2022/23 Champions/Challenge Cup

[SaintK]

Well that last 7 minutes papered over a lot of cracks

[OomStruisbaai]

Harlequins fight back strong. Great character

[Slick]

What the score please? And how is Skippy playing?

32-28 Stormers full time. Much less close than that scoreline suggests. Smith couldn’t get anything going for 70 minutes then had some superb moments in the final 10.

Thank you

[JM2K6]

Lost count of the number of times our game plan was "give it to Marcus a mile behind the gain line with defenders around him and hope for the best". Nearly made a few tries out of those situations but we were absolutely smashed today. Stormers a joy to watch in attack and absolutely merciless in defence. I've never seen our biggest players just destroyed in contact time and again like that.

Well done on the win. Shame we can't get to see how good they are compared to other top tier Super Rugby franchises. Hope our injuries aren't too bad.

[JM2K6]

Well that last 7 minutes papered over a lot of cracks

Nah.

[_Os_]

The ref ruined the Stomps v Harlequins match a bit. The Stomp's 16th man.

[ASMO]

Oh Dear.......Adamson.....enough said.

[OomStruisbaai]

Lost count of the number of times our game plan was "give it to Marcus a mile behind the gain line with defenders around him and hope for the best". Nearly made a few tries out of those situations but we were absolutely smashed today. Stormers a joy to watch in attack and absolutely merciless in defence. I've never seen our biggest players just destroyed in contact time and again like that.

Well done on the win. Shame we can't get to see how good they are compared to other top tier Super Rugby franchises. Hope our injuries aren't too bad.

Cheers Boet. Disappointed with our bench effort. Usually good in close out games.

[JM2K6]

Keen to see how Seb Atkinson gets on here. I really rate him.

[Torquemada 1420]

That's bollox. Varney jumps into him. On that basis, no-one will be able to attempt a charge down.

Compare that with Cane smashing BB this am and that wasn't even penalised.

[FalseBayFC]

Been disappointed with Dombrandt's progress. I thought he was a real prospect but he really disappears when his team loses momentum. Quins really missing Lynagh and Tyrone Greene too.

[JM2K6]

French crowds booing and whistling because the ref has to stop play for a bad head injury. They really are the worst

[JM2K6]

Been disappointed with Dombrandt's progress. I thought he was a real prospect but he really disappears when his team loses momentum. Quins really missing Lynagh and Tyrone Greene too.

He's carried his six nations form back to Quins, sadly. Before the 6N he was carrying the team on his shoulders at times.

[Torquemada 1420]

French crowds booing and whistling because the ref has to stop play for a bad head injury. They really are the worst

Ref you say? Adamson now reached ref status?

[OomStruisbaai]

The Lion player get red for the Racing 15 going high in the tackle and clash heads. It's a joke.

[inactionman]

French crowds booing and whistling because the ref has to stop play for a bad head injury. They really are the worst

In an age where head contact is a no no, how on earth can the LR player duck his head into a tackle like that,?

Gotovtsev was as low as ihe could reasonably go, the LR ducked his head to mid thigh level going into the tackle and totally sconed him.

Eta - Rees Zammit just looks more and more a one trick pony every time I see him.

[Torquemada 1420]

LRZ

[JM2K6]

La Rochelle are Exeter of a few years ago. Except with much larger players. Isn't modern rugby wonderful.

[Torquemada 1420]

La Rochelle are Exeter of a few years ago. Except with much larger players. Isn't modern rugby wonderful.

Bollox. All the LaR lumps can actually run a line and pass a ball. It's all done at a speed Exeter or English rugby could only dream off.

[fishfoodie]

Meanwhile in a very wet Dublin, Ulster are well up for the game.

[OomStruisbaai]

Gelant cutting the Lions defense open

[inactionman]

La Rochelle are Exeter of a few years ago. Except with much larger players. Isn't modern rugby wonderful.

Bollox. All the LaR lumps can actually run a line and pass a ball. It's all done at a speed Exeter or English rugby could only dream off.

Aye, I've frequently found myself waxing lyrical over wlli skeltons pianist hands.

On that note, Freddie Clark with bit of acrobatics.

