Champions Cup Round Three

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Newcastle Falcons vs Leinster Rugby
Kingston Park
Light Cloud, 10 degrees, 15mph South Westerly Winds

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 Newcastle Falcons
Manager – Bambam

01. Matt Mullan	09. Rhys Webb
02. Jamie George	10. Gareth Anscombe
03. Vincent Koch
04. Matt Symons	11. Charles Piutau
05. Guido Petti	12. Luke Marshall
06. Pablo Matera	13. Sam James
07. Francois Louw	14. David Strettle
08. Elliott Dixon	15. Rob Miller

:-
16.Camille Chat 17.Alec Hepburn 18. Charlie Faumuina 19. Lood De Jager 20. Jack O'Donaghue 21. Will Chudley 22. Ian Madigan 23. Ben Smith

Attributes
Counter Attacking: Receiving the ball down field, your players will look to attack with ball in hand, thriving in the broken field and open spaces.
Phase Attack: Attacks build momentum until an opportunity arises.
Breakdown: Slowing up ball: The defenders can get over the ball to slow it up and prevent the attack from building momentum and allowing your defence to set.
Blitz Defence: Your side is known for Blitz and excels at it

Target wings - think their wings are both better full backs, get the ball wide to Piutau and let him threaten, James to look to make outside breaks to test their positioning

Target the scrum - Healy/Ross both out of form, we think our props can get the advantage

Pressure Mcgrath - Sexton needs good ball, McGrath can be pressured with our back row all being very quick off the mark to scrag him

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Leinster Rugby

01. Cian Healy	09. Luke McGrath
02. James Tracy	10. Johnny Sexton
03. Mike Ross
04. Devin Toner	11. Isa Nacewa
05. Mike McCarthy	12. Robbie Henshaw
06. Sean O'Brien	13. Garry Ringrose
07. Josh Van Der Flier	14. Zane Kirchener
08. Jamie Heaslip	15. Rob Kearney

:-
16. Sean Cronin 17. Jack McGrath 18. Michael Bent 19. Mick Kearney 20. Jordi Murphy 21. Dan Leavy 22. Jamison Gibson-Park 23. Joey Carbery

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Munster Rugby vs Saracens
Kingston Park
Sunny, 11 degrees, 11mph South Westerly Winds

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Munster Rugby 

01. David Kilcoyne	09. Conor Murray
02. Niall Scannell	10. Tyler Bleyendaal
03. John Ryan
04. Donnacha Ryan	11. Keith Earls
05. Billy Holland	12. Rory Scannell
06. Peter O'Mahony (c)	13. Jaco Taute
07. Tommy O'Donnell	14. Darren Sweetnam
08. CJ Stander	15. Simon Zebo

:-
16. Duncan Casey 17. Brian Scott 18. Stephen Archer 19. Robin Copeland 20. Jack O'Donoghue 21. Duncan Williams 22. Ian Keatley 23. Ronan O'Mahony

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Saracens
Manager – Pooly

01. Alex Waller	09. Morgan Parra
02. Guilhem Guirado	10. Nicolas Sanchez
03. Paul Hill
04. Patrick Tuipultou	11. Teddy Thomas
05. Geoff Parling	12. Ollie Devoto
06. Guy Thompson	13. Conrad Smith
07. John Hardie	14. Delon Armitage
08. Dave Denton	15. Stuart Hogg

:-
16. Scott Spurling 17. Simon McIntyre 18. Ben Franks 19. Marcos Kremer 20. Thierry Dusatoir  21. Brad Weber 22. Tom Taylor 23. Hosea Gear

Tactics:

Defensive:

Blitz Defence - Get in the face of the opposition and allow them very little time on the ball.

