Official United Rugby Championship thread

[OomStruisbaai]

You lot were the first trying a 3rd team but don't have the resources.

We have 3 professional teams in our CC itching to play URC.

and will be more competitive thrn the Welsch teams.

Only the Cheetahs, Bulls, Sharks and Griquas/Pumas are competitive. The rest are just making up the numbers at the bottom of the log.
Cheetahs are playing their best possible side.
Bulls are mixing CC and URC.
Sharks are mainly CC with a few URC.
Griquas and Pumas their best possible.

There is a huge gap between these and the rest.

Can't see the Griquas and Pumas being competitive enough for URC.
That leaves the Cheetahs....and then what do they have for the CC.

Did you know that the franchises get a much bigger income playing in the URC.

It will increase playing in the European leagues.

[Sards]

You lot were the first trying a 3rd team but don't have the resources.

We have 3 professional teams in our CC itching to play URC.

and will be more competitive thrn the Welsch teams.

Only the Cheetahs, Bulls, Sharks and Griquas/Pumas are competitive. The rest are just making up the numbers at the bottom of the log.
Cheetahs are playing their best possible side.
Bulls are mixing CC and URC.
Sharks are mainly CC with a few URC.
Griquas and Pumas their best possible.

There is a huge gap between these and the rest.

Can't see the Griquas and Pumas being competitive enough for URC.
That leaves the Cheetahs....and then what do they have for the CC.

Did you know that the franchises get a much bigger income playing in the URC.

It will increase playing in the European leagues.

Doesn't escape the facts outlined above. Our Currie Cup quality is basically limited to 3 sides. Cheetahs Bulls and then Sharks. The rest have no chance in the URC. Cheetahs and Stormers would have to finance a whole new team. Cheetahs to compete in the CC. Stormers to compete in the URC. Cheetahs would only get URC funding whereas the Stormers would have Championship , URC and SARU funding so are in a better position to finance a URC squad if their 1st team is involved in the championship. But their CC quality is dismal. So would have to finance a full URC squad.

[OomStruisbaai]

Only the Cheetahs, Bulls, Sharks and Griquas/Pumas are competitive. The rest are just making up the numbers at the bottom of the log.
Cheetahs are playing their best possible side.
Bulls are mixing CC and URC.
Sharks are mainly CC with a few URC.
Griquas and Pumas their best possible.

There is a huge gap between these and the rest.

Can't see the Griquas and Pumas being competitive enough for URC.
That leaves the Cheetahs....and then what do they have for the CC.

Did you know that the franchises get a much bigger income playing in the URC.

It will increase playing in the European leagues.

Doesn't escape the facts outlined above. Our Currie Cup quality is basically limited to 3 sides. Cheetahs Bulls and then Sharks. The rest have no chance in the URC. Cheetahs and Stormers would have to finance a whole new team. Cheetahs to compete in the CC. Stormers to compete in the URC. Cheetahs would only get URC funding whereas the Stormers would have Championship , URC and SARU funding so are in a better position to finance a URC squad if their 1st team is involved in the championship. But their CC quality is dismal. So would have to finance a full URC squad.

Pumas beating your Sharks at home 20-10 and you don't even mention them?

You can't measure a rugby heart in Rands.

[Sards]

Disgraceful performance. Boeta has lost his MOJO completely

[Chilli]

Disgraceful performance. Boeta has lost his MOJO completely

Send him to Bloemfontein
We'll fix him.

[FalseBayFC]

I didn't watch but that's a very disappointing result from the Sharks. There are 4 test players in the team ffs. Richardson, Notsche, Bonnilla, Adriaanse and a host of experienced journeymen and youngsters with good pedigrees. Etienne Fynn's position should be under scrutiny.

[OomStruisbaai]

Saffers need to watch the two Scottish team in their quater finals of the Challenge Cup. Defeat for Glasgow vs Lyon and Edinburgh vs Wasps will secure our third team entrance to European European Champions Cup.

This matches are not on Dstv.
https://rugbystreams.me/rugby-union-streams

[OomStruisbaai]

Sorry the EdinBokke vs Wasps quater is on 207 @ 13h25

[charltom]

Sorry the EdinBokke vs Wasps quater is on 207 @ 13h25

No, it started half an hour ago.

