2022/23 Champions/Challenge Cup

[Marylandolorian]

Mercer's card rescinded.

They really need to bring in the 20 minute thingy and deal with the incident after the game.

In this type of case absolutely, but not when a player has to get out for concussion or on a stretcher.

[CM11]

Mercer's card rescinded.

They really need to bring in the 20 minute thingy and deal with the incident after the game.

In this type of case absolutely, but not when a player has to get out for concussion or on a stretcher.

If it's not a red, it's not a red. You'd swear people never got accidentally badly injured before.

[OomStruisbaai]

Just saw he and Hendricks is out. Gatslag.

Don't mind Hendricks...just hope Cameron is not there.

We have depth in our squad....so shoudn't be an excuse

Well Etzebeth is irreplaceable specially vs Toulouse

[fishfoodie]

Mercer's card rescinded.

They really need to bring in the 20 minute thingy and deal with the incident after the game.

In this type of case absolutely, but not when a player has to get out for concussion or on a stretcher.

If it's not a red, it's not a red. You'd swear people never got accidentally badly injured before.

They aren't trying to stop accidental injuries, they're trying to stop all head contacts.

Mercer deserved the the RC, if only for his own stupidity, for arriving late & upright & making contact with the head. The slowness of the contact just shows how he had the opportunity to avoid it. We're getting back into outcome based decisions, & that's a disaster waiting to happen.

[OomStruisbaai]

In this type of case absolutely, but not when a player has to get out for concussion or on a stretcher.

If it's not a red, it's not a red. You'd swear people never got accidentally badly injured before.

They aren't trying to stop accidental injuries, they're trying to stop all head contacts.

Mercer deserved the the RC, if only for his own stupidity, for arriving late & upright & making contact with the head. The slowness of the contact just shows how he had the opportunity to avoid it. We're getting back into outcome based decisions, & that's a disaster waiting to happen.

Its all good and well. The instinct for any attacking player (ball in hand) is to bump off the defender. You know the bus is full. They should rather give the red card to the defender going high in the tackle situations. The defender should tackle low, as easy as pie.

[assfly]

Its all good and well. The instinct for any attacking player (ball in hand) is to bump off the defender. You know the bus is full. They should rather give the red card to the defender going high in the tackle situations. The defender should tackle low, as easy as pie.

Defenders are incentivized to stand up and go high so they can hold the player up and get the turnover. I think a rule change here may be the only thing to force players to go lower.

[OomStruisbaai]

Its all good and well. The instinct for any attacking player (ball in hand) is to bump off the defender. You know the bus is full. They should rather give the red card to the defender going high in the tackle situations. The defender should tackle low, as easy as pie.

Defenders are incentivized to stand up and go high so they can hold the player up and get the turnover. I think a rule change here may be the only thing to force players to go lower.

Exactly. They banned the Lion, Emmanuel Tshituka, for three weeks for Racing 92’s Louis Dupichot who know nothing about tackling.

[PornDog]

Its all good and well. The instinct for any attacking player (ball in hand) is to bump off the defender. You know the bus is full. They should rather give the red card to the defender going high in the tackle situations. The defender should tackle low, as easy as pie.

Defenders are incentivized to stand up and go high so they can hold the player up and get the turnover. I think a rule change here may be the only thing to force players to go lower.

I think that's only a very small part of the problem (though it is part of it). The motivation for the majority of these tackles is that it is the easiest, laziest way to make a dominant hit. So long as you don't make head contact, leading with the shoulder at chest height is very rarely punished - so an ever increasing number of players have that as their default tackle style.

[Sards]

Just saw he and Hendricks is out. Gatslag.

Don't mind Hendricks...just hope Cameron is not there.

