2024/2025 Not Heineken Cup

[Uncle fester]

Sleightholme picking a scrap with two Bulls players and doing nothing to dampen the Mike Brown comparisons

Hanekom got out on the wrong side of the bed this morning

Also should maybe stay on his feet entering a ruck.



That's how knees get knacked - Pearson was fortunate that he was cleared by 20 just before Hanekom dived into his leg. Pearson rightly not very impressed by it all.

He was insanely lucky.

[assfly]

Hanekom's technique appears good. At least he's staying away from his head. But the jump by the Pearson at the last second contributes to Hanekom being unable to wrap his arms, he just bounces off his shoulders.

What was the call by the ref?

[OomStruisbaai]

Hanekom's technique appears good. At least he's staying away from his head. But the jump by the Pearson at the last second contributes to Hanekom being unable to wrap his arms, he just bounces off his shoulders.

What was the call by the ref?

Nothing. He had a massive game and were targeted by the opposition like they did with Roos.

[robmatic]

I reckon we will beat Toulouse as they'll probably send a b team and then we'll lose to Bordeaux because we'll send a b team. This tournament

This group stage is bollocks, really. Only a few teams are bothering with contesting away games.

[assfly]

This group stage is bollocks, really. Only a few teams are bothering with contesting away games.

Yes I can totally understand everybody's frustration at it. And of course the continued resentment towards the presence of the South Africa teams, which is hard to defend given results this weekend.

They really need to sort out the group stages, or reduce the teams who can qualify.

[Biffer]

Don't worry, I'm sure the spivs will be along with a wizzy proposal soon, just to fuck it up a bit more. Cunts.

[Slick]

This group stage is bollocks, really. Only a few teams are bothering with contesting away games.

Yes I can totally understand everybody's frustration at it. And of course the continued resentment towards the presence of the South Africa teams, which is hard to defend given results this weekend.

They really need to sort out the group stages, or reduce the teams who can qualify.

To be honest I think the ire being directed at the SA teams from our media yesterday and today is a bit out of order. A lot of sides are sending B teams, and as we know the French have been doing it since the start, but the SA teams seems to be getting singled out a bit. Mainly by journos who are desperate for the URC to fail as well.

[JM2K6]

Hanekom's technique appears good. At least he's staying away from his head. But the jump by the Pearson at the last second contributes to Hanekom being unable to wrap his arms, he just bounces off his shoulders.

What was the call by the ref?

He is making absolutely no attempt to wrap regardless, and is not staying on his feet either. He's just torpedoing straight at the legs.

Even if he was wrapping it's still wildly illegal. That's how silly this has all become, people have forgotten this isn't a tackle situation.

[assfly]

To be honest I think the ire being directed at the SA teams from our media yesterday and today is a bit out of order. A lot of sides are sending B teams, and as we know the French have been doing it since the start, but the SA teams seems to be getting singled out a bit. Mainly by journos who are desperate for the URC to fail as well.

Bloody hell Slick, the spirit of Christmas is getting to you

[assfly]

He is making absolutely no attempt to wrap regardless, and is not staying on his feet either. He's just torpedoing straight at the legs.

Even if he was wrapping it's still wildly illegal. That's how silly this has all become, people have forgotten this isn't a tackle situation.

He does make an attempt to wrap. Freeze the video at the moment of impact. Pearson jumps into the air which sends him flying.

If anything, he could get pinged for going off his feet. But when he's clearing out a player the refs seem to be very lenient on it.

[JM2K6]

He is making absolutely no attempt to wrap regardless, and is not staying on his feet either. He's just torpedoing straight at the legs.

Even if he was wrapping it's still wildly illegal. That's how silly this has all become, people have forgotten this isn't a tackle situation.

He does make an attempt to wrap. Freeze the video at the moment of impact. Pearson jumps into the air which sends him flying.

If anything, he could get pinged for going off his feet. But when he's clearing out a player the refs seem to be very lenient on it.

What are you on about? He's hitting with his left shoulder and his left arm is tucked under his body. All that force is going straight through essentially a braced shoulder and could have caused huge damage if it wasn't for Pearson not having his feet planted. Here's a screenshot of the moment of contact.

If you think this is legit then this really does show how warped this has become

[assfly]

If he hadn't jumped, he would have hit him in the thigh. I'll give you that his left arm is tucked, but his right is going for the wrap.

[petej]

This group stage is bollocks, really. Only a few teams are bothering with contesting away games.

Yes I can totally understand everybody's frustration at it. And of course the continued resentment towards the presence of the South Africa teams, which is hard to defend given results this weekend.

