2022/23 Champions/Challenge Cup

[Paddington Bear]

IVZ was there with the ball available as well to spin it.
Unfortunate that this will be a pen and game over, but that’s two times held up

[Torquemada 1420]

Well, that's a red.

[JM2K6]

Lots of potential mitigation here but comical from Austin to try and make out it can't possibly be reckless because the player isn't looking at the target.

Yes Austin you can actually clear out a ruck without smashing someone in the head.

[Torquemada 1420]

Poor old Brace desperately wanting someone else to make the decision for him

[JM2K6]

"He makes a genuine attempt to clean. What else can you do?"

Not hit someone flush in the head, Austin. This isn't complicated.

[Brazil]

Healey is beyond parody now.

[Torquemada 1420]

Brace needs to step away from officiating along with that TMO.

[Kawazaki]

"He makes a genuine attempt to clean. What else can you do?"

Not hit someone flush in the head, Austin. This isn't complicated.

You've got your head contact eyes back in again then.

Ffs.

[Kawazaki]

Lots of potential mitigation here but comical from Austin to try and make out it can't possibly be reckless because the player isn't looking at the target.

Yes Austin you can actually clear out a ruck without smashing someone in the head.

Keep quiet fella, your type of selective eyesight is not required.

[ASMO]

Saracens got everything they deserved out of that game.

[JM2K6]

"He makes a genuine attempt to clean. What else can you do?"

Not hit someone flush in the head, Austin. This isn't complicated.

You've got your head contact eyes back in again then.

Ffs.

Yeah it's funny how when there's multiple clear replays of direct head contact I'm confident in saying there's direct head contact

[Torquemada 1420]

Sums this game up. Shambolic throw results in a try.

[JM2K6]

Lots of potential mitigation here but comical from Austin to try and make out it can't possibly be reckless because the player isn't looking at the target.

Yes Austin you can actually clear out a ruck without smashing someone in the head.

Keep quiet fella, your type of selective eyesight is not required.

Gearing up for another massive bleat are we? Go for it, should add the cherry on top

[Torquemada 1420]

"He makes a genuine attempt to clean. What else can you do?"

Not hit someone flush in the head, Austin. This isn't complicated.

You've got your head contact eyes back in again then.

Ffs.

That will be upgraded to red in the week.

[Paddington Bear]

Whoever is doing the timekeeping has just been ignoring Brace this whole second half, probably had 4 or 5 mins drained off after he’s called time off

[JM2K6]

Congrats La Rochelle, dominated Saracens mentally and physically for most of that match and had far better discipline as a result. Their inability to ram home the advantage is probably a concern though. Didn't see Exeter's demolition job on the Saffas so not sure what happened there but it should be a titanic physical contest at least.

[Torquemada 1420]

Whoever is doing the timekeeping has just been ignoring Brace this whole second half, probably had 4 or 5 mins drained off after he’s called time off

Spared Sarries and, more importantly us, more torture.

[Kawazaki]

"He makes a genuine attempt to clean. What else can you do?"

Not hit someone flush in the head, Austin. This isn't complicated.

You've got your head contact eyes back in again then.

Ffs.

Yeah it's funny how when there's multiple clear replays of direct head contact I'm confident in saying there's direct head contact

You can watch the Chisholm tackle again as often at you like, I posted it for you in this thread.

[Paddington Bear]

Handling poor, breakdown non existent and defence was always going backwards. A minor miracle we got as close as we did.

Botia with a career day the biggest difference

[Torquemada 1420]

In the end, none of the 4 games was close. Actually quite surprising bar Leinster.

[Kawazaki]

Needed a much better referee to stand a chance of getting a result over there. Got a weak moron unfortunately.

[JM2K6]

You've got your head contact eyes back in again then.

Ffs.

Yeah it's funny how when there's multiple clear replays of direct head contact I'm confident in saying there's direct head contact

You can watch the Chisholm tackle again as often at you like, I posted it for you in this thread.

And like I said, it's not clear from the grainy gif that there's actually head contact, but it's entirely possible there was. Very different to multiple high definition slow mo replays showing it without a doubt.

You can keep throwing your toys out of the pram over it and nothing is going to change except maybe taking a few more years off your life. Probably a good time to go touch grass.

[Torquemada 1420]

Needed a much better referee to stand a chance of getting a result over there. Got a weak moron unfortunately.

You got the most anti-French ref on the circuit. Just face facts, Sarries were dire and although LaR were little better, they didn't need to be.

Toulouse or Leinster would have buried you so deep, detectorists in Australia would have had the best chance of locating you.

[Kawazaki]

I don't mind shrill gobshites who think all head contact deserves a card as long as you're not a hypocrite or a referee.