[JM2K6]

La Rochelle are Exeter of a few years ago. Except with much larger players. Isn't modern rugby wonderful.

Bollox. All the LaR lumps can actually run a line and pass a ball. It's all done at a speed Exeter or English rugby could only dream off.

Current Exeter, sure. European Champions Exeter were very good and played direct rugby at pace. LaR have better ball skills I agree but their success comes from being absolutely fucking mutants across the park.

Incredible finish there by a hopeless English forward...

Atkinson with a couple of great moments in that try.

[ASMO]

Mad game

[JM2K6]

Superior La Rochelle ball skills leads to, erm, another Glaws try

[fishfoodie]

Superior La Rochelle ball skills leads to, erm, another Glaws try

I'm so glad I flicked over to see that

[SaintK]

Superior La Rochelle ball skills leads to, erm, another Glaws try

[Torquemada 1420]

a) That's a pen for the push on Alldritt
b) The pass is fwd

Other than that it's fine

[JM2K6]

Ah, shame. Bit soft - a hand in the back of the best 8 in the world by LRZ...

[fishfoodie]

16 - 8 HT in Dublin

[Torquemada 1420]

a) That's a pen for the push on Alldritt
b) The pass is fwd

Other than that it's fine

TF for the TMO or that abortion would have awarded it.

[SaintK]

I’m watching Leinster v Ulster with Leinster ahead 16 8 at half time
Could have been further ahead but Ulster defence just holding out
Bit stop start in difficult conditions
Expect Leinster to pull away in 2nd half
D

[Torquemada 1420]

La Rochelle are Exeter of a few years ago. Except with much larger players. Isn't modern rugby wonderful.

Bollox. All the LaR lumps can actually run a line and pass a ball. It's all done at a speed Exeter or English rugby could only dream off.

Current Exeter, sure. European Champions Exeter were very good and played direct rugby at pace. LaR have better ball skills I agree but their success comes from being absolutely fucking mutants across the park.

Incredible finish there by a hopeless English forward...

Atkinson with a couple of great moments in that try.

It certainly helps when you have Danty, Botia and Thomas in the backline, all of who are incredibly strong: something people forget about Thomas.

[JM2K6]

Bollox. All the LaR lumps can actually run a line and pass a ball. It's all done at a speed Exeter or English rugby could only dream off.

Current Exeter, sure. European Champions Exeter were very good and played direct rugby at pace. LaR have better ball skills I agree but their success comes from being absolutely fucking mutants across the park.

Incredible finish there by a hopeless English forward...

Atkinson with a couple of great moments in that try.

It certainly helps when you have Danty, Boti and Thomas in the backline, all of who are incredibly strong: something people forget about Thomas.

Rhule is a unit too tbh.

You might think I'm being harsh on LaR but having watched Stormers match power, pace, and ambition today the difference to me is stark.

[fishfoodie]

I’m watching Leinster v Ulster with Leinster ahead 16 8 at half time
Could have been further ahead but Ulster defence just holding out
Bit stop start in difficult conditions
Expect Leinster to pull away in 2nd half
D

Leinster backrow is the difference

[Torquemada 1420]

The Lion player get red for the Racing 15 going high in the tackle and clash heads. It's a joke.

Racing are gutless muck. They'll still lose.

[Torquemada 1420]

It certainly helps when you have Danty, Boti and Thomas in the backline, all of who are incredibly strong: something people forget about Thomas.

Rhule is a unit too tbh.

You might think I'm being harsh on LaR but having watched Stormers match power, pace, and ambition today the difference to me is stark.

I going to retract part of my original response because whilst I disagree with the Chiefs analogy I entirely agree that rugby is massively loaded in favour of power. If you are lucky to have it with pace and handling (Ire and Fra), then it's significantly weighted in your favour.

Get rid of subs other than for injury and we might see some change.

[Torquemada 1420]

Did Glaws bring their own mat?

[Torquemada 1420]

When are Glaws going to see yellow for all the scrum pens?

[JM2K6]

That was a terrible decision on the turnover. Regardless of whether he was supporting his bodyweight, the French tackler was still wrapped around the tackled player and preventing the clean out. Still, it hasn't mattered.