European Rugby Thread

[earl the beaver]

How on earth have Montpellier been given a 28-0 win when Leinster were happy to travel and play the match?

I think there's more than this than meets the eye.

The 23 they've named may not have tested positive but given the absentees a lot of others during the week did, given it can take 7 days to test positive there is a real chance some of the Leinster players named who have tested negative to date could be carrying it.

Ahh, yes I see, thanks.

And so it comes to pass. Leinster's game on Sunday postponed now as more players have tested positive.

[SaintK]

I think there's more than this than meets the eye.

The 23 they've named may not have tested positive but given the absentees a lot of others during the week did, given it can take 7 days to test positive there is a real chance some of the Leinster players named who have tested negative to date could be carrying it.

Ahh, yes I see, thanks.

And so it comes to pass. Leinster's game on Sunday postponed now as more players have tested positive.

Oh dear. Won't be the last at a guess
Games in Wales and SCotland playeng with no crowds from Sunday. I reckon the same will happen in England sooner rather than later. 60,000 due at Twickenham for Quins v Saints on day after Boxing Day, perfect super-spreader event!!

[Torquemada 1420]

I think there's more than this than meets the eye.

The 23 they've named may not have tested positive but given the absentees a lot of others during the week did, given it can take 7 days to test positive there is a real chance some of the Leinster players named who have tested negative to date could be carrying it.

Ahh, yes I see, thanks.

And so it comes to pass. Leinster's game on Sunday postponed now as more players have tested positive.

FWIW, I think ERC could simply have pp'd all these games rather than punishing the likes of Leinster.

[earl the beaver]

Ahh, yes I see, thanks.

And so it comes to pass. Leinster's game on Sunday postponed now as more players have tested positive.

FWIW, I think ERC could simply have pp'd all these games rather than punishing the likes of Leinster.

And I think that is what Leinster's legal team will be saying, either you allow postponements for everyone or all the French teams who didn't travel (and British sides who couldn't travel to France) take a 28-0 loss.

I do think that EPCR will go with the argument that the tournament rules stated that if matches were stopped due to covid cases in the camp then the riddled team lose the game whereas the other matches were due to a French governmental decision and that wasn't included in the tournament that Leinster signed up to.

[fishfoodie]

And so it comes to pass. Leinster's game on Sunday postponed now as more players have tested positive.

FWIW, I think ERC could simply have pp'd all these games rather than punishing the likes of Leinster.

And I think that is what Leinster's legal team will be saying, either you allow postponements for everyone or all the French teams who didn't travel (and British sides who couldn't travel to France) take a 28-0 loss.

I do think that EPCR will go with the argument that the tournament rules stated that if matches were stopped due to covid cases in the camp then the riddled team lose the game whereas the other matches were due to a French governmental decision and that wasn't included in the tournament that Leinster signed up to.

The Rules say that Leinster have to field a team; & they were able to; the EPRC then made a wholely subjective judgement, & penalized Leinster.

If they could postpone other games, 24hrs later, why not this one; or just allow the fucking game to take place !

The likes of PSA gloating about the decision makes it look shit.

[earl the beaver]

FWIW, I think ERC could simply have pp'd all these games rather than punishing the likes of Leinster.

And I think that is what Leinster's legal team will be saying, either you allow postponements for everyone or all the French teams who didn't travel (and British sides who couldn't travel to France) take a 28-0 loss.

I do think that EPCR will go with the argument that the tournament rules stated that if matches were stopped due to covid cases in the camp then the riddled team lose the game whereas the other matches were due to a French governmental decision and that wasn't included in the tournament that Leinster signed up to.

The Rules say that Leinster have to field a team; & they were able to; the EPRC then made a wholely subjective judgement, & penalized Leinster.

If they could postpone other games, 24hrs later, why not this one; or just allow the fucking game to take place !

The likes of PSA gloating about the decision makes it look shit.

They can't field a team this week, suggesting that a number of the players selected for the weekend have subsequently tested positive and would have been carrying it in France.

[Uncle fester]

I think there's more than this than meets the eye.

The 23 they've named may not have tested positive but given the absentees a lot of others during the week did, given it can take 7 days to test positive there is a real chance some of the Leinster players named who have tested negative to date could be carrying it.

Ahh, yes I see, thanks.

And so it comes to pass. Leinster's game on Sunday postponed now as more players have tested positive.

Brilliant. 28-0 win for us so?

[Torquemada 1420]

The Rules say that Leinster have to field a team; & they were able to; the EPRC then made a wholely subjective judgement, & penalized Leinster.

If they could postpone other games, 24hrs later, why not this one; or just allow the fucking game to take place !

The likes of PSA gloating about the decision makes it look shit.

Link?

Although Piglet is such a tw*t that I wouldn't be surprised if it were true.

