2022/23 Champions/Challenge Cup

[laurent]

Domestic soccer here isn't well supported, which is definitely a factor in the plus column for rugby, but it's not that big a plus. You have many thousands hoping on flights and ferries every weekend to go see the Premier League and participation numbers in Dublin alone would dwarf rugby nationwide.

Gaa though is the big one - it's akin to soccer in England, or rugby in the South of France or NZ - it's in the lifeblood of communities big and small. It is also one of the reasons that the provinces are so well established in the national psyche, which has helped people to relate more easily to he rugby equivalents.

Don't exagerate rugby in South west. there are more people going to TFC games than to the Stade Toulousain .

Rugby is only the 4th team sport practiced in France. French are really big into team sport.
Football is top with 1 902 000 basketball is second with 423 500 handball third 341 000 and rugby 4th 317 900.

to be noted that apart from basket ball the other 2 have multiple World championships title. (basketball is getting closer)

[JM2K6]

I understand how Scotland might struggle but how does Wales not manage to do a Leinster?

More impacted by a vampiric English government. A much smaller, poorer, and less organised country than Ireland. And I'd hazard a guess and say that the game's roots as a working class community game has made it less attractive for investment. I also doubt the excellent Leinster schools system could be easily replicated.

[JM2K6]

Toulouse having no luck so far - Barnes giving them nothing at the breakdown and already lost a midfielder to injury

[Torquemada 1420]

Toulouse having no luck so far - Barnes giving them nothing at the breakdown and already lost a midfielder to injury

He's killed Toulouse there. Lost track of how many turnovers other refs would have awarded whereas Barnes is allowing all sorts of late and illegal entries by Leinster to keep hold of the ball. Would like to have seen that one on Willis earlier on closer inspection.

On another note, my broken record issue with Ramos: every now and again he has a total mental implosion and goes all Poitrenaud and as I keep pointing out, you don't want that in a RWC (or a game like this).

No idea why they didn't just bring Retiere on and dump him on the wing. In some ways, Dupont is a better FH than Ntamack but Graou is a really mediocre SH. That ends this game.

[JM2K6]

Not Barnes' fault but an invented neck roll gives Leinster possession and they score again. This is almost over.

[Torquemada 1420]

LMAO, Barnes awards a turnover breakdown pen.......... to Leinster.

[GogLais]

Well if it weren’t raining I’d go and sort out my paviors.

[JM2K6]

I think he's dropped that but I'm not sure there's any angle that can rule it out. Honestly think he's shanked that but they give anything these days

[JM2K6]

Glad they found the right angle. Anyone else's picture breaking up or just mine? :(

[Torquemada 1420]

I think he's dropped that but I'm not sure there's any angle that can rule it out. Honestly think he's shanked that but they give anything these days

Was about to say 2 issues: touch and separation but Barnes made it impossible to overrule. TF for the TMO doing his job.

[C69]

Feck me this game has been ruined by dodgy officiating.
the French are being feck over, some may say yet again.

[Torquemada 1420]

What did I say about Graou?

[JM2K6]

Probably the funniest try you'll see this season. Unfortunately it also shows the huge impact of Dupont having to play 10, his replacement is half the player

[sockwithaticket]

Thank goodness for the TMO. It looked clearly not a try from the other angles too, but Barnes' question almost screwed Toulouse.

[Torquemada 1420]

Feck me this game has been ruined by dodgy officiating.
the French are being feck over, some may say yet again.

In the week, Mola tried to suck up to Barnes by shouting what a great ref he was

[JM2K6]

Feck me this game has been ruined by dodgy officiating.
the French are being feck over, some may say yet again.

In the week, Mola tried to suck up to Barnes by shouting what a great ref he was

Just so we're clear, you know C69 is deliberately baiting you, yeah?

[Torquemada 1420]

FM Ntamack, what was the point of that kick?

[GogLais]

I also think that Ireland was ready-made for pro rugby. The provincial rivalry was already there, there was buy-in from the fans at that level from the off and they didn't have the drain of football.

At least that what it looked like from here.