[JM2K6]

[Torquemada 1420]

Needed a much better referee to stand a chance of getting a result over there. Got a weak moron unfortunately.

As an aside, were it not for Brace, there would be no English representation left in either comp.

[Torquemada 1420]

Les Flops

Owen Farrell

Le demi d’ouverture des Saracens est décidément à l’image de son équipe : vieillissant. Globalement lent et peu inspiré, Farrell n’a rien impulsé à sa ligne d’attaque et a souffert de la comparaison avec Antoine Hastoy même si ce dernier s’est effacé au profit de son collectif.

The Sarries FH is absolutely the epitome of his team: ageing. Overall slow and uninspiring, Farrell provided no impetus to his attack....

[SaintK]

Handling poor, breakdown non existent and defence was always going backwards. A minor miracle we got as close as we did.

Botia with a career day the biggest difference

Quite!

[Jim Lahey]

I think most people want Leinster to lose is that they are so boring to watch as a neutral. Not that they play an awful brand of rugby, but everything they do is done with such ruthless efficiency that it just gives the opposition no chance and the contest becomes boring. Awesome if you are a Leinster fan, but I don't think many non-Leinster fans would be clearing their schedule to watch them play on TV. But tbf its not Leinster's fault that they are lightyears ahead of every other team in Europe atm (apart from 2 blips last May).

Give me a monster French pack chucking 30/70 offloads with a Dupont/Ramos flair player doing mad shit behind them. Are they going to shit the bed or are they going to pulverise the opposition? God I love French rugby clubs.

[Torquemada 1420]

I think most people want Leinster to lose is that they are so boring to watch as a neutral. Not that they play an awful brand of rugby, but everything they do is done with such ruthless efficiency that it just gives the opposition no chance and the contest becomes boring. Awesome if you are a Leinster fan, but I don't think many non-Leinster fans would be clearing their schedule to watch them play on TV. But tbf its not Leinster's fault that they are lightyears ahead of every other team in Europe atm (apart from 2 blips last May).

Give me a monster French pack chucking 30/70 offloads with a Dupont/Ramos flair player doing mad shit behind them. Are they going to shit the bed or are they going to pulverise the opposition? God I love French rugby clubs.

Maybe it's more that invincibility in sport (not that Leinster's record in HEC is anywhere near that) is boring rather than how they do it e.g. Phil Taylor. Anyone outside of a dominating side/player will tend to want to see them toppled. Or everyone hates the Irish

On the French bit
- the monster Fre packs tend to have been a myth created by Anglo speaking commentators over the decades. Especially when talking about the national team. Most sides will have a monster (Atonio, Willemse, Skelton, Meafou etc) but in toto, the packs really aren't that bigger that other teams if at all.
- it's only really Toulouse that deserve that respect in your last line. Pretty much the rest are polarised. Racing, ASM, LOU and Paris try to play towards the harem scarem end (just badly) whereas the likes of Montpellier, Castres and Brive are grinders. Bordeaux probably the exception as a poor man's Toulouse. LaR are odd: they can play 1D grind or something more like England 2003 updated but they don't appear able to switch in any given game even if the state of the games dictates they should.

[Jim Lahey]

Are you happy now Jim

Just ate one of the kid's Easter eggs. Not one ounce of suspicion directed toward me.

Great start to the day

[PCPhil]

So, Leinster v ST on Saturday and LR v Exeter on Sunday.

Damn, so that means the ITV match will be the LR Exeter one.

[GrahamWa]

So, Leinster v ST on Saturday and LR v Exeter on Sunday.

Damn, so that means the ITV match will be the LR Exeter one.

Council TV games on the Saturday

Saturday 29 April
Leinster Rugby v Stade Toulousain – Aviva Stadium, Dublin (15.00)
RTE / BT Sport / beIN SPORTS / France TV / ITV / SuperSport / FloRugby

Saturday 29 April
Scarlets v Glasgow Warriors, Parc y Scarlets (17.30)
S4C / BT Sport / beIN SPORTS / SuperSport / FloRugby

Sunday 30 April
Stade Rochelais v Exeter Chiefs – Matmut ATLANTIQUE, Bordeaux (16.00)
France TV / BT Sport / beIN SPORTS / SuperSport / FloRugby

Sunday 30 April
RC Toulon v Benetton Rugby, Stade Félix Mayol (13.30)
France TV / BT Sport / beIN SPORTS / SuperSport / FloRugby / epcrugby.tv

[sockwithaticket]

I think most people want Leinster to lose is that they are so boring to watch as a neutral. Not that they play an awful brand of rugby, but everything they do is done with such ruthless efficiency that it just gives the opposition no chance and the contest becomes boring. Awesome if you are a Leinster fan, but I don't think many non-Leinster fans would be clearing their schedule to watch them play on TV. But tbf its not Leinster's fault that they are lightyears ahead of every other team in Europe atm (apart from 2 blips last May).

