Official United Rugby Championship thread

[Slick]

I’m a bit loath to criticise Kinghorn because he has done better than I thought recently, but he’s been a bit of a disaster tonight

Edit: disaster too strong, but not great

[fishfoodie]

I’m a bit loath to criticise Kinghorn because he has done better than I thought recently, but he’s been a bit of a disaster tonight

Edit: disaster too strong, but not great

I think that makes disaster on the money.

[fishfoodie]

Well done Ref, that's twice he's given 10 for some lip

[fishfoodie]

It's 27 - 13, with 12mins to go,but Edinburgh aren't out of this, if they can cut out the handling errors, & keep their discipline

[fishfoodie]

Clever Boy !!!

[fishfoodie]

FFS Edinburgh; you've let a blimp get a hattrick against you

[Slick]

FFS Edinburgh; you've let a blimp get a hattrick against you

I know!!

Who’s your team fishfoodie?

[fishfoodie]

FFS Edinburgh; you've let a blimp get a hattrick against you

I know!!

Who’s your team fishfoodie?

By birth Leinster; by location Connacht. Gotta support that underdog !

[Uncle fester]

FFS Edinburgh; you've let a blimp get a hattrick against you

You can't beat quality.

[Uncle fester]

To be perfectly honest mate, I thought there was quite a lot of difference. I was getting annoyed at the ref for a few things (he’s got better) but thought that was fine

Whitehouse called "no release"

Boyle had made the tackle, got back to his feet and got his hands on the ball, pulling it over on to his own side. There was clear air, he was supporting his own weight and lifted the ball.
It was a classic 7 turnover

Three points to the home side

Yeah, I don’t think he did release, he seems to have hands on him the whole time.

I’m not sure I’ve noticed Boyle much before but he’s having a good game

I'm a real stickler for comedy level release in games I ref and that one wouldn't have passed my metric for "clear release".

At the end of the day, ref is always right and it's Whitehouse so if only one team is pissed at him, that's an unusually good day.

[fishfoodie]

Whitehouse called "no release"

Boyle had made the tackle, got back to his feet and got his hands on the ball, pulling it over on to his own side. There was clear air, he was supporting his own weight and lifted the ball.
It was a classic 7 turnover

Three points to the home side

Yeah, I don’t think he did release, he seems to have hands on him the whole time.

I’m not sure I’ve noticed Boyle much before but he’s having a good game

I'm a real stickler for comedy level release in games I ref and that one wouldn't have passed my metric for "clear release".

At the end of the day, ref is always right and it's Whitehouse so if only one team is pissed at him, that's an unusually good day.

I did notice that he wasn't enforcing any kind of, "Gate", tonight, & Edinburgh realized it.

I think Boyle did release; but he did it so fast, that the ref could be forgiven for not seeing it, & assumed he never actually did so.

[Tichtheid]

Yeah, I don’t think he did release, he seems to have hands on him the whole time.

I’m not sure I’ve noticed Boyle much before but he’s having a good game

I'm a real stickler for comedy level release in games I ref and that one wouldn't have passed my metric for "clear release".

At the end of the day, ref is always right and it's Whitehouse so if only one team is pissed at him, that's an unusually good day.

I did notice that he wasn't enforcing any kind of, "Gate", tonight, & Edinburgh realized it.

We got pinged at least twice for "in at the side"

[fishfoodie]

that is a fucking disgraceful decision.

they've turned a collision that wasn't even a penalty into a fucking red card

[OomStruisbaai]

Saffer derbies have only one round to go, so from next weekend this competition will pick up steam again. The travelling also is so much easier compare to Superrugby. Teams only fly out late next week.

Friday, 25 February 2022
* Zebre v Bulls
* Leinster v Lions

Saturday, 26 February 2022
* Connacht v Stormers
* Benetton Rugby v Sharks

[Chilli]

Saffer derbies have only one round to go, so from next weekend this competition will pick up steam again. The travelling also is so much easier compare to Superrugby. Teams only fly out late next week.