Breakdown - Turnover possession: Your side is recognised to pick off turnovers at the breakdown, by getting the ball and gaining the penalty

Attacking:

Territorial Kicking: Looking to pin back sides and kick for open spaces or touch

Offloading in the tackle: Moving the point of attack preventing a defence to set and keeping play fluid

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Sale Sharks vs Wasps
AJ Bell Stadium
Light Cloud, 11 degrees, 11mph South Westerly Winds

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 Sale Sharks
Manager – SJE

01. Ross Harrison	09. Danny Care
02. Malcolm Marx	10. Quade Cooper
03. Rabah Slimani
04. Dave Attwood	11. Nemani Nadolo
05. Brodie Retalick	12. Kyle Eastmond
06. Peter O'Mahony	13. Malakai Fekitoa
07. Sam Cane	14. Semesa Rokoduguni
08. Duane Vermulean	15. Nick Abendanon

Subs:
16. Tommy Taylor 17. Jack McGrath 18. Martin Moore 19. Matt Garvey 20. CJ Stander 21. Kieran Marmion 22. Johnny Sexton 23. Simon Zebo

Attributes:
Phase Attack: Attacks build momentum until an opportunity arises.
Breakdown - Clearing: Ensuring the possession is clean and quick with quick support to the breakdown.

Blitz Defence: Your side is known for Blitz and excels at it.
Breakdown - Slowing up ball: The defenders can get over the ball to slow it up and prevent the attack from building momentum and allowing your defence to set.  

Attack: We will be playing a high intensity phased attacking game. Look to use a rugby league shape with runners on the gain line and out the back door to force the opposition into making defensive decisions. Numerous playmakers across the back line allows us to constantly change the point of attack and restructure our attacking phases. Care to keep the fringe defence honest with his snipping runs.

Breakdown: Quick ball is the aim on attack. Mobile pack and physical back line to clear out rucks and ensure we get it. We will look to get over the gain line off all carries to give a target to hit. Defensively when the initial contact is won we will look to commit numbers and get over the ball turning it over or at least slowing opposition ball up. Otherwise we will strengthen the line. 

Defence: Straight line blitz defence focused on winning the gain line collisions and driving the ball carrier back. Line speed is crucial. Care will sweep behind the line to cover chips and grubbers. Nadolo & Bendy to cover the background dropping deep to cut off the green grass available to kick into.

Scrum: Strong scrummaging unit in the front row with the support of a powerful 4-8 will look to get the better of the opposition and build a strong attacking platform. We will look to put a slight wheel on where possible to take the opposition backrow out of play and then attack the space available and look for one on ones in the backline.

Lineout: Five mobile, athletic jumpers allows us to genuinely mix it up on attacking ball. Primarily looking to get the backs on the ball in space. Defensively Retalick to get up in the air at the front and challenge on opposition ball while POM marshals the middle looking to make it as messy as possible.

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Wasps
Manager - Pullthestrings

01. Joe Marler	09. Maxime Machenaud
02. Bismark Du Plessis	10. Aaron Cruden (k)
03. Dave Wilson
04. Sebastien Vahamahina	11. Bryan Habana
05. Alun Wyn-Jones (c)	12. Brad Barritt
06. Tom Wood	13. Henry Slade
07. Sean O'Brien	14. Anthony Watson
08. Louis Picamoles	15. Rob Kearney

_
16. Harry Thacker, 17. Marcos Ayerza, 18. Frans Malherbe, 19. Jim Hamilton, 20. Jerome Kaino, 21. Sebastien Tillous-Borde, 22. Nick Evans, 23. Marland Yarde

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Tactics
Attack:
- Good athleticism in the pack. Looking for them to be mobile and get around the park, ensuring good numbers at every breakdown to give clean ball
- Mix up forward runners off 9 and 10 to give go forward and tie in defence. When space opens up, go wide and utilise pace of back three.
Defence:
- Ensure guards and body guards at every breakdown, no gaps in midfield.
- Good line speed to put pressure on their handling and ability to go round our blitz defence

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Northampton Saints vs Connacht Rugby
Franklin Gardens
Light Cloud, 11 degrees, 12mph South Westerly Winds

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Northampton Saints
Manager: Dammit Chris

01. Logi Mulipola	09. Joe Simpson
02. Schalk Brits	10. Lima Sopoaga
03. Zander Fagerson
04. Joe Launchbury (c)	11. Julian Savea
05. Jonny Gray	12. Wesley Fofana
06. Schalk Burger	13. Manu Tuilagi
07. Brendon O'Connor	14. Matt Banahan
08. Billy Vunipola	15. Leigh Halfpenny(k)

.
Replacements:
16. Ashley Johnson 17. Wyatt Crockett 18. Jake Cooper Wooly 19. Michael Paterson 20. Facunda Isa 21. Conor Murray 22. Harry Mallinder 23. Ben Foden

Attributes:
Breakdown - Clearing: Ensuring the possession is clean and quick with quick support to the breakdown
First phase attack/strike moves: Will look to break the defence, with either a bust through or a clever move to create a gap.

