2022/23 Champions/Challenge Cup

[ASMO]

The Glaws 2 in the England squad? Fuck me me, cant throw in to save his life.

[Ovals]

Glocester really butchered their 2 man advantage . But eventually get over with just the one man advantage.

Game on now

[Torquemada 1420]

"Racing drawing with Leinster". Do these commentators understand basic counting?

[sockwithaticket]

Back to 15 and Bordeaux restore their lead.

[OomStruisbaai]

French teams huge improvement from last week. Racing playing well

[Torquemada 1420]

FM. 3 yellows and all of them senseless.

[Torquemada 1420]

Back to 15 and Bordeaux restore their lead.

Not for long

[Tichtheid]

Leinster’s dummy running again is very good

[sockwithaticket]

Back to 15 and Bordeaux restore their lead.

Not for long

Not if this avalanche of penalties continues, even Glaws can't fail to capitalise with so many opportunities being thrown their way.

[Torquemada 1420]

Now, talking of sh*t refs..... I give you Carley. Ball clearly lost fwd by Leinster there for that "try".

[SaintK]

Now, talking of sh*t refs..... I give you Carley. Ball clearly lost fwd by Leinster there for that "try".

Clearly not according to the TMO

[Torquemada 1420]

Fre lineout throwing has been uniformly sh*t this w/e so far. LaR the worst: I think they hit one clean the entire game.

[Torquemada 1420]

Fre lineout throwing has been uniformly sh*t this w/e so far. LaR the worst: I think they hit one clean the entire game.

FM: Racing keeping up the standard.

[JM2K6]

I would argue that the natural home is the one you have all the history with - and in rugby, that's with the Kiwis and Aussies. Timezone is not the argument here. European rugby places a premium on being a spectator sport and the vast distances the Saffer sides add are a big blow to that; why not stay in the tournament where everyone has the same issue and it's consistent?

I don't really disagree, but it's not our choice alone if we're in Super Rugby. SA fans are entirely over Super Rugby now from what I hear and read, as I said the cultural links to Europe in SA aren't insignificant (and it's not just a white thing, a lot of country closely follows English football), average people just know a lot more about the UK or other European countries than they do about African countries outside Southern Africa. I'm not passing judgement on that, I'm just saying it's a fact. It's turned out to be really easy for SA fans to switch from Super Rugby to watching SA teams in European competitions.

The cultural links to Europe are pretty much the same for the Aussies and Kiwis too, should we invite them in?

Agreed it's not your choice alone. I don't think it's appropriate that having for whatever reason gotten out of Super Rugby without an alternative plan in place, you've been foisted on us in the European competition, to the obvious detriment of the tournament format, to the fan experience, and to travel demands. (I have other concerns regarding player welfare and squad sizes and the sheer physicality of SA sides and so on, but those won't be widely shared, I think; it's not like the tournament is a fair one to begin with)

I would also argue that too much fucking with the format has badly damaged Super Rugby and The Rugby Championship. So I definitely don't see the value in such a massive change to the European format to accomodate non-European teams, who stand to benefit far more from it than we do.

I don't think it's true we're adding nothing, or SA teams wouldn't be there. I could agree that it was unknown what if anything SA teams would add, and it's still to be determined though.

I'm starting to think the English have replaced the Aussies with the demands we be removed from the competition.

SA teams are here because the dickheads with the money think there's a chance it might be financially useful for them to extract some blood from the stone and reverse the direction of travel that's been happening ever since the dickheads with the money started fucking with the tournament. It's very reminiscent of the death of Super Rugby - chasing change in order to fix the problems caused by previous changes.

As for the comparison to the Aussies - no, fuck off SA teams are interlopers into a tournament that they have no history in and offer no obvious benefit to. The Aussies didn't like you and had their own reasons for not wanting you in there, but pretending that SA sides being parachuted into European competition is anything like SA sides being in Super Rugby from the start is not exactly arguing in good faith, and there's several very reasonable objections and very few strong arguments in favour of it. And that's before we get into the whole "6 nations stalking horse" argument!

Leinster pulling away now.

[JM2K6]

Fabulous stuff from Ringrose, great try.

[Tichtheid]

Great skillz from Ringrose

[Torquemada 1420]

Tambwe does not know the laws

[sockwithaticket]

Poor lack of law knowledge there from Tambwe. Puts a final nail in the coffin of Bordeaux getting anything out of this surely?

