Champions Cup - Pool 3, Round 1 (Leicester, Toulon, Scarlets, Ulster)

[Big Ewis]

sooooo, Scarlets fans ready for a good Toul-old fashioned spa-spa-spa-saaapaaaankinggggahhh ?..

 

[Tony Manx]

sooooo, Scarlets fans ready for a good Toul-old fashioned spa-spa-spa-saaapaaaankinggggahhh ?..

You have woken up then?

Toulon look up for this one...................

 

[Big Ewis]

You have woken up then?

Toulon look up for this one...................

I'm NEVER awake these days. Toulon looking a little casual right now, a little bit uncharacteristic.

 

[Tony Manx]

Toulon looking a little casual right now, a little bit uncharacteristic.

I thought they were showing a lot of positivity and get up and go (look at Ali Williams!) and that was a lovely try from Giteau!! Certainly seen them look a much more as if they did not want to be on the pithc this season!!

 

[SelimNiai]

Scarlets competing but not sure they can keep it up for the full 80. The gap in quality and the heat will get to them

 

[Tony Manx]

...........and the heat will get to them

If it is like here, I am surprised that they are not having end of quarter water break as it is 36 in the shade here....

Good try Scarlett but I do think that they might just get tired and look at the benches!!

 

[Big Ewis]

Halfpenny using his mystical telekinetic Welsh powers to drop the ball off the tee to avoid scoring against a beloved Welsh side. Covered it up nicely at the end of the half converting in a 3-pointer, to quiet all suspicions.
Them Scarrots playing much better than I expectedated. Very laudable effort...notably their 1, 7, 8 for the forwards. JudasPriestland playing well but what a horrible look, an anticipated Movember move ?? Let's hope so. Let's hope he was forced to look so...Scott Williams looking good too and that young Liam Williams, dem steps !...niiiice. That try was fkng nice as fkng fk.

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

Halfpenny using his mystical telekinetic Welsh powers to drop the ball off the tee to avoid scoring against a beloved Welsh side. Covered it up nicely at the end of the half converting in a 3-pointer, to quiet all suspicions.
Them Scarrots playing much better than I expectedated. Very laudable effort...notably their 1, 7, 8 for the forwards. JudasPriestland playing well but what a horrible look, an anticipated Movember move ?? Let's hope so. Let's hope he was forced to look so...Scott Williams looking good too and that young Liam Williams, dem steps !...niiiice. That try was fkng nice as fkng fk.

haha that was funny....................................

 

[Tony Manx]

BE you are right.....they are too casual and for once have to agree with Barnes when he said on commentary that they feel that they have to win so do not need to try to hard.

"Scarrots" have fought bravely even though, to me, it is like watching a cat playing with a mouse but unable to actually kill it because his claws and teeth have gone too blunt!!!

 

[TRF_Olyy]

TouLOL

 

[Tony Manx]

Really well done Scarletts...huge, huge effort and never gave up!!

Toulon...............Laporte earn your money and get your "stars" to understand that they have to do the hard grind first and always to be able to play the fancy Dans!!

Steffon for England.............do not think so!!

 

[Big Ewis]

TouLOL

TouLOL, or not TouLOL ? That is the qu...uhm no actually that is not a question. TouLOL. Why ? Parce que Toulon.

Well, between disappointing and average on the fan expectation-meter. Toulon were on the very verge of completing a satisfactory exam but lacked in a couple of departments and a handful of opportunities. Focusing on rating them only is unfair because the Scarletts were Johansson sexy this afternoon and they should well be acknowledged in the equation. It could've been worse for Toulon, having watched the game. We expected 40 maybe more, they in stead had difficulty getting just under 30 but more revealing they failed to get the bonus. And let's not forget they get a try off a huge mistake and Mermoz' only initiative. This was as easy as it'll get in the pool: next up a horde of Tigers and a risk of getting Ulsterated. So like I said, we can't focus on the Varois alone commenting about this match as the Welsh effort was really laudable and long-lasting. What heart. A battle in the rucks like it was a semi-final, chances out wide, well stringed attack movements, brutal tackles. What heart !!...

Basta MOTM, deserving. What an asset he is in MASS modern Rugby...but Toulon had one thing that was very positive: despite lacking in the upper areas defensively, they showed great rebounding ability and avoided a couple of almost sure tries. They were really hard to crack, and Llanelli weren't amateurs on attack.

 

[MojoPin]

A good effort from the Scarlets, just didn't quite have the strength in depth to back up their early performance. Toulon however just replace quality with quality, so no matter how badly they play they never seem to completely fall apart. A shame for Scarlets as for much of the match they looked the better side. Another solid performance in defence from Halfpenny, hopefully Liam Williams was paying attention when he made that try saving tackle...but Williams looked much more dangerous in attack and I'd like to see Halfpenny rediscover his inner winger!

 

[gaston le gaff]

most thought this would be a walk in the park but no way!! Scarletts did all they could and should walk away proud, great performance by them, Toulon had so many chances but squandered most by lack of concentration maybe a lesson to be learned by the stars of Toulon.

 

[Big Ewis]

A good effort from the Scarlets, just didn't quite have the strength in depth to back up their early performance. Toulon however just replace quality with quality, so no matter how badly they play they never seem to completely fall apart. A shame for Scarlets as for much of the match they looked the better side. Another solid performance in defence from Halfpenny, hopefully Liam Williams was paying attention when he made that try saving tackle...but Williams looked much more dangerous in attack and I'd like to see Halfpenny rediscover his inner winger!

please...I agree the Scarlets looked the better side for most of the game and applaud their effort. But HP is a security Fullback. His kicks at goal are beautiful and consistent, he's good under the high ball and insures continuity from the back to the front, but he's got serious issues with attacking Rugby. He must be the worst world class FB in terms of counterattacking: Dulin, Bonneval, Kearney, Hogg, Folau, Dagg, Ben Smith, Armitage...etc....Lee Byrne, tons better. Even that Scarlet no.15 yest.

Yesterday Toulon had a big situation with numbers out wide, the ball circulates smoothly and gets to HP who immediately passes the ball to David Smith who gets it much too soon on the wing and the whole situation is blown. ANY other player would have kept the ball, made some ground, fixed defenders THEN passed. HP literally passed straight away. He's just not that kind of player. He's 98% security and a huge asset, but he's just not *that* type of guy.

And yes I agree with gastonee this is a good lesson for Toulon. Better get that wake-up call early in the tournament and against a smaller club than actually lose a game in the later stages. Good on them this has happened now.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

After his performance against Clermont I would have Kruis in there to be honest. Like another back row with all his tackling and ruck work. Great at lineout time and a leader from what I've seen.

Suppose it is what england is looking for launchbury and Lawes already fit that profile, Kitchener adds something different IMO. Althought ATM no one is going to break into the top 3 yet.

Honestly I would prefer him not be in the squad yet as we need him for the AP games during the AI's mainly the Samoa game where we play Sarries (I think).