Heineken Cup 2013

[the plastic paddy]

Quins beat fat Serge's all stars in a bog in Biarritz to put themselves in prime position to be number one seeds which in all likelihood will mean a massive QF at Twickers against Irish opposition, hopefully Munster. So hoping Ulster get their win today to give themselves a shout of a home QF but most importantly Toulon do the business against Gorgodze and his friends at Montpellier (02.40 Sun). Often difficult at this stage of the season as you have to debase yourself to support some fairly unsavoury types but this year I am going to need a shower after supporting a team containing the hateful Delon Armitage. Short of cheering on Shane 'the lying poisoned dwarf' Williams it doesn't get worse than this but Gwan Toulon!!

Then it is on to Exeter V Leinster (05.00 Sun) which should be first class entertainment as Leinster will be looking to score tries from the off. I think they will manage the TBP but Exeter are a proud club, captained by Munsterman Tom 'bull calf' Hayes, who will not be rolling over to have their tummies tickled.

Then onto the main event, Munster V Racing (23.45 Sun). Racing are sending over their second team so Munster would normally be assured of the TBP but this Munster team are playing very poorly, lacking in confidence and composure so it will be far from certain, but i think we can secure the TBP which should see us in the QFs.

Finally it will be the winner takes all clash between Leicester and Toulouse at Welford Rd (02.00 Mon), if Leicester lose they are out, Toulouse could lose and still go through if they get two BPs which would be fairly unlikely, but I will be cheering on Toulouse to ensure Leicester's exit from the tournament. All times are for Sydney I think.

 

[Bardon]

Quins looked good last night. This year is the first one in a long time where the English clubs enmasse look like a threat in the quarter finals. Starting to get nervous about Leinster's game later today, but lots of rugby to enjoy before then.

 

[Bardon]

Leinster got their try bonus point win against Exeter who really made us work for the result. That we didn't score more tries will probably cost us a quarter final place. Expect Munster to get their bonus point win tomorrow against a 2nd string side and pip Leinster by 1 or more tries scored. If Leinster do scrape into the quarter finals I think he fact they're regaining form would mean it will be a hell of a game against Quins away.

However my gut says that they rediscovered form 1 round too late and the home defeat to Clermont will be rued tomorrow. If it turns out to be Munster I won't be surprised if Quins regret hoping for them rather than Leinster. It's certainly not a vintage Munster team but some of their younger players have really come of age this year. Away from home and written off in the quarter finals is something that will fire Munster and bring back memories of many famous HEC games.

 

[kronic]

Massive game tonight to decide who will progress in Pool 2.

Leciester (16 pts) v Toulouse (18 pts).

 

[Bardon]

That's going to be some ding dong battle in that one, 6 Heineken Cups between them and neither team knows when they are beaten. Whoever goes through this year will see one of the strongest quarter final line ups in years.

 

[kronic]

Snow belting down at Welford Rd.

Leicester all over Toulouse early on. Toulouse have missed 3 penalty shots.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-AK (Andrew Kellaway)-prn1/75226_10200331320068176_2003558118_n.jpg

 

[kronic]

Heineken Cup quarter-finals qualifiers and seeding:

1. Harlequins (Q) (P6, 28pts)
2. Clermont Auvergne (Q) (P6, 28pts)
3. Toulon (Q) (P6, 23 pts)
4. Saracens (P6, 23pts)
5. Ulster (Q) (P6, 23pts)
6. Leicester (P6, 20pts)
+++++++++++++++++++
7. Montpellier (q) (P6, 22pts)
8. Munster (q) (P6, 20pts)
+++++++++++++++++++
9. Leinster (P6, 20pts)*
10. Toulouse (P6 19pts)*
11. Biarritz (P6, 15pts)*

Q - qualified as Pool winners
q - qualified as one of best runners-up
* - qualify for the Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-finals

Quarter-Finals: (April 5/6/7)
Harlequins v Munster
Clermont Auvergne v Montpellier
Toulon v Leicester Tigers
Saracens v Ulster

Semi-finals: (April 26/27)
Saracens/Ulster v Toulon/Leicester
Clermont Auvergne/Montpellier v Harlequins/Munster

 

[the plastic paddy]

Conor O'Shea is going to have the mother of all battles to dissuade the money men from moving the Harlequins V Munster quarter final to Twickenham. He knows that that would hand advantage to Munster because we could well bring 30000 fans.

