2015-16 Champions Cup thread

vienne86 · 14-11-2015 9:24pm

Scarlets

Scarlets have not managed to score while George North has been off.

vienne86 · 14-11-2015 9:38pm

Scarlets

Decent enough game at Franklins Gardens. Some stupid errors. 7-6 to Northampton at half time.

vienne86 · 14-11-2015 10:08pm

Scarlets

Scarlets butchered a great opportunity there, but got another chance and scored a try. Shindler can't kick at all tonight though.

Northampton fans roaring at Poite, but he doesn't have any of it.

stadedublinois · 15-11-2015 3:47pm

CatFromHue wrote: »

I wonder when they'll resechdule the games?

There isn't another free club weekend (in both Pro12 and Top14) until 5th Feb but that's the same weekend the 6N starts.

After that it's the 18th March which is another 6N weekend.

The only free weekend after that is one scheduled for the ERC QF's.

One option would be to move a league weekend to the 6 nations weekend and use the freed up one for Europe (as long as the English league has a free weekend in the 6 nations).

Whatever they do it will be complicated.

bilston · 15-11-2015 6:51pm

Another really poor crowd at a Champions Cup match in Swansea tonight. I've watched 4 games this weekend and none of them have been sell outs or even close to it really.

irishbucsfan · 15-11-2015 6:54pm

bilston wrote: »

Another really poor crowd at a Champions Cup match in Swansea tonight. I've watched 4 games this weekend and none of them have been sell outs or even close to it really.

I was going to a Challenge Cup match with about 10 team mates (we got strung along to LI v Agen). The weather since Thursday scared a bunch of them off, ended up being 4 of us there!

vienne86 · 15-11-2015 7:00pm

Scarlets

bilston wrote: »

Another really poor crowd at a Champions Cup match in Swansea tonight. I've watched 4 games this weekend and none of them have been sell outs or even close to it really.

I was thinking the same. There was a decent crowd in the RDS today, even though it was lunchtime on Sunday, a dreadful time for a match.

LuckyGent88 · 15-11-2015 7:17pm

Ospreys

Very poor misses from biggar. 2 chances straight in front missed.

Exeter up by 4 at half time.

Stheno · 15-11-2015 7:19pm

LuckyGent88 wrote: »

Very poor misses from biggar. 2 chances straight in front missed.

Exeter up by 4 at half time.

Every time I watch biggar and his pre kick routine, I feel itchy

Would I be right in thinking the YouTube of him and his routine to the Macarena has been published before? I only got to see it last week, I laughed myself sick

bilston · 15-11-2015 7:42pm

I really want the Ospreys to win this otherwise it will have been a very poor weekend for the Pro 12, albeit the Scarlets cane out of last night's game in decent order.

vienne86 · 15-11-2015 7:52pm

Scarlets

bilston wrote: »

I really want the Ospreys to win this otherwise it will have been a very poor weekend for the Pro 12, albeit the Scarlets cane out of last night's game in decent order.

Me too, for the same reason. I actually don't much like the Ospreys.

Borders no.2 · 15-11-2015 7:56pm

While Ospreys haven't the biggest support base, to be fair this is TV dictating too much. Its a ridiculous time for a game, making it a nightmare for everyone and a non-runner for a lot of away fans. A defeat for Ospreys would turn a bad start to the season into a disaster. Top 4 looks a long shot and Top 6 will require work. I'm sure they've looked at this pool as relatively favourable but Exeter are not a side to be underestimated.

Borders no.2 · 15-11-2015 8:01pm

bilston wrote: »

I really want the Ospreys to win this otherwise it will have been a very poor weekend for the Pro 12, albeit the Scarlets cane out of last night's game in decent order.

To be fair aside from Leinster's nightmare, Ulster and Glasgow didn't play and for everyone else it was a decent weekend.

Champions Cup
Munster - 5 pointer albeit against a Pro 12 side
Scarlets - could have taken Northampton but a losing bp isn't a bad result
Ospreys - in progress
Treviso - as competitive as could be hoped

Challenge Cup
Connacht - 5 pointer
Edinburgh - Comfortable win
Dragons - Excellent BP win
Cardiff - 5 pointer
Zebre - denied Gloucester 4 try bonus, good weekend I'd say

vienne86 · 15-11-2015 8:05pm

Scarlets

Borders no.2 wrote: »

To be fair aside from Leinster's nightmare, Ulster and Glasgow didn't play and for everyone else it was a decent weekend.

