Heineken Cup - At Long Last !!!!
Discussion
http://www.planet-rugby.co.za/Story/0,18259,3551_3...
HC was abit of a joke this season. Two groups where nearly every team in them could potentiall win the tournament and 2 group of pretty much Europes leightweight teams, 4 of which destined for the QF's.
Hapytat something has been done about it and will make for a better tournament.
HC was abit of a joke this season. Two groups where nearly every team in them could potentiall win the tournament and 2 group of pretty much Europes leightweight teams, 4 of which destined for the QF's.
Hapytat something has been done about it and will make for a better tournament.
Interesting, not quite sure how it works though, Northampton and Newcastle in the top 20? Is it based on previous seasons, HC success?
Yes the current system is flawed, but in defence of the QF teams this year: you can only beat whats in front of you, and for the teams that 'should' have got through, well, if your good enough to win the Cup then you would have won your pool, or least got a runner up spot.
Yes the current system is flawed, but in defence of the QF teams this year: you can only beat whats in front of you, and for the teams that 'should' have got through, well, if your good enough to win the Cup then you would have won your pool, or least got a runner up spot.
BigMansZetec said:
Interesting, not quite sure how it works though, Northampton and Newcastle in the top 20? Is it based on previous seasons, HC success?
Yes the current system is flawed, but in defence of the QF teams this year: you can only beat whats in front of you, and for the teams that 'should' have got through, well, if your good enough to win the Cup then you would have won your pool, or least got a runner up spot.
The problem with the current system is that there were two groups where the quality was so good, only one team was going to get out. This year we lost the quality of Tigers, Wasps, Stade, Clermont and Leinster because they were all drawn in two groups. Wasps the European Champions and Tigers the English Champions were given the same seeding as London Irish who finished 6th in th GP (18 points behind Tigers). Thats simply not right, you need to earn your seeding by efforts on the pitch, not by some lottery of names out of a hat.Yes the current system is flawed, but in defence of the QF teams this year: you can only beat whats in front of you, and for the teams that 'should' have got through, well, if your good enough to win the Cup then you would have won your pool, or least got a runner up spot.
I don't agree with the if your good enough you'll get through. In two of the groups this year, you could lose one game, to a top team away from home and be out, despite having consistantly beaten some of Europes best.
If you used the same theory for the World Cup, you could end up with NZ, Aus, SA and Eng in one group and Canada, Namibia, USA and Portugal in another. Doesn't make any sense
If your, say Wasps, and you think you can win the HC, then you need to play the best at some point, so if you can't beat them in the group stages, who says you can later on. Thats what I meant by 'if your good enough your get through'.
It isn't right but, but it made for some great matches in the pool stages.
Problem this year is though, I'm a London Irish supporter, so I couldn't be happier, first time in a quarter final, we still had to put in some good performances to get there and we scored loads of tries. So this season, an HC format change isn't a priority!
It is good a new system is coming in though, will make sure the best of teams are there, alhtough it means they will be there becasue they have beaten lesser teams, not better teams.
Your world cup example is perhaps a bit extreme, I'm sure the gap between England and the USA is far greater than the gap between Leicester and London Irish.
It isn't right but, but it made for some great matches in the pool stages.
Problem this year is though, I'm a London Irish supporter, so I couldn't be happier, first time in a quarter final, we still had to put in some good performances to get there and we scored loads of tries. So this season, an HC format change isn't a priority!
It is good a new system is coming in though, will make sure the best of teams are there, alhtough it means they will be there becasue they have beaten lesser teams, not better teams.
Your world cup example is perhaps a bit extreme, I'm sure the gap between England and the USA is far greater than the gap between Leicester and London Irish.
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