Heineken Cup 2013

[the plastic paddy]

Would like to see Bod Earls Center combo for the 6N

Whisper it but I would like to see D'Arcy and Earls against Wales with BOD coming off the bench; won't happen but BOD just doesn't look fit to me.

 

[KevinO]

HEINEKEN CUP QUARTER-FINALS
Saturday 6 April
ASM Clermont Auvergne v Montpellier, Stade Marcel Michelin - kick-off 16:40
Saracens v Ulster, venue TBC - kick-off 18.30
Sunday 7 April
Harlequins v Munster, Twickenham Stoop - kick-off 14:00
Toulon v Leicester Tigers, venue TBC - kick-off 17:30
All times are local, Munster with another Sunday game. At least this time it's Easter weekend so won't have to get up Monday.

 

[KevinO]

Saracens want to play their Heineken Cup quarter-final with Ulster on new artificial pitch

Updated: Monday, 21 Jan 2013 14:34

• 0 Comments​

Wembley or Twickenham are possible alternatives to Allianz Park
Saracens are in discussion with Barnet Council over the possibility of staging their Heineken Cup quarter-final against Ulster at their new Allianz Park home.
The Barnet ground is the preferred choice for the match, which is to be played on the weekend of 26-28 April, with Wembley or Twickenham potential alternatives.
Sunday's test event against Cardiff in the LV= Cup will be the first game played on the artificial pitch in front of a crowd of 3,500, three weeks before the official opening against Exeter on 16 February.

"This is our home ground now so we'd like to stage the match here" - Saracens chief executive​

​

Chief executive Edward Griffiths hopes Barnet Council will grant Saracens permission to temporarily increase the 10,000 capacity to 15,000 to comply with tournament organisers European Rugby Cup's rules for hosting quarter-finals.
"There are a number of hoops to go through before we can hold the match at Allianz Park," Griffiths said.
"We are in talks with the council over the capacity to see if it's perfectly possible to increase the capacity for one match, or if it's too soon.
"This is our home ground now so we'd like to stage the match here. This is absolutely our first choice.
"We want to try and bring those discussions to a close by the end of next week. We want something agreed as soon as possible."

 

[the plastic paddy]

HEINEKEN CUP QUARTER-FINALS
Saturday 6 April
ASM Clermont Auvergne v Montpellier, Stade Marcel Michelin - kick-off 16:40
Saracens v Ulster, venue TBC - kick-off 18.30
Sunday 7 April
Harlequins v Munster, Twickenham Stoop - kick-off 14:00
Toulon v Leicester Tigers, venue TBC - kick-off 17:30
All times are local, Munster with another Sunday game. At least this time it's Easter weekend so won't have to get up Monday.

Its not, its the weekend after Easter. Although there will not be many lads at the game because as predicted Quins have kept the game at the pitifully small Stoop rather than play in front of 50000 Munster fans in Twickenham and cede home advantage. It is some credit to the Red Army, the greatest travelling rugby support in the history of the game, that Quins are so scared of the numbers that would turn up were they to move the game. They can obviously afford to forego the million quid they would make on the gate but a real shame for the businesses of south west London who will miss out on the £ 5 million pound windfall. Should be a busy weekend with Leinster at the 'Pests' on Friday night in the Amlin(shield) and Ulster at, what ever god foresaken shit hole Saffacens decide to inflict on the travelling Ulstermen: there was a suggestion that with the number of Saffas involved on both sides, this would be the perfect game to be re located to Cape Town, the London based Saffas could check up on their salary busting retirement properties while they were there!?!

 

[KevinO]

Its not, its the weekend after Easter. Although there will not be many lads at the game because as predicted Quins have kept the game at the pitifully small Stoop rather than play in front of 50000 Munster fans in Twickenham and cede home advantage. It is some credit to the Red Army, the greatest travelling rugby support in the history of the game, that Quins are so scared of the numbers that would turn up were they to move the game. They can obviously afford to forego the million quid they would make on the gate but a real shame for the businesses of south west London who will miss out on the £ 5 million pound windfall. Should be a busy weekend with Leinster at the 'Pests' on Friday night in the Amlin(shield) and Ulster at, what ever god foresaken shit hole Saffacens decide to inflict on the travelling Ulstermen: there was a suggestion that with the number of Saffas involved on both sides, this would be the perfect game to be re located to Cape Town, the London based Saffas could check up on their salary busting retirement properties while they were there!?!

Doubt they would get the crowd if they played in South Africa during Super Rugby season. So another Monday of tiredness at work it is, I do agree they are turning down a massive cash grab by not playing in a bigger stadium. Don't think there is too many teams that would take that risk with the GFC still around.

