European Rugby Champions/Challenge Cup

[Punter15]

Glad Sarries are out having qualified by cheating. Need Chiefs to win so they’ll take it easy against Wasps.

[RodneyRegis]

Exeter really are anti-rugby.

[Ali Cadoo]

What’s the point in being as big and ugly as the French pack if you can’t defend your own line like that?

Yes, it’s lovely to see all the swashbuckling out wide but I’d take Exeter’s pragmatic efficiency any day of the week.

[Ali Cadoo]

I was right - it IS lovely to see all that swashbuckling out wide!

[Punter15]

Youget really is an arsehole

[Un Pilier]

Congrats Exeter and commiserations to Toulouse, who are certainly ready to grace European finals again.

Just need Tigers to give Toulon a damn good thrashing now No, really

[JM2K6]

Toulouse looked like the best side in the tournament for the first 25. Exeter did a great job of hanging on and then managed to get on top of them. Cracking match to watch.

[Un Pilier]

Glad Sarries are out having qualified by cheating. Need Chiefs to win so they’ll take it easy against Wasps.

Don’t think they broke any ERC rules. We may never see them again given uncertainties about the Championship.

It’s time we moved on imho. Hope Wasps survive - it won’t be easy given their business model.

[Slick]

Just finished the Racing game. Didn’t think I’d be quite so happy to see Saracens lose, but there you are.

Tough game to watch. Racing made so many mistakes. Nigel gave a couple of poor calls against Racing then seemed to try and level it up.

Nice to see Finn with a touch of magic

[Un Pilier]

Toulouse looked like the best side in the tournament for the first 25. Exeter did a great job of hanging on and then managed to get on top of them. Cracking match to watch.

Yes, I enjoyed it - Toulouse looked irresistible out of the blocks. Rob Baxter looked calm enough. I’m starting to think he knows more about Rugby than me

I have always liked Toulouse as a city and a club having spent a fair bit of time there in the early 90’s. A couple of local guys I met were well involved in Rugby so I went to a few matches at various levels. Good times.

[fishfoodie]

Just finished the Racing game. Didn’t think I’d be quite so happy to see Saracens lose, but there you are.

Tough game to watch. Racing made so many mistakes. Nigel gave a couple of poor calls against Racing then seemed to try and level it up.

Nice to see Finn with a touch of magic

Considering how many times, his pea heart caused problems for his team; it was the least he could do !

I don't think I've see a top level OH ship on so many hospital passes, rather than risk contact himself.

[Slick]

Just finished the Racing game. Didn’t think I’d be quite so happy to see Saracens lose, but there you are.

Tough game to watch. Racing made so many mistakes. Nigel gave a couple of poor calls against Racing then seemed to try and level it up.

Nice to see Finn with a touch of magic

Considering how many times, his pea heart caused problems for his team; it was the least he could do !

I don't think I've see a top level OH ship on so many hospital passes, rather than risk contact himself.

That’s a very odd take on his game today. He put in some cracking tackles and took plenty of contact on the gain line.

[JM2K6]

Just finished the Racing game. Didn’t think I’d be quite so happy to see Saracens lose, but there you are.

Tough game to watch. Racing made so many mistakes. Nigel gave a couple of poor calls against Racing then seemed to try and level it up.

Nice to see Finn with a touch of magic

Considering how many times, his pea heart caused problems for his team; it was the least he could do !

I don't think I've see a top level OH ship on so many hospital passes, rather than risk contact himself.

That’s a very odd take on his game today. He put in some cracking tackles and took plenty of contact on the gain line.

Thing is he really did throw a few too many hospital passes. Gorgeous looking hospital passes that spoke highly of his passing ability, but hospital passes nonetheless. Not helped by Zebo wanting the ball all the time despite being able to do fuck all with it most of the time except get turned over.

Was a scrappy, low quality game for the most part, though Saracens' defence was high quality. You'd have to say if they'd started anything other than an empty shirt at openside they might have won it.

[fishfoodie]

Considering how many times, his pea heart caused problems for his team; it was the least he could do !

I don't think I've see a top level OH ship on so many hospital passes, rather than risk contact himself.

That’s a very odd take on his game today. He put in some cracking tackles and took plenty of contact on the gain line.

