Knock-out stages: Who are you supporting?

First topic message reminder :

So with the pool stages behind us, there will be a fair few supporters who's teams unfortunately didn't make it. My question is, who will you be cheering on in the knock-out stages and why?

Personally I'll be standing up for the Ulster men. If a Welsh team had made it I'd naturally back them, but seeing as that didn't happen I'll be backing Ulster as the team who, in my eyes, deserve the cup the most. They hit amazing for at the start of this season and managed to play a very entertaining brand of rugby. Ulster v Clermont in the final could be an absolute classic.

Jenifer McLadyboy wrote:

PJHolybloke wrote:

In the Amlin it's Bath, obviously. But when they go out at the QF stage it will be Leinster, because I happen to like ladyboys.

oooh Missus. I'm getting all excited.

Just spent the weekend having the craic with a special bunch of rugby fans, most of whom were Leinster supporters, so it's a no-brainer.

PenfroPete wrote:HEINEKEN - ASM Clermont Auvergne. They have been my 'French Side' since 2004

AMLIN - tough one. I have friends who support some of the quarter-finalists
Wasps - Hound
Bath - PJHolyBloke
Leinster - so many. Gibson, Huggy, Puma, MickeyT, Mickado .....
Gloucester - PropLyd (also our club captain)
On reflection, it's got to be ........ WASPS as they have a certain Welsh #10 (and I don't mean Nicky Robinson)

:

You are such a tart PJ.

Good to hear that a good weekend was had by all in Devon. A most superb host is As.

Glas a du wrote:You are such a tart PJ.

Am I so shallow?

Gibbo gives you Gin and you dump Ulster for her neighbour

Glas a du wrote:Gibbo gives you Gin and you dump Ulster for her neighbour

Nooooooooo, Ulster in the Heino, Leinster in the Amlin if they stay in longer than Bath.

It may have said Gin on the bottle mate, but I can only presume that Gin is Dutch for "paint-stripper".

So you support three clubs in two competitions but are not promiscuous?

That's the prosecution case Your Honour...

Same as Penfro.

Clermont for Byrne and as they were so close last year. Plus their supporters are great.

Wasps for the Amlin, for the big Welsh link and as they came out of the Dragons group.

Risca Rev wrote:Same as Penfro.

Clermont for Byrne and as they were so close last year. Plus their supporters are great.

Wasps for the Amlin, for the big Welsh link and as they came out of the Dragons group.

The Dragons fans are are a great laugh, and add something to any ground.

Harlequins for me, they play an attractive style of rugby and along with Munster have the fewest foreign players (both just 5 each in the entire squad).

Of the English sides I think Saracens will go the furthest though, they don't play sparkling rugby, just quietly go about their business, playing pragmatically, stalling the opposition's gameplan and grinding out wins. That makes them the more difficult side to play in my opinion, they won't put you to the sword but they have an incredible ability to just frustrate you and slowly but firmly edge you out. I already see quite a few people on these boards underestimating them compared to the flashier sides.

Clermont will take the title though.

I'll be shouting for Munster and Ulster. I wouldn't mind Clermont winning because it's taken them four attempts to get past us, and I'm sure they'd have at least one title by now if it wasn't for us repeatedly breaking their hearts. It would also give me some consolation that we were put out by the eventual champions.

SUFTUM.

Then Clermont, whom I believe as a collective are truly excellent and whilst less fashionable than some of the others left, will prove to be incredibly difficult to beat.

Ulster (slightly) ahead of Munster because they play some good rugby.

After that Clermont because they're a wonderful team to watch and their fans are sound as a pound. I'd take the underdogs after that, Montpellier. Then it's just a matter of which team I dislike least:

Quins
Tigers
Toulon
Saracens

Quarters

Quins v Munster
Clermont v Montpellier
Toulon V Leicester
Sarries V Ulster

Semis

Sarries/Ulster V Toulon/Leicester

Clermont/Montpellier V Quins/Munster

So Leinster won't defend their title, I wonder if Ulster will be able to correct their mistakes of last year and take the cup this time.

I suppose the Irish, English and French supporters will be happy with having, 2, 3 and 3 teams respectively in the quarters.

Commisserations to the weslh and Scottish supporters. I think the Saracens vs Ulster match will be the closest to call, the others I would suspect the home teams to win.

Who will I support?

I'll tell you after I see who wins between Ulster and Sarries.

COYQ

I'd obviously like ASM to finally win the thing. Failing that maybe Harlequins as they never won it either and it will be probably more difficult next year for them.

I want the English sides to do well.

After that Montpellier because they are the underdogs plus would love them to knock out Clermont.

Tigers (of course)

followed by (in order):

Sarries
Quins
Clermont
Ulster
Montpelier
Munster
Toulon

Ulster obviously.

Then Munster.

Quins
Clermont
Montpellier

Not a lot of love being shown towards sarries?

Can anyone give a reason why there not to keen on us

I'm going for
Sarries
Quins
Tigers
Munster
Ulster
Toulon

Knackeredknees wrote:Not a lot of love being shown towards sarries?

