2022/23 Champions/Challenge Cup

[Tichtheid]

Wonder if ROG fancies a step up to coach Edinburgh?

[Jim Lahey]

Some comeback

Shocking from Leinster. Wtf were they doing for the last 60mins?

[SaintK]

Easily the most enjoyable match I’ve watched all season
Thanks both teams

[Jockaline]

Wonder if ROG fancies a step up to coach Edinburgh?

Made me chuckle

[OomStruisbaai]

Great final. Congrats to LR. Deserved winners. Don't hope our Leinster poster blame Jaco again.

Have to feel the hurt for the Leinster players and supporters. Their team dominate all season.

[Tichtheid]

Kerr-Barlow slipping into French during his interview in English - great stuff

[PCPhil]

Watched on tablet whilst on cooking duties tonight.
Catching up and good to see no ref winging.

Seems like Leinster just lost all ambition after 20 mins. Next year will they again be on a roll and decide, hey we can put the 2nd team out cus we're so ace we can just turn up when we need to.

[PornDog]

Great final. Congrats to LR. Deserved winners. Don't hope our Leinster poster blame Jaco again.

Have to feel the hurt for the Leinster players and supporters. Their team dominate all season.

All counts for nothing if you don't win the last game of the season.

Congrats LaR. Crushed us in the 2nd half

[OomStruisbaai]

Great final. Congrats to LR. Deserved winners. Don't hope our Leinster poster blame Jaco again.

Have to feel the hurt for the Leinster players and supporters. Their team dominate all season.

All counts for nothing if you don't win the last game of the season.

Congrats LaR. Crushed us in the 2nd half

It is obvious that their A team players short match sharpness. Their trouble started sending a C team to SA, playing their B team against Munster.

They have the depth just need to get their best players to full fitness towards the end of season.

[Tichtheid]

ROG speaks so well, very thoughtful coach.

[Biffer]

Saw an interesting analysis that two thirds of the last ten finals have been won by a comeback.

[Raggs]

Was Ringrose seriously trying to claim low level of danger whilst a player was literally getting stretchered off the pitch?

[Biffer]

10 years ago, La Rochelle were 4th in Pro D2.

Some story that.

[Tichtheid]

Was Ringrose seriously trying to claim low level of danger whilst a player was literally getting stretchered off the pitch?

I think he was more arguing that Danty's was high level.

[Raggs]

Was Ringrose seriously trying to claim low level of danger whilst a player was literally getting stretchered off the pitch?

I think he was more arguing that Danty's was high level.

That's even more pointless though? Danty was gone for the rest of the game anyway...

[Slick]

Just caught up, can’t say I’m not very happy.

I just find it so odd that Irish teams get away with so much crap at the breakdown and every official lets it go, they must discuss this so how does it keep happening? I’m not sure it’s a criticism of Irish teams, rugby has always been doing what you can get away with and they do it well.

Today Jaco suddenly started reffing the breakdown at about 65 minutes and Leinster got pinged away.

Bookmark this if you want, but my prediction is that Ireland have peaked too early again. Their front row is in trouble, their backs are getting worked out and if refs do start reffing they are fucked. They do have some world class back 5 in the pack and Keenan is a slightly unsung hero at the back (probably my 2nd favourite player at the moment after Dupont, but I think they are on their way down from the highest of heights. Hope so.

[Uncle fester]

Hard luck ladies. Byrne should have gone for 3 points at the end.

[yermum]

[laurent]

Quite a game Peyper was is usual self (Shit)

Most of the rucks early on had Leinster Players diving in from the side and getting momentum from that. This eventually leads to the Type of reds for Alatoa.

Big come back from the La Rochelle players.

[Uncle fester]

Quite a game Peyper was is usual self (Shit)

Most of the rucks early on had Leinster Players diving in from the side and getting momentum from that. This eventually leads to the Type of reds for Alatoa.

Big come back from the La Rochelle players.

He was pretty shite but actually evened out over the game.

[laurent]

Quite a game Peyper was is usual self (Shit)

Most of the rucks early on had Leinster Players diving in from the side and getting momentum from that. This eventually leads to the Type of reds for Alatoa.

Big come back from the La Rochelle players.

He was pretty shite but actually evened out over the game.

Can't understand How this guy gets to ref above AIL(1B) ...

[Uncle fester]

There was one ruck in front of us where VDF got dumped on his head and the crowd went berserk. The reason he got fouled was because he was lying on the ruck pawing at the ball. Peyper ignored the lot so of course the breakdown is going to descend into madness.

[laurent]

Piscine

[Margin__Walker]

This sound like fun

[laurent]

This sound like fun

Considering the ref was not reffing rucks Sexton should go fuck himself if he remembers anything by now...

