European Cup Rugby 31 March, 1 & 2 April

First topic message reminder :

Tigers Vs Edinburgh teams are up the Friday game.

STARTING XV
15 Freddie Steward [68]
14 Anthony Watson [12]
13 Guy Porter [56]
12 Jimmy Gopperth [13]
11 Harry Potter [62]
10 Handré Pollard [10]
9 Jack van Poortvliet [61]
1 James Cronin [12]
2 Julián Montoya (c) [39]
3 Dan Cole [305]
4 George Martin [54]
5 Cameron Henderson [32]
6 Hanro Liebenberg [80]
7 Tommy Reffell [95]
8 Olly Cracknell [20]

REPLACEMENTS
16 Charlie Clare [74]
17 Tom West [6]
18 Joe Heyes [119]
19 Eli Snyman [31]
20 Jasper Wiese [56]
21 Sam Wolstenholme *
22 Charlie Atkinson [14]
23 Dan Kelly [51]


15. Emiliano Boffelli (28)
14. Darcy Graham (57)
13. Mark Bennett (85)
12. James Lang (36)
11. Duhan van der Merwe (72)

10. Blair Kinghorn (131)
9. Henry Pyrgos (81)

1. Pierre Schoeman (95)
2. Stuart McInally (174)
3. WP Nel (185)
4. Sam Skinner (11)
5. Grant Gilchrist (187) Co-captain
6. Jamie Ritchie (95) Co-captain
7. Hamish Watson (137)
8. Viliame Mata (113)

Replacements

16. Dave Cherry (68)
17. Boan Venter (43)
18. Luan de Bruin (19)
19. Marshall Sykes (39)
20. Luke Crosbie (83)
21. Ben Vellacott (36)
22. Cammy Hutchison (18)
23. Damien Hoyland (104)

Difficult to draw too many conclusions from the late scores by Quins but had the 3 tries Stormers shouldn't have scored not been allowed and a PT given to Quins near the end of the first half it could have been very different.

It's difficult to know what to do about the appalling officiating we're seeing week-in week-out - much of it involving TMOs who don't have the excuse of trying to see everything in real-time.

Quins were dominated and Stormers took their foot off the gas towards the end. Fourie played the ref fantastically. The Quins pack couldn't match up physically.

La Rochelle Vs Glaws was a great game, couple of decisions didn't go Glaws way for which they might feel somewhat aggrieved. End to end stuff with a nice mix of the flamboyant and the gritty. Something for everyone.

Wonderful tributes for Peter Thomas through the latter half of the week. Touching words from Dai at the beginning of the week, and we get to this evening, they must have been close over the years.

formerly known as Sam wrote:Quins were dominated and Stormers took their foot off the gas towards the end. Fourie played the ref fantastically. The Quins pack couldn't match up physically.

La Rochelle Vs Glaws was a great game, couple of decisions didn't go Glaws way for which they might feel somewhat aggrieved. End to end stuff with a nice mix of the flamboyant and the gritty. Something for everyone.

We’ve seen this from Stormers since they entered the URC. They play so fast and have a good set piece, it’s difficult to stop. We always see them race into an early lead, win the match in one half, then drop off towards the end.

Cumbrian wrote:

Heaf wrote:Quins arguably should have had a PT there too - Stormers player on the ground played the ball and stopped an almost certain pick up and score ...

Again, it was right in front of the linesman and completely obvious, you can only assume that he doesn't know the rules?

They normally arent very good this year

Was at the Leinster v Ulster game. Ulster fans were class. Shame two Irish teams have to meet so early in the comp.

formerly known as Sam wrote:Quins were dominated and Stormers took their foot off the gas towards the end. Fourie played the ref fantastically. The Quins pack couldn't match up physically.

La Rochelle Vs Glaws was a great game, couple of decisions didn't go Glaws way for which they might feel somewhat aggrieved. End to end stuff with a nice mix of the flamboyant and the gritty. Something for everyone.

Think more than somewhat ...

Just watching Chiefs v Montpellier - seems forward passes are acceptable again.

TMO trying to get a try disallowed after awarded by the ref ...

Exeter probably should have had that Simmonds try overruled. Though given the infield decision hard to say it was definitely held up....but he blatantly didn't get it down.

Ref said he saw it down - nothing in the footage to conclusively overrule ...

They also should have looked at the pop pass for Montpellier's first try ... close but worth a look at least.

Also when they played out from behind their line another forward pass ...

ohhh - red for Mercer

Not sure why Chiefs didn't take the points for the lead ...

Nice hands for that try

Fair play to TMO there to spot that one

Don't know why the commentators are fixating on whether a forward pass was touched by a Chiefs player - if the pass was forwards, it was forwards ...

Montpellier not giving up though ...

Extra time ... phew I'm tired just watching this

Really strange decision from Yeandle, they were marching over the line, why not stay with the maul?

Montpellier mugged the ref there - jackler stepped away just as he was about to be cleared out - not a pen

And they score after the resulting field position ...

Chiefs should have put Montpellier away with an extra man for all that time ... blew a try from maul over the line, then left themselves open for a mistake by the ref to cost them a try ...

What a bloody game!

Heavyweights out on their feet trading blows, unbelievably good watch.

I need a rest now ...

Have to give it to Montpellier for staying in it all that time with 14 men ...

Heaf wrote:Have to give it to Montpellier for staying in it all that time with 14 men ...

Indeed, some of their English players showed up well too, Langdon could be a real boon for Saints and England next season.

Just on to Sarries now - can't believe they took the 3 when Ospreys just got a warning

Good play by Ospreys, sound like they've brought a lot of fans with them.

Followed by the curse of the restart

Some strong defence by Ospreys to keep Sarries out ...

This scrum has wasted about three minutes, a blight on the game when it is like this.

Seems the gate in euro rugby is about 180 degrees wide ...

So next pen is a yellow except when it's not ...

Hmmm think they should have tapped and gone again - probably 7 points and/or yellow card

Heaf wrote:So next pen is a yellow except when it's not ...

Well the yellow card has come out now.

Why would Sarries bring their own maul down when it's heading for the line?

Nice finish.

Took their time to review but finally got it right

Heaf wrote:Why would Sarries bring their own maul down when it's heading for the line?

I couldn't see how brought it down but sometimes players do slip and bring their own side down.

Agreed - just didn't look like that to me - but I suppose the ref has a better view ...

Billy Butterfingers today ...

Ref just bottling scrum decisions even when his assistants are helping.

Sarries very sloppy today

Saracens need to make some of these half breaks stick. They've left an awful lot of points on the pitch.

Urgh. Just seen that clear out and Ackemans leg.

No 7&1/2 wrote:Ref just bottling scrum decisions even when his assistants are helping.

Sarries not getting any reward for their dominance there.

Good try that, delicate kick from Goode and they did well to finish it.

They made that one stick - nicely done