URC Round 15

First topic message reminder :

Top 4 look to be into the play offs but huge competition underneath them and some vital games this weekend.

Friday 26th April 2024

Scarlets v Hollywoodbets Sharks
Parc Y Scarlets, Llanelli – KO 19.35 IRE & UK / 20.35 ITA & SA
Live on: BBC Wales, Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Ulster v Benetton
Kingspan Stadium, Belfast – KO 19.35 IRE & UK / 20.35 ITA & SA
Live on: BBC NI, RTÉ, Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv


Saturday 27th April 2024

Zebre Parma v Glasgow Warriors
Stadio Lanfranchi, Parma – KO 13.00 IRE & UK / 14.00 ITA & SA
Live on: Sky Italia, Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Vodacom Bulls v Ospreys
Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria – KO 14.00 IRE & UK / 15.00 ITA & SA
Live on: SuperSport, S4C, Premier Sports, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Cardiff Rugby v Edinburgh Rugby
Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff – KO 15.05 IRE & UK / 16.05 ITA & SA
Live on: Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Emirates Lions v Munster
Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg – KO 16.00 IRE & UK / 17.00 ITA & SA
Live on: SuperSport, TG4, Premier Sports, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

DHL Stormers v Leinster
DHL Stadium, Cape Town – KO 18.05 IRE & UK / 19.05 ITA & SA
Live on: SuperSport, TG4, Premier Sports, Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Dragons RFC v Connacht
Rodney Parade, Newport – KO 20.00 IRE & UK / 21.00 ITA & SA
Live on: S4C, RTÉ, Premier Sports, SuperSport, , Flo Rugby & URC.tv

Bulls didn’t look like they had to do much, just big specimens going through the motions. Owen Watkin and Owen Williams are shocking, I know they’ve gone off Williams but I’ll never understand how Watkin is so highly rated by them.

Thats all Edinburgh have is a driving maul..its effective but commentators mentioned they need a BP win today to really make the top 8. They have no chance of being a 4 try team.

I think they may simply of have no quality at centre. Plus Healy i dont think is much of a running 10 either.

First 8 minutes of this Stormers Leinster game is already more entertaining that the whole of the Edinburgh match.

When was the last time Leinster got a thrashing two weeks in a row?

Clearly they went down south with a weaken squad but they can't have expected to get nothing from the two games?

It certainly makes the league more interesting

Welshmushroom wrote:Thats all Edinburgh have is a driving maul..its effective but commentators mentioned they need a BP win today to really make the top 8.  They have no chance of being a 4 try team.  

I think they may simply of have no quality at centre.  Plus Healy i dont think is much of a running 10 either.

You have to admit that Edinburgh were very effective and got a convincing win. More of the same for Cardiff.

The inevitable is happening, teams are catching up to Leinster 2nds. I thought it would be next season but looks like it’s begun.

I just hope next season Leinster dont get another end of season tour to SA as that would make it 4 years in a row. URC need to make sure the split on fixtures remains fairly split between teams. If they get another tail end tour I would argue they are receiving favourable draws.

That Leinster 10 (Prendergast) doesnt look that good. If that's the future of 10's in Ireland they might be in trouble....

wow lovely bit of skill by Gelant there......classy.

So, Glasgow top of the log!

Did not see that happening

Be hard to get them off there now. They have another Zebre game in their last 3 so thats another 5 pointer. Leinster will have to go win all 3 now if they want top spot.

Meanwhile Dragons give up a soft score to Connacht. Our pack just lacks physicality when your getting overpowered by Connacht. The sad thing is our pack doesnt even look mobile which is something you see with a weaker pack normally.

Nice - at least a lovely backline play to score. I've said we have a good backline but our problem is we just dont get parity up front.

I think Ospreys are out of the running now, they didn’t do enough earlier in the season. The league is so competitive now. I hope they do beat Leinster next week, just so we get someone else top the league for a change.

To be fair to Ospreys they have had a really good season considering. Had some key injuries throughout the season. If they win one more before R18 they will have won half the games in the league which is more than I thought any welsh team would manage.

But I put that down to Booth being a seasoned campaigner, knows how to develop youngsters and is pretty clever in the transfer market. Basically he is showing the massive gap at that level between Ospreys and every other region.

nice to see us actually defending a bit on our line.

And then an error gives it back to them....

Coleman looks like he has the size but not a lot of upper body strength which any top end tighthead needs.....think im going to call him spaghetti arms from now on....


Another soft try to Connacht sees them leading again.......

And another score Connacht....I had to check as at one stage I thought we were playing in Ireland.

We just cant get any possession tonight......cant win a game of rugby if you cant get hold of the ball....

We pull one back....at least were still in this....

The way Munster are playing im not sure Leinster will even have 2nd spot tied up for certain. And I dont think thats ever happened before.

Got to feel for Connacht a bit because even if they win knowing how the results went this weekend I can't see them winning in either R17 or R18 which I think will mean they wont qualify top 8.

Next weekend Challenge Cup games will make things even more interesting. If Sharks and Benetton win and setup a URC team final it will make a very interesting for Champions cup qualification.

Connacht get their 4 try BP.  

This is just plain unacceptable when a side like Connacht comes to RP with an eye on a BP win.  If thats deemed as acceptable you may as well start the academy kids now....

wow i dont understand - a player runs into a stationery defender and he gets red carded.....I understand tackles to the head should be viewed as red but how is a passive tackler whos not moving forward at fault.....for me even a yellow would have been harsh but fairer than red.

and thats the game right there probably - a couple of really terrible calls not to mention the penalty of Hanrahans injury - never foul play in a million years.

fair play for us coming back into this but this one stings a bit.....

I do wish teams were not allowed to time waste as much as sides do......so many games where boot laces and other stuff like that were happening in todays matches and I wish players were just moved to the side lines and games carry on.....at the end of the day we have a sub bench for injuries and nobody wants to see the game being slowed down.

Dragons did well to get so close at HT, when it looked like we were going to concede a BP before it. But then we should really have probably won from there. Italian ref was poor, but not why we lost. Silly mistakes like Williams kicking the ball straight out twice. Dee missing a tackle on the first try.

Sharks win

So easily could be only 7 qualify