Champions Cup Rounds 1 & 2

Friday 15th November

19:45 Gloucester v Toulouse


Saturday 16th November

13:00 Bath v Ulster
13:00 Glasgow v Sale
15:15 Leinster v Benetton
15:15 La Rochelle v Northampton
17:30 Ospreys v Munster
17:30 Clermont v Harlequins


Sunday 17th November

13:00 Connacht v Montpelier
13:00 Northampton v Lyons
15:15 Racing 92 v Saracens




Friday 22nd November

19:45 Ulster v Clermont


Saturday 23rd November

13:00 Saracens v Ospreys
13:00 Benetton v Northampton
13:00 Toulouse v Connacht
15:15 Lyon v Leinster
15:15 Exeter v Glasgow
17:30 Munster v Racing 92
17:30 Harlequins v Bath


Sunday 24th November

13:00 Sale v La Rochelle
15:15 Montpelier v Gloucester

GLOUCESTER RUGBY
15. Jason Woodward, 14. Tom Marshall, 13. Chris Harris, 12. Mark Atkinson, 11. Ollie Thorley, 10. Danny Cipriani, 9. Joe Simpson, 1. Val Rapava Ruskin , 2. Franco Marais, 3. Jamal Ford-Robinson, 4. Freddie Clarke, 5. Gerbrandt Grobler, 6. Ruan Ackermann, 7. Lewis Ludlow, 8. Ben Morgan (c).

Replacements:
16. Corné Fourie, 17. Josh Hohneck, 18. Fraser Balmain, 19. Alex Craig, 20. Jake Polledri, 21. Callum Braley, 22. Billy Twelvetrees, 23. Matt Banahan,


TOULOUSE
15. Thomas Ramos, 14. Yoann Huget, 13. Sofiane Guitoune, 12. Romain Ntamack, 11. Maxime Médard, 10. Zack Holmes, 9. Sébastien Bézy, 1. Cyril Baille, 2. Julien Marchand (c), 3. Charlie Faumuina, 4. Florian Verhaeghe, 5. Joe Tekori, 6. Francois Cros, 7. Rynhardt Elstadt, 8. Jerome Kaino.

Replacements:
16. Peato Mauvaka, 17. Clément Castets, 18. Dorian Aldegheri, 19. Richie Gray, 20. Selevasio Tolofua, 21. Alban Placines, 22. Pierre Pages, 23. Lucas Tauzin,

What about the challenge cup?

Well Toulouse were big and lacking in ideas, but Glaws ushered them over the line with the worst lineout display I can remember. Something like 6 won and 8 lost.

LondonTiger wrote:Well Toulouse were big and lacking in ideas, but Glaws ushered them over the line with the worst lineout display I can remember. Something like 6 won and 8 lost.

Toulouse in the second half did show some nice attacking flair. Lots of offloads and keeping away from the breakdown. They looked really unsure of themselves in the first half and short of confidence, I would bet that whomever they get next week will have a different challenge.

Gloucester were really only in the game thanks to two length of the field breaks by Simpson both of which were against the run of play. As you say lineout was shocking.

Toulouse though stopped playing once they got into the Glaws 22, switching to one up runners and pick and drive.

If Medard and Ntamack are playing, then the French don't have much of a rest period do they?

Underhill playing for Bath. Significantly less of a rest than the French players.

LondonTiger wrote:Toulouse though stopped playing once they got into the Glaws 22, switching to one up runners and pick and drive.

Definitely missed Dupont running the show from 9, Bezy passed well but just didn't have any of the magic and the 10 Holmes(?) Is not a top drawer option. Interplay between him and Ntamack outside of the Glaws 22 was nice though.

Good win by Ulster away to Bath, puts them in a good place

Exeter 14-0 in the lead at HT against La Rochelle and looking pretty good for it. Losing at home first up could make it very difficult for the French to qualify as well, Sale away, with a few more players back will be a tough old trip for them next weekend as well.

They need a very big second half

BigGee wrote:Good win by Ulster away to Bath, puts them in a good place

Couple of suspect tackles in the last phase that maybe should have been looked at though ...

A Slade intercept gives Exeter a third try and a 16 point lead

Surely no way back for the French now and a BP to play for. Great start in the competition for Exeter

BP for Exeter, they have looked very strong today. Got to be contenders this year

BigGee wrote:BP for Exeter, they have looked very strong today. Got to be contenders this year

Doutbt it, they have a knack for not translating domestic form and control in to European games. You have to wonder whether Hogg and Cuthbert have been brought in to add that extra bit of strike and broken field running to disrupt that. But I have a feeling the Exeter mentality isn't there just yet. Also need a better 10.

Not many sides mash La Rochelle at home. It was a pretty impressive performance and if they csn back that up they will be contenders

BigGee wrote:Not many sides mash La Rochelle at home. It was a pretty impressive performance and if they csn back that up  they will be contenders

Exeter have normally been effectively knocked out of Europe by December. If they can win next week they actually have one foot in the 1/4s.

Poor quins...

Ulster win, Leinster win, Munster win.

How likely is it that Connacht could making it four from four?

Pot Hale wrote:Ulster win, Leinster win, Munster win.

How likely is it that Connacht could making it four from four?

Woopti do...first round..means didly. England got to a world cup final...but lost...means nothing. Only South Africa will be remembered.

mikey_dragon wrote:Poor quins...

Yep not a good weekend for us. Men v boys really.

