Champions Cup Round 3 - Don't worry about the snow

ROUND 3

Friday 10 January
Glasgow Warriors v Racing 92 (8pm)

Saturday 11 January
Stormers v Sale Sharks (1pm)
Exeter Chiefs v Bordeaux-Bègles (3.15pm)
Sharks v Toulouse (3.15pm) Free on France TV
Munster v Saracens (5.30pm) Free on RTÉ
Stade Français v Northampton (5.30pm)
Leicester Tigers v Ulster (8pm)
Castres v Bulls (8pm)

Sunday 12 January
Toulon v Harlequins (1pm)
La Rochelle v Leinster (3.15pm) Free on France TV
Bristol Bears v Benetton (3.15pm)
Bath v Clermont Auvergne (5.30pm)

Will be at the tigers Ulster game. The rugby better be good as it's going to be a cold cold evening. And as I'm driving can't even rely on the beer jacket

STARTING XV
15 Freddie Steward [99]
14 Josh Bassett [22]
13 Izaia Perese [8]
12 Solomone Kata [29]
11 Ollie Hassell-Collins [35]
10 Handré Pollard [41]
9 Jack van Poortvliet [84]
1 Nicky Smith [11]
2 Julián Montoya (C) [66]
3 Joe Heyes [152]
4 Cameron Henderson [51]
5 Jed Holloway [5]
6 Finn Carnduff [14]
7 Tommy Reffell [125]
8 Olly Cracknell [54]

REPLACEMENTS

16 Charlie Clare [107]
17 James Whitcombe [59]
18 Dan Cole [332]
19 Harry Wells [208]
20 Emeka Ilione [32]
21 Ben Youngs [325]
22 Jamie Shillcock [39]
23 Joseph Woodward [19]

Good news in the returns of Carnduff and Perese. Bad news is that Liebenburg is out after his injury last weekend and there's no return for either Chessum or Martin which really does remove some of the power from our second row options.

15. Ethan McIlroy (67)
14. Werner Kok (11)
13. Ben Carson (8)
12. Jude Postlethwaite (21)
11. Zac Ward (2)
10. Aidan Morgan (10)
9. Nathan Doak (77)

1. Andrew Warwick (205)
2. John Andrew (128)
3. Scott Wilson (23)
4. Iain Henderson (Capt) (159)
5. Cormac Izuchukwu (35)
6. James McNabney (10)
7. Nick Timoney (155)
8. David McCann (56)

Replacements:
16. James McCormick (9)
17. Eric O’Sullivan (125)
18. Corrie Barrett (6)
19. Kieran Treadwell (168)
20. Harry Sheridan (36)
21. John Cooney (147)
22. Jack Murphy (2)
23. Rory Telfer (3)

Glasgow have picked a good side, though Brown is light at lock.

Rory Sutherland - Johnny Matthews - Zander Fagerson (Bhatti - Hiddleston - Talakai)
Gregor Brown - Scott Cummings (Samuel)
Matt Fagerson - Jack Mann - Rory Darge (Ferrie - Miller)

George Horne - Tom Jordan (Dobie - Weir)
Sione Tuipulotu - Huw Jones
Kyle Steyn - Josh McKay - Sebastian Cancelliere

Racing have picked a third team. To be fair, it may improve their performance as the first team is disjointed.

Lino - Feleti - Sordoni (Ben Arous - Escobar - Mazibuko)
Palu - Junior Kpoku (Taofifuena)
Zinzen - Baudon - Diallo (Dayimani)

Lebail - Gibert (Labarbe - Lancaster)
Chavancy - Tristan (Idrissi)
Arundell - Spring - Habosi

I know it's challenge Cup but Newcastle v Ospreys is on S4C which is free to air although not sure there will be English language commentary as it's a European match. Tomorrow 17:30.

Stade Francais Paris
15. Joe Jonas (one of the Jonas Brothers?), 14. Peniasi Dakuwaqa, 13. Samuel Ezeala, 12. Julien Delbouis, 11. Lester Etien, 10. Zack Henry, 9. Louis Foursans-Bourdette, 1. Moses Alo-Emile, 2. Giacomo Nicotera, 3. Francisco Gomez Kodela, 4. Paul Gabrillagues (c), 5. JJ van der Mescht, 6. Tanginoa Halaifonua, 7. Romain Briatte, 8. Yoan Tanga

Replacements:
16. Alvaro Garcia Albo, 17. Isaac Koffi, 18. Hugo N'Diaye, 19. Sekou Macalou, 20. Baptiste Pesenti, 21. Brad Weber, 22. Louis Carbonel, 23. Joe Marchant

