2017/18 Champions cup & Challenge Cup Pools draw thread.

[FrenchFan]

This is a very winnable Cup this year. Toulouse are out this season. Montpellier have new staff and many new signings. They haven't gelled yet - hope they never do but with Cotter in charge I wouldn't bet against it. Toulon are rebuilding under new staff as well. Clermont are still nursing a mega hangover from their ***le.

No excuses lads.

 

[FrenchFan]

French clubs are again placing the highest number in 1/4 final with 4 clubs. Same as last year. Not bad considering we're supposedly 'not bothered'. Wonder how many we'll get when we're really bothered...

This has been the toughest pool run I've seen in Champs Cup considering only Leinster were qualified before this weekend's last round.

I still think it'll be a lean year for French clubs. Can't see Clermont winning it if they stay understrength due to injuries.

La Rochelle and Toulon will go back to the main business of the Top 14. Toulon are still transitioning. They have huge roster but jury's still out on Galthié.

La Rochelle have grown massively. 3 years ago they were still in ProD2!

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Leinster to beat Sarries
Clermont to beat Racing
La Rochelle to beat Scarlets (This is the closest tie I think)
Munster to beat Toulon

Leinster go to France and beat La Rochelle
Clermont beat Munster in Lyon

Leinster win in Bilbao and give Toulouse a bit of company looking down on the rest!

Sarries and an away semi would be a bum draw after our group but from Pro14 to this competition we haven't had much luck of the draw this season and have been fairing almost as well as one could hope.

 

[FrenchFan]

Leinster to beat Sarries
Clermont to beat Racing
La Rochelle to beat Scarlets (This is the closest tie I think)
Munster to beat Toulon

Tall order for La Rochelle to win in Wales. They've showed in pool they don't know yet how to win big away games in Europe. But they're learning fast.
Agree with the rest.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Leinster confirm they're taking the QF to Lansdowne, We haven't lost there since Toulon in 2015 but I'd rather bring Sarries to a packed RDS. It'll sell at least 40,000 tickets though.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

http://www.epcrugby.com/europeanrugbychampionscup/news/37332.php#.WpbA4ejFKM8

Refs for the Quarters. With Luke Pearse the possible exception, I don't know much about his abilities, they've gone with three hometown refs! Good news on this end!

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

HOW TF IS JOHN LACEY RATED SO DAMN HIGHLY BY EUROPEAN RUGBY!!!!!!!!

 

[Leinster Fan]

HOW TF IS JOHN LACEY RATED SO DAMN HIGHLY BY EUROPEAN RUGBY!!!!!!!!

He's absolutely hopeless, only reason I can think of is that it looks good to have an Irish ref.

 

[FrenchFan]

Predictions for the 1/4 finals
Leinster
Racing
Scarlets
Munster

 

[Thingimubob]

Right I'm thoroughly confused as to how "home county advantage" is decided for the Semis, so any explanation of the logic would be grand:

According to here http://www.epcrugby.com/europeanrugbychampionscup/semi-finals.php these are the potential line ups for the semis:

Semi-final 1: Leinster Rugby or Saracens v Scarlets or La Rochelle
Semi-final 2: Munster Rugby or RC Toulon v ASM Clermont Auvergne or Racing 92

The semi-final matches will be played at venues designated by EPCR, but the following clubs will have home country advantage in their respective semi-final matches:

(a) For Semi-final 1

If Leinster Rugby (ranked 1) and Scarlets (ranked 4) win their QFs, Leinster will have home country advantage

If Leinster Rugby (ranked 1) and La Rochelle (ranked 5) win their QFs, La Rochelle will have home country advantage

If Saracens (ranked 8) and Scarlets (ranked 4) win their QFs, Saracens will have home country advantage

If Saracens (ranked 8) and La Rochelle (ranked 5) win their QFs, La Rochelle will have home country advantage

(b) For Semi-final 2

If Munster Rugby (ranked 3) and ASM Clermont Auvergne (ranked 2) win their QFs, Clermont will have home country advantage

If Munster Rugby (ranked 3) and Racing 92 (ranked 7) win their QFs, Racing 92 will have home country advantage

If RC Toulon (ranked 6) and ASM Clermont Auvergne (ranked 2) win their QFs, RC Toulon will have home country advantage

If RC Toulon (ranked 6) and Racing 92 (ranked 7) win their QFs, RC Toulon will have home country advantage

I'm a bit confused as to why its impossible for the Scarlets and Munster to have home country advantage? It's clearly not down to seeding as both potentially have to go away to teams seeded below them, and no.1 ranked side Leinster would have to go away to La Rochelle if they both win?

