Heineken European Cup 2012

[qwerty51]

Why do Clermont and Ulster have home advantage?

 

[the plastic paddy]

Drawn out of the hat.

 

[the plastic paddy]

While I was very disappointed with Munster's loss, congratulations to Ulster who were as brave as lions and deserved the victory for their unbelievable tackle count alone. Interesting comment Lee about breakdown etc and how teams would cope against SH opposition. Poite is the most Laissez faire ref bar none, almost anything goes at scrum time with all sorts of angles and binding optional; both sides are permanently offside and Henry had to do something ridiculously stupid to earn his yellow card. That is not wales type whinging BTW because we know enough about Poite to know how the game will be reffed and he is consistently poor for both sides so it evens out IMHO.

Considering how poorly Ferris was moving before the game his performance was genuinely immense; the man is a freak of nature, imagine how good he would be if his fucked knee actually allowed him to train?? Don't give up on Edinburgh just yet, in Jacobsen and Cross they have two of the most cussed hard bastards you would ever meet and Tim Visser is as good as any winger on earth IMO and that includes North, Ionae and Jane, wait until he plays for the lions next year if you don't believe me. Plus think Afoa will be cited and banned for his tackle on Felix Jones and there is a serious drop off if he is out.

BOD looks as good as he has been since before the saffer Lions tour where, surprise surprise his injury problems started. Bod 12 and the Earl of Thomond 13 is an excellent centre partnership. Hope we see it in NZ but DK will probably go with fecking D'Arcy. Clermont V Leinster is going to be some game.

Very amusing that no English team in either tournament's semi final, all down to salary cap and some such shite. According to the english club owners, the way to improve the English rugby team is to fill all the english clubs with expensive foreign players, hope they get there way as England will carry on being shite.

 

[qwerty51]

Drawn out of the hat.

That's a bit unfair imo, at least make it a neutral venue or something

 

[the plastic paddy]

Could not agree more, or home and away if a weekend could be found. The games are meant to be 'neutral' in that Clermont are in Bordeaux (i think) and Ulster are in Dublin and, although I have never been to a HEC semi, I am led to believe the 'home' team do not control the ground. The problem is that the only teams that would fill neutral venues are the Irish ones and not sure Heineken would like to see empty stadia because we don't get two Irish semi finalsits every year!?! Only dampner on an excellent tournament though.

 

[Larno]

This thread needs more Gilroy:

My favorite part of it was the clearout by Fez at 00.12 to get quick ball.

My heart was in my mouth the whole game. All credit to Munster who never looked out of the contest.

Big win that.

 

[Manuel]

This thread needs more Gilroy:

How to score while doing everything wrong. Gilroy should have passed that ball at least on two occasions, "it is a bad example for kids", as PdV would say.

 

[Larno]

How to score while doing everything wrong. Gilroy should have passed that ball at least on two occasions, "it is a bad example for kids", as PdV would say.

Indeed; I faintly remember screaming "Pass the f**king pill!" while watching it live.

 

[Nusadan]

Drawn out of the hat.

Had Sacarens beaten C Ferrand, that semi v Leinister would have been held at Twickenham instead of Bordeaux.

 

[SuperGrover]

Very amusing that no English team in either tournament's semi final, all down to salary cap and some such shite. According to the english club owners, the way to improve the English rugby team is to fill all the english clubs with expensive foreign players, hope they get there way as England will carry on being shite.

I find it really dissappointing that the English seem to look for excuses other than their own play (and the structures that lead to it).

When French teams win in the Heineken Cup it's because they have more money then their English counterparts due to the salary cap.

When Irish teams win, its because they only have to play in the much easier RaboDirect Pro 12 rather than the Aviva Premiership.

As Lee Grant has said above, Clermont performance was one of their cest of the season. I wish a losing team would more often admit that losses are sometimes the result of a greater performance from the opposition.

 

[en_force_er]

I think they just need to shut up and let the effects of their new "you have to play in the premiership to play for England" rule to sink it. On top of that their league is changing slowly to the privet ownership model (something that has existed in France for a while).

This just wreaks of excuses and lack of patience.

 

[tranquility]

How is Jared Payne playing? he was probably the best 13 in super rugby last season.

 

[Larno]

How is Jared Payne playing? he was probably the best 13 in super rugby last season.

Sadly he hasn't been playing. Ruptured an Achilles back in October and has been out since. Not sure if he's even back running yet.

 

[tranquility]

Jeez that is a shame, he is a fantastic player.

 

[SuperGrover]

Thoughts?

Team of the Quarter-Finals

15 Rob Kearney (Leinster) - It was apparent in the Six Nations that the full-back had rediscovered top form and he has followed that international form up on the provincial stage. Two tries and as his usual consistency both under the high ball and in attack sees him claim our first jersey.

14 Sitiveni Sivivatu (Clermont) - Mentions for Toulouse's Timoci Matanavou and Leinster's Isa Nacewa for their try-scoring performances but we've gone for the man who made the move north in the off-season, Sivivatu. The former Chiefs man had room to move on Sunday and caused many problems for Saracens alongside Lee Byrne. A mention for Lee Jones for his great break and two huge tackles.