Friday, 25 February 2022
* Zebre v Bulls
* Leinster v Lions

Saturday, 26 February 2022
* Connacht v Stormers
* Benetton Rugby v Sharks

Should make it a little more exciting

[OomStruisbaai]

Saffer derbies have only one round to go, so from next weekend this competition will pick up steam again. The travelling also is so much easier compare to Superrugby. Teams only fly out late next week.

Friday, 25 February 2022
* Zebre v Bulls
* Leinster v Lions

Saturday, 26 February 2022
* Connacht v Stormers
* Benetton Rugby v Sharks

Should make it a little more exciting

Our teams will shoot up that log in the next month or two.

Expect wins for $hark$ and Bulls, Stormers and Lions have tough Irish opponents.

[Sards]

Didn't Benneton beat the Bulls....

Not such easy competition.....surely

[fishfoodie]

Thank God for IPTV !

Sat dish is windmilling around, & the lawn is like the Somme, with all the rain, & I don't feel like wading across it, to re-set the dish, only for it move again, before I'm back in my seat.

[OomStruisbaai]

Bulls include Mossie for their tour

FORWARDS:
Lizo Gqoboka, Gerhard Steenekamp, Simphiwe Matanzima, Jacques van Rooyen, Robert Hunt, Bismarck du Plessis, Johan Grobbelaar, Joe van Zyl, Walt Steenkamp, Ruan Nortje, Janko Swanepoel, Marcell Coetzee, Arno Botha, Elrigh Louw, WJ Steenkamp, Reinhardt Ludwig.

BACKS:
Embrose Papier, Keagan Johannes, Marco Jansen van Vuren, Chris Smith, Juan Mostert, Harold Vorster, Lionel Mapoe, Stedman Gans, Cornal Hendricks, Madosh Tambwe, Canan Moodie, Kurt-Lee Arendse.

[OomStruisbaai]

[Chilli]

Bulls
Leinster
Stormers
$harks


Is my thinking.

[OomStruisbaai]

Stormers will struggle against Connact. Dunno if
Libbok will be able to adobt to the conditions.

[FalseBayFC]

It'll be interesting to see how our teams go against these teams weakened by 6N absences. We're such shit travelers though. Bulls and Sharks should win easily.

[OomStruisbaai]

Weird to travel just for one weekend. Think the passionate crowds and shite reffing will be our biggest adjustment.

[Chilli]

Weird to travel just for one weekend. Think the passionate crowds and shite reffing will be our biggest adjustment.

The crowds in Ireland should be good.

[Sards]

Weird to travel just for one weekend. Think the passionate crowds and shite reffing will be our biggest adjustment.

It's a professional sport now. No excuses. We have had a taste of NH reffing. It should have been analysed.

[Sards]

Stormers will struggle against Connact. Dunno if
Libbok will be able to adobt to the conditions.

You know Gelant will love it. He thrives up north. His future paymasters will be watching him keenly.

[OomStruisbaai]

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25
Zebre Parma v Vodacom Bulls

Stadio Lanfranchi, Parma – KO 17.30 IRE & UK / 18.30 ITA / 19.30 SA

Referee: Adam Jones (WRU, 15th league game)

AR 1: Federico Boraso (FIR) AR 2: Dario Merli (FIR)

TMO: Stefano Roscini (FIR)

Live on: Mediaset, SuperSport, Premier Sports & URC TV.

Leinster Rugby v Emirates Lions

RDS Arena, Dublin – KO 19.35 IRE & UK / 20.35 ITA / 21.35 SA

Referee: Craig Evans (WRU, 28th competition game)
Peter Martin (IRFU) AR 2: Stuart Gaffikin (IRFU)

TMO: Colin Stanley (IRFU)

Live on: TG4, SuperSport, Premier Sports & URC TV.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26
Connacht Rugby v DHL Stormers

The Sportsground, Galway – KO 13.00 IRE & UK / 14.00 ITA / 15.00 SA

Referee: Ben Blain (SRU, 15th competition game)

AR 1: Eoghan Cross (IRFU) AR 2: Dermot Blake (IRFU)

TMO: Leo Colgan (IRFU)

Live on: RTÉ 2, SuperSport, Premier Sports & URC TV

Benetton v Cell C Sharks

Stadio Monigo, Treviso – KO 15.05 IRE & UK / 16.05 ITA / 17.05 SA

Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU, 74th competition game)

AR 1: Filippo Russo (FIR) AR 2: Alberto Favero (FIR)

TMO: Matteo Liperini (FIR)

[OomStruisbaai]

Stormers will struggle against Connact. Dunno if
Libbok will be able to adobt to the conditions.

