Heineken Cup Semi Final: Clermont vs Leinster - 29/04/12

[munstermuffin]

Lads Leinster won this without the ref some days things just don't go teams ways like Fofana's chance at end but both teams produced a thriller

 

[racingmetrofan]

Lads Leinster won this without the ref some days things just don't go teams ways like Fofana's chance at end but both teams produced a thriller

Yeah Clermont were pretty unfortunate adding to the exasperation at the ref. Must be pretty annoying to lose your starting fullback and wing in the first 30 mins as well as the botched try lol...

 

[big ginger 8]

Yeah Clermont were pretty unfortunate adding to the exasperation at the ref. Must be pretty annoying to lose your starting fullback and wing in the first 30 mins as well as the botched try lol...

Not as if Buttin or King would actually weaken a team though.

 

[munstermuffin]

Injuries are part of game though. When we lost to Wasps in a semi final before ROG went off after 12 mins and we had Jason Holland as replacement 10. He wasn't a 10 and we lost but you can't blame injuries or elements, you only play cards in front of you.

 

[psychic duck]

Not as if Buttin or King would actually weaken a team though.

Buttin > Byrne

 

[big ginger 8]

Buttin > Byrne

Precisely and while Rougerie is much better at 13 he is an internationally experienced wing and King is an excelleent 13. Clermont's strength in depth is ridiculous.

BTW do you count this as a home game?

 

[Teh Mite]

Have the Irish members convinced themselves yet that they were being hard done by throughout the game by all concerned yet?

 

[cyRil]

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

[Amiga500]

Have the Irish members convinced themselves yet that they were being hard done by throughout the game by all concerned yet?

Nah, however we have convinced ourselves that taking HEC places away from the Pro12 and handing them to the PremierHype would be just about the daftest thing that anyone could suggest...

 

[cyRil]

nah, however we have convinced ourselves that taking hec places away from the pro12 and handing them to the premierhype would be just about the daftest thing that anyone could suggest...

brrrrrrrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaappppppppppppppppppppppppppppp!!!!!!!

 

[munstermuffin]

It all about the Rabo .............. This 2nd class competition is getting to much talk

 

[Peat]

Nah, however we have convinced ourselves that taking HEC places away from the Pro12 and handing them to the PremierHype would be just about the daftest thing that anyone could suggest...

[devilsadvocate] Would Edinburgh have got as far as they did if they'd been trying to maintain a decent league placing due to competitive HC place awarding, demonstrating the clear and unfair advantage afforded to Pro12 teams? [/devilsadvocate]

 

[munstermuffin]

[devilsadvocate] Would Edinburgh have got as far as they did if they'd been trying to maintain a decent league placing due to competitive HC place awarding, demonstrating the clear and unfair advantage afforded to Pro12 teams? [/devilsadvocate]

I believe they'd be in a similar position to be honest. They do same as rest in Rabo but look they got lucky in this.
Irish provinces are probably the worst for rotating and resting players but Munster and Leinster are always up there in Rabo and Ulster usually battling too.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Aye, trolls barely even try these days

 

[TRF_Cymro]

TRF Thread of the year?

 

[lucky number 7]

One of the tensest finishes to a game I can remember. I thought Leinster had it wrapped up when they were in the Clermont 22 with five minutes left, but then they gave away two penalties and eighty metres. There were some seriously worried looking faces in the pub.

Am I alone in thinking that ninety nine times out of a hundred Fofana would have grounded that ball? I have a feeling that that particular mistake is going to haunt him for a while.

I'm also not necessarily sure that it's a good thing that Connacht will be in the Heineken Cup again next year. Its probably good for them from a financial perspective, but its just going to give ammunition to the detractors of the Heineken Cup qualification system. They'd probably enjoy more success in the Amlin as well, it can't have been good for their supporters or their players losing all but one of their European matches this season.

Being a bit harsh on him there

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Being a bit harsh on him there

Fool.

 

[Peat]

I believe they'd be in a similar position to be honest. They do same as rest in Rabo but look they got lucky in this.
Irish provinces are probably the worst for rotating and resting players but Munster and Leinster are always up there in Rabo and Ulster usually battling too.

Well for one thing that's not entirely the provinces' choice.

For another, the big 3 in Ireland have the strength in depth to do that (more or less). Edinburgh don't. If Edinburgh wanted a better league position, they wouldn't have been able to rest as many players by and large - possibly.

I'm still only playing devil's advocate here, but I can't say the current situation automatically dispels all arguments about the current allocation.

 

[osullie6]

[devilsadvocate] Would Edinburgh have got as far as they did if they'd been trying to maintain a decent league placing due to competitive HC place awarding, demonstrating the clear and unfair advantage afforded to Pro12 teams? [/devilsadvocate]

I don't know if the fact that Edinburgh got to the semi-finals necessarily proves a whole lot though. I think any cup competition is going to throw up aberrations from time to time with certain teams progressing much further than people expect. If you look at the five quarter-finalists from the Rabo three of them were in contention for getting into the semi-finals right up until recently and Cardiff Blues weren't that far off either.

Also, even if there was a competitive HC place awarding, say top 8 or even top seven, the only one of this years quarter-finalists from the Rabo who wouldn't qualify for next years competition would be Edinburgh, and like I said I don't think one example necessarily proves the argument.

 

[killer08]

i expect one hell of a Fields of athenry in the final