Connor, Kalamafoni

Replacements: Polota-Nau, Feao, Heyes, Lewis, Reffell, Harrison, Toomua, Owen

[LondonTiger]

Scarlets:

Halfpenny, McNicholl, Davies, Parkes, Evans, O'Brien, Davies; Jones, Owens, Lee, Ball, Bulbring,  Kennedy, Boyde, thomson

Reps: Elias, Evans, Kruger, Price, Macleod, Hidalgo-Clyne, Jones, Asquith

[marty2086]

Tuilagi and McCloskey, going to be some yuge collisions there

[LondonTiger]

Racing 92:

Zebo, Rokocoko, Klemenczak, Chavancy, Russell, Chauveau, Gogichashvili, Chat, Gomes Sa, Ryan, Nakarawa, Lauret, Chouzenoux, Claassen

Reps: Baubignu, Ben Arous, Johnston, Bird, Palu, Iribaren, Volavola, Vakatawa

[LondonTiger]

Leicester missing about 6 first choice players: Veainu, May, Genge, Spencer, Kitchener, Denton.

Hard to tell with Racing, certainly a fair few big names missing out.

What about Ulster and Scarlets - any key players missing? A few of teh Ulster pack and the FB are new to me, while I do not recognise the Scarlets back row or their 10.

[marty2086]

Ulster are missing McCall, Herring, Herbst, Cave, Ludik and Speight who all probably would have made the 23 if fit

[RugbyFan100]

Scarlets - any key players missing? .

Shingler, Cummings, Patchell, Fonotia, Cassiem, Prydie. Would have all been in the starting squad.

[LondonTiger]

So everyone missing about half a dozen players.

[formerly known as Sam]

So everyone missing about half a dozen players.

Unavailable Tigers;

1. Genge
2. Stevens
3. Cortes
4. Spencer
5. Kitchener
6. Fitzgerald
7. Evans
8. Denton
9. White
10. J Ford ( I think I heard he had a knock)
11. TV
12. Worth
13. Tait
14. May
15. Simmons

Might be stretching it a bit as Joe Ford, Worth and White might all be fit again by now. I'm unsure whether Cortes was with the Pumas last weekend or injured after Wells fell on him whilst he was warming up to come on the weekend before.

Looking forward to the game. Judging by the comments on Beeb, BBC NI and Trimble are living in the past a little. Tigers kicking to the corners and looking to maul our way over. I fecking wish, it's a miracle if get the ball back from our own lineout let alone get a passable maul going. Our forwards to "rough up" Ulster, dream land. We're nowhere near that nasty any more.

[Artful_Dodger]

So everyone missing about half a dozen players.

Unavailable Tigers;

1. Genge
2. Stevens
3. Cortes
4. Spencer
5. Kitchener
6. Fitzgerald
7. Evans
8. Denton
9. White
10. J Ford ( I think I heard he had a knock)
11. TV
12. Worth
13. Tait
14. May
15. Simmons

Might be stretching it a bit as Joe Ford, Worth and White might all be fit again by now. I'm unsure whether Cortes was with the Pumas last weekend or injured after Wells fell on him whilst he was warming up to come on the weekend before.

Looking forward to the game. Judging by the comments on Beeb, BBC NI and Trimble are living in the past a little. Tigers kicking to the corners and looking to maul our way over. I fecking wish, it's a miracle if get the ball back from our own lineout let alone get a passable maul going. Our forwards to "rough up" Ulster, dream land. We're nowhere near that nasty any more.

I think they are probably basing that more on Ulster's last two performances rather than Tigers performances. Against Connacht and Munster we've got mullered up front, particularly in the scrum.

[formerly known as Sam]

So everyone missing about half a dozen players.

Unavailable Tigers;

1. Genge
2. Stevens
3. Cortes
4. Spencer
5. Kitchener
6. Fitzgerald
7. Evans
8. Denton
9. White
10. J Ford ( I think I heard he had a knock)
11. TV
12. Worth
13. Tait
14. May
15. Simmons

Might be stretching it a bit as Joe Ford, Worth and White might all be fit again by now. I'm unsure whether Cortes was with the Pumas last weekend or injured after Wells fell on him whilst he was warming up to come on the weekend before.

