United Rugby Championship: Round 1

[big ginger 8]

Didn't realise VDF had that much pace.

Got on the outside of the Bulls very easily with that pullback.

 

[Leinster Fan]

Bulls miles off the pace so far. Feels like we're playing Zebre.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Scarlets having a shocker today.
So many wasted chances

 

[Groundhog]

It's like watching Brazil. It's like watching Brazil. Simon Zebo it's like watching Brazil

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Johnny Sexton is, in fact, on fire.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

It's like watching Brazil. It's like watching Brazil. Simon Zebo it's like watching Brazil

Not available in your country.
Ireland still holding that grudge I see smh

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

It's like watching Brazil. It's like watching Brazil. Simon Zebo it's like watching Brazil

Can't wait to retire him trophyless... Again

 

[Groundhog]

Not available in your country.
Ireland still holding that grudge I see smh

We don't broadcast to third world countries. You'd only pirate out sweet tries

 

[Groundhog]

Can't wait to retire him trophyless... Again

Dont try act hard or I'll call my big brother La Rochelle you Dublin softie

 

[Tooting Carmen]

Scarlets having a shocker today.
So many wasted chances

It doesn't help they are missing so many players through injury or Lions tour. (More generally, insisting that Lions players should be delayed from returning to play is a classic example of "punishing teams for their success"). Still, despite their sloppiness they did ensure they weren't thrashed in the end.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Didn't catch the Bulls/Leintser or Sharks/Munster matches. Was out. I see the two big Irsih teams put a number on our boys.. not sure I want to watch those games after the fact, not with the Stormers and Bokke losses earlier yesterday till raw.

What I did pick up on is we are waaaaaayy-hay-heyheyayy off the pace ITO our fitness. How the Lions let a team like Zebre come close to winning after leading, what 38/35 - 0! Stormers leading 18 - 7 at the 3/4 mark and then losing badly. Have to pick it up that final quarter! That said, I expected 0 SA wins so the Lions edging it and the Stormers coming close is par enough even if the Italian sides aren't top tier. We'll have to wait for the SA leg, our test players back and hopefully in the future retaining our top players for ourselves before we can start to seriously compete. That AND FITNESS/INTENT!!

We'll also have to get used to different type of refereeing.

 

[paddybrown]

I think the URC has started a bit early for the Sith Ifrican teams - the Rugby Championship has only just finished, so none of their international players will be available. We'll get a better idea how good they are when they get their Springboks back.

 

[Groundhog]

Only watching the game in full now. We left a lot of points behind early on and to the Sharks credit they dictated a lot of the play in the opening 20. They had some nice broken field runners like Abrams, but really bad discipline and for a team with such a huge pack they didn't really show it. Not that our back is small mind you (we had 6"8 and 6"9 locks on at one stage). Moderately frustrating game from a Munster POV. Attack was stilted at times, but we did have some really nice breaks and attacking touches as well. Think Casey, Conway and Zebo (the man actually came off his wing to hit rucks) were the pick of the backs. Goggin I thought was really poor unfortunately. Genuine brick hands for some reaaon. Most of our pack played well. Kleyn got through a mountain of work and Killer was probably our best carrier. Coombes automatic from short range as per usual.

My favorite moment was probably when there was some Afters and we got a penalty reversed in our favor and the fans did a round of stand up and fight. Pienaar got himself a.... Warm reception

Hoping to watch the Leinster game as well, but about the result I expected. Extremely tough ask for the Sharks and Bulls to perform in the toughest away games in the competition. They can only really go up from here. They have internationals to return as well of course

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

I think the URC has started a bit early for the Sith Ifrican teams - the Rugby Championship has only just finished, so none of their international players will be available. We'll get a better idea how good they are when they get their Springboks back.

I think the test players are less of a thing than the fitness and just plain 'differentness'. Its only truly the Sharks that will be boosted by the return of their test players both starters and fringe players. Let me have a quick think here.. Our teams are missing:

Sharks (8):
1 Nche
2 Mbonambi
7 Kolisi
9 Hendrickse
13 Am
11 Mapimpi
14 Nkosi
15 Fassi

Bulls (5):
2 Grobbelaar
3 Nyakane
6 Van Staaden (or has he left the Bulls already?)
8 Vermeulen
10 Steyn

Stormers (4):
3 Malherbe
4 Orie
9 Jantjies
10/12 Willemse

Lions:
None that I can think of

And a few of those players we don't miss at all.

 

[jcahill1]

I think the test players are less of a thing than the fitness and just plain 'differentness'. Its only truly the Sharks that will be boosted by the return of their test players both starters and fringe players. Let me have a quick think here.. Our teams are missing:

Sharks (8):
1 Nche
2 Mbonambi
7 Kolisi
9 Hendrickse
13 Am
11 Mapimpi
14 Nkosi
15 Fassi

Bulls (5):
2 Grobbelaar
3 Nyakane
6 Van Staaden (or has he left the Bulls already?)
8 Vermeulen
10 Steyn

Stormers (4):
3 Malherbe
4 Orie
9 Jantjies
10/12 Willemse

Lions:
None that I can think of

And a few of those players we don't miss at all.

Is Vermeulen not at Ulster when he comes back?

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Did SA teams have a preseason?

also Van Staden has left he's joining tigers after this International window.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Difficult to keep abreast of who is coming and who is going, sorry.

There was the Currie Cup I suppose which could be seen as a preseason.

 

[rN_X]

It was very clear that being isolated for these past 2 years have really hurt SA rugby.

 

[MikeTheNative]

I wouldn't look too much into the SA results, there are a number of teams already in the league that often go to Munster and Leinster and get beaten well.
I've only watched the Welsh teams games so far but from what I seen the games were plenty exciting but a lot of mistakes, don't think any teams (From the games I watched) would be too pleased with their performance. Especially the Edinburgh Scarlets game which was a bit bizarre, both teams were either making poor mistakes or playing some really good rugby, was a bit of a weird game.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

I think a good take away for me is that this week proves to me that the naysayers who said that Pro14 would be too much of a step down from SR and we will lose out on competitiveness needn't worry.

Its fair to say these line ups are missing some personnel but thats neither here nor there for me. I expect we won't be missing the Crusaders as a yardstick overly much.

My hope is that in time our teams will provide a stern challenge as well. Hopefully sooner rather than later but I expect maybe not this season in particular yet.