Northampton Saints
15. James Ramm, 14. Tommy Freeman, 13. Tom Litchfield, 12. Rory Hutchinson, 11. Tom Seabrook, 10. Fin Smith, 9. Alex Mitchell, 1. Tarek Haffar, 2. Henry Walker, 3. Trevor Davison, 4. Ed Prowse, 5. Tom Lockett, 6. Josh Kemeny (c), 7. Angus Scott-Young, 8. Henry Pollock

Replacements:

16. Curtis Langdon, 17. Tom West, 18. Luke Green, 19. Callum Hunter-Hill, 20. Fyn Brown, 21. Tom Pearson, 22. Archie McParland, 23. Charlie Savala

Saints Not available for selection:
Emeka Atuanya, Alex Coles, George Furbank, Sam Graham, George Hendy, Emmanuel Iyogun, Temo Mayanavanua, Chunya Munga, Burger Odendaal, Toby Thame and Robbie Smith.

I really don't know much about this Stade Francais Team. They must either be crazy good or maybe not so much with Brad Weber (former AB) and Joe Marchant only on the bench.

mountain man wrote:I know it's challenge Cup but Newcastle v Ospreys is on S4C which is free to air although not sure there will be English language commentary as it's a European match. Tomorrow 17:30.

I have it listed as available over here, though no idea which language version(s).

Challenged Cup again but;

I went to freezing Kingsholm for Glaws v Scarlets, as a neutral (they both had healthy Welsh representation).

Scarlets support did well there. Those in the shed were very vocal. Those in the Stowford did too. If they had linked up chanting, it could’ve been a class atmosphere.

Didn’t seem like whichever Welsh coaching staff were there could’ve learned a lot before the squad announcement though. Costelow seems injured. Hathaway blew a finish.

The only try that was half decent, was Wade’s with some decent footballing skills. I guess Eddie James’ was okay too. Otherwise it was just power.

doctor_grey wrote:

mountain man wrote:I know it's challenge Cup but Newcastle v Ospreys is on S4C which is free to air although not sure there will be English language commentary as it's a European match. Tomorrow 17:30.

I have it listed as available over here, though no idea which language version(s).

S4C is the Welsh channel so comms always in Welsh although for URC club games they have English comms on red button. However, I know in past due to some ruling they're not allowed to for European matches.

doctor_grey wrote:Stade Francais Paris
15. Joe Jonas (one of the Jonas Brothers?), 14. Peniasi Dakuwaqa, 13. Samuel Ezeala, 12. Julien Delbouis, 11. Lester Etien, 10. Zack Henry, 9. Louis Foursans-Bourdette, 1. Moses Alo-Emile, 2. Giacomo Nicotera, 3. Francisco Gomez Kodela, 4. Paul Gabrillagues (c), 5. JJ van der Mescht, 6. Tanginoa Halaifonua, 7. Romain Briatte, 8. Yoan Tanga

Replacements:
16. Alvaro Garcia Albo, 17. Isaac Koffi, 18. Hugo N'Diaye, 19. Sekou Macalou, 20. Baptiste Pesenti, 21. Brad Weber, 22. Louis Carbonel, 23. Joe Marchant

Northampton Saints
15. James Ramm, 14. Tommy Freeman, 13. Tom Litchfield, 12. Rory Hutchinson, 11. Tom Seabrook, 10. Fin Smith, 9. Alex Mitchell, 1. Tarek Haffar, 2. Henry Walker, 3. Trevor Davison, 4. Ed Prowse, 5. Tom Lockett, 6. Josh Kemeny (c), 7. Angus Scott-Young, 8. Henry Pollock

Replacements:

16. Curtis Langdon, 17. Tom West, 18. Luke Green, 19. Callum Hunter-Hill, 20. Fyn Brown, 21. Tom Pearson, 22. Archie McParland, 23. Charlie Savala

Saints Not available for selection:
Emeka Atuanya, Alex Coles, George Furbank, Sam Graham, George Hendy, Emmanuel Iyogun, Temo Mayanavanua, Chunya Munga, Burger Odendaal, Toby Thame and Robbie Smith.

I really don't know much about this Stade Francais Team.  They must either be crazy good or maybe not so much with Brad Weber (former AB) and Joe Marchant only on the bench.