[fishfoodie]

The Rules say that Leinster have to field a team; & they were able to; the EPRC then made a wholely subjective judgement, & penalized Leinster.

If they could postpone other games, 24hrs later, why not this one; or just allow the fucking game to take place !

The likes of PSA gloating about the decision makes it look shit.

Link?

Although Piglet is such a tw*t that I wouldn't be surprised if it were true.

https://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/ ... 57777.html

Montpellier director of rugby Phillipe Saint-Andre has poured petrol on the flames of Leinster anger following the controversial postponement of Friday night’s Champions Cup fixture, which resulted in the awarding of a 28-0 win to the French side.

The former French national coach claimed fresh bout of Covid cases in Leinster prompted the EPCR’s medical committee to push for postponement, despite Leinster’s claim to the contrary and assurances from Irish health authorities.

And he also said Leinster were struggling to put out a team despite the fact that the province asserted they were intent on fulfilling the fixture, the heavy loss of which in terms of match points and points difference complicates their path towards the final, if not gravely imperils it.

“We wanted to play this match in front of our audience and our partners,” Saint-Andre said in an interview with RMC Sport in France.

Yeah. Sure !

[Torquemada 1420]

The Rules say that Leinster have to field a team; & they were able to; the EPRC then made a wholely subjective judgement, & penalized Leinster.

If they could postpone other games, 24hrs later, why not this one; or just allow the fucking game to take place !

The likes of PSA gloating about the decision makes it look shit.

Link?

Although Piglet is such a tw*t that I wouldn't be surprised if it were true.

https://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/ ... 57777.html

Montpellier director of rugby Phillipe Saint-Andre has poured petrol on the flames of Leinster anger following the controversial postponement of Friday night’s Champions Cup fixture, which resulted in the awarding of a 28-0 win to the French side.

The former French national coach claimed fresh bout of Covid cases in Leinster prompted the EPCR’s medical committee to push for postponement, despite Leinster’s claim to the contrary and assurances from Irish health authorities.

And he also said Leinster were struggling to put out a team despite the fact that the province asserted they were intent on fulfilling the fixture, the heavy loss of which in terms of match points and points difference complicates their path towards the final, if not gravely imperils it.

“We wanted to play this match in front of our audience and our partners,” Saint-Andre said in an interview with RMC Sport in France.

Yeah. Sure !

Leinster would have hammered them.

[SaintK]

Sanderson not happy with visaa regulations for Saffers travelling to play matches in FRance

Attempts to press ahead with the forthcoming European fixtures have been dealt a fresh blow after it emerged South African players based in the UK face further red tape to gain entry into France with the Sale director of rugby, Alex Sanderson, saying the Champions Cup could be made into a “mockery”.

European Professional Club Rugby, the organiser of the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup, remains in discussions over two rounds of fixtures this month after matches were postponed in December when France limited entry from the UK to “essential only”. EPCR is hopeful of gaining the necessary exemptions to allow fixtures to go ahead.

On Tuesday, Sanderson revealed a further complication, however, with Sale’s South African players facing additional visa requirements. It is understood EPCR is aware of the problem, though its priority remains getting the fixtures played in the first place.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022 ... d-visas

[sockwithaticket]

Sanderson, though, is adamant Sale would not be able to field a competitive side away to Clermont on 16 January if his South African contingent cannot travel and said they were not the only club to raise the issue. In addition, the French government has mandated that all sportspeople be fully vaccinated from 15 January, which would further reduce the number of players available to Sanderson.

“There’s a certain type of visa you get if you’re South African, which has to be approved,” he said. “They’d have to fast-track and approve these Schengen visas in record time. Apparently it’s only a stamp but it’s out of our hands.

“This is entirely in the lap of European Rugby and their ability to push it through and then the French government to approve it. It doesn’t give us a competitive team. There are nine of our squad who wouldn’t be approved and that’s not even including some of the lads who aren’t double-jabbed, of which there’s one or two. We’re not the only ones, we’re all in a similar boat.”

Asked about fielding a second‑string side if his South African players are not granted exemption, Sanderson said: “It’s a mockery of the cup then, isn’t it? We’re in it to play the best teams with our best team. So no, I wouldn’t even consider taking a second team to Clermont to get beaten up.”

I don't think it's true at all that other clubs are in a similar boat. No one in the Prem has the same number of South Africans and certainly not so many as starters.

I'd be intrigued as to why they've still got players who aren't at least double jabbed at this stage.

He can also pipe down about a mockery of the cup, injuries alone mean you can often be without a large number of a preferred starting line up and you'd still play the fixture. Wasps faced Munster with 18 injuries plus one sustained in the warm up. 2 more picked up during the game would've meant facing Toulouse with 21 players missing before we added on those unavailable due to covid protocols. Would fulfilling that fixture have been a mockery of the cup or just a team doing the best they can with the players available (which is all any squad can ever do)?

