United Rugby Championsip Round 3

[paddybrown]

Nobody's started a thread yet, so here we go. Fixtures are:

 

[paddybrown]

Ulster team against Benetton:

Only changes in the starting 15 from the Zebre match are: Andrew Warwick comes in for Eric O'Sullivan at loosehead, and Sam Carter comes in for Mick Kearney in the second row. Ross Kane replaces Marty Moore as replacement tighthead.

 

[Redman7]

All home wins except munster to beat scarlets

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Goodness, I know we are running light ATM but what are our chances of upsetting Edinburgh?

Stormers side named:
Stormers

15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Sergeal Petersen, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Rikus Pretorius, 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 10 Tim Swiel, 9 Paul de Wet, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Willie Engelbrecht, 6 Nama Xaba, 5 Salmaan Moerat, 4 Ernst van Rhyn, 3 Neethling Fouche, 2 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Brok Harris

Substitutes: 16 JJ Kotze, 17 Kwenzo Blose, 18 Sazi Sandi, 19 Justin Basson, 20 Marcel Theunissen, 21 Godlen Masimla, 22 Manie Libbok, 23 Dan du Plessis

Not the worst line up everything considered. Personally just not a huge fan of De Jongh at 13. Would've prefered either Nel or Du Plessis personally. Bit light up front though and missing Wolhuter and Jantjies at 10 and 9.

 

[Groundhog]

Munster

15. Matt Gallagher
14. Calvin Nash
13. Liam Coombes
12. Dan Goggin
11. Shane Daly
10. Ben Healy
9. Neil Cronin

1. Jeremy Loughman
2. Diarmuid Barron
3. Stephen Archer
4. Thomas Ahern
5. Fineen Wycherley
6. Jack O'Donoghue (captain)
7. Chris Cloete
8. Jack O'Sullivan

Replacements

16. Kevin O'Byrne
17. Josh Wycherley
18. John Ryan
19. RG Snyman
20. Alex Kendellen
21. Paddy Patterson
22. Jack Crowley
23. Jack Daly

We have gone very very experimental (and overly risky imo)! Coombes at 13 could be a bit of an audition for the lad. Delighted to see Ahern get a start, well deserved. Also well deserved is Healy starting, he needs to put his hand up to be starting big games here. Hope O'Sullivan goes well too. Something tells me he's still a bit lightweight. Gallagher returning is nice. Looked sharp before he was injured. Think playing all of our more junior players at once will blow up in our face though. Like in terms of guys I'd class as senior players we have O'Donoghue and Archer really? If we played a Heineken Cup match tomorrow 2/3 of the squad would start and that's debatable

Bench is even more exciting. Wycherley, Kendellen, Crowley and Daly are all players I really want to get a look at. More RG also nice. Hodnett clearly being left to get gametime in the AIL for now and Jenkins sadly picked up a knock. Same for Knox. Would be great to get a result with this team, but it will be pretty tough.

 

[unrated]

So maybe unrelated to this thread, We spoke about this concept before South African teams joined a Norther competition, and it seems the Sharks are the first team to adopt a European base for their Travels, forming a partnership with Rugby Club Geneva and committing to developing rugby in Switzerland. I think its a great decision and the players will love it in Switzerland, who does not?

 

[Groundhog]

Yeah I'd say we're probably due a big loss here now

 

[MikeTheNative]

I'm not really sure to be honest. Scarlets haven't really got going to far, the decent win against the lions last week flattered to deceive a bit.
Good to see Johnny Williams back, I think he's probably future Wales 12 so hopefully get's a decent run.

 

[unrated]

Yeah I'd say we're probably due a big loss here now

I put my money on Munster, but my calls have been so bad during this URC. Im not sure I have had time to properly judge the relative quality of all the teams.

 

[unrated]

For the Sharks vs Ospreys game. I complained about our poor leadership and decision making in the previous game. We have now changed the captain, with Buthelezi dropped. We will most likely lose this, it seems Ospreys has quality on paper. But i would love to see better decision making and more motive, the players disapointed me with their intensity and general poor decisions last game.
AWJ will be able to tell relay info about the Sharks to his team from the Lions experience.

 

[unrated]

These comentators did not do their research, they cant name the Sharks players. You would think its their job to do some research. Did not know who Werner Kok is and they think Bosch is our 12 but its actually Marius Louw

 

[unrated]

Commentor called us the Sale Sharks. Lol who are these people?

 

[rN_X]

We really need to get rid of Kok he is just not a 15's player. Furthermore our currie cup side have been doing a decent job this game so far

 

[rN_X]

And yeah commentors are clueless

 

[unrated]

We really need to get rid of Kok he is just not a 15's player. Furthermore our currie cup side have been doing a decent job this game so far

Ospreys dont look very creative on attack, or they dont seen to have the intent to run which has been our weakness on the tour. Our chances are looking good for the second half.

 

[Groundhog]

I put my money on Munster, but my calls have been so bad during this URC. Im not sure I have had time to properly judge the relative quality of all the teams.

Full strength I have us every day. However we are third choice in spots and the Scarlet's have gone full strength with a really good side across the park

 

[rN_X]

What a try by the Sharks ! Nice

 

[unrated]

Happy to have our first win on tour. This Sharks team had some intensity and will to win so overall happy with the performance.

Gotta keep that touring spirit alive.

Chamberlain put up his hand for flyhalf, Bosch position under threat. A perdiod on the bench will be good for him. Marnus Potgieter and Werner Kok was chasing everysingle kick which was very commendable.

 

[JohnKA]

Good win by the boys, plenty to work on but looking positive. I saw the new argie flyhalf arrived at the Sharks camp this week wonder what they will do now with chamberlain putting in such a performance

 

[dullonien]

Congrats to Sharks for a well fought victory, good to see them up and running in the comp. Ospreys were woeful though, absolutely terrible! Their error count was through the roof.

Was hoping to see big strides made by the Ospreys this year (as well as the other regions). But this was a performance from their dark days of a couple of years ago. Booth needs to read them the riot act this week!