Thing is he really did throw a few too many hospital passes. Gorgeous looking hospital passes that spoke highly of his passing ability, but hospital passes nonetheless. Not helped by Zebo wanting the ball all the time despite being able to do fuck all with it most of the time except get turned over.

Was a scrappy, low quality game for the most part, though Saracens' defence was high quality. You'd have to say if they'd started anything other than an empty shirt at openside they might have won it.

and why was Zebo turned over ?
...
because he got the pass while standing still, hence the trip to the hospital.

You can almost see the thought bubbles with Russell; as he tries to decide what option to use; meanwhile the player outside is begging for the pass; & then when Russell gives it; too often it's a second too late, so the receiver is in front, or has had to stall their run while Finn makes a fucking decision.

Russell may be technically top tier, & his delivery can be excellent; but he needs to fucking communicate, or at least be on the same frequency as the rest of his team, or he isn't worth the candle

[Slick]

That’s a very odd take on his game today. He put in some cracking tackles and took plenty of contact on the gain line.

Thing is he really did throw a few too many hospital passes. Gorgeous looking hospital passes that spoke highly of his passing ability, but hospital passes nonetheless. Not helped by Zebo wanting the ball all the time despite being able to do fuck all with it most of the time except get turned over.

Was a scrappy, low quality game for the most part, though Saracens' defence was high quality. You'd have to say if they'd started anything other than an empty shirt at openside they might have won it.

and why was Zebo turned over ?
...
because he got the pass while standing still, hence the trip to the hospital.

You can almost see the thought bubbles with Russell; as he tries to decide what option to use; meanwhile the player outside is begging for the pass; & then when Russell gives it; too often it's a second too late, so the receiver is in front, or has had to stall their run while Finn makes a fucking decision.

Russell may be technically top tier, & his delivery can be excellent; but he needs to fucking communicate, or at least be on the same frequency as the rest of his team, or he isn't worth the candle

You’ve always had to take the rough with the smooth with Finn and the fact he plays so close to the gain line means that it sometimes doesn’t work. When he’s playing badly it’s a liability but when he is playing well, like at the moment, you accept it because he is also going to win you the game.

[JM2K6]

Hey no Zebo also got himself turned over by dithering and being indecisive and slow. It's a separate criticism.

[Slick]

Hey no Zebo also got himself turned over by dithering and being indecisive and slow. It's a separate criticism.

OK.

The original criticism from fishfoodie was his apparent peaheartedness, which is demonstrably untrue.

[ASMO]

Smart money has to be on Exeter to win it, its almost a home game for them and they i think are considerably stronger up front than Racing.

[JM2K6]

Hey no Zebo also got himself turned over by dithering and being indecisive and slow. It's a separate criticism.

OK.

The original criticism from fishfoodie was his apparent peaheartedness, which is demonstrably untrue.

Agreed. To be clear the post you quoted was disagreeing with foodie putting all the blame for Zebo's casual half-hearted approach on Russell, which I didn't think was true the majority of the time.

[Un Pilier]

Smart money has to be on Exeter to win it, its almost a home game for them and they i think are considerably stronger up front than Racing.

Racing have a powerful scrum but I think Exeter’s pack is more mobile and will move R92 around too much with their possession game. Chiefs can do this and I really hope they do. Home advantage is a wierd one in these sad times. I can’t see it works as normal with big, noisy, partisan crowds.

[eldanielfire]

Well done to Racing and Exeter. I genuinely hope Exeter can win the final.

[Ovals]

Well done to Racing and Exeter. I genuinely hope Exeter can win the final.

Yep - would be a fantastic achievement.

Glad that it's not two team from the same country contesting the final. And, out of our two likely contestants, I much prefer Exeter to Sarries - so I'm looking forward to this final - not sure it'll be a very free flowing game - but it'll be intense and both sides will really feel that they can win it.

[ASMO]

Exeter will play attritional rugby, wear Racing down then apply the coup de gras. Racing i think will be pressured into trying risky rugby in an effort to break the strangloehold so i expect a tried from mistakes in that area against them.It will absoutely not be a game for anyone expecting to see free flowing rugby and will likely be a very dour affair