We have depth in our squad....so shoudn't be an excuse

Well Etzebeth is irreplaceable specially vs Toulouse

He's not there. No need to work a game plan around him. Got to make sure Hyron is up to speed and carry on. No need to cry over spilt milk

[CM11]

Leinster Rugby (caps in brackets):
15. Hugo Keenan (52)
14. Jimmy O’Brien (67)
13. Garry Ringrose (113)
12. Robbie Henshaw (74)
11. James Lowe (70)
10. Ross Byrne (144)
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (122)
1. Andrew Porter (104)
2. Dan Sheehan (42)
3. Tadhg Furlong (130)
4. Ross Molony (159)
5. James Ryan (70) CAPTAIN
6. Ryan Baird (49)
7. Caelan Doris (64)
8. Jack Conan (128)

16. John McKee (16)
17. Cian Healy (260)
18. Michael Ala’alatoa (43)
19. Jason Jenkins (13)
20. Scott Penny (54)
21. Luke McGrath (191)
22. Harry Byrne (47)
23. Ciarán Frawley (63)

STARTING XV
15 Mike Brown [5]
14 Anthony Watson [13]
13 Harry Potter [63]
12 Dan Kelly [52]
11 Freddie Steward [69]
10 Handré Pollard [11]
9 Jack van Poortvliet [62]
1 James Cronin [13]
2 Julián Montoya (c) [40]
3 Joe Heyes [120]
4 George Martin [55]
5 Cameron Henderson [33]
6 Hanro Liebenberg [81]
7 Tommy Reffell [96]
8 Jasper Wiese [57]

REPLACEMENTS
16 Charlie Clare [75]
17 Tom West [7]
18 Dan Cole [306]
19 Eli Snyman [32]
20 Olly Cracknell [21]
21 Sam Wolstenholme *
22 Charlie Atkinson [15]
23 Jimmy Gopperth [14]

[Uncle fester]

Was hoping Penny would get the start. That's an enormous pack, probably a bit slow but will be enough for Leicester.

[CM11]

Would have thought it's not a slow pack at all.

[Uncle fester]

No 7 like.

[PornDog]

Slightly disappointed to see Doris at 7 instead of Penny or Connors. Other than that its a ridiculously strong side.

[CM11]

No 7 like.

Baird is probably our quickest forward.

[OomStruisbaai]

Next Kurt Lee Arendse from Paarl

[Jim Lahey]

Leinster by 20.

[OomStruisbaai]

Hope Pollard & Wiese have massive games. Look like Liebenberg has been great for Tigers.

[OomStruisbaai]

Possible semi-final matches and venues – 28/29/30 April

• Leinster Rugby (A1) v either Stade Toulousain (B2) or Sharks (A3) – Aviva Stadium, Dublin (capacity: 51,700).

• Stade Toulousain (B2) v Leicester Tigers (B4) – Matmut ATLANTIQUE, Bordeaux (capacity: 42,100).

• Sharks (A3) v Leicester Tigers (B4) – StoneX Stadium, London (capacity: 10,300)

• Stade Rochelais (B1) v either Exeter Chiefs (A2) or DHL Stormers (B3) – Matmut ATLANTIQUE, Bordeaux (capacity: 42,100).

• Exeter Chiefs (A2) v Saracens (A4) – Ashton Gate Stadium, Bristol (capacity: 27,000).

• Stormers (B3) v Saracens (A4) – Twickenham Stoop, London (capacity: 14,800)

[fishfoodie]

I fecking love this weekend !

HEC Quarter Finals + The Masters + Paris-Roubaix

This weekend is peak depth for the ass groove in my sofa

[OomStruisbaai]

I fecking love this weekend !

HEC Quarter Finals + The Masters + Paris-Roubaix

This weekend is peak depth for the ass groove in my sofa

HEC is still new to us. We also have our CC. To much rugby. Can't help thinking about next weekend, last two rounds of URC. I love the NH competitions.

[Paddington Bear]

The semi venue choices are essentially comical

[OomStruisbaai]

The semi venue choices are essentially comical

Smaller stadiums for the SA teams, know they won't make the semi finals

[Torquemada 1420]

Mercer's card rescinded.

They really need to bring in the 20 minute thingy and deal with the incident after the game.

Another quality decision by Brace which determined the outcome of a game.

