Guinness Pro14 - Round 6 - A New Hope

[Amiga500]

A Short Time Ago in a Country Far Far Away... there was... SalaryCap Wars

Episode 6 - A New Hope

It was a period of Civil War. RFU accountants, striking from hidden bases in Twickenham have won their first victory against the evil NigelWray Empire...




So, hope for some of the Pro14's bigger guns in the Heino Cup, not just this year, but looking ahead a few years too.

Who'll make it to the big dance next season?

Connacht vs. Leinster ---- ooooh. Leinster will be fancying their chances in Europe now. Connacht will be fancying their chances of taking the fancy boys down a peg or two. Home win.
Edinburgh vs. Dragons ---- would be a shocker if Cockerhill's boys didn't get the job done here. Home win.
Opsreys vs. Kings ---- As bad as the O's are, the Kings are worse. Home win.
Zebre vs. Glasgow ---- Zebre despite all their Italian players back will be up against a Glasgow side with fellas hurting from being dumped out by Japan. Away win.
Blues vs. Cheetahs ---- The wheels are coming off the wagon a bit for the men from the Highveld, but on a plastic pitch a quicker game may suit them. Away win.
Munster vs. Ulster ---- We rarely win in Thomond. Sometimes barely show up. Home win.
Scarlets vs. Treviso ---- Possibly 2nd best match of the round, Treviso with their Italian contingent back and playing to come away with 4 points from the Parc y Empty.

 

[ajwffc]

Round 6


Friday, November 8

Edinburgh Rugby v Dragons – KO 19:35

BT Murrayfield, Edinburgh

Referee: George Clancy (IRFU, 118th Championship Appearance)

AR1: Ian Kenny (SRU), AR2: Graeme Ormiston (SRU),

TMO: Colin Stanley (IRFU)



Connacht Rugby v Leinster Rugby – KO 19:35

The Sportsground, Galway

Referee: Sean Gallagher (IRFU, 17th Championship Appearance)

AR1: Johnny Erskine (IRFU), AR2: Mark Patton (IRFU)

TMO: Leo Colgan (IRFU)

Saturday, November 9


Zebre Rugby Club v Glasgow Warriors – KO 15:00 (UK) / 16:00 (ITA)

Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma

Referee: Ian Davies (WRU, 78th Championship Appearance)

AR1: Marius Mitrea (FIR), AR2: Kelvin Short (WRU)

TMO: Wayne Davies (WRU)



Ospreys v Isuzu Sothern Kings – KO 15:00 (UK) / 16:00 (SA)

Liberty Stadium, Swansea

Referee: Andrea Piardi (FIR, 4th Championship Appearance)

AR1: Ben Whitehouse (WRU AR2: Gianluca Gnecchi (FIR)

TMO: Alan Falzone (FIR)



Cardiff Blues v Toyota Cheetahs – KO 17:15 (UK) / 19:15 (SA)

Cardiff Arms Park

Referee: Ben Blain (SRU, 4th Championship Appearance)

AR1: Mike Adamson (SRU), AR2: Fin Brown (SRU)

TMO: Andrew McMenemy (SRU)


Munster Rugby v Ulster Rugby – KO 17:15

Thomond Park, Limerick

Referee: Frank Murphy (IRFU, 28th Championship Appearance)

AR1: Rob O'Sullivan (IRFU) AR2: Paul Haycock (IRFU)

TMO: Simon McDowell (IRFU)



Scarlets v Benetton – KO 19:35 (UK) / 20:35 (ITA)

Parc y Scarlets

Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU, 47th Championship Appearance)

AR1: Dan Jones (WRU) AR2: Stuart Gaffikin (IRFU)

TMO: Brian MacNeice (IRFU)


Read more at https://www.pro14rugby.org/match-centre/referee-appointments/#zPBlkdUP2yau15JT.99

 

[Leinster Fan]

No idea what kind of Leinster team we'll see here, chance we'll see a few World cup players back but you never know. Not particularly optimistic, probably a bigger challenge than the Champions cup game next week really.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Heading out west for this. Can't wait to be drunk and full of hope again!

