Anglo Welsh Cup 17/18

[Reiser99]

The format really is bizarre. I think I'm right in saying that statistically you could have 2 groups with all the teams on maximum points and the other 2 groups with all the teams on 0.
Anyone actually know why teams play teams in other groups as I can't see a clear advantage for it.

 

[Which Tyler]

The format really is bizarre. I think I'm right in saying that statistically you could have 2 groups with all the teams on maximum points and the other 2 groups with all the teams on 0.
Anyone actually know why teams play teams in other groups as I can't see a clear advantage for it.

Correct.
The reason is to allow everyone 2 home matches

 

[Reiser99]

Correct.
The reason is to allow everyone 2 home matches

Ah ok, so instead of playing 6 games in your group so you have the same number of home matches, you play 4 games with 2 home and 2 away.

 

[Which Tyler]

Yes, and there isn't room in the calendar for 6 matches in the pool stages (or 4 for that matter, but nevermind)

 

[curtbob7]

Thought Tigers C/Youth side were exceptional against a strong Bath side at the Rec. Proud of that.

 

[Goodey]

Yes, and there isn't room in the calendar for 6 matches in the pool stages (or 4 for that matter, but nevermind)

The solution then is to have 4 pools of 3 and not have the Welsh part, since they aren't bothering.

Scarlets have a senior squad of 51 players this season and they still pulled in kids from the amateur clubs to get smashed.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Bit of a mismatch of experience levels in tonight's game...

Gloucester Rugby: 15. David Halaifonua; 14. Henry Purdy, 13. Henry Trinder, 12. Mark Atkinson, 11. Ollie Thorley; 10. Billy Burns, 9. Callum Braley; 1. Cameron Orr, 2. Richard Hibbard, 3. Fraser Balmain; 4. Ed Slater, 5. Mariano Galarza; 6. Freddie Clarke (capt), 7. Will Safe, 8. Ben Morgan. Replacements: 16. Henry Walker, 17. Paddy McAllister, 18. Gareth Denman, 19. Callum Allen, 20. Gareth Evans, 21. Ben Vellacott, 22. Matt Scott, 23. Tom Hudson.

Ospreys: 15 Cai Evans; 14 Dafydd Howells, 13 Joe Thomas, 12 James Hook, 11 Jay Baker; 10 Luke Price (Capt), 9 Reuben Morgan-Williams; 1 Gareth Thomas, 2 Scott Otten, 3 Alex Jeffries, 4 James Ratti, 5 Lloyd Ashley, 6 Guy Mercer, 7 Will Jones, 8 Morgan Morris. Replacements: 16 Ifan Phillips, 17 Rowan Jenkins, 18 Rhodri Jones, 19 Kieran Martin, 20 Josh Cole, 21 Matthew Aubrey, 22 Callum Carson, 23 Dewi Cross.

 

[TommiG88]

And Ospreys look the better!

Although I'm hating the commentary. Kinda bias to Ospreys

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Aye, I'm watching a RugbyPass stream and I thought it was Sky Sports commentary at first.

Ospreys looking really up for this. It's always the risk when you put out first choice vs a C team.
Either the C team gets overwhelmed or they go out there with a point to prove

 

[TommiG88]

Highlight of the game. Woodward getting caught on camera signalling ****** to some one then noticing he had cameras on him.

Then the commentators whining about it.

 

[curtbob7]

Tigers Vs 25% of the WRFU

15 George Worth
14 Tom Brady
13 Gareth Owen
12 Charlie Thacker
11 Jonah Holmes
10 Joe Ford
9 Sam Harrison (c)

1 Facundo Gigena
2 Jake Kerr
3 Pat Cilliers
4 Joe Maksymiw
5 Harry Wells
6 Luke Hamilton
7 Will Evans
8 Fred Tuilagi

Replacements

16 Tatafu Polota-Nau
17 Kyle Traynor
18 Chris Baumann
19 Sam Lewis
20 Valentino Mapapalangi
21 Harry Simmons
22 Tom Hardwick
23 Jordan Olowofela

Good mix, 12 youngsters and fringe players who need game time with 4th choice lads stepping up. Gigena im excited to watch.

I think Polota-Nau is in there purely because Thacker is leaving.

Looking at the Blues side we SHOULD come away with bonus point win but this is post 2013 Tigers so we'll do it the hard way no doubt!

 

[Which Tyler]

This afternoon's TV match:

Bath:
15. Darren Atkins
14. Matt Banahan
13. James Wilson
12. Ben Tapuai
11. Jeff Williams
10. Freddie Burns
9. Darren Allinson

1. Nick Auterac
2. Michael van Vuuren
3. Shaun Knight
4. Levi Douglas
5. Luke Charteris (c)
6. James Phillips
7. Josh Bayliss
8. Paul Grant

16. Nathan Charles; 17. Will Vaughan; 18. Sam Nixon; 19. Will Britton; 20. Miles Reid
21. Max Green; 22. Josh Lewis; 23. Jack Wilson



Newcastle:

15 Alex Tait
14 Belisario Agulla
13 Dominic Waldouck
12 Juan Pablo Socino
11 Adam Radwan
10 Joel Hodgson
9 Sam Stuart

1 Sam Lockwood
2 Santiago Socino
3 Trevor Davison
4 Glen Young
5 Andrew Davidson
6 Ally Hogg
7 Simon Uzokwe
8 Ryan Burrows (captain)

16 Ben Sowrey; 17 Adam Brocklebank; 18 Jack Payne; 19 Callum Hunter-Hill; 20 Callum Chick
21 Ruaridh Dawson; 22 Tom Penny; 23 Craig Willis

 

[ratsapprentice]

Interested to see Uzokwe at 7.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Allinson is barely champ quality.

 

[Which Tyler]

Hardly the first time that's been said!

Not quite sure we're still in this, but I'll take it. Much to improve though, and we'll need to if we want to top the group tonight

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Saints team could be pretty much a prem game 23.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Lost at the death,
Not too gutted considering we put a lot of teenagers (couple of them only 17/18) in our side, and some players just back from injury and Saints put out basically their first choice team.

Ended the game with Haley at 13 and Faf de Klerk at 15 as well, haha

 

[TommiG88]

Hmmmm.... Burrell calling Goode a casual racist for saying his mic was the same colour as his hair....

When has dying your hair ginger become causally racist? I hope he apologised to Goode after for a bit of innocent banter.

 

[Which Tyler]

Bath secure a home SF with a TBP win at Ospreys. Top seeds too, not that that bit means anything

 

[FLOBALOB]

Newcastle putting out their best side against Chiefs on sunday, whereas Chiefs only player who played last week is Joe Simmons.

Not sure its quite in the spirit of the comp, and hope they come a cropper.