I guess venue issues might come into play, but as far as I know there's no events in the Principality Stadium between the 31st of March (Joshua vs Parker) and the semis weekend (20th/21st/22nd April) that might affect the stadium - in fact two Pro14 games are due to be played there the week after the semis as well, so it'll be ready for rugby?

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Right I'm thoroughly confused as to how "home county advantage" is decided for the Semis, so any explanation of the logic would be grand:

According to here http://www.epcrugby.com/europeanrugbychampionscup/semi-finals.php these are the potential line ups for the semis:



I'm a bit confused as to why its impossible for the Scarlets and Munster to have home country advantage? It's clearly not down to seeding as both potentially have to go away to teams seeded below them, and no.1 ranked side Leinster would have to go away to La Rochelle if they both win?

I guess venue issues might come into play, but as far as I know there's no events in the Principality Stadium between the 31st of March (Joshua vs Parker) and the semis weekend (20th/21st/22nd April) that might affect the stadium - in fact two Pro14 games are due to be played there the week after the semis as well, so it'll be ready for rugby?

Away quarter finalists get a home semi over a home quarter finalist if both win, otherwise it's done by QF seeding. It's impossible for third and fourth seeds to get a home semi because they can only play the first or second seed or an away winner .

 

[Thingimubob]

Away quarter finalists get a home semi over a home quarter finalist if both win, otherwise it's done by QF seeding. It's impossible for third and fourth seeds to get a home semi because they can only play the first or second seed or an away winner .

Cheers for that! Anyone else think that is ridiculous? Kinda takes away half the advantage of coming in the top 4?

I mean the old system of it being a random out of the hat draw wasn't 100% perfect, but seemed better to have the semis designated that way and have a an even 4 / 4 split of who will and won't have the chance of a home semi. Seems a bit weird to have 6 / 2 split?

 

[FrenchFan]

100% in my calls for the 1/4 - I shud be a millionaire by now...
The semis are even closer. Playing in Bordeaux means little for Racing. They have no fans

The games are russian roulette to call. The officials have way more bearing than they should. ProD2 games are better reffed.

Leinster v Racing in the final - wouldn't past it the Irish to do the dirt and have an all-Irish final. If that happens the French air-traffic controllers will prob go on strike - they're due to go again - Ryanair flights will be cancelled or rerouted (via Morocco)

 

[Amiga500]

HOW TF IS JOHN LACEY RATED SO DAMN HIGHLY BY EUROPEAN RUGBY!!!!!!!!

'cos he used to play....

I guess. (Grasping at straws)


He's woeful. Used to think he was good. Revised that about 2 years ago.

Andrew Brace seems a bit better. Although it could be worse.... could be Clancy.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Poite in Dublin, JP in Bordeaux.

Great hometown ref for us in Poite, Doyle is very good anywhere.

 

[Leinster Fan]

Poite in Dublin, JP in Bordeaux.

Great hometown ref for us in Poite, Doyle is very good anywhere.

Doyle is a great ref but it's asking for trouble to have him ref an Irish team.

 

[munstermuffin]

Doyle is a great ref but it's asking for trouble to have him ref an Irish team.

Why? He's done us and Racing before and Racing are huge fans of him too.

He's a good fair ref and won't be to blame for result

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Why? He's done us and Racing before and Racing are huge fans of him too.

He's a good fair ref and won't be to blame for result

He's Irish. Make a dodgy call in Munster's favour and fans will lose it. It doesn't have to be rational but there is a bizarre conspiracy that this tournament, that tried to destroy Irish rugby, is biased towards us. Just look at the reaction to Leinster's SF venue.

 

[Leinster Fan]

Why? He's done us and Racing before and Racing are huge fans of him too.

He's a good fair ref and won't be to blame for result

It's not that I don't think he'll ref it fairly or anything like that (I don't think I've ever seen him have a bad game).

It's more that from a PR perspective it's not necessarily the best move to have a ref from the same country as one if the teams in a game of this magnitude. If Munster win and there was any sort of ambiguity it's easy to imagine there being a stir about it. I have a lot of time for JP Doyle but this is just asking for a lot of utterly avoidable trouble. It does highlight a severe lack of depth in the refs though.

 

[munstermuffin]

I get point bit more so he's done this fixture before and both teams were happy with him. He's also very good with French teams in terms of communication. Not that this will be as big a factor with Racing due to high amount having English.

On the SF debate do we see this forcing Leinster to leave Dublin in a similar scenario if/when it arises again