Champions Cup; and the other one if someone wants to comment

First topic message reminder :

Couldn't see another thread on a quick look so sorry if I've missed it.

This weeks fixtures as follows (lifted from the beeb):

Friday
POOL 1
Connacht v Bordeaux Bègles
20:00

POOL 3
Glasgow Warriors v Northampton Saints
20:00

EUROPEAN CHALLENGE CUP
POOL 3
ASM Clermont Auvergne v Edinburgh
20:00

....Guernsey vs Bury St Edmonds as well which is a biggy

Saturday
POOL 1
Bulls v Saracens
17:30

Bristol v Lyon
20:00

POOL 2
Bath v Ulster
15:15

Toulouse v Cardiff Rugby
15:15

POOL 3
Toulon v Exeter Chiefs
13:00

Munster v Bayonne
17:30

EUROPEAN CHALLENGE CUP
POOL 1
Zebre v Cheetahs
13:00

Sharks v Pau
15:15

Dragons v Oyonnax
20:00

POOL 2
Ospreys v Benetton
17:30

POOL 3
Black Lion v Gloucester
13:00

Castres v Scarlets
15:15

Sunday
POOL 2
Racing 92 v Harlequins
17:30

POOL 4
Sale v Stade Francais
13:00

La Rochelle v Leinster
15:15

Leicester Tigers v Stormers
15:15

EUROPEAN CHALLENGE CUP
POOL 2
Perpignan v Lions
13:00

Newcastle Falcons vMontpellier
15:15

Another rubbish decision from the French ref ...

Farrell's kicking has been a bit pants lately

breakdown is a mess

Really messy half from Saracens they will be delighted to be ahead.

They seemed to switch on a bit in the last 5 mins of the half

Meanwhile Farrell still seems unable to hit a cow's a*se with a banjo ... they'll hope they don't need those extra points in the end

He's been really poor for a standard kicker maybe 6 to 12 months let alone from his standard.

That was a nice kick through

And Farrell finally converts - although I could have made that kick

Lovely pass and a tricky conversion for Farrell - Sarries flying now

Running riot now.

Another great try from another ex-LI player ...

Did well to keep that in ...

Sarries getting a lot of joy with the little kicks through ...

No try - second movement

This is just tit for tat tries now ...

He backed into that - far worse than what Goode got a pen and YC for last week ...

Heaf wrote:I don't get this stupid penalising the player that retaliates nonsense.  If they penalise the instigator then fewer players would try to wind-up the opposition in the first place ...

This is Rugby and you apply logic?

Just got back to the hotel and saw that Saracens dry-humped Connaught, which Bordeaux Bagels is currently doing to Bristol.  That Western Province-La Rochelle match must have been a good one.  For some reason my Bordeaux feed is in French and they are really trashing Bristol. How close is the Bristol line-up to their best?

But my Superbru is doing great.

doctor_grey wrote:

Heaf wrote:I don't get this stupid penalising the player that retaliates nonsense.  If they penalise the instigator then fewer players would try to wind-up the opposition in the first place ...

This is Rugby and you apply logic?

I know - silly me

Heaf wrote:

doctor_grey wrote:

Heaf wrote:I don't get this stupid penalising the player that retaliates nonsense.  If they penalise the instigator then fewer players would try to wind-up the opposition in the first place ...

This is Rugby and you apply logic?

I know - silly me

An old acquaintance got a lifetime ban from rugby for punching the ref. The other team had apparently been having a go at him all game and despite his complaints the ref had done nothing about it. Said acquaintance was around 6 3'' and north of 20 stone when I knew him, so tended to attract tw@ts who wanted to try it on with the biggest guy in the room.

Irel...sorry Leinster score just before the break....

Johnny Hill is thick as a brick

Geordie wrote:Johnny Hill is thick as a brick

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9bk2MrMGaA

It's hard enough to beat Leinster at home without a referee litterally giving them everything

doctor_grey wrote:

Geordie wrote:Johnny Hill is thick as a brick

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9bk2MrMGaA

Ahh Jethro Tull...what a band!! Ian Anderson one of the greats..