13 Brian O'Driscoll (Leinster) - Aurélien Rougerie was outstanding for Clermont against Saracens as he combined well with the aforementioned Sivivatu on numerous occasions for the French side. However in the second week of his return to top flight rugby, it looked like BOD had never been away. Strong in defence with a try and an assist to go in the locker, O'Driscoll not only lifted Gordon D'Arcy's showing but was individually excellent in Dublin.

12 Gordon D'Arcy (Leinster) - If we could have put in two 13s we would have. The jersey subsequently goes to D'Arcy who, like Edinburgh inside centre Matt Scott, was impressive.

11 Craig Gilroy (Ulster) - Many neutral spectators would have been shouting "pass it" at their television screen when Gilroy set off for his eventual score. But he decided to back himself and ultimately made it to the whitewash for the most vital try in his young career.

10 Greig Laidlaw (Edinburgh) - Now this was tough. Jonathan Sexton and Brock James were both superb for Leinster and Clermont respectively but for his impact on proceedings at Murrayfield, Laidlaw gets the nod for creating their first try for Mike Blair and kicking well.

9 Ruan Pienaar (Ulster) - The sign of the week in the crowd was "You've been Ruan-ed". Munster were as Pienaar was cool, calm and deadly from the tee. He rarely looked tired.

8 Netani Talei (Edinburgh) - A round of applause for the Edinburgh back-row of David Denton, Ross Rennie and Talei but with a Clermont and Ulster star duo doing their bit in Watford and Dublin, only one makes our cut. That man is Talei, who's having a great year.

7 Julien Bonnaire (Clermont) - Sean O'Brien seemed back to his destructive carrying self on Saturday as he ran well for Leinster. However, Bonnaire was one of the key cogs for Clermont - along with Rougerie - and sneaks in. He wanted international silverware in his last Test season but it could turn out to be a Heineken Cup trophy that he gets his hands on. Watch his combination with Gerhard Vosloo when the South African returns for the semis.

6 Stephen Ferris (Ulster) - Those who haven't seen the "Stephen Ferris - Superman" logo printed on T-Shirts worn by Ravenhill fans will now understand that it warrants such a marketing idea. Ferris has been immense not only for Ulster but also Ireland in the recent World Cup and played a full 80 minutes despite being a major doubt after coming off injured against Aironi in the PRO12 the previous week. Ferris is so important to Ulster and him featuring would have had an impact on the morale of the away team and also the opposing Munster players. He has earned his probable rest against Connacht this coming weekend.

5 Nathan Hines (Clermont) - Scotland lock Hines was his abrasive best at Vicarage Road and had a big hand in setting up Lee Byrne's try. Mentions for Brad Thorn and Dan Tuohy.

4 Johann Muller (Ulster) - The 2011/12 Heineken Cup top line-out taker led from the front and again showed intelligence that allowed Ulster to hold onto their lead. He was a calming influence for Ulster and admitted after the win that they had learned from last year's exit.

3 David Zirakashvili (Clermont) - Much criticism was leveled at Ireland prop Mike Ross during the recent Six Nations, but with the power of Brad Thorn behind him, the tighthead had a thoroughly enjoying afternoon against Cardiff Blues. But for the speed and strength the Georgian showed on Sunday, we could not leave him out. The 28-year-old also had a good shift in the scrum against Rhys Gill as les Jaunards progressed with relative ease.

2 Benjamin Kayser (Clermont) - It was a bruising ball-carrying performance from the former Leicester hooker at Vicarage Road as the collective Clermont machine proved unstoppable for Saracens. The English found no way through Kayser and the yellow and white wall.

1 Cian Healy (Leinster) - Man of the match and rightly so in Dublin as Healy is in a long list of excellent loosehead props in world rugby today. Guys like Coenie Oosthuizen, Dean Greyling and Sona Taumalolo are making waves in the southern hemisphere while Gethin Jenkins remains the likely starter in Australia for the Lions next year. But on Saturday, Healy was again destructive in the loose and made life difficult for Scott Andrews. A top showing.

http://planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,16017_7661340,00.html

 

[Bardon]

John Afoa got 4 weeks for his tackle on Felix Jones, so he'll miss the semi final against Edinburgh. 7 week ban was reduced to 4 due to his clean record etc.

 

[Lee Grant]

Huge loss - he is one ex-All Black who was earning his pay in Europe.

 

[Nusadan]

Better chance for Edinburgh to win then...although it won't lessen the pain of losing the final to either Leinster or CF unfortunately...

 

[the plastic paddy]

Don't miss these semi finals particularly sunday's Clermont V Leinster.

 

[Lee Grant]

I'm salivating.

Leinster will be the favourites, and rightly so, but Clermont is playing well and I think that they will do better now that James will start.

The trouble is that CF played their best game of the season in the quarter final. They should have saved it for this one.

But if they lose at least it will be to an Irish team.

The other game should be good too, but on not so grand a scale. You never know though: they both won well in the quarters and could produce a cracker.
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