Can anyone give a reason why there not to keen on us

I'm going for
Sarries
Quins
Tigers
Munster
Ulster
Toulon

Don't forget that Saracens are boring,arrogant and English. Plus they actually win matches, people don't like that.

Knackeredknees wrote:Not a lot of love being shown towards sarries?

Can anyone give a reason why there not to keen on us

Oi, did you miss my post, only two above yours

I don't have a particular antithesis towards the Sarries, in fact the Mark McCall connection makes me take an interest but they don't play an attractive brand of rugby. Fine, it works for them but it's not the best to watch for anyone except a Sarries fan.

That plus we are playing them in the quarters puts them well down my list.

Others may have different reasons.

Sarries, Clermont or Montpellier.

Reason? A scotsman is playing a major part in their campaigns :

Sarries : Brown
Montpellier : Beattie
Clermont : Hines

These 3 continue to play well and they'll hopefully get noticed by Gatland and make the Lions tour and give us Scots something to cheer about. Also I have gained a grudging respect for the steam roller style the Sarries play. They do the basics really well and simply crush the opposition with ruthless efficiency.

Hand on heart I would really like to see Clermont take it most of all. They play some fantastic rugby.

On a more personal note (sorry to Ulster and Munster fans in advance) I'm sick of seeing Irish teams winning it so it would be nice to see it go somewhere other than the emerald isle.

beshocked wrote:

Knackeredknees wrote:Not a lot of love being shown towards sarries?

Can anyone give a reason why there not to keen on us

I'm going for
Sarries
Quins
Tigers
Munster
Ulster
Toulon

Don't forget that Saracens are boring,arrogant and English. Plus they actually win matches, people don't like that.

They certainly are very boring

beshocked wrote:

Knackeredknees wrote:Not a lot of love being shown towards sarries?

Can anyone give a reason why there not to keen on us

I'm going for
Sarries
Quins
Tigers
Munster
Ulster
Toulon

Don't forget that Saracens are boring,arrogant and English. Plus they actually win matches, people don't like that.

Not quite true shocked, can't remember us ever being arrogant! And it's a well known FACT!!!!! That we are not English. We are infact South African with a few PI players!

Depends on what you call attractive? I'm a forward I don't do pretty I do in your face bully you into submission tight controlled rugby, so those things that stand behind me getting cold can do the pretty stuff when it's on

In order of support:

1 - Munster
2 - Ulster
3 - Quins
4 - Clermont
6 - Tigers
7 - Toulon
8 - Saracens

george doors wrote:

beshocked wrote:

Knackeredknees wrote:Not a lot of love being shown towards sarries?

Can anyone give a reason why there not to keen on us

I'm going for
Sarries
Quins
Tigers
Munster
Ulster
Toulon

Don't forget that Saracens are boring,arrogant and English. Plus they actually win matches, people don't like that.

They certainly are very boring

One man's boring is another man's entertainment.

Ulster as it's been so long since they won it,Munster slightly behind them and then I don't care.

Don't really want to see Toulon or Clermont win it as I hate the French moneybags system and want to see it fail as much as possible.

Quins and after that Montpellier

Biltong wrote:

george doors wrote:

beshocked wrote:

Knackeredknees wrote:Not a lot of love being shown towards sarries?

Can anyone give a reason why there not to keen on us

I'm going for
Sarries
Quins
Tigers
Munster
Ulster
Toulon

Don't forget that Saracens are boring,arrogant and English. Plus they actually win matches, people don't like that.

They certainly are very boring

One man's boring is another man's entertainment.

Very very boring and not very English...

Would love to see peoples reactions if they won the comp though

If people are doing orders:

Quins






Saracens
Tigers



Ulster
Munster

Montpelier

Clermont
Toulon

Not because I particularly dislike any teams but England>Ireland>France

Quins will get my backing as i enjoy their style of rugby.

Followed by any of the English teams.

I wouldn't mind Clermont winning it, they play some great rugby and 'deserve' as much as any team can do to win the thing.

yappysnap wrote:Quins and after that Montpellier

I wonder why? Is it perhaps because you want Montpellier to take out Clermont?

Clermont terrify me, can't believe we got top seeding and then that semi final draw!

Clermont terrify me too! Genuinely stunned that we rack up all those points to have to then beat Munster and go away to Clermont and that's before the final.

beshocked wrote:

yappysnap wrote:Quins and after that Montpellier

I wonder why? Is it perhaps because you want Montpellier to take out Clermont?

I hadn't thought of that but now you mention it i'd take that!

red_stag wrote:In order of support:

1 - Munster
2 - Ulster
3 - Quins
4 - Clermont
6 - Tigers
7 - Toulon
8 - Saracens

Is it the number 5 or Montpellier you don't like?

Only Paul O'Connell gets to have the number 5.

red_stag wrote:Only Paul O'Connell gets to have the number 5.

Poor mans Risca Rev