Heineken Cup - General Discussion Thread

I am pie

Maestri is a fool for getting involved. No doubt the 'fans' were being abusive but you cannot get involved.

It's also unkind to cast aspersions about the nature of the crowd based on the actions of a few. I've heard a few loudmouths with toungues loosened by a few pints over the years, in general you just sing a bit louder and get on with it. There is nothing, no abuse which justifies a player getting involved with the crowd. I'm not familiar with the incident but stewards / local police should really ensure that it's not possible either?

.ak

I am pie wrote: »

Maestri is a fool for getting involved. No doubt the 'fans' were being abusive but you cannot get involved.

It's also unkind to cast aspersions about the nature of the crowd based on the actions of a few. I've heard a few loudmouths with toungues loosened by a few pints over the years, in general you just sing a bit louder and get on with it. There is nothing, no abuse which justifies a player getting involved with the crowd. I'm not familiar with the incident but stewards / local police should really ensure that it's not possible either?

OH I totally agree, doesn't excuse Maestri at all. But my general opinion on Scottish rugby fans is there are generally great, very friendly and vocal and whatnot. So the fact that there were people supporting Edinburgh acting like that leads me to the assumption that the group around the dugout box were not rugby fans at all, hence the quotation marks.

TheTwiz

Any cheap package deals for the final going around?

awec

Ok folks, it's less than a week away so I have a really important question.

Best boozers around the aviva, preferably the southern end of the stadium please? Although the direction isn't really relevant given that it'll be easy to walk around anyway.

Gracelessly Tom

awec wrote: »

Ok folks, it's less than a week away so I have a really important question.

Best boozers around the aviva, preferably the southern end of the stadium please? Although the direction isn't really relevant given that it'll be easy to walk around anyway.

I'm quite fond of the 51 on Haddington Road, good spot and has a band playing after the games as well as bbq on the go.

irishbucsfan

The best idea would be to come down from the north imo. There are a few pubs around.

If you want to park south side then you've always got that hotel (forgive me for forgetting the name, someone else will remember) who normally put out a good spread.

thomond2006

Toulon:
15 Benjamin Lapeyre, 14 Alexis Palisson, 13 Geoffroy Messina, 12 Matt Giteau, 11 David Smith, 10 Jonny Wilkinson, 9 Sébastien Tillous-Borde,
8 Joe van Niekerk (capt), 7 Steffon Armitage, 6 Pierrick Gunther, 5 Dean Schofield, 4 Christophe Samson, 3 Davit Kubriashvili, 2 Jean-Charles Orioli, 1 Laurent Emmanuelli.

Replacements: 16 Sebastien Bruno, 17 Eifion Lewis-Roberts, 18 Carl Hayman, 19 Joe El Abd, 20 Gabi Lovobalavu, 21 Luke Rooney, 22 Fabien Cibray, 23 Jocelino Suta.

Stade Français:
15 Hugo Bonneval, 14 Paul Sackey, 13 Morgan Turinui, 12 George Smith, 11 Julien Arias, 10 Jules Plisson, 9 Jerome Fillol,
8 David Lyons, 7 Pierre Rabadan, 6 Antoine Burban, 5 Alexandre Flanquart, 4 Tom Palmer, 3 David Attoub, 2 Aled De Malmanche, 1 Stan Wright.

Replacements: 16 Laurent Sempere, 17 Rabah Slimani, 18 Olivier Milloud, 19 Anton van Zyl, 20 Sergio Parisse, 21 Jonathan Danty, 22 Julien Dupuy, 23 Djibril Camara.

Looks like Stade have thrown in the towel with that selection, playing George Smith at 12 and leaving Parisse on the bench. Toulon by 10-15 easily IMO. Toulon have a full strength side minus injuries (Bakkies Botha and Basteraud).

JustinDee

awec wrote: »

Ok folks, it's less than a week away so I have a really important question.

Best boozers around the aviva, preferably the southern end of the stadium please? Although the direction isn't really relevant given that it'll be easy to walk around anyway.

Beggars Bush, Slatterys, Berkeley Court, Ballsbridge Hotel (formerly Jurys), any of the pubs along Ballsbridge itself, Lansdowne Hotel on Pembroke Road, Schoolhouse further down.
Didn't like the crowd in the Bath Pub. Was like Krystle on pre-nightout.

Enjoy beers.
I'll be working

totallegend

thomond2006 wrote: »

Looks like Stade have thrown in the towel with that selection, playing George Smith at 12 and leaving Parisse on the bench. Toulon by 10-15 easily IMO. Toulon have a full strength side minus injuries (Bakkies Botha and Basteraud).

A derby at Racing next weekend, with a two-point gap between them for the final playoff spot, not surprised to see SF rest a few guys.

[Jackass]

Seems weird to me. Very unlike Cheika. Especially having seen him after the final last year, it's not as though he doesn't rate this competition, and you'd have to say that this is their best chance for silverware...

Has Smith ever played 12 before??

JustinDee

[Jackass] wrote: »

Seems weird to me. Very unlike Cheika. Especially having seen him after the final last year, it's not as though he doesn't rate this competition, and you'd have to say that this is their best chance for silverware...

Has Smith ever played 12 before??

You can bet your keyster that George Smith volunteered to play there. Has the hands and vision. Doesn't have the boot for tactical kicking and his speed has taken a tumble over the past few seasons.
Still made me look up. Might even watch highlights just to see how he got on. Not bothered about the game or either team.

Judgement Day

Not even for a chance to watch Jonny?

Hippo

awec wrote: »

Ok folks, it's less than a week away so I have a really important question.

Best boozers around the aviva, preferably the southern end of the stadium please? Although the direction isn't really relevant given that it'll be easy to walk around anyway.

Beggars Bush, but it will be mental there (goes for all the others as well, mind you). Best value, no noisy tv in the main bar. BBQ as well (also goes for all the others)!

irishbucsfan

Alain Rolland... Ah no

irishbucsfan

Some try.!!!!

ongarite

Super super try from Toulon.

Armitage was pure class there.

thomond2006

Toulonnais allez allez allez!!!

irishbucsfan

Armitage just destroyed George Smith with a handoff!

.ak

Throwing it around for fun...

ongarite

This is like Baa Baas rugby.

Tox56

Leinster should adopt whatever that crazed chanting was before the match..

justsomebloke

Tox56 wrote: »

Leinster should adopt whatever that crazed chanting was before the match..

Witch craft I tells ya

thomond2006

100mph from Toulon so far

thomond2006

Tox56 wrote: »

Leinster should adopt whatever that crazed chanting was before the match..

justsomebloke wrote: »

Witch craft I tells ya

Have witnessed it in person twice, once in Toulon, once in Marseille. Very special way to get the crowd going.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stade_Mayol

Fishooks12

That Toulon -12 might have been the worst set handicap I've ever seen

Gobbled it up so I did

porterbelly

Fishooks12 wrote: »

That Toulon -12 might have been the worst set handicap I've ever seen

Gobbled it up so I did

Me too

ongarite

Nice try

Fishooks12

Shouldn't have opened my mouth!

thomond2006

Fishooks12 wrote: »

Shouldn't have opened my mouth!

:mad:

P_1

Fishooks12 wrote: »

That Toulon -12 might have been the worst set handicap I've ever seen

Gobbled it up so I did

Was a bit late, only got them at -14, bit nervous now..