Disappointed that the Old mans invitational team, Toulon, were so pathetic against Montpellier thereby keeping Leinster out of the top eight but two Irish teams in the QFs is not a bad result; I strongly fancy Ulster to beat saracens in whatever shithole the Saffa cens CEO decides to play the game. Munster will beat Harlequins wherever we play them, we owe them and bitterness runs deep!!! Performance of the weekend has to be Exeter who played out of their skins with little to play for, Gwan the Bull Calf!!!

 

[KevinO]

Stayed up and watched the Munster game, the red card helped as they than spread the ball wide and played expansive rugby. Zebo should be Tommy Bowe's replacement in the Ireland side for the 6 Nations after that performance. Thought Earls played well and found a few good holes. Two weeks in a row Connor Murray has been outstanding.

 

[kronic]

Old mans invitational team, Toulon

LOL, Solid call.

 

[Bardon]

Normally it's a 3-1 split in favour of the home sides in the Quarter Final but this year I'd only have Clermont as firm favourites for their game against Montpellier.

Gutted that Leinster didn't make the QFs but truthfully we didn't deserve it on our performances earlier in the pool. Also it's good there will be a different winner this year. Having said that I'd still like the winner to be Irish and I'll be cheering both Munster and Ulster on. I'm sure a lot of people looking at the Semi Final draw probably have Clermont penciled in for the final, but if there's any team that can go away to Quins and win then do the same in France I think it's Munster. As PlasticPaddy said the bigger the ground the more fans Munster will bring and make it feel like a home game.

Ulster still seem to be fragile mentally and the way they flopped into the QFs hasn't dispelled any of that worry. Sarries will be a tough game especially if they allow Farrell to knock over 2-3 penalties early on.

IF Leicester can get past Toulon I'd fancy them to make the final as they always seem to peak for the end of the season.

Whoever wins hopefully the games will be as exciting as the pool stages were.

 

[qwerty51]

Toulouse really bombed that one. 5 simple missed kicks in those conditions are unforgivable. Picamoles also scored but couldn't be given.

 

[KevinO]

Conor O'Shea is going to have the mother of all battles to dissuade the money men from moving the Harlequins V Munster quarter final to Twickenham. He knows that that would hand advantage to Munster because we could well bring 30000 fans.

Just read it's confirmed for Twickenham Stoop stadium, find it hard to believe they will play a match like this is a 15k seater stadium. What a joke.

http://www.quins.co.uk/home.php

HEINEKEN CUP SEMI-FINALS

(To be played 26 / 27 / 28 April)
The winner of the first named quarter-final in each semi-final pairing will have home country advantage.
Semi-final 1: Saracens or Ulster Rugby v Toulon or Leicester Tigers
Semi-final 2: ASM Clermont Auvergne or Montpellier v Harlequins or Munster Rugby

 

[the plastic paddy]

Stayed up and watched the Munster game, the red card helped as they than spread the ball wide and played expansive rugby. Zebo should be Tommy Bowe's replacement in the Ireland side for the 6 Nations after that performance. Thought Earls played well and found a few good holes. Two weeks in a row Connor Murray has been outstanding.

Conor Murray is turning into an exceptional scrum half and to think this is only half way through his second full season; his game management enables Keatley to get on and play with his head up. People are starting to realise that Murray has that special gift that only the finest sportsmen have (be they cricketers, rugby players or even jockeys) TIME and bundles of it. Given luck with injuries, and I will be nervous about him getting smashed up p*ssing about with the fecking lions, I think in three or four years time Murray could be one of the best nines in the world. Even without BOD and POC the future of Irish rugby is looking very positive IMHO.

 

[KevinO]

Conor Murray is turning into an exceptional scrum half and to think this is only half way through his second full season; his game management enables Keatley to get on and play with his head up. People are starting to realise that Murray has that special gift that only the finest sportsmen have (be they cricketers, rugby players or even jockeys) TIME and bundles of it. Given luck with injuries, and I will be nervous about him getting smashed up p*ssing about with the fecking lions, I think in three or four years time Murray could be one of the best nines in the world. Even without BOD and POC the future of Irish rugby is looking very positive IMHO.

Ireland does have some great players coming through, the only place I still have issues with is the front row cover, and maybe cover at 8 to some degree. Was glad to see Munster keeping their impressive Heineken Cup record going, I do have to say personally I don't like their tactics this year and don't think they will work in the knockout stages unless they keep there wingers wide.