They really need to sort out the group stages, or reduce the teams who can qualify.

It was always a bit bollocks for qualification due to having 6 groups and 8 teams qualifying. A bit of a rose tinted view of the past. I always wanted it cut to 4 groups with 2 qualifying from each group. Teams have always rotated and rested players. Any European based team who goes to SA and wins deserves massive credit and vice versa.

[JM2K6]

If he hadn't jumped, he would have hit him in the thigh. I'll give you that his left arm is tucked, but his right is going for the wrap.

That right arm is meaningless, he's curling his body into the hit. This isn't a tackle situation and he's just torpedoing a tucked shoulder at someone's legs at high speed. I don't think you're getting it. It's an absolute shocker but sadly we see loads of this shit now

[SaintK]

He is making absolutely no attempt to wrap regardless, and is not staying on his feet either. He's just torpedoing straight at the legs.

Even if he was wrapping it's still wildly illegal. That's how silly this has all become, people have forgotten this isn't a tackle situation.

He does make an attempt to wrap. Freeze the video at the moment of impact. Pearson jumps into the air which sends him flying.

If anything, he could get pinged for going off his feet. But when he's clearing out a player the refs seem to be very lenient on it.

What are you on about? He's hitting with his left shoulder and his left arm is tucked under his body. All that force is going straight through essentially a braced shoulder and could have caused huge damage if it wasn't for Pearson not having his feet planted. Here's a screenshot of the moment of contact.

If you think this is legit then this really does show how warped this has become

It's filth, deliberate and inexcusable.
Very similar to Tizard's on the Falcons player a couple of weeks ago whiach has put him out of the game for 9 months

[SaintK]

I reckon we will beat Toulouse as they'll probably send a b team and then we'll lose to Bordeaux because we'll send a b team. This tournament

This group stage is bollocks, really. Only a few teams are bothering with contesting away games.

The Walruses solution in the Sunday Times yesterday
Say goodbye to the Saffer teams. Then 4 groups of 4 teams playing home and away.
5 from France, 4 from England, 3 from Ireland, 2 from Scotland, 1 from each of Italy and Wales
Rotate the final in each of the 6 countries.
Same for the Challenge Cup

[Slick]

If he hadn't jumped, he would have hit him in the thigh. I'll give you that his left arm is tucked, but his right is going for the wrap.

That's a completely mad take. Christmas is over.

[Torquemada 1420]

Toulouse is in another class at the moment

Wondering it this is the best club team I've ever seen.

[sockwithaticket]

Hanekom's technique appears good. At least he's staying away from his head. But the jump by the Pearson at the last second contributes to Hanekom being unable to wrap his arms, he just bounces off his shoulders.

What was the call by the ref?

Saying it's Pearson's jump ascribes a bit too much agency to being smashed by Bulls' 20 before Hanekom could connect. Very generous assessment of the complete non-attempt at a wrap.

[assfly]

If he hadn't jumped, he would have hit him in the thigh. I'll give you that his left arm is tucked, but his right is going for the wrap.

That's a completely mad take. Christmas is over.

It was nice while it lasted!

[OomStruisbaai]

I reckon we will beat Toulouse as they'll probably send a b team and then we'll lose to Bordeaux because we'll send a b team. This tournament

This group stage is bollocks, really. Only a few teams are bothering with contesting away games.

The Walruses solution in the Sunday Times yesterday
Say goodbye to the Saffer teams. Then 4 groups of 4 teams playing home and away.
5 from France, 4 from England, 3 from Ireland, 2 from Scotland, 1 from each of Italy and Wales
Rotate the final in each of the 6 countries.
Same for the Challenge Cup

I'd like to see our teams leaving this meaningless competition with our sponsor. Investec should rather investigate in our rugby.

[SaintK]

This group stage is bollocks, really. Only a few teams are bothering with contesting away games.

The Walruses solution in the Sunday Times yesterday
Say goodbye to the Saffer teams. Then 4 groups of 4 teams playing home and away.
5 from France, 4 from England, 3 from Ireland, 2 from Scotland, 1 from each of Italy and Wales
Rotate the final in each of the 6 countries.
Same for the Challenge Cup

I'd like to see our teams leaving this meaningless competition with our sponsor. Investec should rather investigate in our rugby.

So would I and lots of others.

[Sandstorm]

I'd like to see our teams leaving this meaningless competition with our sponsor. Investec should rather investigate in our rugby.

You do know that the majority of Investec's business happens in London?

