The European Champion's Champions Cup: Guinness Pro 14 - R.19

[Leonormous Boozer]

Edinburgh v Ulster - Last chance saloon for Ulster, Edinburgh looked pretty weak in Europe but Ulster are bad, real bad. Cockers will have them motivated to bring good form into the playoffs, cant see nothing but a home win, a comfortable one at that.

Ospreys v Connacht - Connacht are ****, Ospreys are gonna get that Euro playoff spot, (most of) the Welshies are in form!

Leinster v Zebre - If Leinster lose this... Ahhh, they won't lose this!

Cheetahs v Cardiff - Cheetahs at home usually do the biz, with an eye to the playoffs they'll want to win this with little to no fuss!

Scarlets v Glasgow - Big game for Scarlets and not so much Glasgow, Scarlets won't fancy an extra away trip during the championship rounds of the season, to do that they need to keep Edinburgh at arm's length, to do that they need to win.

Treviso v Dragons - Benetton for Europe, they'll hold home court.

Southern Kings v Munster - this is so low key it doesn't get bolded, Munster win easy while leaving a little in the bank to get the best out of Europe.

One dead rubber involving a side already in the playoffs, not bad three rounds out from the end!

 

[Amiga500]

Top 3 countries in the 6 nations...

3 semi-finalists in the I-Can't-Believe-Its-Not-The-Heineken-Cup...


For a league derided by many, its not doing a half bad job.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Yup, looking forward to these fixtures. I fancy Cardiff to win in Bluesfontain if they put out a strong side. I hope they do because they could be a minor wrecking ball in the playoffs.

Munster will be the only other away win, although I don't think that is a racing certainty.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Hamish Watson out until next season with shoulder surgery. An area where Edinburgh have a bit of depth, but still, highly problematic.

 

[munstermuffin]

Well on we go to CJ's hometown today. And boy is it lovely to see Sun.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Edinburgh:

15 Blair Kinghorn, 14 Dougie Fife, 13 Mark Bennett, 12 Phil Burleigh, 11 Duhan van der Merwe, 10 Duncan Weir, 9 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, 8 Bill Mata, 7 Jamie Ritchie, 6 Magnus Bradbury, 5 Grant Gilchrist, 4 Ben Toolis, 3 Simon Berghan, 2 Stuart McInally (c), 1 Jordan Lay
Replacements: 16 Neil Cochrane, 17 Rory Sutherland, 18 WP Nel, 19 Lewis Carmichael, 20 Cornell du Preez, 21 Sean Kennedy, 22 Jaco van der Walt, 23 Chris Dean

A bit surreal for Cockerill to pick a 9, 10 & 12 that he rates so lowly he is getting rid of them all at the end of the season!

Predictable but disappointing to see no Jackson or Olding for Ulster, partcularly with it being a must win game. Lose this and they are eliminated from the competition.

 

[Thingimubob]

Yup, looking forward to these fixtures. I fancy Cardiff to win in Bluesfontain if they put out a strong side. I hope they do because they could be a minor wrecking ball in the playoffs.

Munster will be the only other away win, although I don't think that is a racing certainty.

Form wise, we can do it, especially after the convincing win in Edinburgh last weekend, but I do worry that it's just a little bit too big of an ask to go to Bloemfontein and win. Big result if they do get a win though, and will make the last two games very interesting!

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Leinster (v Zebre)

15. Barry Daly
14. Adam Byrne
13. Rory O'Loughlin
12. Conor O'Brien
11. James Lowe
10. Ross Byrne
9. Jamison Gibson-Park

1. Cian Healy
2. James Tracy
3. Tadhg Furlong
4. Devin Toner (Capt)
5. Mick Kearney
6. Josh Murphy
7. Dan Leavy
8. Max Deegan

Replacements

16. Bryan Byrne
17. Peter Dooley
18. Vakh Abdaladze
19. Ross Molony
20. Peadar Timmins
21. Nick McCarthy
22. Ciarán Frawley
23. Gavin Mullin

 

[Thingimubob]

Well looks like the Blues are even less likely to win now considering they've had a mare trying to get to Bloemfontein.

Apparently only 3 of the squad have made it so far, with the rest seeming to be stuck in Johannesburg Airport...