Dragons lose in injury time out in Pau. Damn

Geordie wrote:

doctor_grey wrote:

Geordie wrote:Johnny Hill is thick as a brick

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9bk2MrMGaA

Ahh Jethro Tull...what a band!! Ian Anderson one of the greats..

The thought hit me as soon as I saw Thick as a Brick.  Probably haven't heard that song in years.  I owe you one for that!  

So appropriate for Johnny Hill.

doctor_grey wrote:

Geordie wrote:

doctor_grey wrote:

Geordie wrote:Johnny Hill is thick as a brick

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9bk2MrMGaA

Ahh Jethro Tull...what a band!! Ian Anderson one of the greats..

The thought hit me as soon as I saw Thick as a Brick.  Probably haven't heard that song in years.  I owe you one for that!  

So appropriate for Johnny Hill.

Have several rock playlists set up and theres always a few tull songs on. Industrial metal of Rammstein to Hardcore thrash flute by the tull

Great win Ulster!

TAFKA The Oracle wrote:Dragons lose in injury time out in Pau. Damn

I just felt it was inevitable. They did do pretty well, but set piece was poor.

Dunne just scored a real burglar's try to take the lead for Exeter

Henry Slade just burgled another, to seal the win and a try bonus point.

(Oops, he might have been offside)

(No, referee thinks he was onside, so the try stands)

This TMO is desperate to help Munster - tried to get a card before and now trying to give offside when it's nothing ... fair play to Mr R to stand his ground

Holy Macerated Munster, Batman. Flying back to America and took a shot and I CAN stream the Rugby up here at 33000 feet. The resolution is not HD, but still pretty good. Caught just the last 10 minutes. Must have been a great effort by Exeter.

They were looking like they were in trouble then bagged two tries in a matter of minutes to turn it around - great effort

Exeter using their get out of jail card there.

That last try gave them a BP and cost Munster one, that may be important in the final reckoning.

Both Toulon and Munster up against it in this group now. They could both qualify still but a home quarter seems a long shot now.

BigGee wrote:Exeter using their get out of jail card there.

That last try gave them a BP and cost Munster one, that may be important in the final reckoning.

Both Toulon and Munster up against it in this group now. They could both qualify still but a home quarter seems a long shot now.

Exeter will have to get past Saints. The last time they played a few weeks ago, Exeter came in second....


It just feels good to type that after all this time.
Almost, dare I say (yes, dare, dare) orgasmic!

doctor_grey wrote:

BigGee wrote:Exeter using their get out of jail card there.

That last try gave them a BP and cost Munster one, that may be important in the final reckoning.

Both Toulon and Munster up against it in this group now. They could both qualify still but a home quarter seems a long shot now.

Exeter will have to get past Saints.  The last time they played a few weeks ago, Exeter came in second....


It just feels good to type that after all this time.
Almost, dare I say (yes, dare, dare) orgasmic!

Can't see Exeter not qualifying now, or Saints, it's all about home ties for them in the knockouts.

They won't play each other in the group though, teams from the same leagues don't meet till the knockouts

Still feels good.  And, should I dare to hope?  According to a line in a movie which is cinematic greatness personified:  
https://www.google.com/search?q=yes+dare+dare+blazing+saddles&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS855US855&oq=yes+dare+dare+blazing+saddles&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOdIBCjEyMzAyajBqMTWoAgCwAgA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:1b28dee7,vid:O-UW-boaWAE,st:0

Love that film!

