Champions Cup 2023

sydthebeat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120422939#Comment_120422939

yep, this in a nut shell

6 x 4 isnt perfect, but seeing that 4 x 4 will never be agreed with, its the best alternative...

especially to the abomination that the 2 x 12 pool presents.

icdg

The best thing about the old pre-2014 6x4 format (and even the 5x4 format used from 2014-2019) was the self selecting QF draw - where the group winners and the runners up were ranked and the QF draw followed the rankings.

It made every game count in the group stages - very few Round 6 dead runners (unlike the Uefa Champions League where round six is often a dead duck) as teams pushed for that home QF. Even being first in your group didn’t guarantee your that if you weren’t in Pos 1-4.

Really they could do worse than bringing that format back.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120423281#Comment_120423281

Agreed - to me that format just worked. I also loved the December back to back games for the big game in the pool.

Sheep Shagger

Some weekend tickets just appeared on Ticketmaster again.

stephen_n

If we got rid of automatic qualification by region from the URC. Then 6 x 4 would work fine. It was the Italian teams that screwed that up.

sydthebeat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120424821#Comment_120424821

Italians are now in with the Scots, so that is diluted a good bit now.

Blut2

Much better for the competition as a whole to have at least one team from each country, though. Even if it comes at a cost to the more fringe top8 teams like Connacht.

stephen_n

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120424853#Comment_120424853

Welsh still get an undeserved automatic spot though. Would be whipping boys in any serious group.

Lost Ormond

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120424866#Comment_120424866

Yeah we have so few countries as it is. Need to keep as many as possible IMO.

Leinstertomas

I can't make the game in Lansdowne tomorrow. Have 1 adult and 1 child ticket for sale in block 511.

Can take payment on revolut and transfer to ticketmaster account. 40 euro face value

Interested Observer

Edinburgh are going to get absolutely nothing from the ref here. How in the name of god was that scrum a penalty against.

lawrencesummers

BT commentators have a fascinating level of completely biased opinions when it comes to english teams.

Ciaran

If Edinburgh can stop giving away so many penalties, they've a great chance of winning this. Better set pieces and defending well but giving Leicester needless chances with silly penalties.

lawrencesummers

This is two average teams playing badly.

Its mistake after mistake by both sides, and with the number of internationals playing it should be of a much higher standard.

lawrencesummers

I wonder will edinburgh decide to give DvdM a go off the ball in the second half

ongarite

So so many mistakes in this game.

Edinburgh looking like they could get something from this game if they stop with knock on errors

Clegg

This is a very poor quality game. I think the winner of this plays the winner of Leinster vs Ulster? Good luck.

lawrencesummers

The tigers defence at the pilars of the breakdown is lazy. The edinburgh SH should be able to make a decent break

Burkie1203

Embra are so dumb

ongarite

Christ, that sums up this game.

Leicester mess up line out, then Edinburgh mess up & Leicester score.

lawrencesummers

Mistake after mistake leads to tigers try but the input the tigers lock henderson had on that try was top notch, from the blockdown to the tackle on vdm. Hes one to watch.

Burkie1203

How is that a tigers scrum?

truthseekerxz

Jebus wot a game

lawrencesummers

Ben healy has every chance to be first choice 10 for edinburgh by xmas

Boscoirl

Edinburgh have been terrible. Gifting Tigers the game

dastardly00

That was a cracking try for the Stormers within the first minute of the match against Quins

pickarooney

Wasn't going to watch this, missed three tries already!

lawrencesummers

If SA win this years world cup they will have to say a big thank you to the clubs of europe for having so many of their players in great condition for it.

There had never been a time where SA have had so many international level players involved in European rugby. Its doing more for developing the player base for SA than anything else

Rassie has got some serious headaches in selecting his squad.

Wiese and Pollard for Leciester

RG for Munster

Wilco lowe, Herbst, esterhauizen for quins.

The big winners in all this is SA rugby. More players playing in europe allows more to come through their own clubs.

We might all say so what? but there is a foundation in place that could have SA rugby with the monopoly on success in every rugby competition club and International (with the exception of the 6 nations) for some time

Dillonb3

Entertaining game with Quins and Stormers. Fourie having some game for a 36 year old

Clegg

I know they're playing away against a good Stormers side, but Quins are making a lot of poor decisions.