URC 2022/23 - Round 4

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Round 4

Fri 7 Oct Connacht v Munster (7.35pm)

Fri 7 Oct Edinburgh v Lions (7.35pm)

Sat 8 Oct Zebre Parma v Stormers (3pm)

Sat 8 Oct Leinster v Sharks (5.05pm)

Sat 8 Oct Scarlets v Cardiff (5.15pm)

Sat 8 Oct Glasgow Warriors v Bulls (7.35pm)

Sat 8 Oct Ulster v Ospreys (7.35pm)

Sun 9 Oct Benetton v Dragons (2.45pm)

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Despite a bit of a gulf between the top 8 and bottom 8 in the last couple of years we get arguably a third straight week of pretty unpredictable fixtures.

Pretty much already must wins for Connacht, Benetton and Dragons of they've to have any hope of playoffs (Zebre too, but let's be serious!)

Munster should beat the Aki-less Connacht. The big questions for me are can Glasgow show enough up front to beat the Bulls (I don't think so) and can the Sharks show enough of a progression from last year to give Leinster a real game (again, I don't think so). Second week in a row with a Benetton match on Welsh telly. Happy days.

 

[saulan]

Munster - Both teams look wobbly, but Connacht are missing who should be their best player. Torn on this one given home advantage
Edinburgh - Edinburgh played well down south, similarly the Lions have done well up north. Just feel that Edinburgh need this one more since they've been getting losses despite performing well. If they can get a ref that penalises opposition for scrum dominance and they keep their structure I think they take this
Stormers - worried about our scrum after last week. Still think we have enough to get across the line here
Leinster - Sharks slogged it out hard last weekend. Think Leinster should take this one at home.
Scarlets - Both teams not having the best start of the season. I'm literally giving it for home advantage
Bulls - They've started the season really strongly, I can see them continuing the momentum overseas, especially given Coetzee's last season before heading to Japan
Ulster - I think this one will be close, but still think Ulster pips it
Benetton - Really been enjoying Benetton this season, I think they can keep up their momentum at home

 

[JohnKA]

I sadly cannot see the Sharks take this one if we improved on our first half Zebre performance yes but sadly we had a huge decline against the dragons.

But the Sharks do tend to perform well with the underdog tag so who knows!

 

[unrated]

I was not impressed with our performance against the Dragons, I have started to grow doubts about Everrit, and I have been very loyal to keep the home grown coach. Not calling for anything but I think Powell should get involved as soon as possible, the head coach praised the performance against the Dragons, WTF? He is delusional. Call a spade a spade, we were awfull and Leinster should easily beat the Sharks, not because of the players, individually I actually back most of them but tactically we are devoid of any ideas. There is a lack of composure.


To beat Leinster, we need to perform a miracle on our defensive system overnight , get the breakdown intensity back that we showed against Zebre but forgot to do against the Dragons, and please just ask the player to catch the ball, and if they cant then the coach instructs the player not to throw such dangerous passes.

 

[The Seeker]

I'm not making any predictions in Round 4 because I'm still recovering from Round 3.

We Are Warriors!

 

[JohnKA]

I was not impressed with our performance against the Dragons, I have started to grow doubts about Everrit, and I have been very loyal to keep the home grown coach. Not calling for anything but I think Powell should get involved as soon as possible, the head coach praised the performance against the Dragons, WTF? He is delusional. Call a spade a spade, we were awfull and Leinster should easily beat the Sharks, not because of the players, individually I actually back most of them but tactically we are devoid of any ideas. There is a lack of composure.


To beat Leinster, we need to perform a miracle on our defensive system overnight , get the breakdown intensity back that we showed against Zebre but forgot to do against the Dragons, and please just ask the player to catch the ball, and if they cant then the coach instructs the player not to throw such dangerous passes.

Only positive from that game is we somehow won.

2 things I don't understand about the Sharks. We have all the money yet a below par coach and average 10's. If we cannot get a proper domestic 10 just bloodly buy a foreign one

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Finally getting to watch a match this season and I'll be doing it from the terrace!

First time seeing one of the URC SA sides as well, hoping for a strong line up and performance that will get my hopes up for the season because they're pretty low rn.

 

[JohnKA]

Finally getting to watch a match this season and I'll be doing it from the terrace!

First time seeing one of the URC SA sides as well, hoping for a strong line up and performance that will get my hopes up for the season because they're pretty low rn.

Can't see the Sharks winning this one. You should watch your team get a W

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Edinburgh with plenty changes and no room for DvdM on his return. Should be plenty good enough to ease past the Lions. Young Currie at 13 is one to look at to see if belongs at this level.

H Immelman; D Graham, M Currie, J Lang, E Boffelli; B Kinghorn, H Pyrgos; B Venter, S McInally, L de Bruin, G Young, G Gilchrist (captain), L Crosbie, H Watson, V Mata.

Substitutes: D Cherry, P Schoeman, W Nel, M Sykes, B Muncaster, C Shiel, C Savala, Dean.

 

[big ginger 8]

15. Jimmy O'Brien (55)

14. Jordan Larmour (76)

13. Robbie Henshaw (70)

12. Charlie Ngatai (3)

11. Rob Russell (6)

10. Johnny Sexton (185) CAPTAIN

9. Luke McGrath (178)

1. Andrew Porter (93)

2. Dan Sheehan (31)

3. Michael Ala'alatoa (28)

4. Ross Molony (142)

5. Jason Jenkins (3)

6. Ryan Baird (40)

7. Will Connors (28)

8. Jack Conan (118)



16. John McKee (4)

17. Cian Healy (250)

18. Vakhtang Abdaladze (19)

19. James Ryan (59)

20. Rhys Ruddock (211)

21. Cormac Foley (6)

22. Ross Byrne (131)

23. Garry Ringrose

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Very interesting side. Up Johnny, up Jimmy.