Give me a monster French pack chucking 30/70 offloads with a Dupont/Ramos flair player doing mad shit behind them. Are they going to shit the bed or are they going to pulverise the opposition? God I love French rugby clubs.

Maybe it's more that invincibility in sport (not that Leinster's record in HEC is anywhere near that) is boring rather than how they do it e.g. Phil Taylor. Anyone outside of a dominating side/player will tend to want to see them toppled. Or everyone hates the Irish

On the French bit
- the monster Fre packs tend to have been a myth created by Anglo speaking commentators over the decades. Especially when talking about the national team. Most sides will have a monster (Atonio, Willemse, Skelton, Meafou etc) but in toto, the packs really aren't that bigger that other teams if at all.
- it's only really Toulouse that deserve that respect in your last line. Pretty much the rest are polarised. Racing, ASM, LOU and Paris try to play towards the harem scarem end (just badly) whereas the likes of Montpellier, Castres and Brive are grinders. Bordeaux probably the exception as a poor man's Toulouse. LaR are odd: they can play 1D grind or something more like England 2003 updated but they don't appear able to switch in any given game even if the state of the games dictates they should.

Case in point, the La Rochelle starting pack yesterday was 12 kilos lighter than Sarries'.

[Kawazaki]

Not after Jackson Wray replaced Billy Vunipola it wasn't.

[Sards]

Congratulations to all the winners this weekend.

Saffers are eliminated. Rightly so. As a Sharks supporter, Du Pont is a match winners on his own. I can see why he is so popular. Sharks gave their all. Not their day.

On behalf of the Stormers supporters. Where did that ref come from. The travel is bullshit. Can we please have Marius van der Westhuizen as one of our officials. At all our games.

[Torquemada 1420]

Congratulations to all the winners this weekend.

Saffers are eliminated. Rightly so. As a Sharks supporter, Du Pont is a match winners on his own. I can see why he is so popular. Sharks gave their all. Not their day.

On behalf of the Stormers supporters. Where did that ref come from. The travel is bullshit. Can we please have Marius van der Westhuizen as one of our officials. At all our games.

Agreed. Needs to be a more even playing field than this.

[robmatic]

Congratulations to all the winners this weekend.

Saffers are eliminated. Rightly so. As a Sharks supporter, Du Pont is a match winners on his own. I can see why he is so popular. Sharks gave their all. Not their day.

On behalf of the Stormers supporters. Where did that ref come from. The travel is bullshit. Can we please have Marius van der Westhuizen as one of our officials. At all our games.

Agreed. Needs to be a more even playing field than this.

Only having 1 week between the round of 16 and the quarter finals is absolute balls all round. It's obviously not long enough to properly facilitate north/south travel and it's not great within Europe either, as it doesn't give fans long enough to plan the away trip (or even home fans to get organised). I also don't think the excitement and the anticipation builds to the same extent.

[OomStruisbaai]

Congratulations to all the winners this weekend.

Saffers are eliminated. Rightly so. As a Sharks supporter, Du Pont is a match winners on his own. I can see why he is so popular. Sharks gave their all. Not their day.

On behalf of the Stormers supporters. Where did that ref come from. The travel is bullshit. Can we please have Marius van der Westhuizen as one of our officials. At all our games.

Dobson refuse to use the travel or ref as an excuse.

Powell on the udder hand use the ref excuse.

https://www.sarugbymag.co.za/powell-for ... ed-sharks/


Get your vokken blinkers off

[Sards]

Congratulations to all the winners this weekend.

Saffers are eliminated. Rightly so. As a Sharks supporter, Du Pont is a match winners on his own. I can see why he is so popular. Sharks gave their all. Not their day.

On behalf of the Stormers supporters. Where did that ref come from. The travel is bullshit. Can we please have Marius van der Westhuizen as one of our officials. At all our games.

Dobson refuse to use the travel or ref as an excuse.

Powell on the udder hand use the ref excuse.

https://www.sarugbymag.co.za/powell-for ... ed-sharks/


Get your vokken blinkers off

Did you actually read the article....

Powell said the overturned try for Grant Williams was the turning point in the match. He didn't blame the officials....dude......clutching.

WP supporters are having a full go re the ref and the travel

BTW. Did you see Bosch's stats for the match.
14 carries....225 odd metres. Best in the tournament in a single match so far. And they weren't sideways

"Nevertheless, the guys put everything in, and showed tremendous fighting spirit. They played their hearts out. "

Have to agree with Powell