Heineken Cup - General Discussion Thread

[Jackass]

I think Edinburgh will cause an upset and knock out Tolouse.

Munsters path to a Heineken Cup final is blocked by Ulster and Edinburgh.

Leinster will more than likely need to go away to Clermont..

Brewster

tolosenc wrote: »

Where would Clermont play a semi, does anyone know?

St Eteinne or Lyon are possibilities. I don't think there is another stadium big enough in Clermont? Football stadiums a possibility in other possible locations.

vienne86

tolosenc wrote: »

Where would Clermont play a semi, does anyone know?

Good question. Toulouse?

tolosenc

I'm thinking it'd be in Lyon. Serious bonus for Leinster that Clermont wouldn't be in the Marcel Michelin.

If there is to be a shock in the quarters, it'll be in Thomond. Cardiff won't win in Dublin, Sarries and Clermont are too evenly matched for there to be a "shock". Toulouse have been poor this year, so losing in Edinburgh wouldn't be a massive surprise, but then again, when is Toulouse winning a Heineken Cup match a surprise?

The semis will be Munster - Edinburgh and Clermont - Leinster, IMO. With Leinster trouncing Munster in the final. :P

errlloyd

Lyon have a midweek soccer game the week after and a another match the weekend after. You reckon?

phog

5 Rabo Teams in the H/C QFs, 1 in the Amlin and 4 Celtic teams in the semis of the B&I Cup.

graphene

tolosenc wrote: »

Where would Clermont play a semi, does anyone know?

They have used both Lyon (Amlin Final 1999) and St. Etienne (Top 14 Semi 2009) for games where they have choice of a neutral ground before.

I'd say St. Etienne is most likely

bleg

I fancy Edinburgh to overturn Toulouse.

Quint2010

I think it would be a real shock if Edinburgh beat Toulouse. Toulouse simply have too much experience for them

GerM

phog wrote: »

Did you see Sarries today, Clermont would devour them on a similar display from them.

Clermont are French. They're away from home. They've lost something like 11 of their last 15 games on the road in Europe with the wins coming against Italian sides or already eliminated teams. Saracens will fear nobody in their back yard and are a strong side. A pack including Joubert, Smit, Nieto, Stevens and Botha will be well able to mix it with Clermont. They'll also have de Kock back by then which will be a major bonus. I'd be backing Saracens to win it.

phog

GerM wrote: »

Clermont are French. They're away from home. They've lost something like 11 of their last 15 games on the road in Europe with the wins coming against Italian sides or already eliminated teams. Saracens will fear nobody in their back yard and are a strong side. A pack including Joubert, Smit, Nieto, Stevens and Botha will be well able to mix it with Clermont. They'll also have de Kock back by then which will be a major bonus. I'd be backing Saracens to win it.

True, but it's knock-out rugby and no team busts their nuts for a chance to get into the knock-out games and then dont show up.

KevIRL

Toulouse must be thrilled with how things worked out for them considering they are away QF seeds

ambid

Watford have a home match on Friday 6th April. Maybe Saracens home quarter final could be played on the Sunday so it may not impact them hosting the home QF.

GerM

phog wrote: »

True, but it's knock-out rugby and no team busts their nuts for a chance to get into the knock-out games and then dont show up.

They will show up but they just don't perform as well on the road. We've all seen their home stadium and support. They feed off it and play with a ferocity that they simply cannot match away from home. Their pack are absolute pigs when they get their tails up and are roared on in that cauldron. Very different scenario on the road.

greendom

tolosenc wrote: »

Where would Clermont play a semi, does anyone know?

Stade de Gerland, perhaps ?

razorblunt

Just back from Murrayfield, great performance from Edinburgh, Laidlaw is fantastic, they won't bother Toulouse too much, their centers are a bit weak and Mike Blair's distribution is awful. Great job by Bradley though it has to be said. Looking forward to this Quarter!

CatFromHue

With the travelling support from Ulster it really would be financially wise to play the QF in the Aviva.

The last two home QF's Munster had were against Ospreys and Northampton, neither of which would have the travelling support of Ulster. Munster did play against Perpignan in the 2006 QF but Thomond hadn't been redeveloped then.

Munster would run the risk though of a lot neutral fans saying things like "like come on Ulster, do those goys, like TOTALLY!"

thomond2006

Brive vs Scarlets
Wasps vs Biarritz
Stade Francais vs Exeter Chiefs
Toulon vs Harlequins

I'd fancy Scarlets, Biarritz, Stade to definitely get through.

Toulon against Quins is the pick of the ties, Quins won't fear going anywhere having beaten Munster and Toulouse away in the last 12 months (but losing to lowly Connacht! ) but the Stade Mayol factor is massive for Toulon.

thomond2006

CatFromHue wrote: »

With the travelling support from Ulster it really would be financially wise to play the QF in the Aviva.

