Not Heineken Cup 23/24

[Slick]

Round 1 Attendances

Leicester 19,439
Munster 18,908
Toulouse 18,750
La Rochelle 16,700
Bulls 15,157
Bath 13,918
Toulon 13,033
Bristol 12,446
Racing 9,385
Glasgow 6,579
Sale 6,432
Connacht 6,024

Glasgow attendances have been disappointing of late. Even games where ticket sales are reported as high seem blighted by season ticket holders not turning up.

Edinburgh seem OK if not outstanding.

I do sometimes feel Glasgow supporters, or at least those on the Warriors chatroom, talk themselves into a state of depression. There seems to be no middle ground, either everything is wonderful, or the sky is falling in and there is no possible hope.

Sad to hear.

Back in the 00s or maybe up to as recently as 2014-ish, you wouldn't have a hope of getting an Ulster European home game ticket unless bought a few weeks in advance. Racing coming to town this weekend, and after our utter shite season to-date, I'd be amazed if it was 70% full.

There is obviously a correlation between how well a team plays and attendance figures. But for me to take my 3 daughters (wife wouldn't be arsed going), a coke and chip for the girls each, and a pint for me, I'd have no change out of £150 I reckon, to watch Ulster play poorly. Don't know if other rugby clubs are the same but Ulster's commercial team have taken the piss outnof supporters for quite some time now, and now that the end product is gash, they have backed themselves into a corner.

I can take them to watch an Irish League footy match (shite standard, but very entertaining, and a much easier sport for a kid to understand) and pay £13 in, kids go for free, a pint for me at HT, chips and hot chocolates for the girls, and spend probably £30-35. A no brainer for me and the kids.

A fair bit to do with them utterly fucking up the tournament as well. It was the best weekends outside the 6N and I'd make the effort to get to a game or get to the pub to watch. Hardly even know it's on these days.

[OomStruisbaai]

Challenge Cup

[Jim Lahey]

Dan McFarland doing his best to get the sack from Ulster and a nice Christmas payout with some mind boggling selections, as per usual.

He should have been gone after shitting the bed against Connacht in May, but naturally Ulster gave him a contract extension last season (when we were playing shite) and can't afford to pay him off after we lost 700k last season due another cock up due to Frozen Pitch-gate.

Comfortably the worst run rugby club in Europe.

[sockwithaticket]

Great hands from Fin Smith for Northampton's opening try. It's a lovely team set move, but if he were any slower it would've died with him in midfield.

[robmatic]

Glasgow attendances have been disappointing of late. Even games where ticket sales are reported as high seem blighted by season ticket holders not turning up.

Edinburgh seem OK if not outstanding.

I do sometimes feel Glasgow supporters, or at least those on the Warriors chatroom, talk themselves into a state of depression. There seems to be no middle ground, either everything is wonderful, or the sky is falling in and there is no possible hope.

Sad to hear.

Back in the 00s or maybe up to as recently as 2014-ish, you wouldn't have a hope of getting an Ulster European home game ticket unless bought a few weeks in advance. Racing coming to town this weekend, and after our utter shite season to-date, I'd be amazed if it was 70% full.

There is obviously a correlation between how well a team plays and attendance figures. But for me to take my 3 daughters (wife wouldn't be arsed going), a coke and chip for the girls each, and a pint for me, I'd have no change out of £150 I reckon, to watch Ulster play poorly. Don't know if other rugby clubs are the same but Ulster's commercial team have taken the piss outnof supporters for quite some time now, and now that the end product is gash, they have backed themselves into a corner.

I can take them to watch an Irish League footy match (shite standard, but very entertaining, and a much easier sport for a kid to understand) and pay £13 in, kids go for free, a pint for me at HT, chips and hot chocolates for the girls, and spend probably £30-35. A no brainer for me and the kids.

A fair bit to do with them utterly fucking up the tournament as well. It was the best weekends outside the 6N and I'd make the effort to get to a game or get to the pub to watch. Hardly even know it's on these days.

Neither Scottish team is going full bore with their selections this weekend so it's hard to get too excited.

[sockwithaticket]

Really good half from Saints. Toulon look a bit of an archetypal French team on the road, they'll be happy not to be further behind.

A fairly Anglo flavour to the Toulon team with Dave Ribbans, Jack Singleton and Kieran Brookes in the pack and Ben White at 9.

Any England fans still wondering about our 12 position, Litchfield looks decent.

Furbank's having a stellar season so far.

[Marylandolorian]

End of the 1st half Bayonne 8 / Glasgow 7 , not a bad game so far. Miller (8) has a decent speed for his size.

[petej]

Should be a saints pen for lazy running/offside and playing players off the ball.

[petej]

At least one yellow if not two.

Two yellows. good reffing.

[sockwithaticket]

Toulon managing to push the self-destruct button having ground their way back into the game.

[sockwithaticket]

At least one yellow if not two.

Two in my book. The tackle's bad and the deliberate knock about as cynical as they get.

[petej]

At least one yellow if not two.

Two in my book. The tackle's bad and the deliberate knock about as cynical as they get.

Agree. Tackle is very lazy. Good time to get a kick. Played saints.

[sockwithaticket]

Saints sneak into the lead with their 4th try. Do 13 man Toulon have it in them to claim the win?

