2024/2025 Not Heineken Cup

[Kawazaki]

"Every time Freddie Steward's had the ball in his hands he's looked dangerous"

In favour of which team?

[Torquemada 1420]

"Every time Freddie Steward's had the ball in his hands he's looked dangerous"

In favour of which team?

[Tichtheid]

Just the 70 up then

[Torquemada 1420]

[Torquemada 1420]

Graou

[Tichtheid]

There aren't many games where you see the teams score twelve tries between them

[Punter15]

The problem with Steward isn't that he lacks pace

If you really think about it, it is a fairly big issue for a test fullback.

Daly’s inability/unwillingness to tackle is an even bigger one.

[Tichtheid]

13

[Kawazaki]

The problem with Steward isn't that he lacks pace

If you really think about it, it is a fairly big issue for a test fullback.

Daly’s inability/unwillingness to tackle is an even bigger one.

He's willing, just not very good.

[Torquemada 1420]

Steward

[Punter15]

13

Keep up

[Torquemada 1420]

EIGHTY

[Punter15]

If you really think about it, it is a fairly big issue for a test fullback.

Daly’s inability/unwillingness to tackle is an even bigger one.

He's willing, just not very good.

So not really suitable for an international 15

[sockwithaticket]

Tie between Toulouse and Clock RFC in the end.

Not sure what can be done about them when they're playing like this. That said Leicester still ought to be disappointed by the margin of defeat..

[C69]

80 points...wow

[Tichtheid]

Torque, who are going to be France's centres?

[Torquemada 1420]

Not sure what can be done about them when they're playing like this.

Seriously? Nothing. Ask UBB after their humiliation in the Brennus final last season.

[Kawazaki]

Daly’s inability/unwillingness to tackle is an even bigger one.

He's willing, just not very good.

So not really suitable for an international 15

Personally, I'd have picked Carpenter with Furbank out but Daly is still good enough when he's on it. Steward shouldn't be anywhere near a test rugby shirt though, let alone one that requires any semblance of SAQ skills.

[Biffer]

Martin Bayfield desperately cutting off the criticism of Leicester there

[Tichtheid]

Dupont, Ntamack, Bielle-Biarrey, Moefana, Fickou(?), Penaud, Ramos

Fucksakes

[Torquemada 1420]

Torque, who are going to be France's centres?

Ask Galthie. He's a creature of habit and so no way he's dropping Moefana.

Costes is out of favour at ST. Danty and Fickou are injured: although for me, their races are run. Frisch is an odd call up because he's done nothing this season so the other slot will be between one of the kids: Gailleton or Depoortere.

[Torquemada 1420]

Lets all laugh at Sarries

[Torquemada 1420]

Dupont, Ntamack, Bielle-Biarrey, Moefana, Fickou(?), Penaud, Ramos

Fucksakes

Fickou is out.

[SaintK]

Castres first win away in 12 years and 21 matches
And they get home match in the next round
Sarries very poor

[topofthemoon]

French sides will host 5 of the 8 Round of 16 ties in the Champions Cup and 5 of the 8 Round of 16 ties in the Challenge Cup.

6/8 Top 14 teams qualified out of the Champions Cup pools, 5/6 out of the Challenge Cup pools.

[Tichtheid]

Dupont, Ntamack, Bielle-Biarrey, Moefana, Fickou(?), Penaud, Ramos

Fucksakes

Fickou is out.

Ok cheers

[Torquemada 1420]

Dupont, Ntamack, Bielle-Biarrey, Moefana, Fickou(?), Penaud, Ramos

Fucksakes

Ntamack will start because he'd Dupont's club mate and because Jalibert p*ssed on his own chips in the Autumn... although he really is the form FH.

[Kawazaki]

Lets all laugh at Sarries

They weren't on it today for sure

However, Saracens qualify in 4th with more pool points and better +-PD than all the other teams who qualified in 3rd. Does that mean they jump above them in the seedings?

[JM2K6]

The problem with Steward isn't that he lacks pace

If you really think about it, it is a fairly big issue for a test fullback.

You missed the edit - it's not the problem that makes him a disaster for England. It doesn't help, but an average paced fullback can still be a huge boon for their side if they've got the defensive nous & grit, the decision making, the aerial & kicking game, and some attacking skills. Unfortunately both he and Daly have been absolute bombscares for England in the last year or so and all the guff about the law changes don't change that.