Is it also possible that this is a problem of their own making having left the paperwork of their players too late or has something changed very, very recently that means these Saffer players now need a different type of visa?

[Kawazaki]

Sanderson, though, is adamant Sale would not be able to field a competitive side away to Clermont on 16 January if his South African contingent cannot travel and said they were not the only club to raise the issue. In addition, the French government has mandated that all sportspeople be fully vaccinated from 15 January, which would further reduce the number of players available to Sanderson.

“There’s a certain type of visa you get if you’re South African, which has to be approved,” he said. “They’d have to fast-track and approve these Schengen visas in record time. Apparently it’s only a stamp but it’s out of our hands.

“This is entirely in the lap of European Rugby and their ability to push it through and then the French government to approve it. It doesn’t give us a competitive team. There are nine of our squad who wouldn’t be approved and that’s not even including some of the lads who aren’t double-jabbed, of which there’s one or two. We’re not the only ones, we’re all in a similar boat.”

Asked about fielding a second‑string side if his South African players are not granted exemption, Sanderson said: “It’s a mockery of the cup then, isn’t it? We’re in it to play the best teams with our best team. So no, I wouldn’t even consider taking a second team to Clermont to get beaten up.”

I don't think it's true at all that other clubs are in a similar boat. No one in the Prem has the same number of South Africans and certainly not so many as starters.

I'd be intrigued as to why they've still got players who aren't at least double jabbed at this stage.

He can also pipe down about a mockery of the cup, injuries alone mean you can often be without a large number of a preferred starting line up and you'd still play the fixture. Wasps faced Munster with 18 injuries plus one sustained in the warm up. 2 more picked up during the game would've meant facing Toulouse with 21 players missing before we added on those unavailable due to covid protocols. Would fulfilling that fixture have been a mockery of the cup or just a team doing the best they can with the players available (which is all any squad can ever do)?

Is it also possible that this is a problem of their own making having left the paperwork of their players too late or has something changed very, very recently that means these Saffer players now need a different type of visa?

It says in the article you posted that South Africans require different visas. I don't know why if they live in the UK but the article says they do.

[sockwithaticket]

I was more getting at when did this requirement come in, has there been ample time to deal with the change in requirements for the Saffa's or even if everything was done day one would it not have been enough to get things sorted for the next round of fixture?

[Kawazaki]

No idea. With mad Macron and Brexit, I'm surprised it's not harder for the English to get into France then the Saffas to be honest.

[fishfoodie]

EPCR fucking over Leinster.

The postponed games from Round 2 of the Heineken Champions Cup will not be rescheduled, with the EPCR confirming that each game will be marked down as a 0-0 draw.

Five Champions Cup and two Challenge Cup matches from December were initially postponed, after heightened travel restrictions were brought in between France and the UK at short notice.

The EPCR had been hoping to reschedule those matches, but the lack of an available window means this would not be possible without making significant changes to the format of the competition for the second season in a row.

As a result, the EPCR Board and Executive have determined the games cannot be played, with each team awarded two match points for the scoreless draw.

However, this ruling does not include Leinster's cancelled Round 2 meeting with Montpellier.

The French side were awarded a 28-0 bonus point win after it was deemed it was unsafe for the game to proceed, with Leinster in the midst of a Covid-19 outbreak at the time.

https://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2022/011 ... scheduled/

No offence to the French fans on here; but I really hope Leinster leave the field, with Montpellier, looking like the end of the fight in the, "House of Blue Leaves", in Kill Bill

[laurent]

You will find that most French teams do not like this ruling one bit

[Torquemada 1420]

EPCR fucking over Leinster.

The postponed games from Round 2 of the Heineken Champions Cup will not be rescheduled, with the EPCR confirming that each game will be marked down as a 0-0 draw.

Five Champions Cup and two Challenge Cup matches from December were initially postponed, after heightened travel restrictions were brought in between France and the UK at short notice.

The EPCR had been hoping to reschedule those matches, but the lack of an available window means this would not be possible without making significant changes to the format of the competition for the second season in a row.

As a result, the EPCR Board and Executive have determined the games cannot be played, with each team awarded two match points for the scoreless draw.

However, this ruling does not include Leinster's cancelled Round 2 meeting with Montpellier.

The French side were awarded a 28-0 bonus point win after it was deemed it was unsafe for the game to proceed, with Leinster in the midst of a Covid-19 outbreak at the time.

https://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2022/011 ... scheduled/

No offence to the French fans on here; but I really hope Leinster leave the field, with Montpellier, looking like the end of the fight in the, "House of Blue Leaves", in Kill Bill

FM. I was trying to find out whether that game had been amended: and evidently not. I guess EPCR dug a hole and was not going to fill it in whilst they were sitting in it.

