Champions Cup - Pool 2, Round 4 (Castres, Harlequins, Leinster, Wasps)

[Irishkid]

Think Leinster are a really poor side and if Quins backed themselves and had a better kicker they would have edged it. As for Leinster they have no X factor in their back line.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Well thats a brand new qualifier from you isn't it not including the scots or italians like...

Looking at the teams on paper, which I think you have to do to a degree in Europe, it's not really as weak a pool as you're making out.

A factor which hasn't been considered and should at least be mentioned is that no coach with the exception of Gibbes will know as much about us or be as pumped as O'Shea and your coach being abnormally pumped can make a big difference.

Scottish side, read terrible Glasgow sides of mid-2000's, it's a horribly weak pool.

They're coach may have pumped them up but they were poor, send any of the other English sides to us and they'd have won today, go back 6 days and stop Nick Evans getting injured Quins win the match up 8-1. Leinster are in dire straits right now and are showing absolutely no signs of improvement, they were probably worse this week than last week. Jimmy Gopperth needs to be dropped now, there is absolutely no doubt about it, he was awful today to put it nicely. Dave Kearney and Fergus McFadden can't come back soon enough to stop Leinster playing a fullback and a very limited player on the wings and give the back line some chance of scoring tries. Richardt Strauss is needed so badly to give them set pieces. And even then I wouldn't be confident enough that Leinster have the systems in place to do anything, I actually struggle to identify any system within the Leinster back line at the moment, it's Simon Mannix like stuff of going from one side to the other until they panic and throw an inside ball. There is so much wrong with Leinster rugby right now and it's not a lack in quality players, the only thing that is functioning properly is Ian Madigan's right boot. There is literally no positives from today's game other than three points, both teams are mid-table sides and they played at that quality. Leinster have the players not to be a mid-table side, unfortunately they don't have a coach that will put them in the correct positions or coach them to be any better. I have never been so angry after my side have won as I am now but all it does is continue the false hope that we may turn it around when at best we'll come out of this pool as runners up and lose to one of the three big French sides or Saints.

Anyway, I'm done for the night and I'll leave on this note... Tonight really reminded me why I hate Quins, Charlie Matthews deserves a Christmas off after than gouge on Ryan.

 

[Wendigo7]

Clifford.

He was a beast all game.

As was Wallace.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Aye, a couple of daft penalties early on but once they were out of his system Clifford was excellent.

 

[munstermuffin]

He was a beast all game.

As was Wallace.

Is Wallace for off national set up? I've always liked him as a player (preferably 7).

 

[ratsapprentice]

Ehh... Kvesic is ****ing outstanding, Fraser is pretty good and plays for Sarries which seems to help with England selection.
He's not a million miles away, but may as well be given Kvesic has been completely ignored in favor Haskell and Clark.

 

[Shaggy]

A shame about Swiel's early misses with those penalty kicks, Quins really missed Nick Evans ... Leinster will really need to sort out their scrum

 

[Tony Manx]

Love the way that Wasps are playing and they have some great young players coming through by the looks of it.

Admittedly it is against a very poor Castres team but think Wasps have been impressive and have played some very good attacking rugby with good breakdown and excellent carries.

Castres are pretty poor but have some really good players and have showed glimpses but do not have a leader, make too many errors and penalties. Think that the old saying that they are "too good to go down" may well be tested this season by them.......

 

[Big Ewis]

superb attacking from Wasps today. That third (?) try was superb.
Castres, perfectly predictable and where we knew they'd be. Subjected to the home team, get smashed for some half an hour and then their pride surfaces and they show good play for 10min, then suck again and concede more... ahlala...
Boy it's going to be a hard return to domestic.... :/

- - - Updated - - -

yeah okay Castres basically must play those games, so they do. But they're just not really there... Champions for Castres is basically like Challenge for Top 14 sides. You wonder why they bother at all.

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

That awkward moment when Dewi Morris announces his "Heineken Cup Man of the Match". What a douche bag.

 

[Tony Manx]

You wonder why they bother at all.

I thought that Castres actually tried a lot harder than I thought they would after the start they had.................would congratulate them on their efforts here but were totally outclassed!

That awkward moment when Dewi Morris announces his "Heineken Cup Man of the Match". What a douche bag.

A douche bag can be useful.....Dewi never is or could be!! You have to admire the fact that he has been able to con Sky into employing him to produce nauseating and unintelligent commentary for such a long period of time!!

 

[Big Ewis]

I thought that Castres actually tried a lot harder than I thought they would after the start they had.................would congratulate them on their efforts here but were totally outclassed!

on and off Tony. Did you see some of their defense in places ? It was like they were defending royalty, and couldn't really go ahead and tackle the right, hard way. And then they get vexed and show a bit of resolve. Castres lol. Just European Cup Castres. The usual. It was always going to be a 30-40 score on them at the end. But genuinely nice attacking from Wasps in parts.
Anyways, now let's make way for an actual Euro Cup game, shall vvveeee ?!!! Bring on the MONSTER !!!

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

A douche bag can be useful.....Dewi never is or could be!! You have to admire the fact that he has been able to con Sky into employing him to produce nauseating and unintelligent commentary for such a long period of time!!

To be fair, Sky have to compete with BT now.

 

[Tony Manx]

Anyways, now let's make way for an actual Euro Cup game, shall vvveeee ?!!! Bring on the MONSTER !!!

I hope it is as attractive as this match has been - but a lot harder fought and much closer (which it inevitably will be knowing both those teams!!)

 

[Big Ewis]

I hope it is as attractive as this match has been - but a lot harder fought and much closer (which it inevitably will be knowing both those teams!!)

mmmm we can hope, but not exactly counting on some 60 points being scored today !