 

[the plastic paddy]

Jonny Sexton off to play in france apparently, going to cause the mother of all shit fests in Irish rugby. Personally I think it is a good thing, Madigan can make the step up to starting in the HEC which means we will have four or possibly five Irish Out halfs starting in the Heineken cup. Whether it will precipitate an exodus only time will tell.

 

[qwerty51]

Racing Metro I hear. Got Lydiate and Roberts already I think? Look to be joining Toulon, Clermont and Toulouse in being able to field international 22s. Top 14 is becoming the EPL if it's not already.

 

[KevinO]

Racing Metro I hear. Got Lydiate and Roberts already I think? Look to be joining Toulon, Clermont and Toulouse in being able to field international 22s. Top 14 is becoming the EPL if it's not already.

Racing got Sexton from Leinster, may be the EPL but they still are not winning any titles.

 

[Bardon]

Although it's sad to see someone of Sexton's talent leave Leinster I think the move will be good in the long run. There's quite a queue forming at Leinster with Maddigan already at the stage where he would expect to be starting more often. I think the move will make Sexton a better player.

Competition for the Ireland 10 should be a good thing. For too long it was at most 2 players pushing for the spot. O'Gara v Humphreys became O'Gara v Sexton and in the last year it's been Sexton out on his own even though his International performances haven't matched his Leinster ones. I'm looking forward to the possibility of competition to between Sexton, Maddigan, Keatley, Jackson (if his game management under pressure improves) with Hanrahan possibly having a real breakthrough season.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Saracens want to play their Heineken Cup quarter-final with Ulster on new artificial pitch
Wembley or Twickenham are possible alternatives to Allianz Park
Saracens are in discussion with Barnet Council over the possibility of staging their Heineken Cup quarter-final against Ulster at their new Allianz Park home.
The Barnet ground is the preferred choice for the match, which is to be played on the weekend of 26-28 April, with Wembley or Twickenham potential alternatives.
Sunday's test event against Cardiff in the LV= Cup will be the first game played on the artificial pitch in front of a crowd of 3,500, three weeks before the official opening against Exeter on 16 February.

​

"This is our home ground now so we'd like to stage the match here" - Saracens chief executive​

Chief executive Edward Griffiths hopes Barnet Council will grant Saracens permission to temporarily increase the 10,000 capacity to 15,000 to comply with tournament organisers European Rugby Cup's rules for hosting quarter-finals.
"There are a number of hoops to go through before we can hold the match at Allianz Park," Griffiths said.
"We are in talks with the council over the capacity to see if it's perfectly possible to increase the capacity for one match, or if it's too soon.
"This is our home ground now so we'd like to stage the match here. This is absolutely our first choice.
"We want to try and bring those discussions to a close by the end of next week. We want something agreed as soon as possible."

Watch this space with interest:

A low-key Anglo-Welsh encounter in Barnet was also significant as the first professional rugby union match to be played on an artificial pitch designed for the sport.

On this occasion – a designated 'test event' attended by 3,500 invited Saracens fans – the bold decision to abandon grass could only be viewed as a success.
The £500,000 surface, which costs only £18,000 per year to maintain, was in immaculate condition and appeared quick, justifying the club's promise that it would lead to a ''faster, safer and more entertaining game''.
Scrums have been identified as a potential area of concern but these passed without incident and while there were a number of injuries, these seemed in keeping with rugby's usual rate of attrition.
Chief executive Edward Griffiths had declared earlier in the week that the rugby world from South Africa to Murrayfield was awaiting developments at Allianz Park to assess the viability of an artificial surface, and Saracens will have been pleased by an encouraging debut.
The Aviva Premiership clash with Exeter on February 16 will be the first match to be played before a 10,000 capacity crowd and supporters will be hoping for more fireworks than were on display today.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/ru...aracens-19-Cardiff-Blues-11-match-report.html

 

[Dan54]

Interesting tp see them playing on that new artificial turf, I know Wellington College in NZ had one put in last year, just on training field, but think I saw on TV they were hoping to have one to play on this year. Could be a very interesting innovation for the game in being able to have good surfaces to play on regardless of weather.

 

[TOCC]

It's appeal is largely going to be in Europe where there pitches are often destroyed by the weather and the clubs are sole occupants of fields..

Unlikely we will see it in Australia where multiple codes share the same pitch and we don't have snow and freezing weather to counter.

 

[Bardon]

Figured this was the best place to put this, given he's won 3 HECs and the Quarter Finals are coming up.