Champions Cup
Munster - 5 pointer albeit against a Pro 12 side
Scarlets - could have taken Northampton but a losing bp isn't a bad result
Ospreys - in progress
Treviso - as competitive as could be hoped

Challenge Cup
Connacht - 5 pointer
Edinburgh - Comfortable win
Dragons - Excellent BP win
Cardiff - 5 pointer
Zebre - denied Gloucester 4 try bonus, good weekend I'd say

Of those, the one I enjoyed most was the Connacht match!

LuckyGent88 · 15-11-2015 8:07pm

Ospreys

That intercept should give the Ospreys the win

vienne86 · 15-11-2015 8:20pm

Scarlets

LuckyGent88 wrote: »

That intercept should give the Ospreys the win

Comfortable for them in the end.

bilston · 15-11-2015 8:28pm

Borders no.2 wrote: »

To be fair aside from Leinster's nightmare, Ulster and Glasgow didn't play and for everyone else it was a decent weekend.

Champions Cup
Munster - 5 pointer albeit against a Pro 12 side
Scarlets - could have taken Northampton but a losing bp isn't a bad result
Ospreys - in progress
Treviso - as competitive as could be hoped

Challenge Cup
Connacht - 5 pointer
Edinburgh - Comfortable win
Dragons - Excellent BP win
Cardiff - 5 pointer
Zebre - denied Gloucester 4 try bonus, good weekend I'd say

Well I was talking about the Champions Cup only but the Ospreys win puts a better shine on it anyway.

Kiwi_knock · 16-11-2015 12:27am

Bruce Craig, Bath Chairman, says the game against Toulon will never be played. Will be interesting to see if they can reschedule the games, midweek seems like the only option but Craig is definitely against any midweek fixture. Don't know what they can do if the game is not played.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/11997469/Paris-terror-attacks-Toulon-match-in-European-Champions-Cup-will-never-be-played-says-Bath-chairman.html

errlloyd · 16-11-2015 12:32am

Ospreys

Kiwi_knock wrote: »

Bruce Craig, Bath Chairman, says the game against Toulon will never be played. Will be interesting to see if they can reschedule the games, midweek seems like the only option but Craig is definitely against any midweek fixture. Don't know what they can do if the game is not played.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/11997469/Paris-terror-attacks-Toulon-match-in-European-Champions-Cup-will-never-be-played-says-Bath-chairman.html

It suggests in the article they use a mathematical formula to work out who would have won the game. Apparently a generally accepted formula can do it.

.ak · 16-11-2015 12:38am

Well let them refuse to field players. They'll give up 5 points anyway.

Dave_The_Sheep · 16-11-2015 3:25am

“There are simply no free weekends available between now and the end of the season,” said Craig. “It is unacceptable that the international calendar does not take into account the domestic game.

Oh, wow. Take the opportunity afforded by what happened in Paris to have a go at international games. Class-y.

pickarooney · 16-11-2015 10:17am

Just call them all as draws. It's not that important in the grand scheme of things.

former total · 16-11-2015 12:01pm

Ospreys

pickarooney wrote: »

Just call them all as draws. It's not that important in the grand scheme of things.

Probably not that easy. TV companies have paid for the coverage, sponsors have paid for the exposure, fans have paid for tickets. If Bruce Craig and the other club owners are called upon to fork out for refunds, then they might suddenly find themselves more disposed to a midweek game.

I understand his point though. The AP started very late to accommodate the world cup, presumably at the request of the RFU - the fixture backlog is not the clubs' fault.

thomond2006 · 16-11-2015 12:16pm

They want to share the points? Share the points from an away game to Toulon. Right.

CatFromHue · 16-11-2015 12:29pm

Wasps

Kiwi_knock wrote: »

Bruce Craig, Bath Chairman, says the game against Toulon will never be played. Will be interesting to see if they can reschedule the games, midweek seems like the only option but Craig is definitely against any midweek fixture. Don't know what they can do if the game is not played.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/11997469/Paris-terror-attacks-Toulon-match-in-European-Champions-Cup-will-never-be-played-says-Bath-chairman.html

He's right about not being able to play 3 games in a week though, it'd wreck the players.

The Pro12 and Top14 do have 2 free weekends before the QF stage but these are international weekends. The Aviva is on both these weekends too.

Whatever solution the EPCR come up with the competition is compromised so people will just have to deal with that. There is no one great solution here, they're all crap.

bilston · 16-11-2015 12:58pm

Craig makes two points

1) it is going to be nigh on impossible to reschedule this game

2) he has a dig at World Rugby about meaningless friendlies and the rugby calendar in general

One point is perfectly valid, the other is a very ill timed dig which was completely unnecessary at this time.

bilston · 16-11-2015 12:59pm

CatFromHue wrote: »

He's right about not being able to play 3 games in a week though, it'd wreck the players.

