European games round 1

First topic message reminder :

Champions cup
Friday 10th 20:00
Northampton Saints v Racing 92

Saturday 11th
Leinster v Bath 15:15
ASM Clermont Auvergne v Ulster 17:30
Exeter Chiefs v Montpellier 20:00
Cardiff Rugby v Toulouse 13:00
Bordeaux Bègles v Leicester Tigers 15:15
Bristol v Scarlets cancelled - Bristol get 28-0 win

Sunday 12th
Ospreys v Sale 13:00
La Rochelle v Glasgow Warriors 15:15
Connacht v Stade Francais 13:00
Wasps v Munster 15:15
Castres v Harlequins 17:30

Challenge cup
Friday 10th 20:00
Newcastle Falcons v Worcester Warriors
Lyon v Gloucester

Saturday 11th
Zebre v Biarritz Olympique 13:00
Perpignan v Dragons 17:30
Saracens v Edinburgh 15:15
Pau v London Irish 20:00

Cameron Woki vs George Martin is a fantastic head to head at blindside by the way. Two massive talents!

king_carlos wrote:Cameron Woki vs George Martin is a fantastic head to head at blindside by the way. Two massive talents!

One we could see replayed internationally over several years to come.

BTW just noticed your location on your status, stay safe and steer clear of the Shades.

Woki is fantastic, if Martin can get anywhere near him it'll be fantastic for Leicester and his England future.

Has Matavesi got a deal for Racing next season? He's certainly playing like it. Saints might well sub him before half time at this rate.

I thought he'd put the wrong shirt on ...

Ouch Fickou just runs through the tackles of Furbank and Dingwall on first phase lineout ball. Those two will not want to see that played back in the review meeting. It was a double tackle really no excuse.

Very poor from Saints ... but I also hope the officials for the remaining matches know how to ref the breakdown properly

Ludlum’s try should have stood. He was one of Saints’ top performers.

Yep the Racing player totally played the officials there ...

As a Tigers fan I can't help but be somewhat concerned by that scoreline given Bordeaux beat Racing 37-14 in Paris a couple of weeks ago...

doctor_grey wrote:

king_carlos wrote:

WELL-PAST-IT wrote:I have a feeling that Saints are going to miss Lawes tonight, just been voted into one of the top 20 players in the world (15/2 won't like that). His line out work and defensive aggression will be missed.

Tom Croft without the pace mate.

All I want is to start each half with power, speed, and fundamentally sound, and end each half with power, speed, and fundamentally sound.   In between I want to pound the crap out of them.

Clearly, we once again hear the immortal words of the Great Prophet, Mick Jagger: "You can't always get what you want".

king_carlos wrote:

WELL-PAST-IT wrote:I have a feeling that Saints are going to miss Lawes tonight, just been voted into one of the top 20 players in the world (15/2 won't like that). His line out work and defensive aggression will be missed.

Tom Croft without the pace mate.

Why would I care exactly? He is underpowered for his size. And he doesn't do enough at the ruck for a back row. Disagree away, I'm not bothered!

Just had a gander at the list. Apparently 2 women are better than him too.

mikey_dragon wrote:Ludlum’s try should have stood. He was one of Saints’ top performers.

He always is. The guy is all action. Agree with Heaf, the Racing scrummy milked that from the officials big time. Maybe a little learning moment for the young winger who really needed to work back onside instead of keep running forward hoping Ludlum would overtake him and bring him back onside.

Agree though Mikey it should have stood.

I unfortunately did not see the game live, but we seem to have been blown away in the first 20 minutes or so, shedding a point a minute.

From what I have read, Lawes defence around the fringes was, as I anticipated badly missed.

Now we have an interesting selection poser for Boyd, assuming Biggar is unfit, Furbank at 10 allowing Freeman to go to 15 and Sleights to play 14 of leave the back three as they are and bring in Grayson at 10. Out and out attack vs solidity.

On the Lawes issue, a bit (long mile) better than Croft defensively and does not keep thinking he is a centre and not a flanker. Croft was atrocious when it got wet and muddy,

15/2, you are of course entitled to your opinion, but shall we close it by saying that every England and Lions manager since he was in his very early 20s has disagreed with you.

You can if you want. Doesn't change a thing. Those guys have liked to pick Tom Youngs at hooker. And Tomkins in midfield and etc. I don't think he's our prime 6. I'll go on record and say you're down grading Croft a bit there like too!

Cardiff losing 7-20 at half time to Toulouse. However, I’ve been impressed with how they’ve come out with attacking intent, quick up in defence, and certainly not being disgraced at all. Yet! Just hoping, as they said in commentary, that they don’t go into their shells in the 2nd half. But what an experience for some of their academy and semi-pro players!

Nearly a try at the start of the 2nd half for Cardiff! Ellis Jenkins with the intercept but unfortunately he’s not got great pace and he’s caught.

DuPont the difference. Scored one and created one in the 2nd half. Toulouse with the try BP on 66 mins.

Cardiff have put up a good showing considering their problems - tbh I think the scoreline flatters Toulouse a bit ...

Cardiff just running out of steam now and got a man red carded

To their credit they were still going for it up to the end. Their biggest problem was getting turned over every time they got into a good attacking position.

I fancy a tigers win here...

I see they have Sideshow Bob at lock for them...

Bath getting humped alresdy after 11 mins

That could be red.

Mitigation is always on the way down? Perhaps a touch lucky there for me.

GeordieFalcon wrote:Bath getting humped alresdy after 11 mins

Don't get what's gone on there. Hooper for a while looked to have got them playing nicely but they've been well below where they should be for at least a year now. Losing Mercer was a blow, very good player but they've got some real quality. Just odd.

Lovely try from Leicester.

Flipping hell. That could have ended really badly.

Nice one ... the try that is .... wtf with the huge drop at the side of the pitch

Harry Potter magically disappeared....ha ha

That rolling maul is too good it seems.

Leicester scrum is looking nice. Heyes looking great.

Tiger really do have some good young players coming through...

Ollie Chessum is another who looks to be developing nicely for them...

Deserved yellow but that just seemed a really odd choice of play as well. Wasn't like there was acres of space.

Should have kept it in hand ...

Gutsy from what I saw of Cardiff. Watched the first half before I went to watch the Port. Given the prep etc, to keep it below 40 is a good result really. Good crowd too to back them.

Ford has been well below his normal today.

Yep a few unforced errors making it difficult for themselves ...

Tigers also seem to be kicking the ball away a lot even when in the BB half ...

And still. Clearly a tactic but just seems a lack of on field assessment at times.

For me they've wasted a few good opportunities by kicking ...

Played to their tactics....

Looks like it will pay off..

Tighter than it could be. And looks as if they'll be scrabbling here.

Not sure I like this example of rolling French prop subs (again).

Good win overall. Wonder if Bath came back.

Some win!

Ah. 25 point loss is a win for them these days.

Brilliant from Leicester. Highly intelligent rugby, stuck to their game-plan and came away with a superb win. Ford was exceptional.

Saw a bit of Cardiff earlier and their effort was highly impressive, given their difficulties.

Well done Tigers - but i can't help feeling it could have been more comfortable with less kicking the ball away when attacking.

Also what happened to allow the BB No.3 back on?