Ok, I’m not from South Wales so I don’t have the close connection with a local team but the regions have been around for twenty years now.

[Torquemada 1420]

Feck me this game has been ruined by dodgy officiating.
the French are being feck over, some may say yet again.

In the week, Mola tried to suck up to Barnes by shouting what a great ref he was

Just so we're clear, you know C69 is deliberately baiting you, yeah?

Water off the proverbial duck.

Arnold has had hands likes tits so far.

[Torquemada 1420]

32 mins and 1st pen to Toulouse? Not quite up to Owen's record of 70+ minutes in favour of an Irish team.

[Torquemada 1420]

Toulouse score despite Graou doing just about everything wrong at every phase in the build up!

[GogLais]

32 mins and 1st pen to Toulouse? Not quite up to Owen's record of 70+ minutes in favour of an Irish team.

What’s the officially approved minutes per penalty rate?

[JM2K6]

Great try. Dupont continues to be ridiculous, great finish too.

Tip tackle ignored. Replays strangely unavailable.

[C69]

How the feck is Porter still on the field?

[Torquemada 1420]

Meafou really is a freak of a lump. His hands are better than many backs.

No idea where Ntamack was for that 50:22.

[Torquemada 1420]

Great try. Dupont continues to be ridiculous, great finish too.

Tip tackle ignored. Replays strangely unavailable.

3rd one I reckon.

[JM2K6]

I've taken another look and the Porter tackle off the ball is a nailed on card, maybe even a red. Lift, tip, and chuck on the floor. Probably just back contact rather than head but hugely dangerous.

Absolute filth, real scumbag stuff

[Torquemada 1420]

A breakdown pen to Toulouse

[GogLais]

How the feck is Porter still on the field?

Do I read this in conjunction with the tip tackle post?
Just seen previous post. Wonder if they’ll show it at HT. I’m

[JM2K6]

Obvious neck roll missed too. AR on this aside is having a very very strange game.

[JM2K6]

for the tip

[Blackmac]

I've taken another look and the Porter tackle off the ball is a nailed on card, maybe even a red. Lift, tip, and chuck on the floor. Probably just back contact rather than head but hugely dangerous.

Absolute filth, real scumbag stuff

It's astonishing. I missed it at first but then on the replays it's just ridiculous. Totally ignored by the studio at half time

[Torquemada 1420]

I've taken another look and the Porter tackle off the ball is a nailed on card, maybe even a red. Lift, tip, and chuck on the floor. Probably just back contact rather than head but hugely dangerous.

Absolute filth, real scumbag stuff

Well, maybe we won't hear so much next time about Fre TV/TMO.

Meantime Mola has to take Graou off. Or move the klutz to FB and Ramos to 10.

[CM11]

Jaysus lads, I thought this was the reasonable forum but 90% of the posts on the game are ref complaints. Meanwhile everyone else is enjoying two positive sides giving us a great game.

[Torquemada 1420]

for the tip

Not like Mallia didn't flag it.

I'm going to bet the one on Willis early on was worse.

[Torquemada 1420]

Barnes tells Porter he's illegal in that maul so he breaks off and immediately rejoins illegally and disrupts it, forcing the ball to be played.

[JM2K6]

Jaysus lads, I thought this was the reasonable forum but 90% of the posts on the game are ref complaints. Meanwhile everyone else is enjoying two positive sides giving us a great game.

Well the huge disparity in the penalty count and a couple of extremely impactful and bizarre decisions are major talking points, and we've also talked about the failings on the Toulouse side. But there's basically only a couple of people posting about the match - I was the first person to do so a long time after kickoff. So perhaps less complaining about posting and more being happy that anyone even gives enough of a shit to talk about it.

better view of it.

[GogLais]

I've taken another look and the Porter tackle off the ball is a nailed on card, maybe even a red. Lift, tip, and chuck on the floor. Probably just back contact rather than head but hugely dangerous.

Absolute filth, real scumbag stuff

Totally ignored by the studio at half time

Quelle surprise.

[Torquemada 1420]

FFS, get Graou away from 9.

[Torquemada 1420]

That is another of those stupid laws in rugby.