Champions Cup 24/25 - Round 3

[Leonormous Boozer]

I think you can boil this comp down to Toulouse, Bordeaux, La Rochelle, Leinster, Northampton and Sarries at this point. They're the only teams able to book a home route to the final still. I fancy Toulouse / Bordeaux and Northampton to get it based on the run in. Pool winners will fancy a trip to Bordeaux or Northampton for a semi though which piques Toulon's and Glasgow's interest somewhat.

La Rochelle v Leinster the tie of the round. Toulouse nearly beat them with a weakened team at the weekend and I fancy us to get through. We're an improved team on last year with RG, Barrett and Prendergast added to the troops and got by. Hopefully the attack starts to click and it could even be comfortable.

Sharks v Toulouse is intriguing also with a lot on the line, Toulouse will want to avoid any chance of a trip to Dublin but 5 points away in SA is a big ask for anyone.

Munster v Sarries, Quins v Toulon and Bath v Clermont could all be fun watches too.

And then there's so many inconsequential games already (Bath v Clermont incl.) that shows up the format so badly.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Think we'll be sending a bin juice side to SA

 

[Which Tyler]

The opportunity to rest some players couldn't come at a better time, after yesterday's battering.
Pity it's at home, and risks upsetting our own supporters if we rotate too heavily (those home supporters being very fickle, demanding rotation and complaining each and every time they see it)

 

[irisht]

Jordie B at 12 please.

 

[West Country Wail]

Oh great, another French Powerhouse in Devon

 

[Groundhog]

We're at the stage where I think we could have a rattle at most teams bar the top few and could make a decent stab at the knockouts if we had a full deck to pick from, but that seems like it will never really be the case. 16 players injured would affect any squad, but are really thin in some spots even in the best case. I don't know who we start at centre this weekend. Either we start Scannell (bad) or move a very on form Daly in from the wing to a position he hasn't played much of.

Sarries seem to be up and down and probably aren't the team they once were, but I would be pleasently shocked if we got a result off them. I gather they have had a good few injuries in the second row and will a good bit weaker than they'd like on the bench, but we will be makeshift in areas. Murray coming back is important. Kilgallen may be called straight in if Daly comes into the centre.

FWIW I think Leinster will get past LAR by more than a score.