[OomStruisbaai]

DHL Stormers: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Suleiman Hartzenberg, 13 Ruhan Nel, 12 Dan du Plessis, 11 Seabelo Seabelo, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 8 Marcel Theunissen, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Junior Pokomela, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Ernst van Rhyn, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Steven Kitshoff (captain).
Replacements: 16 JJ Kotze, 17 Ali Vermaak, 18 Neethling Fouche, 19 Gary Porter, 20 Willie Engelbrecht, 21 Hacjivah Dayimani, 22 Paul de Wet, 23 Clayton Blommetjies.

[OomStruisbaai]

Fourie is a massive loss

Heineken Star of the Match in the 32-28 victory in Cape Town Deon Fourie has been ruled out with a Medial orbital wall fracture, so his place at openside flank is taken by Junior Pokomela.

Mountain to climb without him

[OomStruisbaai]

Sharks: 15 Henry Chamberlain, 14 Werner Kok, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Grant Williams, 8 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 Siyamthanda Kolisi (captain), 5 Gerbrandt Grobler, 4 Hyron Andrews, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Mbongeni Mbonambi, 1 Retshegofaditswe Nché.
Replacements: 16 Kerron van Vuuren, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Carlü Sadie, 19 Jeandre Labuschagne, 20 Phendulani Buthelezi, 21 Cameron Wright, 22 Ben Tapuai, 23 Thaakir Abrahams.

Date: Saturday, April 8
Veue: Stade Ernest Wallon, Toulouse
Kick-off: 16.00 (16.00 SA time; 14.00 GMT)
Referee: Karl Dickson (England)
Assistant Referees: Christophe Ridley (England), Jonathan Healy (England)
TMO: Tom Foley (England)

[SaintK]

Leinster +19
Toulose +12
Stormers +9
La Rochelle +8

[OomStruisbaai]

DHL Stormers: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Suleiman Hartzenberg, 13 Ruhan Nel, 12 Dan du Plessis, 11 Seabelo Seabelo, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 8 Marcel Theunissen, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Junior Pokomela, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Ernst van Rhyn, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Steven Kitshoff (captain).
Replacements: 16 JJ Kotze, 17 Ali Vermaak, 18 Neethling Fouche, 19 Gary Porter, 20 Willie Engelbrecht, 21 Hacjivah Dayimani, 22 Paul de Wet, 23 Clayton Blommetjies.

Exeter: 15 Tom Wyatt, 14 Jack Nowell (c), 13 Henry Slade, 12 Sean O’Brien, 11 Olly Woodburn, 10 Joe Simmonds, 9 Will Becconsall, 8 Sam Simmonds, 7 Christ Tshiunza, 6 Jannes Kirsten, 5 Dafydd Jenkins, 4 Jonny Gray, 3 Marcus Street, 2 Dan Frost, 1 Scott Sio
Replacements: 16 Jack Yeandle, 17 Nika Abuladze, 18 Josh Iosefa-Scott, 19 Aidon Davis, 20 Dave Ewers, 21 Tom Cairns, 22 Harvey Skinner, 23 Stuart Hogg

Date: Saturday, April 8
Venue: Sandy Park
Kick-off: 17:30 BST (16:30 GMT)
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France)
Assistant referees: Ludovic Cayre (France), Jonathan Gasnier (France)
TMO: Thomas Charabas (France)

[Marylandolorian]

Which UK channel to watch the Leinster/ Leicester game ?

[JM2K6]

Should be on BT sport 1

[Marylandolorian]

Thanks

[Torquemada 1420]

Which UK channel to watch the Leinster/ Leicester game ?

Pffft. I'll be watching ASM.

[fishfoodie]

Well that didn't take long

[SaintK]

All over!!!

[JM2K6]

Far from it. A good contest so far.

[fishfoodie]

Scarlets beating Clermont 8 - 3

[Torquemada 1420]

Scarlets beating Clermont 8 - 3

15-3 now. Two turnovers, 2 scores.

[JM2K6]

Kelly having a mare in defence so far. The biggest difference between the two teams at the moment.

[fishfoodie]

Kelly having a mare in defence so far. The biggest difference between the two teams at the moment.

He's only just back isn't he ?

Not the game to come back to if your a bit ring rusty, but I suppose he's a quality player so you have to play him.

Nice to see Ross getting the backs humming though, from an Irish perspective