Can anyone give me the ref's rationale for why the tackle on Lamb I'm the Quins game is only a Yellow? From the stands it looked like a stone cold Red

Poorfour wrote:Can anyone give me the ref's rationale for why the tackle on Lamb I'm the Quins game is only a Yellow? From the stands it looked like a stone cold Red

Not a dominant tackle according ref

BigGee wrote:

Poorfour wrote:Can anyone give me the ref's rationale for why the tackle on Lamb I'm the Quins game is only a Yellow? From the stands it looked like a stone cold Red

Not a dominant tackle according ref

Odd, given he was clearly driving up in the tackle

Poorfour wrote:

BigGee wrote:

Poorfour wrote:Can anyone give me the ref's rationale for why the tackle on Lamb I'm the Quins game is only a Yellow? From the stands it looked like a stone cold Red

Not a dominant tackle according ref

Odd, given he was clearly driving up in the tackle

Yes, the commentstors were not completely in agreement with him, though the general feeling was that it could have gone either way!

I don't buy the 'not dominant' tackle get out, especially as he was still moving into the tackle - if the ball carrier is moving at speed the contact speed, and therefore the force, is still high. Refs need to understand physics.

Heaf wrote:I don't buy the 'not dominant' tackle get out, especially as he was still moving into the tackle - if the ball carrier is moving at speed the contact speed, and therefore the force, is still high.  Refs need to understand physics.

Quite. Because he was driving up in the tackle, he wasn't stable and got flattened. Doesn't constitute mitigation, because the tackle was illegal on multiple counts.

BigGee wrote:

Poorfour wrote:

BigGee wrote:

Poorfour wrote:Can anyone give me the ref's rationale for why the tackle on Lamb I'm the Quins game is only a Yellow? From the stands it looked like a stone cold Red

Not a dominant tackle according ref

Odd, given he was clearly driving up in the tackle

Yes, the commentstors were not completely in agreement with him, though the general feeling was that it could have gone either way!

It felt 50/50 to me. He's low and trying to make a legal tackle but turns his head last minute to avoid colliding with his teammate. Leaves him at an off angle going into contact.

Not sure it would have made much difference anyway given how dominant Toulouse have been.

formerly known as Sam wrote:

BigGee wrote:

Poorfour wrote:

BigGee wrote:

Poorfour wrote:Can anyone give me the ref's rationale for why the tackle on Lamb I'm the Quins game is only a Yellow? From the stands it looked like a stone cold Red

Not a dominant tackle according ref

Odd, given he was clearly driving up in the tackle

Yes, the commentstors were not completely in agreement with him, though the general feeling was that it could have gone either way!

It felt 50/50 to me. He's low and trying to make a legal tackle but turns his head last minute to avoid colliding with his teammate. Leaves him at an off angle going into contact.

Not sure it would have made much difference anyway given how dominant Toulouse have been.

There was no evidence of an attempt to wrap on the stadium replay, and he clearly drove up into the head of the ball carrier. How is that 50/50?

I think this TMO has a French TV feed, by the way. They have missed so much Toulouse foul play that I have lost count

Poorfour wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:

BigGee wrote:

Poorfour wrote:

BigGee wrote:

Poorfour wrote:Can anyone give me the ref's rationale for why the tackle on Lamb I'm the Quins game is only a Yellow? From the stands it looked like a stone cold Red

Not a dominant tackle according ref

Odd, given he was clearly driving up in the tackle

Yes, the commentstors were not completely in agreement with him, though the general feeling was that it could have gone either way!

It felt 50/50 to me. He's low and trying to make a legal tackle but turns his head last minute to avoid colliding with his teammate. Leaves him at an off angle going into contact.

Not sure it would have made much difference anyway given how dominant Toulouse have been.

There was no evidence of an attempt to wrap on the stadium replay, and he clearly drove up into the head of the ball carrier. How is that 50/50?

I think this TMO has a French TV feed, by the way. They have missed so much Toulouse foul play that I have lost count

The replays on my TV made it look like a legal attempted tackle that went a bit wrong.

There's been a few borderline Toulouse tackles but replays have generally shown they've just been on the right side of the law.

Looks like Quins just didn't have enough invention to get around the fact their forwards were being out muscled up front. Toulouse look they could score any time they get the ball.