Not quite a first choice tight 5, only Davison would be first automatic, three first choice locks unavailable allows Prowse to show his versatility having moved to lock from prop. Lineout is not going to be great, Prowse is 6'3", Kemeny and Scott-Young about the same, so not really a second jumper, never mind a third.

Back row is interesting though, all action and quick, if lacking some bulk and the backs could cause some mischief if they get decent ball.

WELL-PAST-IT wrote:

doctor_grey wrote:Stade Francais Paris
15. Joe Jonas (one of the Jonas Brothers?), 14. Peniasi Dakuwaqa, 13. Samuel Ezeala, 12. Julien Delbouis, 11. Lester Etien, 10. Zack Henry, 9. Louis Foursans-Bourdette, 1. Moses Alo-Emile, 2. Giacomo Nicotera, 3. Francisco Gomez Kodela, 4. Paul Gabrillagues (c), 5. JJ van der Mescht, 6. Tanginoa Halaifonua, 7. Romain Briatte, 8. Yoan Tanga

Replacements:
16. Alvaro Garcia Albo, 17. Isaac Koffi, 18. Hugo N'Diaye, 19. Sekou Macalou, 20. Baptiste Pesenti, 21. Brad Weber, 22. Louis Carbonel, 23. Joe Marchant

Northampton Saints
15. James Ramm, 14. Tommy Freeman, 13. Tom Litchfield, 12. Rory Hutchinson, 11. Tom Seabrook, 10. Fin Smith, 9. Alex Mitchell, 1. Tarek Haffar, 2. Henry Walker, 3. Trevor Davison, 4. Ed Prowse, 5. Tom Lockett, 6. Josh Kemeny (c), 7. Angus Scott-Young, 8. Henry Pollock

Replacements:

16. Curtis Langdon, 17. Tom West, 18. Luke Green, 19. Callum Hunter-Hill, 20. Fyn Brown, 21. Tom Pearson, 22. Archie McParland, 23. Charlie Savala

Saints Not available for selection:
Emeka Atuanya, Alex Coles, George Furbank, Sam Graham, George Hendy, Emmanuel Iyogun, Temo Mayanavanua, Chunya Munga, Burger Odendaal, Toby Thame and Robbie Smith.

I really don't know much about this Stade Francais Team.  They must either be crazy good or maybe not so much with Brad Weber (former AB) and Joe Marchant only on the bench.

Not quite a first choice tight 5, only Davison would be first automatic, three first choice locks unavailable allows Prowse to show his versatility having moved to lock from prop. Lineout is not going to be great, Prowse is 6'3", Kemeny and Scott-Young about the same, so not really a second jumper, never mind a third.

Back row is interesting though, all action and quick, if lacking some bulk and the backs could cause some mischief if they get decent ball.

I think it is strange that I barely know even the names of some of the Stade Francais players. It seems as if were very recently when they were consistently good and many of their players were almost household names. I have no real read on this team, except for a few.

Stormers are really taking it to Sale. And have what seems a decent crowd as well.

Sale competed really well for the first 15/20 minutes, but didn't take any of their chances. Then the Stormers stopped kicking the ball uselessly, got a couple of breakaway tries, and Sale simply flatlined.

Duty281 wrote:Sale competed really well for the first 15/20 minutes, but didn't take any of their chances. Then the Stormers stopped kicking the ball uselessly, got a couple of breakaway tries, and Sale simply flatlined.

Sale tend to lack direction when Ford doesn't play. Sale also have poor discipline which when combined with the lack of game management when Ford is absent often leads to flat lining performances. Ford hasn't looked fully fit all season, it has looked like Sale have been trying to manage him through it in an attempt to remain competitive because days like today show what happens when he's not there.

Welford road is cold. But the food is hot.
And the coffee ain't to bad

carpet baboon wrote:Welford road is cold. But the food is hot.
And the coffee ain't to bad

Not there tonight but was last weekend. As soon as the sun went down it became bitterly cold. Feel for you tonight, it's not going to be much above -2 if that high.

Hope you enjoy the experience of not the result.

mountain man wrote:I know it's challenge Cup but Newcastle v Ospreys is on S4C which is free to air although not sure there will be English language commentary as it's a European match. Tomorrow 17:30.

My broadcast over here was also in Welsh. Can't imagine too many of the locals here were watching...

Freddie Steward celebrates his 100th Tigers appearance with a man of the match performance. No try but he assisted half of the Tigers tries and kicked a touchline conversion as well as being generally rock solid.

Well the food and coffee were the highlight for me.
Well played tigers.

