2024/2025 Not Heineken Cup

[SaintK]

Why on earth have Ulster left most of their experienced internationals on the bench
Reckon they’ll be 30+ points down before they are deployed

[Torquemada 1420]

That lasted long.

[Torquemada 1420]

If Toulouse keep the pedal down, this is going to get very ugly for Ulster.

[sockwithaticket]

20 minute bonus point. Toulouse currently beating Clock RFC.

Edit - maybe not.

[sockwithaticket]

Now it's the bonus point try.

Ulster scythed open.

[SaintK]

I have Toulouse +33 on Superbru
Maybe a little light!

[sockwithaticket]

I have Toulouse +33 on Superbru
Maybe a little light!

They might slow down and lose interest in the second half.

[SaintK]

I have Toulouse +33 on Superbru
Maybe a little light!

They might slow down and lose interest in the second half.

Yep
For 10 minutes

[SaintK]

61 21!
Why on earth didn’t Ulster start with their strongest available side

[sockwithaticket]

Presumably thought it would be pointless when playing Toulouse at the Ernst Wallon, better to preserve them for a more winnable fixture?

[SaintK]

Presumably thought it would be pointless when playing Toulouse at the Ernst Wallon, better to preserve them for a more winnable fixture?

Good point!

[fishfoodie]

Poor AJ gets marmalised in the first 5 minutes

[robmatic]

There hasn't been many close games this weekend.

[Paddington Bear]

Shameful SHAMEFUL trip by Leinster

[inactionman]

Shameful SHAMEFUL trip by Leinster

Yep, looked suss.

[JM2K6]

This is the dirtiest / most cynical Leinster performance I've seen in many a year. Two deliberate trips, a few very cynical penalties... What's going on?

[Paddington Bear]

This is the dirtiest / most cynical Leinster performance I've seen in many a year. Two deliberate trips, a few very cynical penalties... What's going on?

Amazing how rattled they/Ireland get when they’re reffed properly

[inactionman]

That was a little bit on the fortunate side.

[JM2K6]

There we go - Leinster turn up the heat. Hilarious that the ref was playing advantage for the most obviously bought penalty ever but it doesn't matter, Bristol shit the bed twice from the kick off and rightly concede a try

[JM2K6]

A third trip? Clearly a tactic. Pretty grim stuff.

Not sure Ringrose needed to squeal like that when tackled on the shoulder a foot above the ground...

Leinster have not played well at all but they'll have more than enough off the bench to win this I expect

[JM2K6]

The worst thing about this game is Robshaw basing his commentary on "what if Tom Shanklin was on meth"

[JM2K6]

Now that was excellent by Prendergast. First time I've seen him be a genuine threat ball in hand. Great work at the line by Jordie, too.

[JM2K6]

Class moment #2 by Jordie Barrett. Leinster stretching away now.

Have to say it's a little unfortunate for England's two best teams to lose playmakers in Europe - Spencer for Bath and MacGinty here - but that's life. Can't help but think Leinster would be facing a deficit at half time rather than a platform.

[JM2K6]

Prendergast with his second after Snyman tears off a huge break.

Kinda comical that Basically Ireland gets to add players like Snyman and Barrett but they're great to watch at least?

[OomStruisbaai]

Out of interest, how are the SA franchises funded? Presumably some is centrally from the SARU, but is that evenly spread? For the rest, are there "sugar daddies"/corporate funding? What's the connect between the Currie Cup side?

It's basically franchises. With clubs supposedly responsible for the Currie Cup. 3 Franchises have investment partners. The Bulls are funded by 2 South African billionaires and the Sharks are funded by a gambling empire which was turned down by the Stormers. So they went to the Sharks. Stormers are " funded " by a " family trust ". The clubs in the Western Province ( Stormers) carried too much weight on decisions. They forced the Stormers to turn down the Massoti investment deal so now they are sitting with very shallow pockets and most of their real talent has left to play at the Bulls and Sharks.

Cheers

Sards talking kak like usual. All the Stormers Springboks are injured. Credit to Toulon, Their captain had a huge game. Rassie should crab him for the Springboks.

[inactionman]

Wheels coming off a bit defensively now.

[JM2K6]

Wheels coming off a bit defensively now.