 

[Groundhog]

Hell yeah baby, it's the slighty less high profile interpro week. Munster Rugby, a vehicle for World Cup winning coaches vs Ulster, a vehicle fat Americans use to get around Walmart. Are teams likely to go full whack for this?
Hope the tribesmen have their annual turn up for a Leinster game, and then let a forward clearly years from retirement kick a conversion.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Hell yeah baby, it's the slighty less high profile interpro week. Munster Rugby, a vehicle for World Cup winning coaches vs Ulster, a vehicle fat Americans use to get around Walmart. Are teams likely to go full whack for this?

Aki and Carty are reportedly playing anyway. I'd say Ster are less likely to feel like they need the tune up with Benetton 1st up in the Heino though.

 

[Groundhog]

Aki and Carty are reportedly playing anyway. I'd say Ster are less likely to feel like they need the tune up with Benetton 1st up in the Heino though.

Just copped we're a week out from Europe, so we'll go fairly full tilt. I really wouldn't knock the benefit of a tune up after that 3 point classic against the shitter Italian team.

 

[Leinster Fan]

Leinster Rugby (caps in brackets):

15. Hugo Keenan (9)
14. Adam Byrne (54)
13. Robbie Henshaw (37)
12. Joe Tomane (17)
11. James Lowe (33)
10. Ross Byrne (75)
9. Luke McGrath (113)
1. Cian Healy (208)
2. Rónan Kelleher (6)
3. Andrew Porter (53)
4. Devin Toner (235)
5. Scott Fardy (47) CAPTAIN
6. Josh Murphy (25)
7. Will Connors (8)
8. Max Deegan (51)

16. James Tracy (97)
17. Ed Byrne (45)
18. Michael Bent (129)
19. Ross Molony (87)
20. Rhys Ruddock (161)
21. Jamison Gibson-Park (75)
22. Ciarán Frawley (15)
23. Rob Kearney (210)

Connacht team: Darragh Leader, Niyi Adeolokun, Tom Farrell, Peter Robb, Stephen Fitzgerald, Jack Carty, Caolin Blade.

Denis Buckley, Tom McCartney, Finlay Bealham, Cillian Gallagher, Joe Maksymiw, Eoghan Masterson, Jarrad Butler, Paul Boyle.

Replacements: Dave Heffernan, Matthew Burke, Dominic Robertson-McCoy, Sean O'Brien, Colby Fainga'a, Kieran Marmion, Bundee Aki, Kyle Godwin.

Two good teams out, slightly favour us but.could easily go either way, the Sportsground is always tough.

 

[Groundhog]

Can't wait to see Connacht give Leinster their inexplicable annual hiding. To be fair they have a good team out. Roid Robb is in a good bit of form and Farrell is pure class. Their back three is playing well enough too . Outside their front row their pack looks vulnerable enough. Interesting to see how Leinsters tween back row goes.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Not the most enticing combination of fixtures, with fairly obvious favourites in almost every match. The standout for me is Blues vs Cheetahs. The result of this game will probably tell us if either side have much hope of hitting the playoffs.

 

[big ginger 8]

Very cathartic result.

Wonder what the odds were on Ronan Kelleher being Leinster's top try scorer at the start of the season?

 

[Leinster Fan]

That was very satisfying.

Kelleher is the real deal.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

That was very satisfying.

Kelleher is the real deal.

The amount of filthies I got. Class stuff! They hate us.

 

[Leinster Fan]

Enjoying Munster Ulster so far. Good bit of ****le as well which is nice to see for the interpros.

 

[Groundhog]

Murphy misses, and refuses to look at the illegal hit and then complete guesswork on the scrum. So much for him being biased in our favor.
Scrappy game so far but engaging enough.

 

[Groundhog]

Good bit of variety in the buildup to that score. There looks to be some invention already compared to where we stood last year.

 

[Leinster Fan]

Ulster aren't doing enough with the ball in hand to make me think they can win this unfortunately.

 

[Leinster Fan]

Used to be a big fan of Bleyendaal but it's been a long while since I've seen him do anything useful on a rugby pitch. Brings nothing in attack and doesn't control the game noticeably well. Pity because he was a really handy player a few years ago.

 

[Leinster Fan]

Matt Faddes has not been a good signing so far.

 

[Groundhog]

@big ginger 8 dislike one of my posts again and I'll punish you with my hands.