Champions Cup 2023

Shehal · 11-12-2022 2:37pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119983433#Comment_119983433

Ulster offering no resistance helps though.

hold my beer · 11-12-2022 2:42pm

Ulster have been so so poor.

Shehal · 11-12-2022 2:44pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119983467#Comment_119983467

They havent been poor, they havent even played...they might aswell be with the Ulster fans in the stand.

11-12-2022 2:49pm

I don't have sound on, no sanction for the head on head? What was the reasoning? Thought he was looking at a red tbh.

Burkie1203 · 11-12-2022 2:51pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119983500#Comment_119983500

Warwick passive, was using arms, had dropped height

hold my beer · 11-12-2022 2:52pm

Mad that he didn't even get a yellow

Shehal · 11-12-2022 2:59pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119983509#Comment_119983509

Why would he get a yellow? He did all he could do, its not his fault that Tuilagi ran straight into his head.

11-12-2022 3:48pm

This is absolutely shocking from Ulster. WTF is going on?

ionadnapokot · 13-12-2022 2:27pm

On a side note It was great to see European rugby back on RTE.

One of the young lads is soccer mad and glued to the WC but he was loving the Toulouse game on Sunday. Plus he was able to talk to his grandad (Munster mad) about the match afterwards.

The Racing (& Sale) match was a non entity in our homes but with the Gloucester match on Friday eve I'm hoping we (me esp!) all get to see it. Three generations all watching and talking rugby. FTA the only way to go for rugby if we really want the game to grow.

https://www.the42.ie/george-hook-5-5942124-Dec2022/

icdg · 14-12-2022 11:22am

FTA games this weekend: Leinster v Gloucester (Fri 8pm, RTE2) Exeter v Bulls (Sat 1pm ITV1) and Montpellier v Ospreys (Sat 8pm S4C).

14-12-2022 11:50am

Agustin Creevy given a 4-week ban.

He got 6-weeks but for some unfathomable reason had 2 weeks shaved off (despite having already received a red card in 2022).

pickarooney · 14-12-2022 11:58am

I would never have given a red for that

14-12-2022 12:47pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119995093#Comment_119995093

He's hitting up into the tackle, zero attempt to wrap, plants a shoulder square on the chin of the guy.

sydthebeat · 14-12-2022 1:22pm

i though there was significant mitigation in the creevey incident as the player he hit was just pounded sideways by a separate tackler, so teher ewa significant change in direction. I dont think creevy even had a chance to raise his arms to wrap. obviously EPCR see these things a lot stricter than URC do.

14-12-2022 1:28pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119995444#Comment_119995444

Yeah, but if you look at his body position even prior to Bouthier being hit by his teammate, he's already set for a high hit. There's a camera angle from behind Creevy that shows this clearly.

I'm not saying it was a malicious tackle, but Creevy is intending to hit high, which is the reason why he ends up hitting Bouthier square in the face. It's a red all day to me.

sydthebeat · 14-12-2022 1:36pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119995466#Comment_119995466

ah yeah, im not gonna bother arguing the ins and outs when the decision has already been made on the night and apparently not contested, but for me there was enough of a change in direction of the ball carrier to render creevy not set for the hit or even been able to get his arm up in time. It was him turning his own face away from contact that caused his shoulder to go up and forward.

but we want to get rid of head shots from the game, so i can understand why the red was given.

CIARAN_BOYLE · 14-12-2022 1:38pm

Apparently Jake White told a South African interviewer that all South African team's knock out games in European competition would be away matches.

Is this correct?

pickarooney · 14-12-2022 2:32pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119995287#Comment_119995287

For me there was never any tackle on Creecy's part. His teammate had the ball carrier covered, Creevy was lining up for a poach, tackled player fell into him and he flinched away from a head-on head contact and caught him with his shoulder.

I don't know how the citing commission can look at that video and come to the conclusion Creevy tried to make a tackle with a shoulder to the head. All sense seems to go out the window with these reviews.

Rugbymad2020 · 14-12-2022 2:47pm

Yes,and that’s a very unfair disadvantage to the Sa teams

CIARAN_BOYLE · 14-12-2022 2:56pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119995720#Comment_119995720

Agreed. It's also a term I hadn't heard about until I saw South Africans upset by White complaining about it.

Can someone confirm it's correct.

sydthebeat · 14-12-2022 3:28pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119995497#Comment_119995497

not quite

https://supersport.com/rugby/champions-cup/news/501bfadb-7861-4694-add3-15d562a530e4/jake-doesn-t-believe-sa-sides-can-win-champions-cup

White questioned whether a South African side had the firepower to win, especially given the tournament structure meant SA teams would play playoff games from the quarterfinals away from home.

“For you to win the Champions Cup, you need to beat Toulouse, Leinster and La Rochelle on three consecutive weekends,” he said.