Glaws have actually managed the game really well in this final quarter having got out to a solid lead.

[Torquemada 1420]

That retarded kick by UBB at the end sums up that shambolic display.

[Torquemada 1420]

So I definitely don't see the value in such a massive change to the European format to accomodate non-European teams, who stand to benefit far more from it than we do.

This format is dogsh*t but I don't see the 2 things needed to be conflated. With the SA teams, we could have gone to 8 x 4 which would have rid the anomaly we always had of the last 2 places going to whoever had the Italians and/or Welsh teams in its group.

[sockwithaticket]

Eeesh. Not expecting much from either of the next two games.

Exeter vs. Castres who have nothing to play for

Clermont vs. Stomers with the French club at a fairly weak ebb, away from home.

[JM2K6]

Wade is a lucky boy if that swinging arm isn't looked at

[JM2K6]

Ringrose injured diving for the try because of Wade torpedoing head-first into his ribs. Ridiculous shit.

[Ovals]

Good win for Gloucester - the Begles were their own worse enemy though. At times they looked very dangerous but their discipline was very poor and they only seemed to play in fits and starts.

Good for Gloucester though, never easy to win in France - Ruskin and McGuigan had good games. However, I can't see Gloucester getting any further than the last 16.

So, that's Gloucester, Leicester, Sarries, Exeter and Quins all through - Big task ahead for Sale to join them.

[JM2K6]

Good win for Gloucester - the Begles were their own worse enemy though. At times they looked very dangerous but their discipline was very poor and they only seemed to play in fits and starts.

Good for Gloucester though, never easy to win in France - Ruskin and McGuigan had good games. However, I can't see Gloucester getting any further than the last 16.

So, that's Gloucester, Leicester, Sarries, Exeter and Quins all through - Big task ahead for Sale to join them.

Wait, top 8 qualifies? That's even worse than I realised

[sockwithaticket]

Good win for Gloucester - the Begles were their own worse enemy though. At times they looked very dangerous but their discipline was very poor and they only seemed to play in fits and starts.

Good for Gloucester though, never easy to win in France - Ruskin and McGuigan had good games. However, I can't see Gloucester getting any further than the last 16.

So, that's Gloucester, Leicester, Sarries, Exeter and Quins all through - Big task ahead for Sale to join them.

Outside of the lineout. A few in good scoring positions went very wrong.

Ulster haven't been up to much this year and they have nothing to play for really, but they're at home and pride can often be a strong motivator.

[Torquemada 1420]

Good win for Gloucester - the Begles were their own worse enemy though. At times they looked very dangerous but their discipline was very poor and they only seemed to play in fits and starts.

The result of "player power". Dressing revolt to get the coach ousted because the players knew better.

[Torquemada 1420]

Good win for Gloucester - the Begles were their own worse enemy though. At times they looked very dangerous but their discipline was very poor and they only seemed to play in fits and starts.

Good for Gloucester though, never easy to win in France - Ruskin and McGuigan had good games. However, I can't see Gloucester getting any further than the last 16.

So, that's Gloucester, Leicester, Sarries, Exeter and Quins all through - Big task ahead for Sale to join them.

Wait, top 8 qualifies? That's even worse than I realised

Yes. It's a f**king farce. And can't recall how many get a second bite for their sh*tness by dropping into the Mickey Mouse.

{EDIT} 9th and 10th

[sockwithaticket]

Good win for Gloucester - the Begles were their own worse enemy though. At times they looked very dangerous but their discipline was very poor and they only seemed to play in fits and starts.

Good for Gloucester though, never easy to win in France - Ruskin and McGuigan had good games. However, I can't see Gloucester getting any further than the last 16.

So, that's Gloucester, Leicester, Sarries, Exeter and Quins all through - Big task ahead for Sale to join them.

Wait, top 8 qualifies? That's even worse than I realised

Yes. It's a f**king farce. And can't recall how many get a second bite for their sh*tness by dropping into the Mickey Mouse.

{EDIT} 9th and 10th

Such a stupid idea. It already has credibility problems and issues with teams not taking it seriously, the drop-downs really don't help.

[Ovals]

Good win for Gloucester - the Begles were their own worse enemy though. At times they looked very dangerous but their discipline was very poor and they only seemed to play in fits and starts.

Good for Gloucester though, never easy to win in France - Ruskin and McGuigan had good games. However, I can't see Gloucester getting any further than the last 16.

