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Champions Cup 2019/20 Round 1

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Comments

  • #152
    Digifriendly
    Registered Users Posts: 4,015 ✭✭✭Digifriendly


    Venjur wrote: »
    Interesting looking tournament this year.

    Some of the pools will start to take shape after this weekend.

    Munster and Ulster have must win games - home matches against likely contenders for pool top spot. Either team loses and you would say that whilst qualification to knock outs is still very much on the cards, the path beyond quarter and certainly semi final becomes dramatically more challenging.

    Toulouse were impressive in the opening round without getting into top gear. Connacht should be aiming for a losing bonus point but against a try scoring French side at home it's going to be a very tough ask.

    Leinster can settle for a lbp more so than Ulster / Munster as they are away but given Lyon's performance against Newcastle I wonder are the Premiership side the greater threat. An away win this weekend doesn't really change the pool much, albeit if Northampton lose away to Benneton then suddenly there is daylight between Leinster and the chasing pack.

    Find it hard to come to verdict on Northampton so far this season. Had a bright start to the Premiership but lost badly to 14 man Bath. Beat Lyon comfortably enough but were Lyon (like some French clubs do) underperforming away from home? Treviso away should be a bit of a test at least to see where Northampton are at.


  • #153
    molloyjh
    Registered Users Posts: 24,745 ✭✭✭✭molloyjh


    Digifriendly wrote: »
    Find it hard to come to verdict on Northampton so far this season. Had a bright start to the Premiership but lost badly to 14 man Bath. Beat Lyon comfortably enough but were Lyon (like some French clubs do) underperforming away from home? Treviso away should be a bit of a test at least to see where Northampton are at.

    At 19-0 up at the weekend they were still going for the posts. Not exactly ambitious stuff. Not sure how good they are or are not, but if they had designs on this competition at all they'd have been looking to score some tries.


  • #154
    OldRio
    Registered Users Posts: 5,906 ✭✭✭OldRio


    Sarries fined an undisclosed sum for their no show at the launch of the Cup.


  • #155
    The Lost Sheep
    Registered Users Posts: 14,967 ✭✭✭✭The Lost Sheep


    Digifriendly wrote: »
    Totally agree. Rugby at AIL level may be dancing towards expiration (I stopped watching it almost 6 years ago and I'm sure I'm not the only one) but rugby at professional level is alive and kicking. BTW the very first Catholic Maintained School to compete in the Schools Cup are doing so at present in the qualifying competition.
    expiration in what way? And if club level struggles the pro game will eventually struggle.
    Change from ridiculous focus on schools cup rugby has to happen.


  • #156
    Digifriendly
    Registered Users Posts: 4,015 ✭✭✭Digifriendly


    The Lost Sheep wrote: »
    expiration in what way? And if club level struggles the pro game will eventually struggle.
    Change from ridiculous focus on schools cup rugby has to happen.

    Club game across the island is really struggling from all reports. Crowds have dwindled as has general interest. My term 'expiration' may be a bit premature but I was responding to another post about the grim future for Ulster rugby (according to the poster) which I disagreed with.


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  • #157
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭[Deleted User]


    Decent round up

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=769d2ojePjA


  • #158
    The Lost Sheep
    Registered Users Posts: 14,967 ✭✭✭✭The Lost Sheep


    Digifriendly wrote: »
    Club game across the island is really struggling from all reports. Crowds have dwindled as has general interest. My term 'expiration' may be a bit premature but I was responding to another post about the grim future for Ulster rugby (according to the poster) which I disaggreed with.
    and provinces and provincial fans need to do a lot more to support clubs or provinces will struggle in years to come
    Adult club game struggling in some areas but minis and then youths(in some parts of country not others) thriving.


  • #159
    Digifriendly
    Registered Users Posts: 4,015 ✭✭✭Digifriendly


    The Lost Sheep wrote: »
    and provinces and provincial fans need to do a lot more to support clubs or provinces will struggle in years to come
    Adult club game struggling in some areas but minis and then youths(in some parts of country not others) thriving.

    Maybe wrong here but when youths become young adults many will probably no longer be playing. Also impact of live rugby on TV especially on Saurdays. Many prefer to watch rather than play. Take the 6 CC pool stage Saurdays where there is continuous TV coverage from lunctime to early evening.


  • #160
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭[Deleted User]


    Full match

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VusElDEqWmQ


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hf_mm35khfA


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