2022/23 Champions/Challenge Cup

[JM2K6]

Game over I think - Quins midfield defence far too tight, 3-4 players in a small area and gaping space out wide.

Surprised they didn't take a look as to how Quins actually lost that kickoff though, just an arm flapped at Dombrandt in the air. Angle wasn't great to be certain.

[JM2K6]

Big break on the outside stopped by a deliberate knock on.

[JM2K6]

Superb work to hold that up. To the surprise of absolutely no-one, Austin was completely wrong again.

[Tichtheid]

Superb work to hold that up.

it really was

[Torquemada 1420]

Le Garrec does the job his powder puff fwds fail to do

[Torquemada 1420]

Pffft. Woki brushed aside by Care

[JM2K6]

Russell's kickoffs are phenomenal

[Torquemada 1420]

Quins girl in the crowd looked like aitch (formerly of PR) although she was a Pests fan.

[JM2K6]

Welcome back, Marcus.

[Torquemada 1420]

Leinster could rack up 70+ against Racing next time out.

[sockwithaticket]

That was exquisite.

[ASMO]

It was like he was never gone

[Jock42]

Finntastic from Smith

[ASMO]

Brainless

[Torquemada 1420]

Red

[Paddington Bear]

Dumb dumb dumb and excused again by BT because English players shouldn’t have to do anything as revolutionary as thinking. A shame as Smith is dragging them back into this

[ASMO]

Red

Yellow at worst, but dumb all the same.

[JM2K6]

Morris, you're such an idiot. Interesting yellow card given it's a mistimed tackle with low danger but honestly I can't remember what the framework is for those so it's entirely possible that's spot on, just expressing surprise. Either way, entirely his fault.

I don't know if not picking Bassett was a tactical choice or an injury enforced one, but it's not worked at all.

Brace then fucks Quins at the ruck for old times' sake.

[JM2K6]

Red

Yellow at worst, but dumb all the same.

I can't imagine in what world that is a red card.

[Torquemada 1420]

F**k off Racing. Against 14 and needing the try bonus and you go for the posts? Thick as sh*t.

[Torquemada 1420]

Red

Yellow at worst, but dumb all the same.

I can't imagine in what world that is a red card.

It wasn't. But it was Brace so there's your world.

[_Os_]

1) sporting culture. Rugby is a minority sport in all NH nations bar arguably Wales. That means we’re drawing talent from a smaller than expected pool but also are not picking the cream of the crop.
Also it seems there’s a greater culture of beery, slightly corinthian sports up here (certainly in the British Isles) than there is down south. More people there for a day out than a hard match.
NZ has rugby as the national sport, SA has it as the sport for white Saffers and Aussies have a very hard sporting culture that lets them punch above their weight but leaves a lot to be desired at lower levels

It's a bit more complicated than that for SA. It's definitely the main sport for Afrikaners which default makes it the main sport for whites, but quite a few English speaking whites will strongly favour cricket or soccer (and in soccer support English club sides because someone generations back was from there etc). Rugby is also probably the main sport among coloureds (not a racist term in SA, it just refers to a distinct ethnicity of mixed race people). Among black South Africans it's definitely not the main sport, but it is quite popular among Xhosa speakers (as is cricket) enough for SuperSport to provide Xhosa rugby commentary, no surprise really because Xhosas have had the longest and deepest contact with Europe/Britain all the way back to the mission schools.

Putting all that onto the map, rugby ends up being the national sport in the western half of SA (everything west of Port Elizabeth/Gqeberha), where all those groups form the entire population. Historically pro soccer clubs struggle to establish themselves or last long in that area. Which is how the Stormers can go almost bankrupt, lose a lot of their top players, and yet still immediately rebuild the squad without much hassle and win the URC.

[sockwithaticket]

Brace very generous only calling that a knock on.

[JM2K6]

I have no idea if he's right or not but I am so tired of Austin. "That's a red card if they come back and look at it!" you have no real idea if that's true, stop sounding like a pub bore

[Brazil]

Brace is fucking appalling

[Torquemada 1420]

Le Garrec's passing is light years ahead of the likes of Couilloud or Serin and he puts in the tackles too.

[Torquemada 1420]

Brace is fucking appalling

No arguments from anyone I suspect other than Mrs Brace and the rugby authorities.

[Paddington Bear]

Leinster could rack up 70+ against Racing next time out.

Weep for those of us who when discussing where to go for a boys’ weekend including some rugby thought Leinster - Racing in Dublin would be an “epic” game. At least it’s a cheap city…

Suspect Healey is right that Chat has got away with a nasty one here, French tv is a joke and will only get worse at the world cup.

[JM2K6]

For the record, having gone back and looked at it:

1) Chat on Dombrandt looked like nothing much, just a collision with no obvious head contact
2) Dombrandt deserved yellow as the ruck was very obviously formed and he just picked up the ball

In other words, shut the fuck up Austin you prick.

[Torquemada 1420]

Weep for those of us who when discussing where to go for a boys’ weekend including some rugby thought Leinster - Racing in Dublin would be an “epic” game. At least it’s a cheap city…

Suspect Healey is right that Chat has got away with a nasty one here, French tv is a joke and will only get worse at the world cup.

Shoulda asked first!

Chat was fine.

Woki and Racing thick as sh*t. V 13 now and can't work out to just pass it through the hands. Recall what I was saying earlier about the difference being dim decision making.........

[Torquemada 1420]

Mother of god, WTF was Gelant doing? Thick as sh*t.

[JM2K6]

Gorgeous kick from Russell.

Decent scramble defence from 13 man Quins, though.

[JM2K6]

DON'T SCARE ME BY SAYING GJALTEMA IS ON

[JM2K6]

That would've been absolutely magnificent. Hell of a kick from a seond row.

We score anyway. Ballsy stuff. Well played.

[Tichtheid]

This is great stuff, Finn v Smith is worth the entrance money

[ASMO]

This is great stuff, Finn v Smith is worth the entrance money

Smith is winning that battle hands down.

[sockwithaticket]

Bonkers passage of play there.

[JM2K6]

This is great stuff, Finn v Smith is worth the entrance money

Smith is winning that battle hands down.

Nah, it's not that simple - Russell's done some great work.

[Torquemada 1420]

LMAO. Racing can't score against 13 and then concede one against 14.

Paddington, if I were you, I'd stay in the bars.

[Torquemada 1420]

This is great stuff, Finn v Smith is worth the entrance money

Smith is winning that battle hands down.

Nah, it's not that simple - Russell's done some great work.

And some tripe like the over cooked kick to touch and the fouled up pass in the midfield whereas can't think of an error from Smith.