[OomStruisbaai]

Sorry the EdinBokke vs Wasps quater is on 207 @ 13h25

No, it started half an hour ago.

Been watching it. Wasps knocked them out.Glasgow tonight

[Slick]

It hasn’t worked with the Saffers in the URC, out they go next year

[OomStruisbaai]

Glasgow also gone. We got now officially 3 teams in next year's Champions Cup

[charltom]

Sorry the EdinBokke vs Wasps quater is on 207 @ 13h25

No, it started half an hour ago.

Been watching it. Wasps knocked them out.Glasgow tonight

Yeah but it started at 12:30. I would hate someone to have missed it because of thinking it started 55 mins later.

[OomStruisbaai]

No, it started half an hour ago.

Been watching it. Wasps knocked them out.Glasgow tonight

Yeah but it started at 12:30. I would hate someone to have missed it because of thinking it started 55 mins later.

Sorry was SA time.

[FalseBayFC]

After watching the weekend's Championship games I think its safe to say that the South African sides are well off that pace and it'll take a good couple of seasons to reach that level.

[assfly]

After watching the weekend's Championship games I think its safe to say that the South African sides are well off that pace and it'll take a good couple of seasons to reach that level.

Definitely. Those teams really turn it up a notch when the competition switches from national to European.

But I'm optimistic. Considering our poor start to the URC, now we have three teams qualified for Europe. But being able string consistent wins against the likes of Leinster, Toulouse, Leicester, etc., will take a while for sure.

[OomStruisbaai]

After watching the weekend's Championship games I think its safe to say that the South African sides are well off that pace and it'll take a good couple of seasons to reach that level.

Definitely. Those teams really turn it up a notch when the competition switches from national to European.

But I'm optimistic. Considering our poor start to the URC, now we have three teams qualified for Europe. But being able string consistent wins against the likes of Leinster, Toulouse, Leicester, etc., will take a while for sure.

I have also watched some of the games.. They,ll kak in South Africa.

We,ll see next week if we grow playing north.

The European Challenge also look like a nice competition. Wish Cheetahs, Pumas & Griquas could play in it.

[fishfoodie]

After watching the weekend's Championship games I think its safe to say that the South African sides are well off that pace and it'll take a good couple of seasons to reach that level.

Definitely. Those teams really turn it up a notch when the competition switches from national to European.

But I'm optimistic. Considering our poor start to the URC, now we have three teams qualified for Europe. But being able string consistent wins against the likes of Leinster, Toulouse, Leicester, etc., will take a while for sure.

I have also watched some of the games.. They,ll kak in South Africa.

We,ll see next week if we grow playing north.

The European Challenge also look like a nice competition. Wish Cheetahs, Pumas & Griquas could play in it.

It really is !

The bigger teams do look down their noses at it; but you can still end up playing Toulon, or Racing, or Wasps in it; & so give your players real experience of playing teams like this, allbeit probably not their best possible sides.

[Tichtheid]

Definitely. Those teams really turn it up a notch when the competition switches from national to European.

But I'm optimistic. Considering our poor start to the URC, now we have three teams qualified for Europe. But being able string consistent wins against the likes of Leinster, Toulouse, Leicester, etc., will take a while for sure.

I have also watched some of the games.. They,ll kak in South Africa.

We,ll see next week if we grow playing north.

The European Challenge also look like a nice competition. Wish Cheetahs, Pumas & Griquas could play in it.

It really is !

The bigger teams do look down their noses at it; but you can still end up playing Toulon, or Racing, or Wasps in it; & so give your players real experience of playing teams like this, allbeit probably not their best possible sides.

Edinburgh played a team from Siberia on a public park in Moscow a few years ago, but you don't really get fixtures like that any more

[robmatic]

Definitely. Those teams really turn it up a notch when the competition switches from national to European.

But I'm optimistic. Considering our poor start to the URC, now we have three teams qualified for Europe. But being able string consistent wins against the likes of Leinster, Toulouse, Leicester, etc., will take a while for sure.

I have also watched some of the games.. They,ll kak in South Africa.

We,ll see next week if we grow playing north.

The European Challenge also look like a nice competition. Wish Cheetahs, Pumas & Griquas could play in it.

It really is !

The bigger teams do look down their noses at it; but you can still end up playing Toulon, or Racing, or Wasps in it; & so give your players real experience of playing teams like this, allbeit probably not their best possible sides.

