Heineken Cup 2013/14 Pool 3, Round 3 (Zebre v Saracens, Toulouse v Connacht)

[ruggabee]

Agreed. The refs have lost their balls.

 

[Tony Manx]

If that try is not given it should be a penalty try as the tackler who took the breaking player out was coming back from an offside position!

 

[ruggabee]

This ref....

 

[Tony Manx]

This ref....

Thaat knock on should have gone to the TMO!!!!!

 

[Feicarsinn]

Just on a side note, I really really hate Michael Corcoran.

 

[Tony Manx]

Effing well done you Irish guys................well done!!

 

[Feicarsinn]

Well there it is folks, the single greatest day in the history of Connacht rugby. Going to Toulouse and winning, fabulous. Well done boys.

 

[lynam1104]

****ing brillant

 

[ruggabee]

Brilliant result for Connacht!

The Toulouse coach was yelling and raging from the sidelines. I hope his heart holds up now they've lost. Poor guy that would be bloody frustrating to watch.

 

[Groundhog]

**** yeah

 

[UlsterRugby2012]

The new TMO protocols are ruining rugby. Refs are afraid to make a decision. It was especially farcical last week in the Leinster v Scarlets game.

The final pass was forward anyway.

The hands went backwards?

Unreal by Connacht, their defensive line at 80 minutes was incredible.

 

[lynam1104]

Great great weekend fro irish rugby

 

[Peat]

Absolutely amazing result. Wish I'd seen it. Fair play to you guys.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Just to point out that if the Heineken Cup qualifying format proposed by PRL and LNR was in place this season, Connacht would be in the Amlin Cup right now........

 

[Feicarsinn]

Just to point out that if the Heineken Cup qualifying format proposed by PRL and LNR was in place this season, Connacht would be in the Amlin Cup right now........

This result aside, I don't think they deserve to be in the Heineken Cup. They're not getting there under their own steam, simple as.


That said, the same thing could be said about any side that benefits from having champions in their league.

 

[ruggabee]

Very happy I stuck with this match. Had doubts on this being worth watching but hell that was a great performance. The Connacht team weren't even lucky. They just played superb. Very good pace out wide and the line speed was top notch. Looking at the size of the Toulouse players I thought Connacht would be in for bulldozing all over the show. Just awesome.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

This result aside, I don't think they deserve to be in the Heineken Cup. They're not getting there under their own steam, simple as.

Agreed, they've gotten in through the back door three times in a row now. That said, results like today enrich the tournament and it'll be all the poorer next year when the new rules are in place. It's why I want an expanded Euro League in place of the domestic leagues.

Robbie Henshaw and Kieran Marmion were exceptional from what I saw.

 

[Maverick1987]

I'd like to put in missing person report ...

Big ewis hasn't been seen for the last hour and a half

 

[Peat]

This result aside, I don't think they deserve to be in the Heineken Cup. They're not getting there under their own steam, simple as.


That said, the same thing could be said about any side that benefits from having champions in their league.

Yeah/no. Finishing 7th in the AP/T14 is more impressive than Connacht's 'Be the fourth Irish side'.

To me, the fact that Connacht make the most of their HEC campaigns is more relevant than whether they should be there. I don't think anyone can really begrudge them being there. But then you can't really begrudge the calls for them to be in the Amlin either. Swings and roundabouts.

 

[big ginger 8]

Best weekend in Irish Heineken Cup rugby?

Great win so unlucky with that Henshaw try. Was I imagining things are the the sky pundits say earlier that the odds were 23m - 1 and Quinny put a tenner on it?