The Pro12 and Top14 do have 2 free weekends before the QF stage but these are international weekends. The Aviva is on both these weekends too.

Whatever solution the EPCR come up with the competition is compromised so people will just have to deal with that. There is no one great solution here, they're all crap.

Even for the likes of Ulster and Oyannax it is going to be hard to fit in the game. Ulster have games every weekend right through to the 6Ns. Either one of those gets rescheduled or we play midweek. I suppose we could play the weekend before the 6Ns starts but then we would be without several players so it is far from ideal.

icdg · 16-11-2015 1:23pm

Easier to reschedule a Pro 12 (and, to a lesser extent, the oppositions Top 14 game) to one of the Six Nations weekends, or even play the game on a Six Nations weekend, minus anyone called up to the national squads.

For Bath there is no doing this - their game against Toulon will have to be played mid week, full stop.

bilston · 16-11-2015 1:28pm

icdg wrote: »

Easier to reschedule a Pro 12 (and, to a lesser extent, the oppositions Top 14 game) to one of the Six Nations weekends, or even play the game on a Six Nations weekend, minus anyone called up to the national squads.

For Bath there is no doing this - their game against Toulon will have to be played mid week, full stop.

Will the EPCR not want the games playes before the 6Ns start?

Dave_The_Sheep · 16-11-2015 1:34pm

thomond2006 wrote: »

They want to share the points? Share the points from an away game to Toulon. Right.

Even if it wasn't Toulon, for any of the games to be done that way would be ridiculous. The other teams in the various groups would rightly be miffed.

It'll be rescheduled, they'll have to play. Anything else won't work. If they refuse to play, then they can be given 0 points, or thrown out of the competition, whichever.

icdg · 16-11-2015 1:36pm

I imagine so, but the point really was that there is flexibility when it comes to the other two ties in terms of weekends/weekdays that Toulon v Bath doesn't have. Toulon v Bath must be played on a weeknight, end of. There isn't any room in the PRL calendar to do otherwise. In the end I think that they'll schedule them all for weeknights.

vienne86 · 16-11-2015 1:37pm

Scarlets

And if we get some bad weather, bad enough to call off matches, we'll be rightly goosed.

CatFromHue · 16-11-2015 1:44pm

Wasps

bilston wrote: »

Craig makes two points

1) it is going to be nigh on impossible to reschedule this game

2) he has a dig at World Rugby about meaningless friendlies and the rugby calendar in general

One point is perfectly valid, the other is a very ill timed dig which was completely unnecessary at this time.

I think what he says about the international game is right. England played their first game of the season this year on 15 Aug and will play their last game of the season on 25 June. They'd probably have been in camp for 3-4 weeks, maybe even more, before that first game so that's a ridiculous schedule.

From the 16th Oct through to 2nd April there is a game every week for the English clubs. If an English were to make the SF in the ERC then it's a game a weekend until 7th May, which is when the Aviva play offs begin.

England hosting the RWC is the worst thing that could have happened for player welfare in that country.

aimee1 · 16-11-2015 4:23pm

only solution I can see is clubs who didnt play this weekend have league matches scheduled in such a way to end up playing on Friday-Thursdays- Tuesday-Sunday over a few weeks with the EC game on the midweek

stadedublinois · 16-11-2015 5:19pm

aimee1 wrote: »

only solution I can see is clubs who didnt play this weekend have league matches scheduled in such a way to end up playing on Friday-Thursdays- Tuesday-Sunday over a few weeks with the EC game on the midweek

That looks like the best solution. Could even extend a week by going
Friday-Thursday-Wednesday-Monday-Sunday

Winters · 16-11-2015 6:07pm

I dunno if its the RWC, Toulon's dominance, Irish teams' performances, the whole Heineken Cup fiasco, the Sky-BT Sport split or the new format but ive certainly noticed a remarkable loss of interest in the European rugby games the past year or so. Certainly with people I know that buzz of a Heineken Cup weekend isnt around anymore.

vienne86 · 16-11-2015 6:29pm

Scarlets

Winters wrote: »

I dunno if its the RWC, Toulon's dominance, Irish teams' performances, the whole Heineken Cup fiasco, the Sky-BT Sport split or the new format but ive certainly noticed a remarkable loss of interest in the European rugby games the past year or so. Certainly with people I know that buzz of a Heineken Cup weekend isnt around anymore.

