Champions Cup 24/25 - Round 2

[Groundhog]

Was preplanned. Not a reflection on Billy. Look at Shane, J Ryan and EOC too.
Tom Ahern, Haley and 2 props last week too

Planned or no Burns wouldn't make the 23 for me if we played a final tomorrow. Hope he turns it around, but doesn't seem to be at the pace we're looking to play. I'd like Butler to push ahead of him as we get through the season.

Broadly speaking they are dead right to rotate the squad a bit with this low stakes pool format.

A win in Castres for me could be pretty season defining and I think the squad is targeting it. Will seriously stand to the squad to go to a very difficult place and dig out a win.

 

[Rinkadink]

If Bristol can tighten up and fix the errors that have been creeping in and the injury list hasn't got worse, I'm not confident but warming to the idea of an upset away at La Rochelle.

Outside of that I'm particularly looking forward to Bulls v Northampton and Toulon v Glasgow. Wonder if Racing fancy a trip to Salford on a grizzly Friday evening?

 

[Groundhog]

As a neutral the games that most excite me are Tigers v Sharks and LAR v Bristol

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

 

[Which Tyler]

Closest thing to interest is starts for Sela and Grace, Tuipulotu and Hennesey on the bench

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Looking forward to seeing Grace out there,
From an England point of view it's annoying that Ojomoh is at 13 not 12, but horses for courses I guess - just good to see him back in general

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

View attachment 22049

Closest thing to interest is starts for Sela and Grace, Tuipulotu and Hennesey on the bench

How's Ross going over there?

 

[Rinkadink]

As a neutral the games that most excite me are Tigers v Sharks and LAR v Bristol

Unfortunately the injury news isn't good (short term) - Adge will be missed of course, but losing Dun and our club captain Harding on top of an already rather large unavailable list has left us barebones in two key forward roles. Great to have Luatua back in the driving seat though, but I think it's going to have to be a riskier game if Bristol want to take it.

Really pleased that some fringe/upcoming players are getting a shot and vital experience against big competition, so there's some upsides.

Bristol Bears team to face La Rochelle at Stade Marcel-Deflandre on Saturday (8pm KO GMT, live on Premier Sports):

15. Benjamin Elizalde (7 apps)
14. Jack Bates (44 apps)
13. Kalaveti Ravouvou (14 apps)
12. Benhard Janse van Rensburg (33 apps)
11. Gabriel Ibitoye (50 apps)
10. Sam Worsley (12 apps)
9. Harry Randall (132 apps)
1. Ellis Genge (50 apps)
2. Gabriel Oghre (26 apps)
3. Lovejoy Chawatama (5 apps)
4. Steven Luatua (c) (137 apps)
5. Joe Owen (21 apps)
6. Santiago Grondona (5 apps)
7. Jake Heenan (114 apps)
8. Viliame Mata (2 apps).

System players: 16. Harry Thacker (121 apps), 17. Jake Woolmore (159 apps), 18. Max Lahiff (96 apps), 19, Jamie Hodgson (debut), 20. Ben Grondona (12 apps), 21. Kieran Marmion (34 apps), 22. Rich Lane (44 apps), 23. Joe Jenkins (20 apps).

Unavailable: Sam Grahamslaw, Tom Doughty, George Kloska, Joe Batley, James Dun, Josh Caulfield, Steele Barker, George Taylor, Kofi Cripps, Fitz Harding, Sam Wolstenholme, AJ MacGinty, James Williams, Noah Heward, Deago Bailey, Max Malins, Siva Naulago

 

[Groundhog]

Unfortunately the injury news isn't good (short term) - Adge will be missed of course, but losing Dun and our club captain Harding on top of an already rather large unavailable list has left us barebones in two key forward roles. Great to have Luatua back in the driving seat though, but I think it's going to have to be a riskier game if Bristol want to take it.

Really pleased that some fringe/upcoming players are getting a shot and vital experience against big competition, so there's some upsides.

Bristol Bears team to face La Rochelle at Stade Marcel-Deflandre on Saturday (8pm KO GMT, live on Premier Sports):

15. Benjamin Elizalde (7 apps)
14. Jack Bates (44 apps)
13. Kalaveti Ravouvou (14 apps)
12. Benhard Janse van Rensburg (33 apps)
11. Gabriel Ibitoye (50 apps)
10. Sam Worsley (12 apps)
9. Harry Randall (132 apps)
1. Ellis Genge (50 apps)
2. Gabriel Oghre (26 apps)
3. Lovejoy Chawatama (5 apps)
4. Steven Luatua (c) (137 apps)
5. Joe Owen (21 apps)
6. Santiago Grondona (5 apps)
7. Jake Heenan (114 apps)
8. Viliame Mata (2 apps).

System players: 16. Harry Thacker (121 apps), 17. Jake Woolmore (159 apps), 18. Max Lahiff (96 apps), 19, Jamie Hodgson (debut), 20. Ben Grondona (12 apps), 21. Kieran Marmion (34 apps), 22. Rich Lane (44 apps), 23. Joe Jenkins (20 apps).

Unavailable: Sam Grahamslaw, Tom Doughty, George Kloska, Joe Batley, James Dun, Josh Caulfield, Steele Barker, George Taylor, Kofi Cripps, Fitz Harding, Sam Wolstenholme, AJ MacGinty, James Williams, Noah Heward, Deago Bailey, Max Malins, Siva Naulago

Have Bears tried to coin a new word for replacements??? Hope they go well I have a soft spot for them.

He may have played last week but I didn't notice, forgot Jake Heenan is still hanging about!

 

[Groundhog]

What the **** is this Luke Cowan Dickie walking interview format?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

What the **** is this Luke Cowan Dickie walking interview format?

Don't talk smack about Premier Sports, I've been reliably and repeatedly told that it's the best of the best

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

I want a weekly segment, "a mile with Ryle" where he just monologues for 10-15mins while walking.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Ford might actually be washed

Edit: Maybe just kicking, his hands seem fine - makes sense considering he's been out with a knee injury I guess, but maybe....don't kick so much?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Arundell trying to bump Ford instead of running into space, ends up getting dumped into touch

Never change, Henry - still a single figure IQ

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Ford might actually be washed

Crowley too

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Castres are one of my favourite clubs. Such a grá for rugby.

 

[Jimbo]

That's nasty for the ball carrier, never like to see that but think yellow is right.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

That was a real nice move

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Roebuck's a cheatcode when the ball is in the air - that was an NFL wide receiver kind of catch

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Arundell trying to bump Ford instead of running into space, ends up getting dumped into touch

Never change, Henry - still a single figure IQ

2 on 1 down the wing, decides to try and run over Roebuck instead of the easy pass and gets dump tackled and then turned over lol