Agree about Carpenter btw. Could even put Freeman there.

[Torquemada 1420]

Castres first win away in 12 years and 21 matches
And they get home match in the next round
Sarries very poor

Like I said, more embarrassing that Leicester's hammering.

Castres should take notice though about playing some of the kids...... something which they are the worst at embracing in the T14.

[Torquemada 1420]

Lets all laugh at Sarries

They weren't on it today for sure

However, Saracens qualify in 4th with more pool points and better +-PD than all the other teams who qualified in 3rd. Does that mean they jump above them in the seedings?

Don't ask me. I have no idea how this clustef**k of a comp works.

[Jim Lahey]

The tournament format needs a serious boot up the arse. Its a joke.

I'd prefer to go back to the classic 6 groups, winner of each and 2x best runners up go through to QFs. The 5 groups of 4, with winners and 3x best runners up is also acceptable. But it seems that 6x European games is deemed excessive these days.

But whatever format they chose, a minimum of half the teams need booted out after the group stage to provide a bit of jeopardy, elsewise you see the KOs having teams that shouldn't be there like Ulster, and see teams in the final group game not giving a shit, like Leicester and the Sharks.

[Tichtheid]

Dupont, Ntamack, Bielle-Biarrey, Moefana, Fickou(?), Penaud, Ramos

Fucksakes

Ntamack will start because he'd Dupont's club mate and because Jalibert p*ssed on his own chips in the Autumn... although he really is the form FH.

It's good for France to have them both fit and playing well.

To be honest if Moefana starts at 12, Jailbert might be a good option. I don't think it matters who plays outside Dupont.

[Kawazaki]

Like I said, more embarrassing that Leicester's hammering.

That's a huge wrong. Leicester conceding 80 with a full 1st XV side full of test players is as low as it gets with the exception of doing it at home instead.

[Torquemada 1420]

Well, didn't get close to Toulouse beating Ebbw Vale 108 v 16 in the end or even Leinster murdering a disinterested, sh*thouse MH.

[Biffer]

The tournament format needs a serious boot up the arse. Its a joke.

I'd prefer to go back to the classic 6 groups, winner of each and 2x best runners up go through to QFs. The 5 groups of 4, with winners and 3x best runners up is also acceptable. But it seems that 6x European games is deemed excessive these days.

But whatever format they chose, a minimum of half the teams need booted out after the group stage to provide a bit of jeopardy, elsewise you see the KOs having teams that shouldn't be there like Ulster, and see teams in the final group game not giving a shit, like Leicester and the Sharks.

Can’t do that, the French have nicked a weekend so the euro comps only get eight weeks now, instead of the nine you need for the classic format.

[Torquemada 1420]

Dupont, Ntamack, Bielle-Biarrey, Moefana, Fickou(?), Penaud, Ramos

Fucksakes

Ntamack will start because he'd Dupont's club mate and because Jalibert p*ssed on his own chips in the Autumn... although he really is the form FH.

It's good for France to have them both fit and playing well.

To be honest if Moefana starts at 12, Jailbert might be a good option. I don't think it matters who plays outside Dupont.

That would work better the other way i.e Ntamack at 2nd 5/8th and someone else at 13. Jalibert can't defend. Ntamack can tackle when he wants...... although after his injury, he became a revolving door for a while.

[Kawazaki]

Well, didn't get close to Toulouse beating Ebbw Vale 108 v 16 in the end or even Leinster murdering a disinterested, sh*thouse MH.

Ebbw Vale is a shithole village in the Welsh valleys. It has nothing like the gravitas of Leicester which is a shithole city in the East Midlands.

[JM2K6]

Yeah that's one of the most shameful results in Leicester's history. For Saracens it's just an embarrassing upset - probably not even top 2 for their season, let alone ever.

[Torquemada 1420]

Like I said, more embarrassing that Leicester's hammering.

That's a huge wrong. Leicester conceding 80 with a full 1st XV side full of test players is as low as it gets with the exception of doing it at home instead.

I can't agree because, as has been pointed out
- near full strength Sarries
- versus 2nd string CO
- and CO has never won an away game in the Tier 1 version of the comp?