I thought there was a decent atmosphere when I arrived in the RDS yesterday, despite the awful time for a fixture. Then we had that performance, and everything fell very flat.

bilston · 16-11-2015 7:28pm

Winters wrote: »

I dunno if its the RWC, Toulon's dominance, Irish teams' performances, the whole Heineken Cup fiasco, the Sky-BT Sport split or the new format but ive certainly noticed a remarkable loss of interest in the European rugby games the past year or so. Certainly with people I know that buzz of a Heineken Cup weekend isnt around anymore.

I think last year wasn't helped by the way they basically had to set up the tournament on the fly and this year hasn't been helped by the World Cup, and it has to be said the attacks in Paris took away from the excitement at the weekend.

The provinces are rebuilding a bit as well which means they aren't just as competitive. It is cyclical though. If rumours of signings at Ulster are true they should be challenging again next season and Leinster have a host of exciting young talent in Furlong, Van Der Flier, McGrath and Ringrose coming through that could make them stronger moving forward. I fancy Munster will make the knockouts this year.

16-11-2015 7:59pm

Winters wrote: »

I dunno if its the RWC, Toulon's dominance, Irish teams' performances, the whole Heineken Cup fiasco, the Sky-BT Sport split or the new format but ive certainly noticed a remarkable loss of interest in the European rugby games the past year or so. Certainly with people I know that buzz of a Heineken Cup weekend isnt around anymore.

Overexposure to rugby a bit imo.

Fatigued!

phog · 16-11-2015 8:41pm

Kiwi_knock wrote: »

Bruce Craig, Bath Chairman, says the game against Toulon will never be played. Will be interesting to see if they can reschedule the games, midweek seems like the only option but Craig is definitely against any midweek fixture. Don't know what they can do if the game is not played.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/11997469/Paris-terror-attacks-Toulon-match-in-European-Champions-Cup-will-never-be-played-says-Bath-chairman.html

CatFromHue wrote: »

He's right about not being able to play 3 games in a week though, it'd wreck the players.

The Pro12 and Top14 do have 2 free weekends before the QF stage but these are international weekends. The Aviva is on both these weekends too.

Whatever solution the EPCR come up with the competition is compromised so people will just have to deal with that. There is no one great solution here, they're all crap.

In 2008, Munster had to play a rearranged midweek league game against Ulster. It was a Wednesday game sandwiched between a Cup SF on Sunday and a league game the following Saturday. All three games were away games for Munster.

Also, if I'm not mistaking hadn't Craig previously mentioned midweek games were the future?

Cookiemunster · 17-11-2015 5:54pm

Leinster

Simon Thomas Verified account
‏@simonrug

So the proposition is play the postponed European games in France on Nov 28-29, with Top14 games moved. Wonder what Bath will say now?

CatFromHue · 17-11-2015 5:56pm

Wasps

I don't fully understand that as Bath are away to Leicester that weekend in the Aviva

irishbucsfan · 17-11-2015 6:27pm

CatFromHue wrote: »

I don't fully understand that as Bath are away to Leicester that weekend in the Aviva

I think LNR have offered to move their game in the expectation PRL will follow suit. Really no excuse for PRL not to do so.

CatFromHue · 17-11-2015 6:39pm

Wasps

Where are PRL meant to move the game too?

I remember looking yesterday and didn't see any free weekends between now and the ERC QF weekend so it's still back to the 3 games in a week situation.

irishbucsfan · 17-11-2015 6:41pm

CatFromHue wrote: »

Where are PRL meant to move the game too?

I remember looking yesterday and didn't see any free weekends between now and the ERC QF weekend so it's still back to the 3 games in a week situation.

They're expected to play 3 games in a week I believe. Could really do with London Welsh being in the league this year, could play the game on the same day and send Bath's A team to Oxford.

Cookiemunster · 17-11-2015 6:47pm

Leinster

Leinster v Ulster due to be played that weekend too.

errlloyd · 17-11-2015 10:35pm

Ospreys

All of these logistical nightmares can be solved by just cancelling or moving one tour game (England v Aus) right? Or England just playing without premiership finalists in the first test?

jprender · 17-11-2015 10:55pm

Just got a mail from Stade to say that Munster game this weekend is to be postponed

vienne86 · 17-11-2015 11:06pm

Scarlets

jprender wrote: »

Just got a mail from Stade to say that Munster game this weekend is to be postponed

Are you kidding?

No you're not:

https://twitter.com/SFParisRugby?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

joe_99 · 18-11-2015 1:01pm

Leinster

To avoid fixture congestion for Munster and Stade it might have been a better idea to switch the home and away legs thereby moving the weekend game to Thomond and then play the second game in France in a few weeks

2015-16 Champions Cup thread

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