Leinster are playing two friendlies during February against Bath and Saracens. Munster are playing Crusaders and Harlequins. But I haven't heard about us having any additional fixtures - is that correct?
Not according to the EPCR link above which should be definitive, but now I see that in the tweet that EPCR published it gives a later kick off time for for Pau v Connacht and Sharks v Zebre. I've written to them to ask for clarification.
Thought it was 18:30 (local)/17:30 (Irish Time)
Game against Section Paloise on Sunday April 7th, kick off 4.30 (3.30 Irish time).
https://www.epcrugby.com/challenge-cup/matches/276338/news
"Knocked off balance" is very very soft there.
There was the lightest of touches by his teammate. His upper body doesn't move or change direction at all.
The same thing is being said in the munster thread about the knee that Aherne got. "It may not have been intentional, but it would have looked the same if it was".
Or else treat it like the Ralston hit on JOD. It's either an intentional attempt to injure a guy or he arrived with no control and the result was an injury.
I don't think it's dramatic to say that Bealham could have lost an eye there.
I should have chosen a better word than "knocked". He's trying to step over Finlay while changing direction to enter the ruck legally with another team mate about to bind onto him. It was clumsy and resulted in an accidental clash with Finlay's head. Probably a yellow for failure in duty of care but definitely not a red for the intentional act of stamping.
My final comment on the topic so we can just agree to disagree.
How was he knocked off balance? He should face a ban for the lack of personal responsibility. It was like watching a cow hurdle a fence.
The referee sent Josh Caulfield off for intentionally stamping on Finlay's head. Caulfield didn't accept the charge of "stamping" and the disciplinary committee agreed with him so the red card was overturned. He was knocked off balance and his foot came down in exactly the wrong place. Accidents happen.
Absolute madness. I've watched the replays repeatedly and I can't see what mitigation they could have found.
There was zero obstruction of his view, Bealham didn't move or roll into the way, and he wasn't knocked off balance by another player at the ruck.
It totally undermines any claims about player welfare
Can't beleive they over-turned the red card, even if it wasn't intentional he knew that Finlays head was likely to be where his foot would land, he had a duty of care that he ignored
Yeah the +3 seems a good idea to subject some of these prospects to the first-team training camp environment.
However, if he did make the 34, I can't see him getting picked in a match-day 23 without a lot of injuries, and am I right in thinking that he wouldn't be available for Connacht either?
Prendergast will likely be released back to Connacht for those games, as he took Ahern's place as a training squad member and not a full squad member.
Maybe the commitee members live in 20th century. At that time, lying players on the ground were regarded as small stones. Now (21th), all stanping deserves red card in the case of not only face but even also body.
Cogratulation, Prendergast. but I am a little afraid of Cardif and Benetton matches both away. Dowling will be expected at 6 and Jansen or SOB at 8. But if POM and Conan are healthy, Prendergust will have no chance of appearance and release from the duty. Even its case, I think that Dowling should be at 6 (and Prendergust mainly at 8).
In other Prendergast news he is joint 2nd for most turnovers won in the pool stages of the champions cup with 7, just 1 behind VDF
Prendergast called up.
It's one of the most straightforward red cards I've ever seen - I really doubt he was intentionally stamping, but it's the definition of reckless and it's not remotely exaggerating to say Finlay Bealham could have lost an eye here ffs.
The people running these disciplinary appeals need their head examined if they think that wasn't a red.
Next thing you know, Langdon will get off for his assault on Ahern too.
Have to say I'm a bit shocked this was overturned. Don't think it was intentional but still so dangerous thought it was a red.
https://the42.ie/6279139
In their pool games Pau struggled to tight victories against Zebre (28-27) and Dragons (24-21) which suggests to me that they're not that interested in the Challenge Cup. They play Toulouse away the week before in the T14.
Heard of a few people picking a T14 game well in advance and getting cheap flights as not much demand. They reckon good rugby, food and not mad expensive.
Yeah, looks like Pau, is a No for me.
Looking into the trip, and its a lot of effort.
Best I could see, was assuming the match was on the Saturday, fly with Aer Lingus to Bordeaux from Dublin on the Friday, and return on the Sunday.
Flights are costing approx €280, plus another €70 for train tickets from Bordeaux to Pau.
It would mean leaving Galway at around 7:30am on the Friday, and arriving in Pau at 18:30 (local time), so that's 12hours of travelling before reaching Pau
It's a pity, as it looks like a nice town, and not somewhere I'd have reason to travel to very often
If I had more free time, I'd probably do it
That's a great away trip, cracking part of the world.
I'd be all over that if I was living back in Ireland.
I love Aer Lingus. I want that it directly fry to the country where I am living someday (with some coooperation). I know our needs for it is larger than many Irish peple is thinking.
In Paw, Sam Whitrock ((AB) came in last year. (He is 35 now).who has some worth challenging even now.
Well you could fly with Aer Lingus to Bordeaux, which isn't that much further away, but it'll cost ya!
If you’re old enough to remember when Aer Left nous had a monopoly on pricing you wouldn’t say that.
There is nothing positive about flying Ryanair..
Section Paloise are having a good season, beat Lyon soundly and took Bordeaux's scalp early in the campaign, so that'll be a tough brief. On the positive side, Ryanair fly Dublin to Biarritz, which is just over an hour from Pau :)
It's Pau away I think!
Pau away possibly. Our side of the draw looks a bit more favourable either way.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2023%E2%80%9324_EPCR_Challenge_Cup is a good reference for the seedings
Anyone have the research done on where a Bayonne win leaves us? 😆
Bayonne 26-7 ahead at half time....
40-17 Bayonne. Almost over....
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