[Paddington Bear]

There’s a hell of a lot to admire about this Northampton side

[Raggs]

Freeman looking very very good too.

[Oxbow]

Great win that, and after losing three wingers. Lawes was absolutely immense again, he's playing some of the best rugby of his career. Freeman really has to be in the England squad.

[sockwithaticket]

Pretty big for Northampton. Last season I don't think they would have ridden out the momentum shift and injury disruption.

Haven't seen a great deal of Litchfield before tonight, but he was very impressive.

[Raggs]

Great win that, and after losing three wingers. Lawes was absolutely immense again, he's playing some of the best rugby of his career. Freeman really has to be in the England squad.

Lawes chasing back that linebreak to take the guy down from behind. Seriously impressive work,

[Paddington Bear]

Great win that, and after losing three wingers. Lawes was absolutely immense again, he's playing some of the best rugby of his career. Freeman really has to be in the England squad.

Lawes chasing back that linebreak to take the guy down from behind. Seriously impressive work,

I wasn’t even surprised. Phenomenal work rate

[petej]

Great win that, and after losing three wingers. Lawes was absolutely immense again, he's playing some of the best rugby of his career. Freeman really has to be in the England squad.

Lawes chasing back that linebreak to take the guy down from behind. Seriously impressive work,

I was a bit shocked by how fast he was.
I'm concerned the style that Borthwick wants to play doesn't really match well with the players coming through.

[robmatic]

Great result for Glasgow but holy shit their lineout was terrible in the second half. Almost cost them the game.

[Tichtheid]

Great result for Glasgow but holy shit their lineout was terrible in the second half. Almost cost them the game.

Yup, exactly that.

Miller was very good for the Weegies

[Ovals]

Enjoyable win by Saints - they've become very watchable. They got a bit lucky with the 2 yellows setting them up for the BP try - nearly paid the price for not making enough of their dominant 1st half. Probably deserved the win over the 80 mins.

Furbank, Freeman and Lawes were all great - Mitchell more than decent and, kicking aside, Smith very good.

Not sure we'll get too many wins this weekend - quite a few ENgland sides are fielding weakened teams this week - Sale have changed 12 of their starters to travel to Leinster !!

[Ovals]

Great win that, and after losing three wingers. Lawes was absolutely immense again, he's playing some of the best rugby of his career. Freeman really has to be in the England squad.

Lawes chasing back that linebreak to take the guy down from behind. Seriously impressive work,

I was a bit shocked by how fast he was.
I'm concerned the style that Borthwick wants to play doesn't really match well with the players coming through.

Saints style of play would be a great blueprint for England - well organised in defence, fluent in attack, putting the ball through the hands - but with just abourt enough pragmatism when called for.

[Uncle fester]

Jaysis
https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/67690772

[robmatic]

Jaysis
https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/67690772

It's quite funny.

[Dinsdale Piranha]

Jaysis
https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/67690772

Not a surprise.

I watched Black Lion vs Iberians in Tbilisi a couple of weeks ago. They're owned by the Georgian RFU and are a development team for the national side.

They have some very good players. As well as the big lumps in the scrum, their 7 & 8 &15 looked proper good.

[C69]

Scarlets

[SaintK]

Lawes chasing back that linebreak to take the guy down from behind. Seriously impressive work,

I was a bit shocked by how fast he was.
I'm concerned the style that Borthwick wants to play doesn't really match well with the players coming through.

Saints style of play would be a great blueprint for England - well organised in defence, fluent in attack, putting the ball through the hands - but with just abourt enough pragmatism when called for.

No chance with Borthwick and Wigglesworth coaching!

[ASMO]

Sarries utter pants.. i think its time for a clear out...so many players livimg on past glories who are clearly not good enough anymore.

Billy, Mako, Goode, Maitland, Lewington, George, Daly

[ASMO]

And Farrells kicking for goal and from hands has gone to shit

[petej]

And Farrells kicking for goal and from hands has gone to shit

Was about to say this. It is a good thing he has opted out of the 6N because borthers would select him regardless of how he played and he would get more shit from English rugby fans though the fault is with Borthwick for selecting him.

[OomStruisbaai]

LA Rochelle look very strong. Long afternoon for the Stormers.

[sockwithaticket]

Sarries utter pants.. i think its time for a clear out...so many players livimg on past glories who are clearly not good enough anymore.

Billy, Mako, Goode, Maitland, Lewington, George, Daly

Well the good news there is that George has just signed a dual England - Saracens contract, so he will be selected come what may.

[petej]

LA Rochelle look very strong. Long afternoon for the Stormers.

Great take by loader for that try.

[sockwithaticket]

What on earth was that from Gelant? Gifting great field position to La Rochelle.

LA Rochelle look very strong. Long afternoon for the Stormers.

Great take by loader for that try.

Another young English winger garnering experience abroad that he'll hopefully bring back to England in due time.

[fishfoodie]

Emoji gets away with a stone cod red card. The Sarries effect.

[ASMO]

Emoji gets away with a stone cod red card. The Sarries effect.

No, definate change of direction as mitigation.

[sockwithaticket]

Keystone cops stuff from the Stomps at the moment.

[fishfoodie]

Emoji gets away with a stone cod red card. The Sarries effect.

No, definate change of direction as mitigation.

He was too upright, that should override the minor change in direction.