Looking forward to the game. Judging by the comments on Beeb, BBC NI and Trimble are living in the past a little. Tigers kicking to the corners and looking to maul our way over. I fecking wish, it's a miracle if get the ball back from our own lineout let alone get a passable maul going. Our forwards to "rough up" Ulster, dream land. We're nowhere near that nasty any more.

I think they are probably basing that more on Ulster's last two performances rather than Tigers performances.  Against Connacht and Munster we've got mullered up front, particularly in the scrum.

Clearly wasn't based on Tigers last weekend where we butchered at least half a dozen rolling maul opportunities inside the Saints 22. Despite dominating territory we failed to make any real ground up front and scored both tries from broken field kick returns.

[LondonTiger]

Long list Sam, but only 6 are first choice, while Tait is not in the 41 man squad.

[formerly known as Sam]

Oh aye. Don't think Cortes would make the bench now after Heyes performance off the bench Vs Saints.

[formerly known as Sam]

I think I agree with Ben Kay. That's a penalty try and not a yellow card. It's not cynical play but it's an illegal tackle that stops a try.

[neilthom7]

I really don't know why Ulster keep kicking to corners and turn down 3 points, they have been doing it all season, its obviously something the coaches want them to do but I juts don't understand it.

[Pete330v2]

Utter madness at this level. Take your points especially when you don't have a set piece

[formerly known as Sam]

Same with Tigers. Which idiot decided to kick to the corner when 10m out with a penalty. Our scrum is on top or there's an easy 3. Lineout drive? Shocking and has been all season.

[neilthom7]

Unlucky to Leicester, in the first half the scrum was tanking Ulsters. P
lenty of positives to take from a wet night for Ulster other than the win. When Moore came on the scrum looked a lot more solid, if we can find a way to balance Warwicks side then we will at least have parity there. Lowry after a difficult start was excellent from fullback and I guess the coaches know what they are doing.
Once we got parity in the forwards the backs looked like they could do damaged, McCloskey and Addisson looked a good pairing in the centres.

[Pete330v2]

Lowry showed exactly what we've heard about him, so pleased for the kid. His size means nothing. Leicester always bring out those kind of performances from Ulster at Ravenhill and WOW am I one relieved and happy canper.

[formerly known as Sam]

Unlucky to Leicester, in the first half the scrum was tanking Ulsters. P
lenty of positives to take from a wet night for Ulster other than the win.  When Moore came on the scrum looked a lot more solid, if we can find a way to balance Warwicks side then we will at least have parity there.  Lowry after a  difficult start was excellent from fullback and I guess the coaches know what they are doing.
Once we got parity in the forwards the backs looked like they could do damaged, McCloskey and Addisson looked a good pairing in the centres.

I think Ulster did their homework at halftime. Get the ball away from the scrum as quick as possible because Tigers take time to build their pressure. On turnover ball kick deep because the back three are all wingers and two of them have little experience at this level and the positioning is poor.

Ulster subs in the pack made a positive impact. The three 19/20 year olds on the Tigers bench didn't offer the same punch up front.

[neilthom7]

The amount of players who made their European debuts in that game for Ulster and Tigers was quite something, it's not often you get so many youth players in at once. Some of them look like they have bright futures

[formerly known as Sam]

The amount of players who made their European debuts in that game for Ulster and Tigers was quite something, it's not often you get so many youth players in at once.  Some of them look like they have bright futures

It's one of the few plus points for Tigers that tonight we had four players who were at the JWC in the summer playing tonight. The big hope is Heyes, not often you see a 19 year old tighthead come on and look perfectly comfortable at this level. Cole's eventual successor for Tigers and England. They are coming through well and we finally have a head coach who will play them.

The Ulster fullback looked a real twinkle toes. He's going to be leaving people grasping at thin air for years to come

[mikey_dragon]

Scarlets lose out to a penalty near the death... anyone have anything to report on that? I can watch it on DAZN later.

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