[robmatic]

I reckon we will beat Toulouse as they'll probably send a b team and then we'll lose to Bordeaux because we'll send a b team. This tournament

This group stage is bollocks, really. Only a few teams are bothering with contesting away games.

The Walruses solution in the Sunday Times yesterday
Say goodbye to the Saffer teams. Then 4 groups of 4 teams playing home and away.
5 from France, 4 from England, 3 from Ireland, 2 from Scotland, 1 from each of Italy and Wales
Rotate the final in each of the 6 countries.
Same for the Challenge Cup

I see he takes the time to slag off the "hideously bloated" URC, but to be honest the URC has a much better format than the European competitions.

Also his solution has a bunch of French and English teams not even participating in the Challenge Cup?

[JM2K6]

There are too many average teams but any solution I can think of that isn't hugely unequal is too complicated or requires kicking out a country entirely.

If English rugby wasn't essentially bankrupt I'd be happy for only half of our teams to be in any European competition

[Paddington Bear]

Go full knockout with the first two rounds being two legs. First round losers drop into the Challenge Cup.

[Torquemada 1420]

I'd like to see our teams leaving this meaningless competition with our sponsor. Investec should rather investigate in our rugby.

Good luck with that. Investec are so far down the credit curve, they might not be around long enough to make that investment

[Torquemada 1420]

Go full knockout with the first two rounds being two legs. First round losers drop into the Challenge Cup.

Have argued the following forever (since the comp started).
1) The genius of the comp was to pit nation v nation. Nobody wants to watch SF b v CO c one week after they've played each other in the T14.
No-one wants to see sides from the same country (appreciate using the term league is now a mess with URC) at all until it is necessary i.e. later stages.

2) League stage where you try to avoid any countries being represented more than once. The larger the league, the harder this is but pools that are too
small are nonsense: especially if you allow more than one qualifier.

3) If pool sizes are under 6, I'd be brutal and only allow the top team through (if you can't divide by 4, then some runners up would have to remain).

4) Kill the Mickey Mouse. Allow some of the developing nations like Portugal to field their national teams in the single comp.

5) No money for no points for sides outside Tier 1 i.e. Fra, Eng, Wal, Sco, Ire and SA. If they rock up with 3rd teams and get nothing, they get nothing.

[OomStruisbaai]

They should move the competition to the end of the season

[Sandstorm]

5) No money for no points for sides outside Tier 1 i.e. Fra, Eng, Wal, Sco, Ire and SA. If they rock up with 3rd teams and get nothing, they get nothing.

Harsh on those Teams (and it's probably 70+% these days) who DON'T have a Sugar Daddy buying huge squads of quality players in every position. Something has to give when teams e.g. Stormers have 17 first choice players injured now and inevitably coaches have to make a decision which tournament they will target.

Last season the Natal Sharks were cellar-dwellers in the URC mid-season, so concentrated on the Cup instead.

[Slick]

They should move the competition to the end of the season

and host it in South Africa

[SaintK]

They should move the competition to the end of the season

Great idea!!!
Especially for all the teams who have international players that will be away playing for their country on Summer tour

[OomStruisbaai]

They should move the competition to the end of the season

Great idea!!!
Especially for all the teams who have international players that will be away playing for their country on Summer tour

Well the current competition fall in the club calendar. Just move it to the end. By doing this teams can go full throttle at it.

[OomStruisbaai]

They should move the competition to the end of the season

and host it in South Africa

Stop being a kant. The teams playing in or SA teams playing in the NH can play their two away games after another. Saving them travel time and money.

[Marylandolorian]

Or just get rid of the South African teams.

[OomStruisbaai]

Or just get rid of the South African teams.

Excellent idea. It's a kak competition anyway. We use this developing our CC players.

[Marylandolorian]

Or just get rid of the South African teams.

Excellent idea. It's a kak competition anyway. We use this developing our CC players.

[Slick]

They should move the competition to the end of the season

and host it in South Africa

Stop being a kant. The teams playing in or SA teams playing in the NH can play their two away games after another. Saving them travel time and money.

Well I agree that is we are going to keep the Saffers then travelling for one game is stupid, but I don't think moving the competition is going to make that any easier. It would have an enormous impact on the whole rugby calendar just to shoehorn it in.

[SaintK]

Or just get rid of the South African teams.

Excellent idea. It's a kak competition anyway. We use this developing our CC players.

yep

[clydecloggie]

The group stages are shit, but the only non-shit alternative (groups of four, home and away ties against the other three in the group) is not feasible in an already bloated calendar.

The knock outs are great, and finals weekend is the best weekend of the season. Except for this season, because it's in Cardiff. But next year Bilbao again, which is amazing.