Blitz Defence: Your side is known for Blitz and excels at it
Breakdown - Turnover possession: Your side is recognised to pick off turnovers at the breakdown, by getting the ball and gaining the penalty.

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Connacht Rugby

01. JP Cooney	09. Kieran Marmion
02. Shaun Delahunt	10. Jack Carty
03. Finlay Bealham
04. Quinn Roux	11. Stacey Ili
05. Andrew Browne	12. Craig Ronaldson
06. Sean O'Brien	13. Peter Robb
07. Jake Heenan	14. Niyi Adeolokun
08. John Muldoon	15. Cian Kelleher

:-
16. Dave Heffernan 17. Conor Carey 18. Dominic Robertson-McCoy 19. Ultan Dillane 20. Eoin McKeon 21. Caolin Blade 22. Shane O'Leary 23. Bundee Aki

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Harlequins vs Bordeaux-Begles
Twickenham Stoop
Light Cloud, 12 degrees, 10mph South Westerly Winds

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Harlequins
Manager – Steven_Sharks

01. Richad Barrington	09. Luke McGrath
02. Agustin Creevy	10. Juan Martin Hernandez
03. Tadhg Furlong
04. Ultan Dillane	11. Jack Nowell
05. Pieter Steph Du Toit	12. Bundee Aki
06. Jack Clifford	13. Robbie Henshaw
07. Steffon Armitage	14. Santiago Cordero
08. James Chisholm	15. Mike Haley

:-
16. Scott Baldwin 17. Ethan Waller 18. John Afoa 19. Damien Chouly 20. Jamie Gibson 21. Stuart Townsend 22. Ihaia West 23. Stuart Olding

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Bordeaux-Begles

01. Sebastien Taofifenua	09. Yann Lesgourgues
02. Clement Maynadier	10. Ian Madigan
03. Marc Clerc
04. Tom Palmer	11. Kobus Van Wyk
05. Cyril Cazeaux	12. Joe Wakacegu,
06. Luke Braid	13. Jayden Spence
07. Hugh Chalmers	14. Metuisela Talebula
08. Marc Tauleigne	15. Jean-Marcellin Buttin

:-
16. Benat Auzqui, 17. Steven Kitshoff, 18. Jean-Baptiste Poux, 19. Ole Avei, 20. Tristan Labouteley, 21. Gauthier Doubrere, 22. Lionel Beauxis, 23. Jean-Baptiste Dubié

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Northampton Saints
Manager: Dammit Chris

01. Logi Mulipola	09. Joe Simpson
02. Schalk Brits	10. Lima Sopoaga
03. Zander Fagerson
04. Joe Launchbury (c)	11. Julian Savea
05. Jonny Gray	12. Wesley Fofana
06. Schalk Burger	13. Manu Tuilagi
07. Brendon O'Connor	14. Matt Banahan
08. Billy Vunipola	15. Leigh Halfpenny(k)

.
Replacements:
16. Ashley Johnson 17. Wyatt Crockett 18. Jake Cooper Wooly 19. Michael Paterson 20. Facunda Isa 21. Conor Murray 22. Harry Mallinder 23. Ben Foden

Attributes:
Breakdown - Clearing: Ensuring the possession is clean and quick with quick support to the breakdown
First phase attack/strike moves: Will look to break the defence, with either a bust through or a clever move to create a gap.

Blitz Defence: Your side is known for Blitz and excels at it
Breakdown - Turnover possession: Your side is recognised to pick off turnovers at the breakdown, by getting the ball and gaining the penalty.

Saracens
Manager – Pooly

01. Alex Waller	09. Morgan Parra
02. Guilhem Guirado	10. Nicolas Sanchez
03. Paul Hill
04. Patrick Tuipultou	11. Teddy Thomas
05. Geoff Parling	12. Ollie Devoto
06. Guy Thompson	13. Conrad Smith
07. John Hardie	14. Delon Armitage
08. Dave Denton	15. Stuart Hogg

:-
16. Scott Spurling 17. Simon McIntyre 18. Ben Franks 19. Marcos Kremer 20. Thierry Dusatoir  21. Brad Weber 22. Tom Taylor 23. Hosea Gear

Tactics:

Defensive:

Blitz Defence - Get in the face of the opposition and allow them very little time on the ball.