[TheFrog]

This year is going to be a joke.
I think French clubs have understood this since December and have made the Top14 their absolute priority.

[Jock42]

Anyone know what the prize money is for the winner of the Challenge Cup?

[robmatic]

This year is going to be a joke.
I think French clubs have understood this since December and have made the Top14 their absolute priority.

The pool format in the Champions Cup is a bit pointless. There doesn't seem much point really going for it when almost everyone goes through and the next round is played over two legs so home advantage isn't as important.

[SaintK]

This year is going to be a joke.
I think French clubs have understood this since December and have made the Top14 their absolute priority.

Absolute joke!!
Haven't Bristol amassed 7 points without playing a match

[Torquemada 1420]

This year is going to be a joke.
I think French clubs have understood this since December and have made the Top14 their absolute priority.

Fickou disagrees
https://www.rugbyrama.fr/rugby/champion ... tory.shtml

[TheFrog]

This year is going to be a joke.
I think French clubs have understood this since December and have made the Top14 their absolute priority.

Fickou disagrees
https://www.rugbyrama.fr/rugby/champion ... tory.shtml

Given Racing's performance in the Top14 so far.... all they have left to play for is the European Cup.

[sockwithaticket]

Wasps and Toulouse teams.



Wasps Unavailable players (19): Malakai Fekitoa, Vaea Fifita, Ben Harris, Robin Hislop, Francois Hougaard, Zach Kibirige, Joe Launchbury, Elliot Millar-Mills, Matteo Minozzi, Gabriel Oghre, Dan Robson, Will Simonds, Sam Spink, Elliott Stooke, Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, Theo Vukasinovic, Marcus Watson, Tom West, Jack Willis.

Looks like last week's win against Leicester came at a bit of a cost with Stooke, Toomaga-Allen, Hougaard, Hislop and Spink all joining (or re-joining in most cases) the unavailable list. We're down to no back up second rows again and the bench props can't scrummage.



Even without Dupont, that starting lineup looks like enough to secure a comfortable victory.

[Paddington Bear]

Honestly the whole thing has been poor for a few years now, this season is just the icing on the cake.

[Torquemada 1420]

Even without Dupont, that starting lineup looks like enough to secure a comfortable victory.

Toulouse has been a one man side this season. And that man is not playing. Did you watch the game v Cardiff D?

[sockwithaticket]

Even without Dupont, that starting lineup looks like enough to secure a comfortable victory.

Toulouse has been a one man side this season. And that man is not playing. Did you watch the game v Cardiff D?

I did, but otherwise decent French teams having an off day in the UK when the weather's shit or they're considered favourites is hardly unusual.

Besides, my prediction is more about the sorry state of Wasps than Toulouse's merits.

[Torquemada 1420]

Even without Dupont, that starting lineup looks like enough to secure a comfortable victory.

Toulouse has been a one man side this season. And that man is not playing. Did you watch the game v Cardiff D?

I did, but otherwise decent French teams having an off day in the UK when the weather's shit or they're considered favourites is hardly unusual.

Besides, my prediction is more about the sorry state of Wasps than Toulouse's merits.

Same Wasps which defeated Prem leaders last week?

[sockwithaticket]

Toulouse has been a one man side this season. And that man is not playing. Did you watch the game v Cardiff D?

I did, but otherwise decent French teams having an off day in the UK when the weather's shit or they're considered favourites is hardly unusual.

Besides, my prediction is more about the sorry state of Wasps than Toulouse's merits.

Same Wasps which defeated Prem leaders last week?

Not quite, 5 players in that game got injured (as is our way this season). Leicester are nowhere near as good as their league position anyway.

[Torquemada 1420]

Quins should be tried for crimes against humanity for that strip.

[Hal Jordan]

Quins looking loose a.f.

[Torquemada 1420]

Quins looking loose a.f.

Was always going to be that type of game. I'm enjoying it. I shudder to think how Castres v Munster is being played.

[fishfoodie]

Hmmm; which game to watch ???

Cardiff v Quins 14 - 7

or //

Castres v Munster 0 - 3

[Hal Jordan]

Not sure Northmore works at 12.

[Torquemada 1420]

Hmmm; which game to watch ???

Cardiff v Quins 14 - 7

or //

Castres v Munster 0 - 3

More injuries than points so far in the latter.

[Torquemada 1420]

Shocking miss from there. Has all the smell of "being expensive".

[Hal Jordan]

Does anyone kick for points anymore? Easiest 3 Smith is likely to get.

[Raggs]

Someone has dipped Northmore's hand in oil or something.

[Hal Jordan]

Someone has dipped Northmore's hand in oil or something.

Not filling the enormous shirt at 12 with much confidence.