2012/13 H Cup pools

[welshglory]

I think we should look to win the Pro 12 again next year and continue to build our squad and finances up so we can bring in some higher quality players (especially in the outside backs).

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

Who the hell are zebre!? Romanian?

If quins don't make in through I'm a zebra

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Who the hell are zebre!? Romanian?

If quins don't make in through I'm a zebra

The new Italian franchise.

 

[Teh Mite]

Ulster aside, what a boring group.

 

[psychic duck]

Pool 1 - Munster, Edinburgh, Saracens, Racing-Métro
Racing-Métro won't qualify as they won't take all the matches seriously, but could decide who goes through as they will take points from teams when they take it seriously, but could also give an easy win when not. Munster are favourites with their European pedigree, but are rebuilding for next season so will be weaker than this season, but they have better home advantage at Thomond Park than Edinburgh or Saracens have at their respective grounds so I would back them to go through.

Pool 2 - Toulouse, Leicester, Ospreys, Treviso
Why every time do the Ospreys get stuffed by the draw? This is the hardest group in my opinion, will likely be that Toulouse, Leicester and Ospreys will win their home matches, and losing bonus points and points dropped to Treviso will prove costly, whoever goes through will struggle to get a home quarter final from this pool.

Pool 3 - Biarritz, Harlequins, Connacht, Zebre
This group has a comical look to it with Connacht and Zebre both in it, this pool should see two qualifiers with Biarritz and Harlequins who should both be looking for 10 points and lots of tries against Zebre, and 8 points against Connacht, although they could be Scotland-like in the rain as Harlequins discovered

Pool 4 - Northampton, Ulster, Glasgow, Castres
Castres will typically not give a stuff about Europe although could get a couple of wins at home, but will get thumped away, Glasgow have done well at Pro12 level but consistently disappointed in Europe, I would favour Ulster to top this group narrowly from Northampton.

Pool 5 - Leinster, Clermont, Scarlets, Exeter
This group spells the end for the Scarlets quarter final hopes, Leinster should qualify, and there should be some good rematches with Clermont and will be interesting to see if Leinster can end Clermont home run, Clermont's dismal record away should mean Leinster will top the group and qualify.

Pool 6 - Cardiff Blues, Toulon, Sale, Montpellier
The Cardiff Blues are the worst top seeds, and their squad has been decimated by departures of important players, and they have signed average to poor ones to replace them (Ma'afu to replace Jenkins?), going by last season Montpellier will just take a couple of games seriously and won't be much threat away, Toulon would be favourites in this group, but Sale have made some good signings in Richie Gray and Cipriani and could surprise a few, but would need to benefit from some poor Toulon away form to have any chance, Toulon don't lose at home.

 

[Peat]

Jesus christ pool 2! :lol:

 

[Draggs]

Pool 1 and 3 wouldn't have been bad for the Ospreys.
Another year of the Turks whinging that if they weren't in the Pool of Death, etc, etc...

 

[cyRil]

Every ****ing year.

 

[psychic duck]

Pool 1 and 3 wouldn't have been bad for the Ospreys.
Another year of the Turks whinging that if they weren't in the Pool of Death, etc, etc...

the Scarlets haven't achieved much in Europe since 2007 though, the Ospreys have reached the quarter finals three times since then, and still have cursed luck with the draw every year

Ospreys pool history:

2005/06: Leicester, Stade Français, Clermont
Leicester were the Premiership runners up that year, Stade had been Top 14 and Heineken Cup runners up the previous season

2006/07: Stade Français, Sale, Viadana
Stade won the Top 14 that year, Sale were the reigning Premiership champions the previous season

2007/08: Gloucester, Bourgoin, Ulster
Gloucester topped the Premiership table that season, and the season before, the other two weren't that strong though, probably the easiest one the Ospreys have had

2008/09: Leicester, Perpignan, Treviso
The Premiership and Top 14 champions that season

2009/10: Leicester, Clermont, Viadana
The Premiership and Top 14 champions that season

2010/11: Toulon, Munster, London Irish
One of the richest teams, the team who always reaches the knockout stages, and a tricky team to face as a fourth seed in a group

2011/12: Saracens, Biarritz, Treviso
English champions the previous season, and the Amlin Challenge Cup winners

2012/13: Toulouse, Leicester, Treviso
The Top 14 champions and the Premiership runners up

that is about 6 "pool of deaths" in 8 seasons and compare to ...

Biarritz pool history:

2005/06: Saracens, Ulster, Treviso
the team that finished 10th in the Premiership that season, and Ulster who although winning the Magners League weren't up to European level

2006/07: Northampton, Borders, Parma
the 12th placed team in the Premiership, and Borders and Parma ... yet they still hilariously mucked up the quarter final

2007/08: Saracens, Glasgow, Viadana
the 8th place team in the Premiership, and Glasgow and Viadana ... and still didn't qualify

2008/09: Cardiff Blues, Gloucester, Calvisano
Quite a decent group, with Cardiff nearing the peak of Dai Young's spell in charge, and Gloucester still decent

2009/10: Gloucester, Dragons, Glasgow
just as Gloucester declined after their good team in the mid 2000's, and two teams who have never gotten anywhere in the Heineken Cup, meant they could get a home quarter final thanks to the easiness

2010/11: Ulster, Bath, Aironi
no teams who reached the league playoffs that season

2011/12: Saracens, Ospreys, Treviso
probably the hardest Biarritz have had, which says a lot

2012/13: Harlequins, Connacht, Zebre
the two worst teams in the tournament

 