Saints couldn't adapt with Fin Smith a late scratch. Rory Hutchinson, a natural 12 who covers 15 as well, stepped into the pivot and we could see the differences between him and Smith. Not remotely a knock at Hutch because he played gainfully enough, but when it was time to slow things down and control things, it was a bridge too far.

On the plus side of a sh!tful debacle, Henry Pollock was terrific again. I really don't want him in the England squad because he is still growing and learning his craft. He has played a lot of Rugby, so let the young man rest (even though with his motor it can't be easy).

doctor_grey wrote:Saints couldn't adapt with Fin Smith a late scratch.  Rory Hutchinson, a natural 12 who covers 15 as well, stepped into the pivot and we could see the differences between him and Smith.  Not remotely a knock at Hutch because he played gainfully enough, but when it was time to slow things down and control things, it was a bridge too far.  

On the plus side of a sh!tful debacle, Henry Pollock was terrific again.  I really don't want him in the England squad because he is still growing and learning his craft.  He has played a lot of Rugby, so let the young man rest (even though with his motor it can't be easy).  

Was an odd call moving Hutchinson to 10 and Savala to 12 when Savala's experience is largely at 10. Saints also had another young specialist 10 on the bench.

Discipline killed them off though, some needless penalties and cards that stopped a makeshift side potentially getting an upset. Kemeny in particular with the that late shot on Zach Henry, he was never going to get there for the tackle and just accelerated into the man. Needless.

Pollock will be in the EPS, possibly in more of a learning role but by including him England can enforce rest weeks and help monitor his development. Saints haven't given him many rest weeks so far(by necessity) so that wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing.

Interested to see how Sinckler goes for Toulon against Quins.

He did an interview the other day where he said he felt he had to relearn how to be  aprop when he got to France, as none of the methods and techniques he had relied on seemed to come through for him. Now, he has apparently been popping up in the Top 14 team of the week.

[EDIT] Shame. He's off in the first quarter. Looks to have hurt his right wrist.

carpet baboon wrote:Well the food and coffee were the highlight for me.
Well played tigers.

Just to clarify the coffee from the van outside was good.
The coffee from inside the stadium was at best described as slightly tastier than dish water.

carpet baboon wrote:

carpet baboon wrote:Well the food and coffee were the highlight for me.
Well played tigers.

Just to clarify the coffee from the van outside was good.
The coffee from inside the stadium was at best described as slightly tastier than dish water.

I've not tried any of the coffee at the stadium but there was a queue for the café located in the hotel behind the big stand at WR last time was there.

Unfortunately like a lot of mass catering affairs, scale and profit maximisation has meant that the beverages offered inside are not particularly high on quality.

Rugby Fan wrote:Interested to see how Sinckler goes for Toulon against Quins.

He did an interview the other day where he said he felt he had to relearn how to be  aprop when he got to France, as none of the methods and techniques he had relied on seemed to come through for him. Now, he has apparently been popping up in the Top 14 team of the week.

[EDIT] Shame. He's off in the first quarter. Looks to have hurt his right wrist.

He did seem to stagnate at Quins and then left for a Bristol side that didn't have a decent scrum coach for nearly of all of his time there and we're more reliant on Afoa doing a one man job there. French coming in as scrum coach and Genge at loosehead improved things.

A new environment and challenge was what he needed, he's said that there were off field distractions that he needed to get past as well.

Lol is an awful commentator, there was foul play there all day. I do agree though, the red card feels very harsh.

This could get very messy for Clermont.

Or alternatively, Bath can make really heavy work of it and I wonder why I ever predict Bath doing anything the easy way...

Sale had a solid scrum, pretty good against an SA team in SA. WillGriff John did well there, not sure if he’s even on a permanent contract now? We enticed him to move to Scarlets after a few good years with Sale, so that we could bring him into the Wales team. He was a flop. We tried the exact same with Joe Jones after he joined Sale, another flop. John is now back at Sale doing alright. How bizarre.

mikey_dragon wrote:Sale had a solid scrum, pretty good against an SA team in SA. WillGriff John did well there, not sure if he’s even on a permanent contract now? We enticed him to move to Scarlets after a few good years with Sale, so that we could bring him into the Wales team. He was a flop. We tried the exact same with Joe Jones after he joined Sale, another flop. John is now back at Sale doing alright. How bizarre.

Granted John did okay, but you're not looking at him with a national hat on, are you?