Yup, a team like Bristol feeds off emotion more than most English sides and they've had their spirit broken by those quickfire tries. They might be even better attackers than THAT Quins team, but they're no comeback kings, that's for sure

[Paddington Bear]

Real shame, they were in good shape for a fair while in this. Not a vintage weekend for the English sides

[OomStruisbaai]

Leinster is classy.

[Slick]

Leinster is classy.

I know English isn’t your first language, but you could have picked any other word

[Paddington Bear]

It doesn’t matter but this is astonishingly incompetent reffing, Bris justifiably irate

[OomStruisbaai]

It doesn’t matter but this is astonishingly incompetent reffing, Bris justifiably irate

The Reffing is different to what the teams are use to in their competitions. See it as a positive because the players need to adopt, maybe the supporters also.

[Dogbert]

Apropos of nothing - and I know its a bit of a cliche to praise visiting supporters , but .... I tip my hat to the Sale Supporters who were at Scostoun last night.

Even though Sale had a bit of a tough day at the office ( remember they were also missing some key players ) , the Sharks supporters were fantastic not letting up from the 1st minute to the last minute making a hell of a lot of noise , all making for a really good atmosphere. The ones we met in the Main stand were all good craic.

Truly great fans

[Sards]

It's basically franchises. With clubs supposedly responsible for the Currie Cup. 3 Franchises have investment partners. The Bulls are funded by 2 South African billionaires and the Sharks are funded by a gambling empire which was turned down by the Stormers. So they went to the Sharks. Stormers are " funded " by a " family trust ". The clubs in the Western Province ( Stormers) carried too much weight on decisions. They forced the Stormers to turn down the Massoti investment deal so now they are sitting with very shallow pockets and most of their real talent has left to play at the Bulls and Sharks.

Cheers

Sards talking kak like usual. All the Stormers Springboks are injured. Credit to Toulon, Their captain had a huge game. Rassie should crab him for the Springboks.

Dobson thinks differently to you.
Talking about just making the best of the Champions cup and focusing on the URC.

[Sards]

Sharks injury list grows.

Eben to still follow HIA protocols
James still to get update on Arm , Ditto Tsitsika

Worrying times

[assfly]

Sharks injury list grows.

Eben to still follow HIA protocols
James still to get update on Arm , Ditto Tsitsika

Worrying times

Even if they were fit, I didn't see any of them travelling to Leicester.
Winning home games should be enough to get any team through to the next round.

But those early injuries really caught up with us in the final quarter. We looked knackered.

[Sards]

Sharks injury list grows.

Eben to still follow HIA protocols
James still to get update on Arm , Ditto Tsitsika

Worrying times

Even if they were fit, I didn't see any of them travelling to Leicester.
Winning home games should be enough to get any team through to the next round.

But those early injuries really caught up with us in the final quarter. We looked knackered.

Still like to be competitive with our Springboks.
Dobson said something about it being vital to win home games. Not sure how it works but that reinforces your statement.
After the Stormers loss he said he will do what he can in the HCC but he was shifting his focus to the URC now and putting his strongest teams there. Bearing in mind he has some tough derbies ahead.
Libbok is in hospital and they are not sure how thats going to work out...so they are in a bad way.....and the Stomps are not happy with Dobbo\

Would love for Reuben to return to the Sharks...always rated him.

[assfly]

Still like to be competitive with our Springboks.
Dobson said something about it being vital to win home games. Not sure how it works but that reinforces your statement.
After the Stormers loss he said he will do what he can in the HCC but he was shifting his focus to the URC now and putting his strongest teams there. Bearing in mind he has some tough derbies ahead.
Libbok is in hospital and they are not sure how thats going to work out...so they are in a bad way.....and the Stomps are not happy with Dobbo\

I think if the Stormers and Sharks had their full squads available to them, then both would like to give the Champions Cup a good go. But when the injuries come in like they have now, then a decision has to be made which has to be focusing on URC first.

[Sards]

Sharks are not giving up on HCC.
Plum has said he will be using the broader squad

[assfly]

Sharks are not giving up on HCC.
Plum has said he will be using the broader squad

Well I guess we'll know when we see what team gets on the plane.