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/cardiff-blues-still-stuck-airport-14499060

Apparently Pro14 bosses looked at delaying the game as the Blues have been travelling for 50 odd hours by now, and will arrive in Bloemfontein less than 24 hours before kick off, but they've decided to have the game go head as planned tomorrow at 2pm UK time not ideal at all

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Well looks like the Blues are even less likely to win now considering they've had a mare trying to get to Bloemfontein.

Apparently only 3 of the squad have made it so far, with the rest seeming to be stuck in Johannesburg Airport...

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/cardiff-blues-still-stuck-airport-14499060

Apparently Pro14 bosses looked at delaying the game as the Blues have been travelling for 50 odd hours by now, and will arrive in Bloemfontein less than 24 hours before kick off, but they've decided to have the game go head as planned tomorrow at 2pm UK time not ideal at all

Ouch. Hard to see that aiding the acclimatisation process to alititude.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Edinburgh bossing the breakdown but a lovely try from Ulster to nose them infront.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Edinburgh bossing nothing now. They've gone AWOL again. Simple stuff for Ulster (who in fairness have their tails up and are doing alright).

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Apparently Pro14 bosses looked at delaying the game as the Blues have been travelling for 50 odd hours by now, and will arrive in Bloemfontein less than 24 hours before kick off, but they've decided to have the game go head as planned tomorrow at 2pm UK time not ideal at all

Munster travelled on Sunday or Monday for their game in George this weekend. That left them plenty of time to prepare in case there were unforeseen issues with flights. Why did the Blues leave it until Wednesday? While getting to Bloemfontein has been farcical for the Blues, it's not up to the Pro14 to fix the problem. Blues should have travelled earlier.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Edinburgh seem to be becoming less adventurous in their play compared to early to mid season. Few try scoring opportunities created here and Ulster deserved winners.

Huge score with 2 mins to go cuts gap by two further points to 8. If Ulster can win out then they are likely favourites (although they may be underdogs in both matches the way Opsreys are now playing).

I'm not too unhappy as it means when I go see Edinburgh vs Glasgow it may have added importance.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Kickoff between the Cheetahs and Blues has been pushed back by 3 hours tomorrow.

 

[Bluemoon]

Munster travelled on Sunday or Monday for their game in George this weekend. That left them plenty of time to prepare in case there were unforeseen issues with flights. Why did the Blues leave it until Wednesday? While getting to Bloemfontein has been farcical for the Blues, it's not up to the Pro14 to fix the problem. Blues should have travelled earlier.

Probably due to the bank holiday and the fitness and or conditioning protocol at home. They could have left a little earlier, but the amount of cancelled flights, lost luggage etc couldn't have really been foreseen. It's quite the freak trip.

 

[munstermuffin]

Munster travelled on Sunday or Monday for their game in George this weekend. That left them plenty of time to prepare in case there were unforeseen issues with flights. Why did the Blues leave it until Wednesday? While getting to Bloemfontein has been farcical for the Blues, it's not up to the Pro14 to fix the problem. Blues should have travelled earlier.

We left majority on Monday and some Tuesday. Trained Wednesday and Thursday in Cape Town then bus to George Thursday. Trained in George Friday game today return to base in Cape Tomorrow. Will go Bloemfontein Thursday. Play game and home via Dubai in my own bed Sat night

 

[Groundhog]

We left majority on Monday and some Tuesday. Trained Wednesday and Thursday in Cape Town then bus to George Thursday. Trained in George Friday game today return to base in Cape Tomorrow. Will go Bloemfontein Thursday. Play game and home via Dubai in my own bed Sat night

Wonder how the crowd will be this evening by Kings standards. They definitely seem to be moving around a lot to try get some sort of a fanbase.

 

[munstermuffin]

Wonder how the crowd will be this evening by Kings standards. They definitely seem to be moving around a lot to try get some sort of a fanbase.

From what I gather on the ground here CJ may draw alot. He left a "No hoper" of being an International backrower and returns home as a Grand Slam, Lions Test and World Class backorder. 6000 tickets sold as of yesterday

 

[Leinster Fan]

https://m.independent.ie/sport/rugb...good-the-italians-are-the-issue-36783018.html

Tony Ward showing he really doesn't have a clue. Absolute nonsense article. This wouldn't be the Treviso that could very conceivably finish ahead of Ulster or the Zebre who beat Connacht in Galway, would it?

Dunno why he thinks the Saffers are going to 'come good' either, a pre-season isn't going to fix their rubbish crowds or the SARU poaching their best players.