Surely Wales can do better? You have to think he would get marmalised at international level. Even if he holds his own, the bloke is 33 year old this year. Is there nobody in the regional teams that you can invest in? I'd think that a 22-23 at the same level would be worth investing in, they may take a few hammerings, but at least they'll develop and be around for a few years.

Cumbrian wrote:

mikey_dragon wrote:Sale had a solid scrum, pretty good against an SA team in SA. WillGriff John did well there, not sure if he’s even on a permanent contract now? We enticed him to move to Scarlets after a few good years with Sale, so that we could bring him into the Wales team. He was a flop. We tried the exact same with Joe Jones after he joined Sale, another flop. John is now back at Sale doing alright. How bizarre.

Granted John did okay, but you're not looking at him with a national hat on, are you?

Surely Wales can do better?  You have to think he would get marmalised at international level.  Even if he holds his own,    the bloke is 33 year old this year.  Is there nobody in the regional teams that you can invest in?   I'd think that a 22-23 at the same level would be worth investing in, they may take a few hammerings, but at least they'll develop and be around for a few years.

Sale had a fairly massive pack which certainly helps. John can't be a Wales option, maybe Mikey is hopeful he's a Dragons option and he can head back to Wales and offer them some support.

John is a pretty handy back up. He's fourth choice at Sale but with Schonert beset with injury problems and then the two talented youngsters Harper and AOF having someone with experience helps.

Reddit poster has put together an summary table for the Champions Cup.

https://www.reddit.com/r/rugbyunion/comments/1hzwy5d/champions_cup_r3_the_mega_table/

formerly known as Sam wrote:

Cumbrian wrote:

mikey_dragon wrote:Sale had a solid scrum, pretty good against an SA team in SA. WillGriff John did well there, not sure if he’s even on a permanent contract now? We enticed him to move to Scarlets after a few good years with Sale, so that we could bring him into the Wales team. He was a flop. We tried the exact same with Joe Jones after he joined Sale, another flop. John is now back at Sale doing alright. How bizarre.

Granted John did okay, but you're not looking at him with a national hat on, are you?

Surely Wales can do better?  You have to think he would get marmalised at international level.  Even if he holds his own,    the bloke is 33 year old this year.  Is there nobody in the regional teams that you can invest in?   I'd think that a 22-23 at the same level would be worth investing in, they may take a few hammerings, but at least they'll develop and be around for a few years.

Sale had a fairly massive pack which certainly helps. John can't be a Wales option, maybe Mikey is hopeful he's a Dragons option and he can head back to Wales and offer them some support.

John is a pretty handy back up. He's fourth choice at Sale but with Schonert beset with injury problems and then the two talented youngsters Harper and AOF having someone with experience helps.

I don't think anyone would risk it with John, given we tried and he was a flop. I wouldn't have him in the Wales set-up.

The THs should be Henry Thomas and we need to suck it up and just recruit Tom Botha, because there is nobody else who is capable. Assiratti isn't international standard. The LHs should include Smith and Carre, but Carre keeps getting targeted and shunned, so we've probably lost him for good now thanks to that clueless chump Gatland. The Wales squad is due to be announced shortly, it's going to contain all sorts of dross as per. I am hopeful we can nick Tom Lockett, I think he'll be a good one in the near future.

Looks like Leinster have the beating of La Rochelle, quite convincingly on the last 3 occasions. Perhaps La Rochelle have dropped out of the top tier and will be replaced by Bordeaux?

mikey_dragon wrote:Looks like Leinster have the beating of La Rochelle, quite convincingly on the last 3 occasions. Perhaps La Rochelle have dropped out of the top tier and will be replaced by Bordeaux?

Don't think it's a vintage year for La Rochelle, they are down in 6th in the Top14. Whilst they've got a significant budget to work with so have a lot of teams in France and unlike Leinster they don't have a nation's development resources pooling for them so they will face a rebuild in the near future I'd have thought.

formerly known as Sam wrote:

mikey_dragon wrote:Looks like Leinster have the beating of La Rochelle, quite convincingly on the last 3 occasions. Perhaps La Rochelle have dropped out of the top tier and will be replaced by Bordeaux?

Don't think it's a vintage year for La Rochelle, they are down in 6th in the Top14. Whilst they've got a significant budget to work with so have a lot of teams in France and unlike Leinster they don't have a nation's development resources pooling for them so they will face a rebuild in the near future I'd have thought.

I agree, La Rochelle is not having a great year, by their recent high standards. UBB does look to be the next pretender to be sacrificed on the altar of Toulouse in the finals. UBB are really good and seem to be getting better.