The pool stages are pretty worthless though, it's generally teams putting out weaker sides and you only need to win a couple of games to qualify for the knockouts.

[fishfoodie]

I have also watched some of the games.. They,ll kak in South Africa.

We,ll see next week if we grow playing north.

The European Challenge also look like a nice competition. Wish Cheetahs, Pumas & Griquas could play in it.

It really is !

The bigger teams do look down their noses at it; but you can still end up playing Toulon, or Racing, or Wasps in it; & so give your players real experience of playing teams like this, allbeit probably not their best possible sides.

Edinburgh played a team from Siberia on a public park in Moscow a few years ago, but you don't really get fixtures like that any more

Yeah, Connacht played them too. I wouldn't have wanted to be out on the wing in that game, because you'd be worried your bits would drop off. It was amazing it went ahead, as the pitch was frozen, & then a blizzard started.

[assfly]

The pool stages are pretty worthless though, it's generally teams putting out weaker sides and you only need to win a couple of games to qualify for the knockouts.

In all seriousness, I'd hope the South African teams would raise the pedigree of the competition so there would be less Italian and Welsh teams.

But ja, if a team loses it's first couple of games then they stop bothering.

[Tichtheid]

It really is !

The bigger teams do look down their noses at it; but you can still end up playing Toulon, or Racing, or Wasps in it; & so give your players real experience of playing teams like this, allbeit probably not their best possible sides.

Edinburgh played a team from Siberia on a public park in Moscow a few years ago, but you don't really get fixtures like that any more

Yeah, Connacht played them too. I wouldn't have wanted to be out on the wing in that game, because you'd be worried your bits would drop off. It was amazing it went ahead, as the pitch was frozen, & then a blizzard started.

Edinburgh, and so presumably Galway, is closer to Moscow than Krasnoyarsk, it was all a bit mad.

[Sards]

Sharks have signed Vincent. Fantastic signing. Onwards and upwards

[Sards]

Sharks are going to have to go full beast mode to get a strong bonus point victory against Ulster. To put pressure on the Stormers against the Scarlets who the Stormers should easily beat with a bonus point. Bragging rights only at play here. Sharks are very inconsistent at home so home advantage means nothing

[bogbunny]

Sharks are going to have to go full beast mode to get a strong bonus point victory against Ulster. To put pressure on the Stormers against the Scarlets who the Stormers should easily beat with a bonus point. Bragging rights only at play here. Sharks are very inconsistent at home so home advantage means nothing

LBP

Ulster will win this one.

[Sards]

Sharks are going to have to go full beast mode to get a strong bonus point victory against Ulster. To put pressure on the Stormers against the Scarlets who the Stormers should easily beat with a bonus point. Bragging rights only at play here. Sharks are very inconsistent at home so home advantage means nothing

LBP

Ulster will win this one.

Hopefully they will be playing their first team

[OomStruisbaai]

Sharks are going to have to go full beast mode to get a strong bonus point victory against Ulster. To put pressure on the Stormers against the Scarlets who the Stormers should easily beat with a bonus point. Bragging rights only at play here. Sharks are very inconsistent at home so home advantage means nothing

I dunno why you compare the Sharks with the Stormers. Lose and you,ll end 6th.

[Sards]

Sharks are going to have to go full beast mode to get a strong bonus point victory against Ulster. To put pressure on the Stormers against the Scarlets who the Stormers should easily beat with a bonus point. Bragging rights only at play here. Sharks are very inconsistent at home so home advantage means nothing

I dunno why you compare the Sharks with the Stormers. Lose and you,ll end 6th.

Not comparing. Discussing finishing position old man. Top of the Saffer conference. Bragging rights

You writing the Sharks off already neh.

[bok_viking]

So Nkosi is moving to the Bulls for next season, replacing Tambwe that is moving to France. At least the Bulls got a replacement for Tambwe quickly.

[FalseBayFC]

So Nkosi is moving to the Bulls for next season, replacing Tambwe that is moving to France. At least the Bulls got a replacement for Tambwe quickly.

Canan Moodie is a gun wing/fullback. Reminds me a lot of a young JP Pietersen. Young Kabelo Mokoena makes his debut tomorrow as well. A tall well built wing who was amazing for Tukkies this year. Bulls are building a very solid squad!

