How come English clubs are doing so well in Euro Rugby?

[Kermit power]

Anyone got an opinion on this one?

We're always going to have a few of the Premiership teams doing well in Europe, but just at the moment, we have English teams leading 4 out of 6 pools in the Heineken Cup, and all 5 of the European Challenge Cup pools!

This seems pretty exceptional, doesn't it? Has it just been luck of the draw this year, or are we really this dominant just now?

Also, why the sodding hell can't bloody Worcester get results like this in the Premiership and stop giving me end of season heart problems???

[stimmers]

Kermit power said:

Anyone got an opinion on this one?

We're always going to have a few of the Premiership teams doing well in Europe, but just at the moment, we have English teams leading 4 out of 6 pools in the Heineken Cup, and all 5 of the European Challenge Cup pools!

This seems pretty exceptional, doesn't it? Has it just been luck of the draw this year, or are we really this dominant just now?

Also, why the sodding hell can't bloody Worcester get results like this in the Premiership and stop giving me end of season heart problems???

With regards to Wuss. They have not been playing badly all season, they just couldn't get over the line and didn't really have any serious threats. Pretty easy to defend against. Now that Rico Gear has landed, Wuss now have a player the opposition really need to take care of. I watched their last game and there were always 2 defenders on Gear making space for others. In fact Gear noticed this and started standing in the 10 channel to give the guys outside more space. He also organised the backline and coached them through the game.
Wuss should start getting better results now, especially when Tuitupou arrives too !

In Europe i wouldnt say Eng clubs are dominant at all. Look how close the groups are. My team Tigers did Toulouse yesterday, but next Sat we travel to France to play them again and i honestly can't see Tigers winning that game, which means if Toulouse beat Leinster in Dublin, Tigers are out.

Wasps got done by Clermont yesterday and personally don't see them getting past Munster to win the group so i can see Wasps going out.

Glouc are playing really good rugby at the moment, but their group is a joke compared to the rest and they should be streets ahead there. They will coast through and only face a quality team out of the pool stages.

Sarries and LI are in pretty weak groups too. Not great teams but have a chance of getting through simply due to the quality of their group and the fact the the supposed 'strong' French team in each of the groups are playing total garbage at the moment.

(something has to be done about the seedings for group stages. How can you have Leinster, Tigers and Toulouse in one group and then Viadan, Glasgow and Sarries in another ???)

Its very tight and going to be pretty good stuff to watch but i don't agree than Eng clubs are dominant.

[Kermit power]

I thought I'd revisit this old thread of mine in the light of tonight's matches....

Stimmers, you were clearly right with regard to the Heineken Cup - the English challenge faded somewhat, but even there, we have to have a reasonable chance of 2 out of 4 semi-finalists with Sarries being at home to the Ospreys tomorrow. Should be interesting to see how Sarries react after the drubbing they took in Cardiff last time.

The Challenge Cup on the other hand... What, if anything, should we make of all 4 semi-finalists being English clubs, including 2 of the bottom 3 in the Premiership?

[Kermit power]

Well there we go, full time at Sarries, and of the 8 European semi-finalists in the two competitions, 6 are English teams. I feel somewhat vindicated in repeating my question! How come we're doing quite so well this year?

[stimmers]

Kermit power said:

Well there we go, full time at Sarries, and of the 8 European semi-finalists in the two competitions, 6 are English teams. I feel somewhat vindicated in repeating my question! How come we're doing quite so well this year?

Sarries were absolutely immense today and stopped the O's playing and forced them into errors by applying pressure the O's didn't think was coming. Hill and Gustard were top class.

O's looked a bit like a team that thought they could turn up and win. WTF was Hook doing trying to catch a ball behind his back in his own 22 and then goes onto to slice the kick. Ridiculous

Odds on now for Munster vs Toulouse final

[Kermit power]

stimmers said:

Odds on now for Munster vs Toulouse final

Chances are you're right. Although, it could still be Sarries vs London Irish!

[stimmers]

Kermit power said:

stimmers said:

Odds on now for Munster vs Toulouse final

Chances are you're right. Although, it could still be Sarries vs London Irish!

It COULD be, but Sarries and London Irish, i feel, need to be playing at home if they are to beat better opposition.

Munster vs Sarries at the Rico Arena i think it is
London Irish vs Toulouse/Cardiff at ????

[BigMansZetec]

stimmers said:

London Irish vs Toulouse/Cardiff at ????

Twickenham. (perhaps a little big!)

I would fancy Irish to beat anyone at the Madejski, but yeah away from home it will be tough for them to progress.

[stimmers]

BigMansZetec said:

stimmers said:

London Irish vs Toulouse/Cardiff at ????

Twickenham. (perhaps a little big!)

I would fancy Irish to beat anyone at the Madejski, but yeah away from home it will be tough for them to progress.

Toulouse were very good 2nd half

[Kermit power]

BigMansZetec said:

stimmers said:

London Irish vs Toulouse/Cardiff at ????

Twickenham. (perhaps a little big!)

I would fancy Irish to beat anyone at the Madejski, but yeah away from home it will be tough for them to progress.

I know it's not the same actual stadium, but if the Sarries fans can't take their drums 80 miles up the road to Coventry and make it feel like a home game against Toulouse, then they're not the fans I thought them to be!