“I don’t want to be a defeatist, but you have to be realistic. Do we have the squads in South Africa that can match La Rochelle, Toulouse and Leinster on three consecutive weekends away from home?”

i think hes referring to the fact that they need to pick and choose between URC and HC, due to the travel commitments... and no SA squad is strong enough to battle on both front.

i dont see anything in the competition format that excludes a QF being played in south africa

Burkie1203 · 17-12-2022 3:40pm

Castres have given away 20 pens. Only one YC

hold my beer · 17-12-2022 3:45pm

What's with the weird classical music on the speakers in Edinburgh

CatFromHue · 17-12-2022 6:32pm

It doesn't mention anything about SA teams having to play away in the knock out games in the rules and considering they're playing their pool games in SA I think someone's read something into White's quote that isn't there.

Dave_The_Sheep · 17-12-2022 8:09pm

Edit, Wrong thread.

Burkie1203 · 17-12-2022 9:39pm

Monty 3 -14 Ospreys

crisco10 · 17-12-2022 9:51pm

Monty killing themselves, 10 penalties conceded in the 1st 30 minutes!

Podge_irl · 18-12-2022 7:39am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120007920#Comment_120007920

I agree, but it was a pretty tortuous quote and I wouldn't blame anyone for reading that into it.

Burkie1203 · 18-12-2022 3:26pm

Ref in munster game Is a joke

Burkie1203 · 18-12-2022 3:28pm

4 collaped mauls in 4 min and no card

aloooof · 18-12-2022 7:00pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120010060#Comment_120010060

Agreed, Burkie. How it was one yellow apiece after that schmozzle is a mystery. ;)

CIARAN_BOYLE · 18-12-2022 7:18pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120011410#Comment_120011410

Feels like the referee was doing a J5 game. Calm down handbags when you don't know whats going on by giving a random player on each team a yellow.

OldRio · 18-12-2022 7:46pm

Red card for Racing. 14 v 10 to Quinns. 52mins gone

vienne86 · 18-12-2022 8:25pm

Harlequins win 14-10. Hard to see Racing making it to the knockouts and they will hopefully be disinterested when they come to Dublin.

pickarooney · 18-12-2022 9:54pm

Hopefully not. These cakewalks are good for nobody.

Eod100 · 19-12-2022 12:23am

Interesting that half way through the pool 4 of the 4 French sides in Pool A are 9th to 12th. In Pool B 2 La Rochelle and Toulouse are 1st and 2nd. Clermont and Montpellier 8th and 9th.

CIARAN_BOYLE · 19-12-2022 12:32am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120012640#Comment_120012640

I've listed the French teams below. On the left is their seed and on their right is their pool position.

1 Castres 12

1 Montpellier 9

2 Bordeaux 9

2 Toulouse 2

3 La Rochelle 1

3 Racing 92 11

4 Clermont 8

4 Lyon 10

I have to say (and I've said before) that I'm not a fan of the domestic league results of a single season controlling European seeding.

Neil3030 · 19-12-2022 12:52am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120012666#Comment_120012666

Castres losing to Edi, MHR to Ospreys, Bordeaux, Clermont and Lyon all facing SA teams (Clermont, I think, with the only win?).

And Leinster just Leinstering Racing.

URC is the #BestLeague

Akrasia · 19-12-2022 1:53am

DuPont's try at 47 minutes against Sale was unreal

Digifriendly · 19-12-2022 5:40am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120012844#Comment_120012844

DuPonts 2 tries were unreal. He's at present the Lionel Messi of Rugby, minus a few years.

Buer · 19-12-2022 10:11am

With only 4 games, Pool A is becoming clear in terms of who will finish in the top spots. Very hard to see beyond Leinster and Saracens now given they've both won away in France. After that, Exeter are the likely third spot given they've also won in France but still have to go to SA. Not out of the question that Exeter finish second though if they can get a win away to the Bulls who have not been impressive at all this season.

After that, we're probably looking at the Sharks (again, a road win in France under their belts) who have to go to Quins in their final game which could be key for Quins qualifying.

It's starting to look like 7 points might be enough for someone to qualify in the final spots in Pool A given 4 teams have no win at this point.

Pool B is harder to call. 12 points is looking like it might be enough for a home knock out match. You'd back La Rochelle, Toulouse and Leicester all to do enough to get 12/13 points now minimum and secure home knock outs. After that, it's a mess. Bonus points will be crucial. If the Stormers can win in London Irish, they should take the final home quarter final with 13 points (assuming they can beat Clermont at home too). Crucially for them, they're already in the UK the week before to face Glasgow so will be well adjusted when they travel to London several days before their game.

After that, it's 5 teams going after 4 spots. It's probably going to take 10 points to secure one of those spots. Sale have the toughest games hosting Toulouse and away to Ulster but Toulouse visit the week after travelling to La Rochelle and Ulster are likely to be mathematically eliminated by the time Sale arrive.

Montpellier have London Irish at home and Ospreys away; they're capable of winning both but I'd imagine they might lose in Wales which puts Ospreys in the mix with a trip to Leicester to finish. Clermont will be depending on bonus points. Get them and they'll progress.

Munster should be safe with a BP win at home to Northampton given how other games are panning out. I don't see the Ospreys getting a BP at home to Montpellier or much away to Leicester so I'd expect them to be the odd man out.