[OomStruisbaai]

Sharks are going to have to go full beast mode to get a strong bonus point victory against Ulster. To put pressure on the Stormers against the Scarlets who the Stormers should easily beat with a bonus point. Bragging rights only at play here. Sharks are very inconsistent at home so home advantage means nothing

I dunno why you compare the Sharks with the Stormers. Lose and you,ll end 6th.

Not comparing. Discussing finishing position old man. Top of the Saffer conference. Bragging rights

You writing the Sharks off already neh.

What I really wanted is that 3 of our teams end in the top 4. For this to happen is that the Sharks beat Ulster but your comparison make me wish you lose to Ulster. You are a vokop . A real poes.

[bok_viking]

So Nkosi is moving to the Bulls for next season, replacing Tambwe that is moving to France. At least the Bulls got a replacement for Tambwe quickly.

Canan Moodie is a gun wing/fullback. Reminds me a lot of a young JP Pietersen. Young Kabelo Mokoena makes his debut tomorrow as well. A tall well built wing who was amazing for Tukkies this year. Bulls are building a very solid squad!

Yeah Mokoena is playing in the Currie Cup game tomorrow. Apparently Simelane will be moving across the Jukskei to the Bulls as well. So the Bulls seems to be recruiting as bit more back players than they did last 2 seasons. I agree on Moodie, he is looking very good so far together with Arendse. So we might have a pretty dangerous backline next year, if only we can find a more exciting flyhalf. And a couple of props that can keep a scrum stable.

[Sards]

I dunno why you compare the Sharks with the Stormers. Lose and you,ll end 6th.

Not comparing. Discussing finishing position old man. Top of the Saffer conference. Bragging rights

You writing the Sharks off already neh.

What I really wanted is that 3 of our teams end in the top 4. For this to happen is that the Sharks beat Ulster but your comparison make me wish you lose to Ulster. You are a vokop . A real poes.

Ouch. I think that is a bit of an over the top and completely unnecessary reaction to nothing really.
And you do wish that the Sharks lose. It's clear in all your writing.....probably want the Sharks to falter so the Stormers can grab top of the Saffer conference you old tart.
Which just goes to show you are just as passionate a supporter of your side as I am. Hypocrisy much.

Oh BTW....supporting Leinster in their quarter final today.

[OomStruisbaai]

Stormers travelling squad (alphabetical order): Hacjivah Dayimani, Neethling Fouche, Deon Fourie, Warrick Gelant, Brok Harris, Steven Kitshoff (c), JJ Kotze, Manie Libbok, Frans Malherbe, Godlen Masimla, Salmaan Moerat, Ruhan Nel, Marvin Orie, Evan Roos, Seabelo Senatla, Cornel Smit, Marcel Theunissen, Stefan Ungerer, Ernst van Rhyn, Andre-Hugo Venter, Ali Vermaak, Damian Willemse, Nama Xaba, Leolin Zas.

Fly out tonight

[OomStruisbaai]

Godlen Masimla is enough to get me worried already. No Adre Smith?

[ia801310]

Amazing how tight the tournament is. Great advert for the URC.

[FalseBayFC]

Godlen Masimla is enough to get me worried already. No Adre Smith?

Adre Smith, Jantjies and de Wet all have nagging injuries according to my neighbor who is a club coach and rugby podcaster. Adre Smith is a big loss. I think him and Ruben Schoeman would do quite well as no.4 lock backups for the Boks.

[Sards]

Sharks are already there....No Ben in the midfield. Amm is back....... Otherwise what you would expect.

[Sards]

Stormers travelling squad (alphabetical order): Hacjivah Dayimani, Neethling Fouche, Deon Fourie, Warrick Gelant, Brok Harris, Steven Kitshoff (c), JJ Kotze, Manie Libbok, Frans Malherbe, Godlen Masimla, Salmaan Moerat, Ruhan Nel, Marvin Orie, Evan Roos, Seabelo Senatla, Cornel Smit, Marcel Theunissen, Stefan Ungerer, Ernst van Rhyn, Andre-Hugo Venter, Ali Vermaak, Damian Willemse, Nama Xaba, Leolin Zas.

Fly out tonight

De Wet is a huge loss.....