Champions Cup 2023

Ardillaun

A good few missed tackles from the SA teams this week, at least in the highlights. Is that usual? OTOH Grant Williams is like an extra winger. Devastating pace.

Dave_The_Sheep

Very glad they lost to be honest. The **** arrogance has been hopefully smacked down.

Digifriendly

Can someone explain how Leinster get to play their SF at the Aviva? Does the SF not have to be at least 20 miles away from 'home' team's ground?

Burkie1203

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120460574#Comment_120460574

Home country advantage in SF

pickarooney

Never heard of a 20 mile rule, only stadium capacity.

icdg

At one point there was a rule that you only got home country advantage in SFs, not home stadium, but even then it was already okay for Leinster to play in the Aviva rather than the RDS (Munster and Ulster on the other hand had semi-finals in the Aviva). Not sure that rule even applies any more but there was never anything about 20 miles.

stephen_n

EPCR choose the ground, not Leinster. It just happens to be that the biggest stadium available is the Aviva.

prawnsambo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120460061#Comment_120460061

Why are you asking me this? Maybe read the post I replied to as well as mine?

Ben Bailey

Apologies, I didn't make my self clear. I was agreeing with your reply by posing the question "if he wasn't...".

My clear & abiding impression was that Woolstencroft's intention was to hit Skelton, disguising it as a legitimate clear out. His entry into the ruck was far too late to affect it's outcome.

Hence "if he wasn't ..."

Burkie1203

A few years ago Leinster would have faced R92 in the LDA if they had beaten Toulouse in the QF.

Red Silurian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120460617#Comment_120460617

The rule technically applies that it can't be your home ground, Leinster home ground is technically the RDS, despite Leinster using the Aviva twice as many times this season for home European fixtures than the RDS

There were similar exceptions made years ago whereby Edinburgh would have been able to use Murrayfield in a SF against Glasgow had they overcome Munster as otherwise it would have to take place in Glasgow. Racing have been given the nod to use the U-Arena as well

Former Former Former

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120464720#Comment_120464720

That rule is gone too.

There are no fixed rules any longer, only that EPCR nominate the venue.

Quality of rugby (despite the inflated scorelines) the last two weekends has been immense. The standard of rugby in the competition is arguably the best it's ever been IMO, and the tournament this season is probably the most difficult to win in history.

Just a bit of a shame that Leinster and Toulouse meet in the semi and not a final - would have been something special about seeing the two best teams in European history in a final.

Leinster have a very good track record against Toulouse - I think of our last 5 meetings with them we've won 4, winning by 23 points, 18 points and 16 points (back to 2019), with only a 1 point loss in Toulouse in their favour.

But weirdly, I feel like we're their bogey team like La Rochelle are for Leinster, and don't feel those winning margins reflect the difference in the teams.

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120464828#Comment_120464828

Not only is it gone, its gone about a decade at this point. I have no idea why it persists so much.

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120464930#Comment_120464930

La Rochelle are not our bogey team.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120465204#Comment_120465204

Maybe not in the truest definition of how that's used, but we're 0 from 2 against them in significant games. Whatever about the May '21 game in La Rochelle where they were good value for the win, we should have beaten them last year.

Even though I know the prospect of revenge would be sweet, I doubt there's a Leinster fan out there who wouldn't much rather see Exeter (who we've a 5 from 5 record against in Europe) in the final.

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120465240#Comment_120465240

Yeah we should have. It was a last minute try though...

I'll let them have the moniker if they do it again. Both games were in France after all. Though as I've said I'm frankly far more worried about Toulouse.

AdamD

Surprised that everyone is raving about La Rochelle here, I thought that was an awful game of rugby. Really poor handling skills from both sides

Interested Observer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120468415#Comment_120468415

How good or bad the game was isn't really the point imo, the point is they battered the shite out of Saracens physically and they can probably do the same to Leinster.

Yeah, my sense of them is never being that impressed with the quality of their rugby, moreso by their grittiness and resilience. They have a real knack of staying in games, and scoring when presented with opportunities. Very very hard side to beat.

AdamD

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120468450#Comment_120468450

I got a slightly different impression, they battered an aging Saracens side who didn't have the skillset to move the defence around and just kept hammering into a brick wall. La Rochelle's defense was very impressive but I thought they showed very little with ball in hand and repeatedly gave Saracens easy possession.

They'll still be very difficult to beat of course but I wasn't that impressed overall

AbusesToilets

My worry from watching their game vs Saracens, is that Leinster would go hell for leather protecting their rucks and run afoul of a bad entry. Images of Ryan's ballistic clearouts, cracking someone wrong and we'd be down to 14. The commentary spoke about their tactic to stand off players as the tackle went to ground and target the turn over. They've got the sort of massive players who could easily blow through a weak guard at rucktime to cause turnovers.

RichieRich_89

They seem perfectly set up to counteract the by-the-numbers play of the top Irish and English teams. I'm not sure playing a ruck-focused, high phase count game against them can work well. It's just playing into their hands, letting them get their breakdown steals going.

The flair and unpredictability of some French teams could be better against them. Is that stat of Toulouse winning 9 out of the last 10 against them accurate?

What can Leinster do? They're not going to become a big offloading team overnight. Playing in their own half is very risky due to the danger of breakdown penalties. One phase and kick, unless they make significant inroads? One or two tries off first phase like Ringrose's second last time out would be like gold dust. And a pre-rehearsed attacking kicking game would be a big plus.

Gotta get past Toulouse first.

Eod100

The Telegraph reporting that Spurs will host finals next year and EPCR considering going back to old pool format. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-union/2023/04/24/tottenham-hotspur-stadium-host-2024-champions-cup-final/

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120516705#Comment_120516705

I started a new thread for 2024 but I'm not sure London is the best location for the finals, it's too big and you get lost in the crowds so you miss out on the whole Finals Experience.

pickarooney

It was originally meant to be there this year so no surprise really

RichieRich_89

Wonder will they ever have a final in Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

AbusesToilets

Bit of a joke they've not designated a final in Italy yet

Exclamation Marc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120517756#Comment_120517756

It was meant to be in the San Siro in 2015 but they changed it for some unknown reason (maximise the financial gains or some nonsense), moved it to Twickenham and the attendance was relatively awful with 25-30,000 empty seats.

Would love a final there.

irishguy1983

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120516705#Comment_120516705

I would love if they went back to old format…Far more exciting and engaging…Don’t think it will happen though…