GeordieFalcon wrote:

Pot Hale wrote:Ulster win, Leinster win, Munster win.

How likely is it that Connacht could making it four from four?

Woopti do...first round..means didly. England got to a world cup final...but lost...means nothing.  Only South Africa will be remembered.  

Let's call the whole thing off so. Just announce the winner early, chosen by secret ballot of 'expert' Guardian, Telegraph and Times journalists? ... em, and let's say the announcement comes on New Year's Day to give spice to a generally boring day.

Even SA still had to win a few games to get to win that final. Why so cynical, Geordie?

It's the Geordie whahay.

yappysnap wrote:

mikey_dragon wrote:Poor quins...

Yep not a good weekend for us. Men v boys really.

I didn't realise Clermont were this good again. I suppose they'll choke at some stage though, they always seem to do that.

Harlequins made Clermont look better than they probably are. Clermont had a lot of front foot ball that made their backs shine but the reality is that their forwards are not as good as what they used to be so against other teams they won’t have it that easy.

I like your thinking, Fly.

We've already had a dry run of picking winners without playing games in Japan this year. Everyone agrees it's been the best RWC so far, so perhaps it's the way to go for all rugby, all sport, and, indeed, everything under the sun? The Times' Stephen Jones as omnipotent Creator...

Saints looking lively.

Lol. As I write that Lyons may have scored.

Why no YC - any other time a knock-on is given where there was no realistic chance of catching it it's a card? Saints would have been away if that had gone cleanly to hand.

Heaf wrote:Why no YC - any other time a knock-on is given where there was no realistic chance of catching it it's a card?  Saints would have been away if that had gone cleanly to hand.

There have been two outstretched hand knock ons that were only given as scrums. Murphy perhaps being more generous as an ex player?

Could be - just another lack of consistency - something like that should be relatively simple to get all refs to rule the same way ...

GeordieFalcon wrote:

Pot Hale wrote:Ulster win, Leinster win, Munster win.

How likely is it that Connacht could making it four from four?

Woopti do...first round..means didly. England got to a world cup final...but lost...means nothing.  Only South Africa will be remembered.  

It's Whoop-de-do... tsk, tsk.

Connacht 23-20 Montpelier.

Pot Hale wrote:Ulster win, Leinster win, Munster win.

How likely is it that Connacht could making it four from four?

Yep. Great start to the tournament for the provinces.

Great to see Connacht doing well.

Sarries getting a bit of a spanking in the first half

Doing well to keep the score respectable atm

Not sure about that last try - looked like a toe in touch to me ...

Toenail maybe?

not enough you get to say 'haha' in rugby without feeling grubby, but 'haha' saracens.

BigGee wrote:Sarries getting a bit of a spanking in the first half

Doing well to keep the score respectable atm

Given the team they put out that result was entirely expected.

formerly known as Sam wrote:

BigGee wrote:Sarries getting a bit of a spanking in the first half

Doing well to keep the score respectable atm

Given the team they put out that result was entirely expected.

It was still a good team... Why are Carre and Koch back playing for them? I thought it was too soon, unless there’s no mandatory rest period.

whocares wrote:Harlequins made Clermont look better than they probably are. Clermont had a lot of front foot ball that made their backs shine but the reality is that their forwards are not as good as what they used to be so against other teams they won’t have it that easy.

This. We are not playing well this season, and Ibotye's try aside looked lost and confused for most of the game.

mikey_dragon wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:

BigGee wrote:Sarries getting a bit of a spanking in the first half

Doing well to keep the score respectable atm

Given the team they put out that result was entirely expected.

It was still a good team... Why are Carre and Koch back playing for them? I thought it was too soon, unless there’s no mandatory rest period.

Looking at the team there were a few first choice, but mainly 2nd and 3rd choice players with a couple of fourth choice maybe.

The agreement with the RPA and PRL is that the players have a 5 (or 6) week break, but once every four years that can be taken in parts. The English WC squad had their break at the end of the season, though most players have also been given a break post WC.

Carre does not fit under the rules as he moved club during the summer from outside the league. Koch may have had the required break during the summer.

A post match interview with Dan Cole saw the Tiger state the players are right now fitter than they have ever been and just want to play, taking further mandated rests later in the season.

English teams robbed by poor refereeing.

....and so it begins.

How did Ulster get away with so many neckrolls?

There's a punchline about decapitation in there somewhere, I'm sure...

TightHEAD wrote:How did Ulster get away with so many neckrolls?

The World Cup is over?

That's my best guess.

Saracens have confirmed they will not be contesting their points deduction and fine for breaching the league's salary cap.

Good for them.

Champions Cup Round 1 Wins

By country
French 3/6
English 2/7
Welsh 0/1
Italian 0/1
Scottish 1/1
Irish 4/4

By competition
Top 14    3/6
Prem12   2/7
PRO14    5/7

Next week's match-ups look tasty:

Ulster v Clermont
Saracens v Ospreys
Bennetton v Saints
Toulouse v Connacht
Lyon v Leinster
Exeter v Glasgow
Munster v Racing
Quins v Bath
Sale v La Rochelle
Montpellier v Gloucs

Pot Hale, this is a club competition. Why do you always turn it around to national or league terms?

Cyril wrote:Pot Hale, this is a club competition. Why do you always turn it around to national or league terms?

I would have thought that was fairly obvious, Cyril.

Or was yours a rhetorical question?