[cyRil]

the Scarlets haven't achieved much in Europe since 2007 though, the Ospreys have reached the quarter finals three times since then, and still have cursed luck with the draw every year

Ospreys pool history:

2005/06: Leicester, Stade Français, Clermont
Leicester were the Premiership runners up that year, Stade had been Top 14 and Heineken Cup runners up the previous season

2006/07: Stade Français, Sale, Viadana
Stade won the Top 14 that year, Sale were the reigning Premiership champions the previous season

2007/08: Gloucester, Bourgoin, Ulster
Gloucester topped the Premiership table that season, and the season before, the other two weren't that strong though, probably the easiest one the Ospreys have had

2008/09: Leicester, Perpignan, Treviso
The Premiership and Top 14 champions that season

2009/10: Leicester, Clermont, Viadana
The Premiership and Top 14 champions that season

2010/11: Toulon, Munster, London Irish
One of the richest teams, the team who always reaches the knockout stages, and a tricky team to face as a fourth seed in a group

2011/12: Saracens, Biarritz, Treviso
English champions the previous season, and the Amlin Challenge Cup winners

2012/13: Toulouse, Leicester, Treviso
The Top 14 champions and the Premiership runners up

My Dad and I have this conversation on this day every year, and get to add to it with that season's horrendous group we're drawn in!!

 

[Me 1]

the Scarlets haven't achieved much in Europe since 2007 though, the Ospreys have reached the quarter finals three times since then, and still have cursed luck with the draw every year

And that year we had the pool of death too

 

[Draggs]

cyRil, is that a Turk in your sig?

 

[SelimNiai]

Oh noes! A hard group in the top club competition in the world. I feel your pain.

<_<

 

[psychic duck]

Oh noes! A hard group in the top club competition in the world. I feel your pain.

<_<

yes but it's every single year

why can't we just for once have a group Connacht and Zebre in it, no surprise Biarritz are the ones who get that group, I'm beginning to agree with Sébastien Chabal that the ERC fix the draw in favour of Biarritz due to Serge Blanco's high position in European rugby

Chabal s'en est aussi pris à Castres, le club du président de la Ligue, Pierre-Yves Revol, en disant que le CO est avantagé par l'arbitrage. Il s'est expliqué : "Je cite un match de la saison dernière où tout le monde l'a vu. Les gonzes, ils ne se cachent même pas. C'est dommage pour notre sport." Le rugbyman français le plus médiatique a ensuite comparé la situation de Revol à celle de Serge Blanco, président du Biarritz Olympique et ancien président de la Ligue. "Avant, c'était pareil avec Biarritz... et c'est toujours un peu le cas." Il va même plus loin : "Il suffit de regarder les tirages au sort des poules de Coupe d'Europe : Biarritz n'a jamais des groupes très relevés."

http://www.rugbyrama.fr/rugby/top-14/2010-2011/chabal-la-polemique-enfle_sto2765380/story.shtml

 

[SelimNiai]

yes but it's every single year

Im so sorry you qualify for it every year....

 

[Teh Mite]

Zing!

 

[cyRil]

cyRil, is that a Turk in your sig?

It may well be! It is also my try of the season, which was shockingly culled from the TRFies!

 

[Tony Manx]

the Scarlets haven't achieved much in Europe since 2007 though, the Ospreys have reached the quarter finals three times since then, and still have cursed luck with the draw every year

Ospreys pool history:

2005/06: Leicester, Stade Français, Clermont
Leicester were the Premiership runners up that year, Stade had been Top 14 and Heineken Cup runners up the previous season

2006/07: Stade Français, Sale, Viadana
Stade won the Top 14 that year, Sale were the reigning Premiership champions the previous season

2007/08: Gloucester, Bourgoin, Ulster
Gloucester topped the Premiership table that season, and the season before, the other two weren't that strong though, probably the easiest one the Ospreys have had

2008/09: Leicester, Perpignan, Treviso
The Premiership and Top 14 champions that season

2009/10: Leicester, Clermont, Viadana
The Premiership and Top 14 champions that season

2010/11: Toulon, Munster, London Irish
One of the richest teams, the team who always reaches the knockout stages, and a tricky team to face as a fourth seed in a group

2011/12: Saracens, Biarritz, Treviso
English champions the previous season, and the Amlin Challenge Cup winners

2012/13: Toulouse, Leicester, Treviso
The Top 14 champions and the Premiership runners up

that is about 6 "pool of deaths" in 8 seasons and compare to ...

Biarritz pool history:

2005/06: Saracens, Ulster, Treviso
the team that finished 10th in the Premiership that season, and Ulster who although winning the Magners League weren't up to European level

2006/07: Northampton, Borders, Parma
the 12th placed team in the Premiership, and Borders and Parma ... yet they still hilariously mucked up the quarter final

2007/08: Saracens, Glasgow, Viadana
the 8th place team in the Premiership, and Glasgow and Viadana ... and still didn't qualify

2008/09: Cardiff Blues, Gloucester, Calvisano
Quite a decent group, with Cardiff nearing the peak of Dai Young's spell in charge, and Gloucester still decent

2009/10: Gloucester, Dragons, Glasgow
just as Gloucester declined after their good team in the mid 2000's, and two teams who have never gotten anywhere in the Heineken Cup, meant they could get a home quarter final thanks to the easiness

2010/11: Ulster, Bath, Aironi
no teams who reached the league playoffs that season

2011/12: Saracens, Ospreys, Treviso
probably the hardest Biarritz have had, which says a lot

2012/13: Harlequins, Connacht, Zebre
the two worst teams in the tournament

Anyone arguing with this assessment....certainly not me as regards Biarritz......better to be lucky than not!!