Peyper is Shit

[Slick]

The game that just keeps giving

[Jim Lahey]

Sexton

FFS man. Leinster got away with murder for 60 mins. They should have been out of sight by HT but shit the bed.

[Uncle fester]

Hard luck ladies. Byrne should have gone for 3 points at the end.

He reverted to his very average self. Pity as he had an alright season

He is not the droid we are looking for in a RWC QF.

[Uncle fester]

This sound like fun

Considering the ref was not reffing rucks Sexton should go fuck himself if he remembers anything by now...

Peyper is Shit

Some other stuff going on about "lack of respect". Reckon ROG was teaching LaR some old school Munster bitterness.

[Guy Smiley]

The game that just keeps giving

O'Gara is turning out to be some sort of coach... one of a very select group that is the new breed.

[OomStruisbaai]

This sound like fun

This is a new low.

[Sards]

How LR weathered that early blitz and came back to wun it is an incredible story . They are truly a top club

[Torquemada 1420]

10 years ago, La Rochelle were 4th in Pro D2.

Some story that.

A fantastically run club. Yes, they have a "sugar daddy" in Merling but it's not unfettered and has been fed into the club very much on strong business lines. Only 5 coaches (I think) since the 1990s. Sell out every home game.

Trivial fact, 3 generations of Elissaldes played at SH there.

[Torquemada 1420]

Just caught up, can’t say I’m not very happy.

I just find it so odd that Irish teams get away with so much crap at the breakdown and every official lets it go, they must discuss this so how does it keep happening? I’m not sure it’s a criticism of Irish teams, rugby has always been doing what you can get away with and they do it well.

Today Jaco suddenly started reffing the breakdown at about 65 minutes and Leinster got pinged away.

Bookmark this if you want, but my prediction is that Ireland have peaked too early again. Their front row is in trouble, their backs are getting worked out and if refs do start reffing they are fucked. They do have some world class back 5 in the pack and Keenan is a slightly unsung hero at the back (probably my 2nd favourite player at the moment after Dupont, but I think they are on their way down from the highest of heights. Hope so.

Agree. It's like it's been going on forever at intl and club level. Did the entire nation inherit McCheat's invisibility cloak.

I'm not buying into the peak bit though. I wondered if throwing C teams out for the last few weeks might hurt them. They did seem to lack that last few % of match fitness as the match wore on.

[Torquemada 1420]

The game that just keeps giving

O'Gara is turning out to be some sort of coach... one of a very select group that is the new breed.

Whether it's deliberate (genius psychology) or just part of his actual personality, it's why his Fre players have bought into him so much. He's shown some of that Gallic anger/hot headedness/indiscipline rather than trying to 100% Anglicise his team (a la Dean Richards etc) with an iron rod (only Edwards has really succeeded with that but in the limited context of defence). They really feel he is one of them. It's quite incredible really.

[Jim Lahey]

Leinster win that game if Sexton was on the pitch.
Not necessarily because he is a much better player than Byrne (which he undoubtedly is), but at 60mins when LaR were clearly getting back into the game, Leinster needed some blood and thinder, and a rocket up their arses. They needed a captain on the pitch to turn the tide, and as good a player as Ringrose is, he doesn't scream "Captain" to me.

Yesterday has to hurt more for Leinster fans than last year. Home patch and 17-0 up after 12 or 13 mins. Its the kind of bed wetting I'd expect from Ulster, not a decent side.

[assfly]

That was an outstanding game of rugby, for a neutral. I thought Peyper was ok, missed a few things but I think it even out in the end.

I say neutral, but as the game went on I found myself hoping LR would win. Josh van der Flier seems to be copying the Welsh with his constant arm flapping theatrics, which got on my nerves.

[Jim Lahey]

That was an outstanding game of rugby, for a neutral. I thought Peyper was ok, missed a few things but I think it even out in the end.

I say neutral, but as the game went on I found myself hoping LR would win. Josh van der Flier seems to be copying the Welsh with his constant arm flapping theatrics, which got on my nerves.

I felt Peyper was being very soft on Leinster up until the yellow card for the LaR try (Alaatoa shouldve been straight in the bin the penalty before for dropping the maul by coming in at the side). But he went harder on them with 10mins to go. Only seen 1 replay for the contentious LaR try in the first half so would need another view or 2 to have an opinion on it.

Would love to know what Sexton was whinging about at the end. It certainly didn't seem like it was Peyper's fault why they lost it.

[dkm57]

Tremendous game to watch from start to finish, well done LaR. O'Gara must be one hell of a coach.

[C69]

Avoided the thread during after after the match because of the incessant ref complaints.
Well done LR best team won. It seems Mr Sexton has lost it again after his post match tantrums.