Isa Nacewa is retiring at the end of the season and moving back to New Zealand with his family. For me he's the best player in the world not to have played at a RWC (from the modern era), admittedly due to his own misguided error.

http://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/provincial/2013/0320/377494-report-nacewa-to-call-time-on-career/

 

[KevinO]

Figured this was the best place to put this, given he's won 3 HECs and the Quarter Finals are coming up.

Isa Nacewa is retiring at the end of the season and moving back to New Zealand with his family. For me he's the best player in the world not to have played at a RWC (from the modern era), admittedly due to his own misguided error.

http://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/provincial/2013/0320/377494-report-nacewa-to-call-time-on-career/

Was just about to do the same.

Firstly thank god the 6 Nations is over from a Irish point of view and I can get back to following Munster.

Nacewa has been great for Leinster, and I am sure they will really miss him in the backline. A lot of re-building to do at Leinster next season with Nacewa and Sexton departing, still don't know how long BOD is going to go on for. A few older players around there ranks to like Darcy, Cullen, Heaslip all got to be near the end to.

A bit like what Munster has been dealing with the last couple of seasons.

 

[JSRF10]

I think Leinster have a slightly better base to work from in their rebuilding than Munster. Someone like Naweca can be replaced by Dave Kearney who has regularly been involved in the Heineken Cup, for BOD read O'Malley, D'Arcy read McFadden etc. I do think Leinster might struggle to win another one but if they will still be in the top 4 or 5 teams in the competition. That said Isa is a huge loss, if he hadnt taken that cap in 2003 with Fiji he'd be a 40 test All Black IMO.

 

[the plastic paddy]

Have organized my ticket for the quarter final against Harlequins. Doubly satisfying because I am going to get to see the game live but also because the quims have tried to put every possible barrier in the way of Munster fans getting into the ground and still we seem to find a way, fuck em!! Wont be the numbers there would have been if they had moved the game to Twickenham but I would venture a few more than the derisory allocation to the away team. I am not going to tempt fate other than to say that Zebo is back in training and someone is going to stand on his foot on Monday to check he will be available for selection, going to be tight but think there might be a few Zeeebbboooo, Zeeeebbbboooos flying around the stoop a week sunday. Nearly as excited as a dog with two dicks!!!

 

[JSRF10]

Have organized my ticket for the quarter final against Harlequins. Doubly satisfying because I am going to get to see the game live but also because the quims have tried to put every possible barrier in the way of Munster fans getting into the ground and still we seem to find a way, fuck em!! Wont be the numbers there would have been if they had moved the game to Twickenham but I would venture a few more than the derisory allocation to the away team. I am not going to tempt fate other than to say that Zebo is back in training and someone is going to stand on his foot on Monday to check he will be available for selection, going to be tight but think there might be a few Zeeebbboooo, Zeeeebbbboooos flying around the stoop a week sunday. Nearly as excited as a dog with two dicks!!!

Nice one mate! I was there in 2009 for the Leinster QF, Quins have obviously learnt their lesson because nearly all the tickets that went on public sale were snapped up by fans in blue. Given we had the stand behind the goal as well the ground was about 1/3 blue. Looking forward to it I hope Munster can do it

 

[KevinO]

Have organized my ticket for the quarter final against Harlequins. Doubly satisfying because I am going to get to see the game live but also because the quims have tried to put every possible barrier in the way of Munster fans getting into the ground and still we seem to find a way, fuck em!! Wont be the numbers there would have been if they had moved the game to Twickenham but I would venture a few more than the derisory allocation to the away team. I am not going to tempt fate other than to say that Zebo is back in training and someone is going to stand on his foot on Monday to check he will be available for selection, going to be tight but think there might be a few Zeeebbboooo, Zeeeebbbboooos flying around the stoop a week sunday. Nearly as excited as a dog with two dicks!!!

Going to say I am very jealous, would love to go to a Quarter final. Only got tickets to 1 Heineken Cup game while I was over there but it was unreal. Hope Zebo is back and gets a hat trick to get on the plane over here for the Lions tour. Most of all to get to the semi though.

I'm sure it will still be half Red Army as always, don't think any other team travels so well in World sport.

 

[KevinO]

Setanata times for the quarter finals, once again they give crappy Scottish lower division priority over important Rugby games. Times are Sydney and Melbourne
07/04/2013 01:25 Toulon v Leicester

07/04/2013 09:55 Clemont v Montpellier

07/04/2013 11:45 Saracens v Ulster

07/04/2013 22:55 Harlequins v Munster

 

[Italophile]

Decent old tonking for Munster last night by the Weegies. Didn't get to see it, unfortunately, so I don't know how POC performed or pulled up in terms of the Lions. Fatland has been quoted as saying he has decided on his skipper though hasn't yet relayed the news to the individual.