[stimmers]

Kermit power said:

BigMansZetec said:

stimmers said:

London Irish vs Toulouse/Cardiff at ????

Twickenham. (perhaps a little big!)

I would fancy Irish to beat anyone at the Madejski, but yeah away from home it will be tough for them to progress.

I know it's not the same actual stadium, but if the Sarries fans can't take their drums 80 miles up the road to Coventry and make it feel like a home game against Toulouse, then they're not the fans I thought them to be!

Ah but home advantage is so much more than the supporters. Its knowing the pitch, where the wind could come from and the effect it could have on the game etc

[Kermit power]

stimmers said:

Ah but home advantage is so much more than the supporters. Its knowing the pitch, where the wind could come from and the effect it could have on the game etc

Is there really that much difference at the top these days, what with enclosed stadia limiting the wind and professionally prepared, perfectly flat pitches?

[stimmers]

Kermit power said:

stimmers said:

Ah but home advantage is so much more than the supporters. Its knowing the pitch, where the wind could come from and the effect it could have on the game etc

professionally prepared, perfectly flat pitches?

I've seen some shocking pitch's in both the Rugby Premiership and Football Premiership ths season. With home advantage you know what to expect, if it rains you know which areas of the pitch won't drain as well, not all stadiums are fully enclosed, especially in Club rugby.

I still think home advantage is a massive advantage, more so in rugby than football.

[stimmers]

BigMansZetec said:

stimmers said:

London Irish vs Toulouse/Cardiff at ????

Twickenham. (perhaps a little big!)

I would fancy Irish to beat anyone at the Madejski, but yeah away from home it will be tough for them to progress.

Yep, its Twickenham !!!

[Jinx]

stimmers said:

BigMansZetec said:

stimmers said:

London Irish vs Toulouse/Cardiff at ????

Twickenham. (perhaps a little big!)

I would fancy Irish to beat anyone at the Madejski, but yeah away from home it will be tough for them to progress.

Yep, its Twickenham !!!

Twickenham will be more of a home to the Exiles than for Toulouse!

[stimmers]

Jinx said:

stimmers said:

BigMansZetec said:

stimmers said:

London Irish vs Toulouse/Cardiff at ????

Twickenham. (perhaps a little big!)

I would fancy Irish to beat anyone at the Madejski, but yeah away from home it will be tough for them to progress.

Yep, its Twickenham !!!

Twickenham will be more of a home to the Exiles than for Toulouse!

You know i love the way Irish play, they have been very good to watch, but Irish can only play one way. If you were to pick a team in Europe that Irish wouldn't want to play, it would be Toulouse. Irish will have to play them at their own game and Toulouse are simply far too good. If Irish were a team that could play a strong, driving, forward game and adopt a succesful blitz defence, they'd have a shot. But Irish can't and won't do that. The way the Sarries pack played vs Ospreys is the exact way to disrupt Toulouse.

I expect a fabulous game, pretty open, but Toulouse will simply out score Irish. I have Toulouse to win by 15-20.

Think i might go if i can though, should be a very entertaining game and i would love to see Geraghty, in a serious pressure environment, playing against Jauzion - to really so how good this guy is

Edited by stimmers on Monday 7th April 13:29

[BigMansZetec]

stimmers said:

You know i love the way Irish play, they have been very good to watch, but Irish can only play one way. If you were to pick a team in Europe that Irish wouldn't want to play, it would be Toulouse. Irish will have to play them at their own game and Toulouse are simply far too good. If Irish were a team that could play a strong, driving, forward game and adopt a succesful blitz defence, they'd have a shot. But Irish can't and won't do that. The way the Sarries pack played vs Ospreys is the exact way to disrupt Toulouse.

I expect a fabulous game, pretty open, but Toulouse will simply out score Irish. I have Toulouse to win by 15-20.

Think i might go if i can though, should be a very entertaining game and i would love to see Geraghty, in a serious pressure environment, playing against Jauzion - to really so how good this guy is

Unfortunately, I have to agree Stimmers, but I am hopeful of a close, high scoring game. Underdog status is no bad thing sometimes. Theres only one thing I can be sure of, they will both play rugby.

Looking at previous encounters, Irish haven't done too badly, in fact three of their 4 encounters have been quite close.

Jan 07 - (H) Irish 24 Toulouse 26
Oct 06 - (A) Irish 17 Toulouse 37
Jan 03 - (H) Irish 32 Toulouse 29
Oct 02 - (A) Irish 23 Toulouse 28

Will be booking my tickets tommorow. Come on you Irishhhhhhhh!

[Jinx]

BigMansZetec said:

Will be booking my tickets tommorow. Come on you Irishhhhhhhh!

Tickets booked (only the cheap seats though as I'm skint ) Know of any decent pubs near twickers for a pre match pint?

[Kermit power]

Jinx said:

BigMansZetec said:

Will be booking my tickets tommorow. Come on you Irishhhhhhhh!

Tickets booked (only the cheap seats though as I'm skint ) Know of any decent pubs near twickers for a pre match pint?

We always used to go to the Hobgoblin in Twickenham. Then it changed hands. And they stopped... showing... rugby!! What sort of pub doesn't show rugby in Twickenham on a match day?!?!?!?