Official EPCR Champions Cup Preview Thread - A New Hope

thomond2006 wrote: »

Can anything be done about the French not caring about the Challenge Cup? I know Montpellier were fined a few seasons ago for leaving out players in their European squad but this seems to be a lineup issue as opposed to a squad.

Start by making it a meaningful competition perhaps?

This is probably one of the stupidest competition in the world all sports included. How come newly promotted teams can have to play a European competition is beyond unreal.

Everything they tried to make it more interesting (like giving a second chance to the worst seconds of HCup groups) was just choping and changing it uselessly. The whole format needs to be changed.
They reduced the HCup ERCC but still have this stuff about the best seconds. Wrong. Again. They want it reduced? Reduce it to 16 teams, First 5 of English, French & Italo-Celtic league + previous year winner. 4 groups of 4. First 2 play 1/4 finals. Seconds play it away.
Then reduce the Challenge to 16 teams too. 6-8th placed teams from French, English & Italo-Celtic leagues + previous year winner + first 2 of Italian, Romanian & Spanish leagues (or maybe take only the first and open it to other leagues like the Georgian one). 1/4f the same way than for ERCC.

Basically make it a meritocracy system and not the "consanguineous" one we have for years. It could help the small leagues teams to progress too. If it's really not the case or if it doesn't look like it can be achieved now, add 1 team from the 3 big leagues and take only teh champion from the small ones. If they progress open it later to the format I first introduced.

Deleted User wrote: »

Paddy Power saying all kinds of weirdness for next week. Munster favourites at home by -3 to Sarecens, Leintser favourites away by -2 to Castres and Ulster favourites at home by -2 to Toulon.

For a non betting man, what does -3 mean?

Deleted User wrote: »

One unimpressive performance makes Ulster favourites over the 3 time champions?

Sarries have been far more consistent than Munster. All Munster have going for them is they smashed a dwindling Leinster and eeked out a victory last weekend. Thomand has been proven to be no fortress to date.

I actually don't know much about Castres but Leinster have been at their worst and are riddled with injuries.

Look at Toulon's record away from home in the pools. Impressive, it ain't.

Sarries are better but they're missing some important players. Also, Munster are tough to beat in Thomond and have beaten Saracens before there. They've momentum.

Castres are having a poor season but, like most French sides, are schizophrenic in Europe.

phog wrote: »

For a non betting man, what does -3 mean?

The plus or minus number applies to a handicap. People often bet on teams with a positive or negative handicap.

If you back a team -3, they must win by at least 4.

If a team is +3, they must finish by at worst two points less than the opposition ie win the game if a three point head start is included.

So the bookies' favourite will always have a negative handicap at the 10/11 price (the more or less 50/50 probability/price)

Paul Rowley, former Munster academy player, starts at 9 for London Welsh tomorrow. He was unlucky to be in the same academy year as one Conor Murray.

thomond2006 wrote: »

Paul Rowley, former Munster academy player, starts at 9 for London Welsh tomorrow. He was unlucky to be in the same academy year as one Conor Murray.

He was in the same Munchin's team as Keith Earls and Ger Slattery that won the Munster Senior Cup in 2006. Murray was a year below and was kept on the bench.

Delighted to see him playing in Europe (even if it is with London Welsh ), hopefully he'll get some time in the Premiership as well. Always good to see a young player (espeically when you know them since you were 12) taking the opportunity to try to make a go of it in the Championship and then getting picked up by a Premiership team (again, even if it is London Welsh...).