You know Gelant will love it. He thrives up north. His future paymasters will be watching him keenly.

Connacht destroyed the Bulls 34-7. They had an away win last weekend and lose only Aki . It's now even tougher with the winter weather.

[Chilli]

Stormers will struggle against Connact. Dunno if
Libbok will be able to adobt to the conditions.

You know Gelant will love it. He thrives up north. His future paymasters will be watching him keenly.

Connacht destroyed the Bulls 34-7. They had an away win last weekend and lose only Aki . It's now even tougher with the winter weather.

It won't be easy like playing against the Italian teams. [Who also klapped the Bulls]

[fishfoodie]

Stormers will struggle against Connact. Dunno if
Libbok will be able to adobt to the conditions.

You know Gelant will love it. He thrives up north. His future paymasters will be watching him keenly.

Connacht destroyed the Bulls 34-7. They had an away win last weekend and lose only Aki . It's now even tougher with the winter weather.

Unfortunately we also lose Carty & Hansen this weekend too; & the weather forecast is dry, cloudy, & 30km/hr winds.

Stormers should be targeting this game.

[OomStruisbaai]

Call up to the Irish squad?

Match preview per Connacht site

Head coach Andy Friend wants Connacht to be aggressive and physically brave in Saturday’s 1 PM kick-off United Rugby Championship meeting with the Stormers at the Sportsground.



Connacht kept their Champions Cup qualification hopes for next season alive last weekend when they defeated the Scarlets in Wales 29-23.



The Stormers will pose a different challenge, but Friend – citing the 34-7 win over their compatriots, The Bulls, last October as an example that should provide confidence – is confident that his team can win if they stick to their tactical blueprint.



“The blueprint is not too dissimilar to the Bulles,” the Australian said.



“We know we’re up against a very physical side, so we’re going to have to front up physically. We have got to not be afraid to put bodies in front defensively. I think probably more so than against the Bulls, they are full of threats in the backfield, so our kicking game has got to be spot on.



“And then similar when we played the Bulls, I thought we made the most out of all our opportunities. We got into the score zone and we executed, so our ability to look after the ball and to take our chances when opportunities present ourselves; if we can do all that, I think we can put ourselves in a very good position.



“And if we don’t, they have enough firepower to really hurt us, so it will be a good contest.”



After last weekend’s win away to the Scarlets – the first in the league in Connacht’s history – Friend is keen for his team to find consistency and to knit a run of wins together.



“It’s really important(to gain that consistency). That’s the beauty of this competition. Someone asked me the other day if the season looked like it was dwindling out, but it’s not; we still have eight games to go.



“The teams that we’re playing, they’re either ahead of us or around us so there’s still a lot that can happen. The only thing that we can control is what we do on Saturday. It’s really important that we back that up(the Scarlets win) now and really important that we just don’t leave it.

“It was a good performance and a courageous performance, I thought, against a good Scarlets side, but if we leave it there, it won’t have counted for much. We’re very clear in our reckoning that out of the next seven games, we must win five of them.



“We’ll be attempting to win seven of them, so ideally, we’ll target this one on the weekend and see how we go.”



Meanwhile, centre Tom Daly is keen to make up for lost time after his recent injury absences.



The Carlow native returned to action last weekend away to the Scarlets after a number weeks out with injury and contributed an excellent performance, capped by providing two try assists for teammates in the victory in Wales.



And now Daly is looking to contribute as much as he can to the Connacht cause between now and the end of the season.