Breakdown - Turnover possession: Your side is recognised to pick off turnovers at the breakdown, by getting the ball and gaining the penalty

Attacking:

Territorial Kicking: Looking to pin back sides and kick for open spaces or touch

Offloading in the tackle: Moving the point of attack preventing a defence to set and keeping play fluid

Opposition sides updated.

All teams have been amended

Aren't we meant to be playing against their lineups from last weekend?

All Euro games use the side from the last round, it is only in round 1 where we use the side from the last league game.

Ah ok, cheers

Newcastle Falcons
Manager – Bambam

01. Matt Mullan	09. Rhys Webb
02. Jamie George	10. Gareth Anscombe
03. Vincent Koch
04. Matt Symons	11. Charles Piutau
05. Guido Petti	12. Luke Marshall
06. Pablo Matera	13. Sam James
07. Francois Louw	14. David Strettle
08. Elliott Dixon	15. Rob Miller

:-
16.Camille Chat 17.Alec Hepburn 18. Charlie Faumuina 19. Lood De Jager 20. Jack O'Donaghue 21. Will Chudley 22. Ian Madigan 23. Ben Smith

Attributes
Counter Attacking: Receiving the ball down field, your players will look to attack with ball in hand, thriving in the broken field and open spaces.
Phase Attack: Attacks build momentum until an opportunity arises.
Breakdown: Slowing up ball: The defenders can get over the ball to slow it up and prevent the attack from building momentum and allowing your defence to set.
Blitz Defence: Your side is known for Blitz and excels at it

Target wings - think their wings are both better full backs, get the ball wide to Piutau and let him threaten, James to look to make outside breaks to test their positioning

Target the scrum - Healy/Ross both out of form, we think our props can get the advantage

Pressure Mcgrath - Sexton needs good ball, McGrath can be pressured with our back row all being very quick off the mark to scrag him

Harlequins
Manager – Steven_Sharks

01. Richad Barrington	09. Luke McGrath
02. Agustin Creevy	10. Juan Martin Hernandez
03. Tadhg Furlong
04. Ultan Dillane	11. Jack Nowell
05. Pieter Steph Du Toit	12. Bundee Aki
06. Jack Clifford	13. Robbie Henshaw
07. Steffon Armitage	14. Santiago Cordero
08. James Chisholm	15. Mike Haley

:-
16. Scott Baldwin 17. Ethan Waller 18. John Afoa 19. Damien Chouly 20. Jamie Gibson 21. Stuart Townsend 22. Ihaia West 23. Stuart Olding

Sale Sharks
Manager – SJE

01. Ross Harrison	09. Danny Care
02. Malcolm Marx	10. Quade Cooper
03. Rabah Slimani
04. Dave Attwood	11. Nemani Nadolo
05. Brodie Retalick	12. Kyle Eastmond
06. Peter O'Mahony	13. Malakai Fekitoa
07. Sam Cane	14. Semesa Rokoduguni
08. Duane Vermulean	15. Nick Abendanon

Subs:
16. Tommy Taylor 17. Jack McGrath 18. Martin Moore 19. Matt Garvey 20. CJ Stander 21. Kieran Marmion 22. Johnny Sexton 23. Simon Zebo

Attributes:
Phase Attack: Attacks build momentum until an opportunity arises.
Breakdown - Clearing: Ensuring the possession is clean and quick with quick support to the breakdown.

Blitz Defence: Your side is known for Blitz and excels at it.
Breakdown - Slowing up ball: The defenders can get over the ball to slow it up and prevent the attack from building momentum and allowing your defence to set.  

Attack: We will be playing a high intensity phased attacking game. Look to use a rugby league shape with runners on the gain line and out the back door to force the opposition into making defensive decisions. Numerous playmakers across the back line allows us to constantly change the point of attack and restructure our attacking phases. Care to keep the fringe defence honest with his snipping runs.