 

[big ginger 8]

Very interesting side. Up Johnny, up Jimmy.

Looks like the Jenkins signing (and probably the emergence of McCarthy) is seeing Baird shift full-time to 6.

 

[JohnKA]

Sharks team to face Leinster. Happy Fleurs get a shot hope he get a run at 10

15 Aphelele Fassi,
14 Werner Kok,
13 Rohan Janse van Rensburg,
12 Ben Tapuai,
11 Thaakir Abrahams,
10 Boeta Chamberlain,
9 Grant Williams,
8 Sikhumbuzo Notshe,
7 Dylan Richardson,
6 James Venter,
5 Hyron Andrews,
4 Justin Basson,
3 Thomas du Toit (captain),
2 Kerron van Vuuren,
1 Ntuthuko Mchunu

Substitutes:
16 Dan Jooste,
17 Dian Bleuler,
18 Carlu Sadie,
19 Reniel Hugo,
20 Phepsi Buthelezi,
21 Cameron Wright,
22 Nevaldo Fleurs,
23 Marnus Potgieter

 

[Welsh Exile]

Ospreys: Max Nagy; Luke Morgan, Owen Watkins, Michael Collins, Keelan Giles; Stephen Myler, Reuben Morgan-Williams; Gareth Thomas, Dewi Lake, Tom Botha, Rhys Davies, Huw Sutton, Will Griffiths, Jac Morgan, Dan Lydiate (capt).

Replacements: Scott Baldwin, Nicky Smith, Rhys Henry, Jack Regan, Morgan Morris, Rhys Webb, Jack Walsh, Joe Hawkins

 

[Welsh Exile]

Scarlets: Leigh Halfpenny; Johnny McNicholl, Corey Baldwin, Jonathan Davies (C), Ryan Conbeer; Sam Costelow, Gareth Davies; Steff Thomas, Ryan Elias, Javan Sebastian; Tom Price, Sam Lousi; Vaea Fifita, Blade Thomson, Sione Kalamfoni.

Reps: Ken Owens, Wyn Jones, Harri O'Connor, Jac Price, Shaun Evans, Dan Blacker, Dan Jones, Steff Evans.

Cardiff Rugby: Rhys Priestland; Jason Harries, Rey Lee-Lo, Uilisi Halaholo, Theo Cabango; Jarrod Evans, Tomos Williams; Rhys Carré, Kristian Dacey, Dmitri Arhip; Lopeti Timani, Seb Davies; Josh Turnbull (C), Thomas Young, Taulupe Faletau.

Reps: Kirby Myhill, Corey Domachowski, Will Davies-King, Teddy Williams, Shane Lewis-Hughes, Lloyd Williams, Mason Grady, Max Llewellyn.

 

[Groundhog]

Munster: Joey Carbery; Conor Phillips, Malakai Fekitoa, Dan Goggin, Patrick Campbell; Ben Healy, Conor Murray; Dave Kilcoyne, Niall Scannell, Keynan Knox; Jean Kleyn, Tadhg Beirne; Jack O'Donoghue, Peter O'Mahony (C), Gavin Coombes.

Replacements: Scott Buckley, Jeremy Loughman, Stephen Archer, Edwin Edogbo, Jack O'Sullivan, Craig Casey, Rory Scannell, Fionn Gibbons.

Our squad is pretty light as you can see from above, but the return of Kleyn, Coombes and O'Mahony will hopefully steady the ship as our pack has been outgunned this year. We will need that because our backs look seriously cobbled together. The scant positives of the season so far have been the game time lads like Edogbo have got, what appears to be the emergence of Knox as our top TH and some back three lads like Campbell, Phillips and now Gibbons jumping the que. I'd take a squeaky arse one point win TN. This time last year I'd have expected to pump that Connacht team, but things change!

 

[unrated]

I am watching Lions games with a very keen eye, especially after the last game confirmed some lingering beliefs or say suspicions about players.

Two players are showing potential of an extremely rapid rise in stature within the Rugby scene in South Africa.

One has only played a handful of minutes for the Lions since joining from the Griquas team who made it to a historic final for the team in the Currie Cup, arguably their star player in that run Zander du Plessis.

And Henco Van Wyk, who I did not know of last year but have since seen some of his previous youth level highlights, along with what we we saw in the last few games, but especially the last game, it was an insane performance. It was scary tbh and he is a complete newcomer to the scene.

I am watching the game vs Edinburgh with a keen eye on these two, I suspect they will become relevant to the Bok cause in due time.

 

[Tooting Carmen]

Ulster - I think this one will be close, but still think Ulster pips it

It would be had Ospreys selected their best players, but no in the name of 'player management' we get this instead:

Ospreys: Nagy; Morgan, Watkin, Collins, Giles; Myler, Morgan-Williams; Thomas, Lake, Botha, Davies, Sutton, Griffiths, Morgan, Lydiate (capt).

Replacements: Baldwin, Smith, Henry, Regan, Morris, Webb, Walsh, Hawkins.

Whereas Ulster look close to full-strength:

Ulster: Lowry; Gilroy, Marshall, McCloskey, Lyttle; Madigan, Cooney; O'Sullivan, Andrew, Moore, O'Connor (capt), Carter, Timoney, Murphy, Vermeulen.

Replacements: Moore, O'Toole, Marcus Rea, Burns, Warwick, Bradshaw-Ryan, Shanahan, Sexton.

 

[Tooting Carmen]

Still, it is amusing how Scott Baldwin, Nicky Smith and Rhys Webb no longer make the starting XV even when it is understrength!