Investec Champions Cup, Round 2

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ROUND 2

Friday 13 December
Sale Sharks v Racing 92 (8pm)
Castres v Munster (8pm)

Saturday 14 December
Bulls v Northampton Saints (1pm)
Ulster v Bordeaux-Bègles (3.15pm) Free on France TV
Leinster v Clermont Auvergne (5.30pm) Free on RTÉ
Leicester Tigers v Sharks (5.30pm)
La Rochelle v Bristol Bears (8pm)
Harlequins v Stormers (8pm)

Sunday 15 December
Benetton v Bath (1pm)
Stade Français v Saracens (1pm) Free on France TV
Toulon v Glasgow Warriors (3.15pm)

Duty281 wrote:

doctor_grey wrote:Does anyone know how far this Sharks team is to their best lineup?  Obviously some important players missing.  

A long way off. I think nine changes from last week's game?

But credit to Leicester, they're doing the job in style. Very weird try in that half when a Sharks player did brilliantly to keep the ball in play off a Leicester penalty kick to touch...only to deflect the ball right into the path of Hassell-Collins who scored.

Players not considered for selection due to injury:
Bongi Mbonambi
Braam Reyneke
Eben Etzebeth
Fez Mbatha
Gerbrandt Grobler
Grant Williams
James Venter
Jurenzo Julius
Khwezi Mona
Lukhanyo Am
Makazole Mapimpi
Marnus Potgieter
Ruan Dreyer
Vincent Koch
Vincent Tshituka

Mbonambi, Etzebeth, Am and Mapimpi the big name absentees.  Though Am's replacement has been one of the Sharks bright sparks. Grant Williams and Koch obviously big names not there as well but Trevor Nyakane and  Jaden Hendrikse might well have started anyway.

Tigers only really missing Ollie Chessum and Ant Watson. Maybe Dan Kelly as well.

Duty281 wrote:

doctor_grey wrote:Does anyone know how far this Sharks team is to their best lineup?  Obviously some important players missing.  

A long way off. I think nine changes from last week's game?

But credit to Leicester, they're doing the job in style. Very weird try in that half when a Sharks player did brilliantly to keep the ball in play off a Leicester penalty kick to touch...only to deflect the ball right into the path of Hassell-Collins who scored.

Agree completely.  You can only play who is there.  Reminds me of last season when Bulls sent a comparable side to this Sharks team to play Saints at the Gardens, and the result is about the same.  Didn't see that try (was out buying a christmas tree...).

Watching Quins-Stormers and I think we are seeing the same thing - the South African sides sending what is in effect a second side (though with a few regulars included). More or less uninteresting. I am going to switch over to La Rochelle-Bristol....

Yeah I don't think it was a particularly strong Sharks side but there were some good players there. Not the most cohesive side. Tigers have started to show some good signs in attack and that continued today, was also on display Vs Bordeaux last weekend.

Ilione and Woodward were both very good off the bench and Henderson came back from almost exactly 12 months out. Huge bonus to have him back.

The only matches with real jeopardy so far this weekend have been

Castres vs Munster
Bulls vs Saints
Leinster vs Clermont

Sale vs Racing wasn't a blow-out but it never looked like the visitors were in that game. You could make a case for Ulster vs Bordeaux, which was a good match for 60 minutes before the French just ran away with it.

Leinster need to sort out their lineout if they want to win the tournament. Losing ball messed up good attacking chances on three occasions early in the match, which stopped them imposing themselves.

Stade Francais 10-7 Saracens after 27 minutes

Stade made all the running, and and Saracens couldn't get into the game. At 10-0 down, Sekou Macalou managed to trip the Saracens scrum half, and then swing an arm into his face. Red card.

Saracens got a converted try back but are still struggling in the scrum. They have fifty minutes against 14 men to manufacture a win.

Paul Gustard, the Stade coach, was spotted leaning his head backwards, and staring at the sky.

Not watching the match but Benetton seem to be 17-7 up against Bath.

Stade 10-13 Saracens at half-time

Sarries got two penalties, one to equalize, and the other to take the lead. At the end of the half, the referee played one of the longest advantages you'll ever see, and Sarries could have had another penalty but pushed it wide fom far out.

Saracens just couldn't pull away, and Stade have got back to 17-21 with ten minutes left.

Nick Isiekwe has just had a bad knock, and is going off after a lengthy stoppage.

Rugby Fan wrote:Not watching the match but Benetton seem to be 17-7 up against Bath.

Bath end up losing out. Perhaps van Graan is regretting rotating quite so many players as he did.

Toulouse are just really good. 7-28 after 36 minutes at Sandy Park....

I guess my SuperBru prediction of Toulouse beating Exeter at Sandy Park by 17 was just hair off the mark....
21-59 at 75 minutes.

As an Ulster fan, I feel Exeter's pain. Toulouse are different gravy.

Doc, it looks like you have a few aliases "doctor_grey, formerly known as Sam and carpet baboon like this posts "

Above the likes button above.

WELL-PAST-IT wrote:Doc, it looks like you have a few aliases "doctor_grey, formerly known as Sam and carpet baboon like this posts "

Above the likes button above.

Eats, shoots, and leaves, eh?