 

[the plastic paddy]

Ireland does have some great players coming through, the only place I still have issues with is the front row cover, and maybe cover at 8 to some degree. Was glad to see Munster keeping their impressive Heineken Cup record going, I do have to say personally I don't like their tactics this year and don't think they will work in the knockout stages unless they keep there wingers wide.

Agree on the tight head side Kevin O but in Dave Kilcoyne and Tom Court we have serious cover at loose head behind Healy who is the best loose head in the world IMHO and still incredibly young (and I include Matawira in that summation).

Bent did ok in the AIs off the bench at Tight head but has struggled a fair bit with leinster; I am hoping that is because he has not got a lot of power coming through from Plug and High tower (Ross has struggled as well) and the situation will improve with Ryan, McCarthy and DOC behind him. Also in the national squad is the very good but sadly fragile Declan Fitzpatrick. Tight head is a major issue for a lot of nations though, Dan Cole is very good but behind him there is a serious drop off for England, the same applies to Adam Jones and Wales.

As for Ireland and the number eight spot I think we are very well off across the back row, probably as well off as any one, were Heaslip to get injured we would have the option of moving SOB across to 8, some would not be too upset to see that happen anyway although I think Heaslip (like D'Arcy and Donnacha O'Callaghan) has been a revelation this season. We also have Peter O'Mahony who can play across the back row and is coming on in leaps and bounds plus the massively under rated James Coughlan who has just been called up to the national squad.

I know what you are saying about Munster, Kevin, but I think the style that Penney is trying to get us to play works to our strengths and if the penny (forgive the pun) drops in the spring with harder pitches and dryer conditions (it has been unbelievably wet this year) we could give some teams a serious run around. We do not have the players to out muscle the likes of Clermont or the Old man's invitational XV, or the absurd quantities of cash these franchises have to buy ever more of them, but much like Australia does against bigger, stronger teams it is possible to rope the dope by moving them about. It might not be this year but with improved skill levels, and there was some sublime skill on display from some of the Munster players on sunday, I think we will see a brave new world of high tempo rugby.

I am confident we will beat Harlequins in the quarter final, we owe them one and they have already shown a bit of mental weakness by not being willing to risk the move to Twickenham, which they would sell out, because they do not want to risk giving Munster the advantage. If we win that, Clermont would fancy their chances of beating Munster in a neutral venue in France but I would not be so sure and anyway if we make it to a HEC semi final it would be a great return for this young team in their first season under a new coaching ticket.

 

[KevinO]

I know what you are saying about Munster, Kevin, but I think the style that Penney is trying to get us to play works to our strengths and if the penny (forgive the pun) drops in the spring with harder pitches and dryer conditions (it has been unbelievably wet this year) we could give some teams a serious run around.

I agree with a lot of what you have said.

Our home ground is in Limerick. Always cold and wet, majority of games are in country's known for large amounts of rain. It's always going to be a factor against this game plan, yeah I loved watching them run Racing ragged on Sunday night but we only get a hand full of games a year to play this way. The plan B is woeful when the weather is against them, change has been good but their has been times where I have watched Munster this year and missed the days of the pack working together and crashing through and dominating the opposition.

Have to say they have dealt with a massive loss in experience and are doing better than exspected.

 

[the plastic paddy]

I agree with a lot of what you have said.

Our home ground is in Limerick. Always cold and wet, majority of games are in country's known for large amounts of rain. It's always going to be a factor against this game plan, yeah I loved watching them run Racing ragged on Sunday night but we only get a hand full of games a year to play this way. The plan B is woeful when the weather is against them, change has been good but their has been times where I have watched Munster this year and missed the days of the pack working together and crashing through and dominating the opposition.

Have to say they have dealt with a massive loss in experience and are doing better than exspected.

For all the rain that falls in Limerick, the TP pitch rarely breaks up and turns into an absolute quagmire. I think you can see the improvement in skills from the players already this year, the beautiful pop pass from Sherry to Kilcoyne in midfield in the run up to Zebo's first try being a prime example. Few teams can afford to lose Bull, Fla, Marcus, Quinlan, Leamy and Wallace in such a short period but we have some cracking youngsters coming through, Kilcoyne, Sherry, Archer, Peter O'Mahony, TOD, Butler, Dougall etc slowly getting bigger and stronger, if they have the skills and the strength imagine the handful they will be!!!

 

[Bardon]

I also think the new style really suits Keith Earls and he's looked better at outside centre this year than any other year since his breakthrough season.

 

[KevinO]

I also think the new style really suits Keith Earls and he's looked better at outside centre this year than any other year since his breakthrough season.

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