Breakdown: Quick ball is the aim on attack. Mobile pack and physical back line to clear out rucks and ensure we get it. We will look to get over the gain line off all carries to give a target to hit. Defensively when the initial contact is won we will look to commit numbers and get over the ball turning it over or at least slowing opposition ball up. Otherwise we will strengthen the line. 

Defence: Straight line blitz defence focused on winning the gain line collisions and driving the ball carrier back. Line speed is crucial. Care will sweep behind the line to cover chips and grubbers. Nadolo & Bendy to cover the background dropping deep to cut off the green grass available to kick into.

Scrum: Strong scrummaging unit in the front row with the support of a powerful 4-8 will look to get the better of the opposition and build a strong attacking platform. We will look to put a slight wheel on where possible to take the opposition backrow out of play and then attack the space available and look for one on ones in the backline.

Lineout: Five mobile, athletic jumpers allows us to genuinely mix it up on attacking ball. Primarily looking to get the backs on the ball in space. Defensively Retalick to get up in the air at the front and challenge on opposition ball while POM marshals the middle looking to make it as messy as possible.

Wasps
Manager - Pullthestrings

01. Joe Marler	09. Maxime Machenaud
02. Bismark Du Plessis	10. Aaron Cruden (k)
03. Dave Wilson
04. Sebastien Vahamahina	11. Bryan Habana
05. Alun Wyn-Jones (c)	12. Brad Barritt
06. Tom Wood	13. Henry Slade
07. Sean O'Brien	14. Anthony Watson
08. Louis Picamoles	15. Rob Kearney

_
16. Harry Thacker, 17. Marcos Ayerza, 18. Frans Malherbe, 19. Jim Hamilton, 20. Jerome Kaino, 21. Sebastien Tillous-Borde, 22. Nick Evans, 23. Marland Yarde

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Tactics
Attack:
- Good athleticism in the pack. Looking for them to be mobile and get around the park, ensuring good numbers at every breakdown to give clean ball
- Mix up forward runners off 9 and 10 to give go forward and tie in defence. When space opens up, go wide and utilise pace of back three.
Defence:
- Ensure guards and body guards at every breakdown, no gaps in midfield.
- Good line speed to put pressure on their handling and ability to go round our blitz defence

Just doing quick tactics. Only count 3 EQ starters, 7 in the squad in the Wasps side

Just doing the page now, so let me know when done. Will PM Pull.

I've added basic tactics too if you could update!

Team updated

Newcastle Falcons 25 - 23 Leinster Rugby
The game of the round for me, as it is such a tight contest. The Falcons front three will add more around the park than the Leinster trio, and that probably just tips the scales towards the home side. Out wide, both sides are looking to attack and open up the defences, which with slightly quick ball Falcons generate. Which helps them to the home victory.

Newcastle Falcons 24 - 23 Leinster Rugby

Newcastle Falcons 22 - 23 Leinster Rugby
Tough game to call. Very even forward battles but just give an edge to the props for the away side. But backs there is a difference, with Piatua the one definite who would get into the Leinster side. 

Newcastle Falcons 27 - 23 Leinster Rugby
Leinster playing some good stuff but Newcastle pretty strong across the board and at home for a good win. 

Newcastle Falcons 24 - 22 Leinster Rugby
Leinster in great form and compete across the pack. I think Falcons are beaten in the backrow but edge the rest of the pack battle, and certainly win the scrum without McGrath and Furlong starting. The backs are close and Leinster are very dangerous if they get a lot of possession but the edge in the pack is enough for the home side

Newcastle Falcons 20 - 21 Leinster Rugby

Munster 24 - 26 Saracens
The much imrpoved Munster will test this Sarries pack, and despite not quite having the same quality personnel as the visitors, will be a mighty challenge. Out back Sarries are just a little more more creative in the midfield, but otheriwse both sets of backs are quite similar. Saracens to take the points, when their bench comes on to the field.

Munster 20 - 21 Saracens

Munster 25 - 20 Saracens
Munster are now starting to look like a very good side again, Sarries lack carriers in their pack and halfback duo of the homeside will control the game. 

Munster 20 - 21 Saracens
Munster fired up right now, but Saracens stronger in the front row, lineout and an interesting and hard to call backrow duel. Sarries certainly edge the breakdown. A full strength Munster backline might prove a bigger issue but Saracens just have enough here, probably more tactics would have made it safer.