So, that's Gloucester, Leicester, Sarries, Exeter and Quins all through - Big task ahead for Sale to join them.

Wait, top 8 qualifies? That's even worse than I realised

Yes. It's a f**king farce. And can't recall how many get a second bite for their sh*tness by dropping into the Mickey Mouse.

{EDIT} 9th and 10th

I'm going against the grain here - I like the format. You get very few dead games in the league rounds - the chaff gets cleared out and then it's a straight KO for the final 16 with home advantage decided by performances in the league. All good stuf.

[JM2K6]

Wait, top 8 qualifies? That's even worse than I realised

Yes. It's a f**king farce. And can't recall how many get a second bite for their sh*tness by dropping into the Mickey Mouse.

{EDIT} 9th and 10th

I'm going against the grain here - I like the format. You get very few dead games in the league rounds - the chaff gets cleared out and then it's a straight KO for the final 16 with home advantage decided by performances in the league. All good stuf.

It makes so many matches pretty pointless, though. 48 matches just to get rid of 8 teams? Mad stuff.

edit: More than 48 probably - maffs iz hard

[PCPhil]

Wait, top 8 qualifies? That's even worse than I realised

Yes. It's a f**king farce. And can't recall how many get a second bite for their sh*tness by dropping into the Mickey Mouse.

{EDIT} 9th and 10th

I'm going against the grain here - I like the format. You get very few dead games in the league rounds - the chaff gets cleared out and then it's a straight KO for the final 16 with home advantage decided by performances in the league. All good stuf.

Burn the heretic!!
(tongue firmly in cheek)

[robmatic]

Good win for Gloucester - the Begles were their own worse enemy though. At times they looked very dangerous but their discipline was very poor and they only seemed to play in fits and starts.

Good for Gloucester though, never easy to win in France - Ruskin and McGuigan had good games. However, I can't see Gloucester getting any further than the last 16.

So, that's Gloucester, Leicester, Sarries, Exeter and Quins all through - Big task ahead for Sale to join them.

Wait, top 8 qualifies? That's even worse than I realised

It really is balls. You only need two wins to go through so it's no wonder clubs are fielding weakened teams in some of the games.

[Torquemada 1420]

As an aside, how did Flake go with his kicks today?

[JM2K6]

Good win for Gloucester - the Begles were their own worse enemy though. At times they looked very dangerous but their discipline was very poor and they only seemed to play in fits and starts.

Good for Gloucester though, never easy to win in France - Ruskin and McGuigan had good games. However, I can't see Gloucester getting any further than the last 16.

So, that's Gloucester, Leicester, Sarries, Exeter and Quins all through - Big task ahead for Sale to join them.

Wait, top 8 qualifies? That's even worse than I realised

It really is balls. You only need two wins to go through so it's no wonder clubs are fielding weakened teams in some of the games.

I figured Quins were on the edge of their seats hoping results went their way after recording 2 wins from 4 with some bonus points but no, comfortably qualified. Jokeshop stuff.

[sockwithaticket]

STFU Warburton. I have zero sympathy for a forward who ends up going high after a change in direction when they never put themself in a position to make a legal tackle had a pplayer not changed.

This game is going to become an absolute mess because Brace is ignoring Castres' niggle.

[ASMO]

How poor is Maunder?

[SaintK]

How poor is Maunder?

How poor are Exeter

[Torquemada 1420]

This game is going to become an absolute mess because Brace is ignoring Castres' niggle.

Talking of sh*t refs, we have the one who crosses into cheat territory.

[Ovals]

Yes. It's a f**king farce. And can't recall how many get a second bite for their sh*tness by dropping into the Mickey Mouse.

{EDIT} 9th and 10th

I'm going against the grain here - I like the format. You get very few dead games in the league rounds - the chaff gets cleared out and then it's a straight KO for the final 16 with home advantage decided by performances in the league. All good stuf.

It makes so many matches pretty pointless, though. 48 matches just to get rid of 8 teams? Mad stuff.

edit: More than 48 probably - maffs iz hard

I disagree - very few games are pointless exercises. Teams are mostly playing to sneak into the top 8 or to finish with a home advantage. Very few sides were without a chance of qualifying, coming into the final round. And some of the games they are playing will be against the teams with all to play for - eg Castre today, they are well out of it but Exeter need a win - and Castre are really showing up.