The last two home QF's Munster had were against Ospreys and Northampton, neither of which would have the travelling support of Ulster. Munster did play against Perpignan in the 2006 QF but Thomond hadn't been redeveloped then.

Munster would run the risk though of a lot neutral fans saying things like "like come on Ulster, do those goys, like TOTALLY!"

A home quarter should be played in Limerick. Having read a Northampton Saints forum, they were bemoaning the move to Milton Keynes and how the town was missing out on a big pay day because of Munster's travelling support.

A knockout derby with a good 4,000+ Ulster fans coming down would be great for the hotels, bars, restaurants etc in Limerick. Having read stats before, that could be worth a few million to the city IIRC. Plus the atmosphere/buildup in Limerick on matchday would be great.

bleg

It's going to be in Limerick.

Brewster

thomond2006 wrote: »

CatFromHue wrote: »

With the travelling support from Ulster it really would be financially wise to play the QF in the Aviva.

The last two home QF's Munster had were against Ospreys and Northampton, neither of which would have the travelling support of Ulster. Munster did play against Perpignan in the 2006 QF but Thomond hadn't been redeveloped then.

Munster would run the risk though of a lot neutral fans saying things like "like come on Ulster, do those goys, like TOTALLY!"

A home quarter should be played in Limerick. Having read a Northampton Saints forum, they were bemoaning the move to Milton Keynes and how the town was missing out on a big pay day because of Munster's travelling support.

A knockout derby with a good 4,000+ Ulster fans coming down would be great for the hotels, bars, restaurants etc in Limerick. Having read stats before, that could be worth a few million to the city IIRC. Plus the atmosphere/buildup in Limerick on matchday would be great.

So long as game is not on Good Friday!

vienne86

bleg wrote: »

It's going to be in Limerick.

And rightly so. The supporters deserve it. It'll be a cracking match.

vkid

Brewster wrote: »

So long as game is not on Good Friday!

ah we'd get around that...

CatFromHue

thomond2006 wrote: »

A home quarter should be played in Limerick. Having read a Northampton Saints forum, they were bemoaning the move to Milton Keynes and how the town was missing out on a big pay day because of Munster's travelling support.

A knockout derby with a good 4,000+ Ulster fans coming down would be great for the hotels, bars, restaurants etc in Limerick.

Ethically yeah definitely. Financially though the income from 55,000 tickets would go down very well.

26,000 x 35 = 910,000
55,000 x 35 = 1,952,000 - 400,000 rent = 1,525,000.

That is a very very conservative difference of 615,000. This would pay for your new centre for two or three years.

desertcircus

greendom wrote: »

tolosenc wrote: »

Where would Clermont play a semi, does anyone know?

Stade de Gerland, perhaps ?

Lyon have two home games in the week following that weekend, and they'll be in the hunt for Champions League football. They may not be willing to rent out Gerland.

Amazotheamazing

CatFromHue wrote: »

Ethically yeah definitely. Financially though the income from 55,000 tickets would go down very well.

26,000 x 35 = 910,000
55,000 x 35 = 1,952,000 - 400,000 rent = 1,525,000.

That is a very very conservative difference of 615,000. This would pay for your new centre for two or three years.

It's not all about the money though, not really.

Limerick city has been massively hit by the recession, the city needs the business and I think the fans from Munster would resent being asked to travel for a game that could be played in Munster.

matthew8

I'd have to back Clermont to beat Saracens, having done the double on them last year. Munster-Ulster is completely up in the air, given the way Ulster play against Munster. Leinster and Toulouse should coast through.

CIARAN_BOYLE

CatFromHue wrote: »

Ethically yeah definitely. Financially though the income from 55,000 tickets would go down very well.

26,000 x 35 = 910,000
55,000 x 35 = 1,952,000 - 400,000 rent = 1,525,000.

That is a very very conservative difference of 615,000. This would pay for your new centre for two or three years.

Except that the home team doesn't get the full income.

They either split profits 50/50 with the visitorrs or 65/35. The 65/35 is if certain criteria is met I'm not sure if its a stadium x with over seats or moving to a bigger stadium.

Furthermore under IRFU rules the IRFU pinch half of the provinces share from quarter final gate receipts.

GerM

matthew8 wrote: »

I'd have to back Clermont to beat Saracens, having done the double on them last year. Munster-Ulster is completely up in the air, given the way Ulster play against Munster. Leinster and Toulouse should coast through.

Saracens were already out last year when Clermont played them so I wouldn't read too much into that result. They're a better side than they showed that day and they've also strengthened their squad since then.

CatFromHue

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

It's not all about the money though, not really.

Limerick city has been massively hit by the recession, the city needs the business and I think the fans from Munster would resent being asked to travel for a game that could be played in Munster.

I'm not disagreeing with you.

If an accountant was given the option of the two possible revenues he'd take the Aviva one. We all have bills to pay after all.

The fans would resent it, quite rightly. Would they still go though?