Munster 20 - 24 Saracens
Munster looked pretty good at the weekend, and think their pack matches up well against Saracens in the back 5. Sarries stronger in the front row, and will get a platform off the scrum. Think this game is decided in the midfield, and the Munster 10-12-13 combo just isn't quite up to scratch, despite the presence of Murray and the back 3, I think Sarries will have the control and the firepower outwide to win this on the road

Munster 26 - 27 Saracens

Sale Sharks 27 - 23 Wasps
Good contest between two physical packs. You can see some life being breathed back into this Wasps pack and they can challenge the usually exemplary Sharks around the field. Wasps have some good control from the half backs and will bring in their backs well, but they don't offer the same threat the Sharks midfield does with ball in hand. By the time the benches are emptied onto the field, Sharks will secure victory, but Wasps will get the LBP and deny the hosts the TBP.

Sale Sharks 24 - 24 Wasps

Sale Sharks 23 - 15 Wasps
No tactics from the away side, but Sale at home too strong and will get a nice big win - QC and Eastmond 10/12 doesnt work though.

Sale Sharks 23 - 25 Wasps
Fantastic pack contest which I'd just give to the away side with some players coming back to form. Wasps stronger at halfback and enough in the backline to get an impressive away win. 

Sale Sharks 24 - 19 Wasps
sale's tight 5 is just good and well used, they beat a strong Wasps outfit there, with me unsure about Wilson these days. Wasps have good form in the backrow and will pressurise Cane at the breakdown but I think the overall backrow battle is very close. Cooper is the wildcard here, and Wasps need to target him. Otherwise both backlines have a lovely balance, I think I just prefer Wasps backlines with their centre makeup but Sale have too much up front at home 

Sale Sharks 29 - 24 Wasps
Wasps battle well up front, and can match the Sale pack at scrum and lineout. Half backs well matched, but I prefer the Sale outside backs, with the Wasps midfield lacking a bit for me. At home, the champions win pretty comfortably

Sale Sharks 24 - 23 Wasps

Northampton Saints 41 - 30 Connacht Rugby
This game will most likely be more free flowing than the others, in this round. Which will make things interesting for Chris at points. With a very quick attacking Connacht side, Saints will be nervous at points. But the quality of the Saints bench will tell and Connacht will run out of steam.

Northampton Saints 29 - 28 Connacht Rugby

Northampton Saints 28 - 23 Connacht Rugby 
Saints pack resembling something like they're used to at Franklins and they'll set a tone early in this one. Scrum and centres perhaps not the strongest but Saints more than enough to finish with the win. 

Northampton Saints 30 - 25 Connacht Rugby
Cohesion together is Connacht's great strength and man for man, they can't match Saints who have an exceedingly strong second row in particular and q great well balanced backrow. With better ball than Connacht, the strike running throughout their backline is lethal

Northampton Saints 32 - 23 Connacht Rugby
Connacht like to play fast and loose, and up against a Saints side with this quality, its not the right tactic. Saints front 5 will get a nudge on, and from 6-15 they have threats everywhere, can only see an easy home win

Northampton Saints 30 - 29 Connacht Rugby

Harlequins 33 - 23 Bordeaux-Begles
A weaker Border team than usual means, this turns out to be a relatively easy win for the Quins. There is still quite a threat from some of the Begles boys, but it's very much a 60 minute performance, before the Harlequins flex their muscles.

Harlequins 28 - 10 Bordeaux-Begles
Quins looking like a very, very strong side for this year's European Cup, some great combinations, just need to sort out their no10 and they could be the strongest side in the tournament. 

Harlequins 32 - 16 Bordeaux-Begles
Good pack for Quins bar some form issues in the backrow. Enough in the backline to ease through and take the win. 

Harlequins 31 - 20 Bordeaux-Begles
Form of Furlong wins Quins the scrum, then they outclass Begles from 4-8, with a tasty carrying and working ability in those numbers helping breakdown their defence. Outside that the backline are very effective and have a comfortable win

Harlequins 33 - 19 Bordeaux-Begles
Bordeaux are one of the weakest sides in the competition for me, and up against a potent Quins side, can see nothing other than a try fest

Harlequins 30 - 29 Bordeaux-Begles