“Yeah, definitely, it’s always frustrating being injured,” he said.



“I think I have been very lucky since I came to Connacht, I hadn’t had an injury since I’ve been here. I was on a nice roll, but unfortunately, injuries are a part of rugby and you’re always going to pick up one here or there and it was tough missing that block because there was a lot of big games in it.



“Obviously the four European games, you want to be part of them and then the big interpros over Christmas as well, so it wasn’t the nicest block to miss but it’s just good to be back out there now and back winning games as well last weekend, which is good.”



The Stormers are Connacht’s next opponents when they visit the Sportsground and Saturday and Daly is expecting an exciting and physical affair.



The key to any home win, the former Ireland sevens player said, is to front up in the physical stakes and not allow the visitors to release their talented backline.



“I think you can expect from all South African teams that they are going to have a massive pack with big carriers and a really big back-row who are good over the ball and then some really good individuals in the backs.

I know one of their wingers, Seabelo Senatla, he is a former sevens player and I played against him at under ’20s and I remember he was electric back then and he’s the same now. Their whole back three looks very dangerous.



“They are pretty similar to the Bulls team we played earlier in the season. A big heavy pack with good individuals in the backs, so it’s about fronting up physically and meeting them head-on, like we did with the Bulls earlier on in the year and then trying to keep their outside backs quiet by taming their forwards a little bit.”

[Sards]

“They are pretty similar to the Bulls team we played earlier in the season. A big heavy pack with good individuals in the backs, so it’s about fronting up physically and meeting them head-on, like we did with the Bulls earlier on in the year and then trying to keep their outside backs quiet by taming their forwards a little bit.”

[/quote]

Interesting

[OomStruisbaai]

“They are pretty similar to the Bulls team we played earlier in the season. A big heavy pack with good individuals in the backs, so it’s about fronting up physically and meeting them head-on, like we did with the Bulls earlier on in the year and then trying to keep their outside backs quiet by taming their forwards a little bit.”

Interesting
[/quote]

Stormers will have Ali Vermaak, Neethling and Roos back. Will probably play from the bench.

Friend have it all under control.

[OomStruisbaai]

$hark$ $hould win ea$ily vs Bennetons 3rd team.

[fishfoodie]

Call up to the Irish squad?

More like, never released,from the squad.

Carty got brought in when Sexton got injured, & although Sexton is supposed to be fit for Italy; Carty hasn't been released.

It's the downside of players catching the eye of the National coach, when you've a small squad like Connacht.

[assfly]

Ideally this should be a perfect weekend for all SA teams to push for wins, with the European teams stripped of their internationals.

But let's see how that goes!

[OomStruisbaai]

Lions win will be awesome.

[OomStruisbaai]

Sharks to play Benetton – 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Sbu Nkosi, 13 Lukhanyo Am (c), 12 Marius Louw, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Phepsi Buthelezi, 7 Henco Venter, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Gerbrandt Grobler, 4 Ruben van Heerden, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Ox Nche.
Subs: 16 Kerron van Vuuren, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Khutha Mchunu, 19 Le Roux Roets, 20 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 21 Cameron Wright, 22 Tito Bonilla, 23 Werner Kok.

[OomStruisbaai]

Bulls: 15 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 14 Cornal Hendricks, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Madosh Tambwe, 10 Chris Smith, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Elrigh Louw, 7 Arno Botha, 6 Marcell Coetzee (captain), 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Walt Steenkamp, 3 Jacques van Rooyen, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp.
Replacements: 16 Bismarck du Plessis, 17 Simphiwe Matanzima, 18 Robert Hunt, 19 Janko Swanepoel, 20 WJ Steenkamp, 21 Keagan Johannes, 22 Ruan Mostert, 23 Canan Moodie.

Date: Friday, February 25
Venue: Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma
Kick-off: 18.30 (19.30 SA time; 17.30 GMT)
Referee: Adam Jones (Wales)
Assistant referees: Federico Boraso (Italy), Dario Merli (Italy)
TMO: Stefano Roscini (Italy)