Not Heineken Cup 23/24

[Torquemada 1420]

Fans of many clubs who want to see their sides play against the best team in the group - or god forbid, an away knockout game - when that team happens to be in Durban or whatever - are getting fucked.

A perfectly valid point but, as per my previous post and in accord with Porndog, the addition of the SA sides is merely toothache in a stage 4 cancer patient.

[CM11]

I am on the fence a bit on this. For me, the real damage has been in the format change. The genius of the comp was the inter-national rivalry. You only played teams from other countries in your group and so all the Eng fans could support all the Eng clubs against the Fre etc. Who TF wants to see Brive v Narbonne or Tigers v Barf one week after having played the same team in your own league? I got to go to places I would never have gone from Ebbw Vale to Pests and met fans I would never have encountered.

Well, the messed up new format at least has that. 6 teams per group and you play home or away against the teams not in your league.

[OomStruisbaai]

I am on the fence a bit on this. For me, the real damage has been in the format change. The genius of the comp was the inter-national rivalry. You only played teams from other countries in your group and so all the Eng fans could support all the Eng clubs against the Fre etc. Who TF wants to see Brive v Narbonne or Tigers v Barf one week after having played the same team in your own league? I got to go to places I would never have gone from Ebbw Vale to Pests and met fans I would never have encountered.

Well, the messed up new format at least has that. 6 teams per group and you play home or away against the teams not in your league.

Finally some positivity.

[average joe]

Thing about history and tradition is it's all in the past. It's built on rivalries formed by years of competing against each other. The world does not end with my generation, and it does not always stay the same, it goes on and new histories and traditions will be built. Yesterday's tomorrow will be tomorrows yesterday. You can embrace it or be left behind.

[Jim Lahey]

Thing about history and tradition is it's all in the past. It's built on rivalries formed by years of competing against each other. The world does not end with my generation, and it does not always stay the same, it goes on and new histories and traditions will be built. Yesterday's tomorrow will be tomorrows yesterday. You can embrace it or be left behind.

The only real rivalry worth talking about atm is Leinster and La Rochelle. Maybe at a stretch the CFs and Toulouse. And Sarries v Everyone, naturally.

[SaintK]

Dates and KO times for the first 4 rounds
https://epcrugby.com/champions-cup/mat ... 75ZVU,1

[Jim Lahey]

Generous draw for Ulster

Bath and Quims away, Racing and Toulouse at home.
2 wins from 4 should be enough to get to the KO round in an away fixture against a top seeded side, and get subsequently caned?

[Jim Lahey]

OK draw for Munster, should manage 3/4.
Rough for Leinster and Connacht.

[Dinsdale Piranha]

Dates and KO times for the first 4 rounds
https://epcrugby.com/champions-cup/mat ... 75ZVU,1

Round 1. Racing v Quins. 18:30. Sunday 10 December in Paris.

Fuck that for a game of soldiers.

[Sandstorm]

Not a bad start for Stormers; travel to Europe just once in Dec, then once in Jan.

Sat 2 Dec at home vs Zebra in URC

Sun 10 Dec at Leicester in NHC
Sat 16 Dec @ home vs Stade Rochelais in NHC

Sat 23 Dec @ home vs Bulls in URC
Sat 30 Dec @ home vs Sharks in URC

Sat 13 Jan @ home vs Sale Sharks in NHC
Sat 20 Jan in Paris vs Stade Francais in NHC


Sat 16 Dec after 6 days might be tough, but I suspect we'll two-squad the Leicester game the week before.

[Sandstorm]

After looking at the people running the NHC, I can see myself getting behind this competition....

[Torquemada 1420]

After looking at the people running the NHC, I can see myself getting behind this competition....

Lola looks like the bastard child of Frida Kahlo.

[Uncle fester]

URC published their fixtures, which are all up on the app and there's a calendar you can import into your own.

Euro rugby meanwhile "still working on the app"

[JM2K6]

Dates and KO times for the first 4 rounds
https://epcrugby.com/champions-cup/mat ... 75ZVU,1

Round 1. Racing v Quins. 18:30. Sunday 10 December in Paris.

Fuck that for a game of soldiers.

Would've been a winnable game at home and it would've been nice to be visiting Toulouse instead. Fuck sake.

[Sandstorm]

Laughably bad from Leinsters point of view and still makes fuck all sense. Slow hand clap for the EPRC and its French overlords

Leinster losing and you losing your shit again is right up there in my wishes for 23/24 with my team winning each week.

[OomStruisbaai]

Champions Cup fixtures:

Stormers
R1 – Sunday, 10 December, vs Leicester Tigers, 3:15pm, Leicester
R2 – Saturday, 16 December vs La Rochelle, 3pm, Cape Town
R3 – Saturday, 13 January, 2024, vs Sale Sharks, 7:30pm, Cape Town
R4 – Saturday, 20 January, vs Stade Francais, 6:30pm, Paris

Bulls
R1 – Saturday, 9 December, vs Saracens, 7:30pm, Pretoria
R2 – Saturday, 16 December, vs Lyon, 6:30pm, Lyon
R3 – Saturday, 13 January, vs Bristol Bears, 3:15pm, Bristol
R4 – Saturday, 20 January, vs Bordeaux-Bègles, 3pm, Pretoria

Challenge Cup fixtures:

Sharks
R1 – Saturday, 9 December, vs Pau, 5:15pm, Durban
R2 – Sunday, 17 December, vs Cheetahs, 3pm, Bloemfontein
R3 – Saturday, 13 January, vs Oyonnax, 3pm, Durban
R4 – Sunday, 21 January, vs Dragons, 5:30pm, Newport

Cheetahs
R1 – Saturday, 9 December, vs Zebre, 2pm, Parma
R2 – Sunday, 17 December, vs Sharks, 3pm, Bloemfontein
R3 – Sunday, 14 January, vs Pau, 2pm, Amsterdam
R4 – Saturday, 20 January, vs Oyonnax, 4:15pm, Oyonnax

Lions
R1 – Sunday, 10 December, vs Perpignan, 2pm, Perpignan
R2 – Saturday, 16 December, vs Newcastle Falcons, 5:15pm, Johannesburg
R3 – Saturday, 13 January, vs Montepellier, 9pm, Montpellier
R4 – Sunday, 21 January, vs Ospreys, 3pm, Johannesburg

[OomStruisbaai]

Some Stormers opposition players have home games away from home.

[LoveOfTheGame]

Some Stormers opposition players have home games away from home.

Wat.

[OomStruisbaai]

Some Stormers opposition players have home games away from home.

Wat.

Wat? Kat se vokken blad.

There are some Saffers in La Rochelle and Sale Sharks teams
.

[JM2K6]

Laughably bad from Leinsters point of view and still makes fuck all sense. Slow hand clap for the EPRC and its French overlords

Leinster losing and you losing your shit again is right up there in my wishes for 23/24 with my team winning each week.

His 2-week long disintegration starting from practically the final whistle was a board highlight tbh

[Uncle fester]

Laughably bad from Leinsters point of view and still makes fuck all sense. Slow hand clap for the EPRC and its French overlords

Leinster losing and you losing your shit again is right up there in my wishes for 23/24 with my team winning each week.

His 2-week long disintegration starting from practically the final whistle was a board highlight tbh

He was in hospital you insensitive pricks.

[Sandstorm]

He was in hospital you insensitive pricks.

I agree that mental health issues are no laughing matter.

[Uncle fester]

He was in hospital you insensitive pricks.

I agree that mental health issues are no laughing matter.

Surgery on your wanger is no laughing matter.

[Jim Lahey]

He was in hospital you insensitive pricks.

I agree that mental health issues are no laughing matter.

Surgery on your wanger is no laughing matter.

Reduction or expansion?

[PornDog]

Anybody fancy heading over to Riyadh, or Qatar for the final?

https://www.cityam.com/exclusive-middle ... cup-final/

I mean why the fuck not? They've destroyed everything else good about this competition, they may as well get a few shillings for its corpse!

[Biffer]

Anybody fancy heading over to Riyadh, or Qatar for the final?

https://www.cityam.com/exclusive-middle ... cup-final/

I mean why the fuck not? They've destroyed everything else good about this competition, they may as well get a few shillings for its corpse!

Why not,” EPCR chief executive Jacques Reynard said when asked whether the sport would take finals to the United States or the Middle East.

Let's make a list, shall we?

I could see the attraction of other European cities in a grow the audience kind of thing - Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, etc.

But first of all, how about holding one in Italy ffs?

[Slick]

but it has to be fan led

[OomStruisbaai]

[Torquemada 1420]

Anybody fancy heading over to Riyadh, or Qatar for the final?

https://www.cityam.com/exclusive-middle ... cup-final/

I mean why the fuck not? They've destroyed everything else good about this competition, they may as well get a few shillings for its corpse!

And maybe a few beheadings too as prematch entertainment.

[Sandstorm]

Anybody fancy heading over to Riyadh, or Qatar for the final?

https://www.cityam.com/exclusive-middle ... cup-final/

I mean why the fuck not? They've destroyed everything else good about this competition, they may as well get a few shillings for its corpse!

And maybe a few beheadings too as prematch entertainment.

Good news if they pick Middle East for the Final - all the Saffer Teams fly Qatar thru Doha anyway......

[Torquemada 1420]

Anybody fancy heading over to Riyadh, or Qatar for the final?

https://www.cityam.com/exclusive-middle ... cup-final/

I mean why the fuck not? They've destroyed everything else good about this competition, they may as well get a few shillings for its corpse!

And maybe a few beheadings too as prematch entertainment.

Good news if they pick Middle East for the Final - all the Saffer Teams fly Qatar thru Doha anyway......

As spectators?

[Biffer]

And maybe a few beheadings too as prematch entertainment.

Good news if they pick Middle East for the Final - all the Saffer Teams fly Qatar thru Doha anyway......

As spectators?

Watching Leinster v La Rochelle would be a good piece of education for them about modern rugby. Might improve their play.

[OomStruisbaai]

Good news if they pick Middle East for the Final - all the Saffer Teams fly Qatar thru Doha anyway......

As spectators?

Watching Leinster v La Rochelle would be a good piece of education for them about modern rugby. Might improve their play.

Scots watching this for ages.

[Biffer]

As spectators?

Watching Leinster v La Rochelle would be a good piece of education for them about modern rugby. Might improve their play.

Scots watching this for ages.

And we’re humble enough to admit it.

[OomStruisbaai]

Not a bad start for Stormers; travel to Europe just once in Dec, then once in Jan.

Sat 2 Dec at home vs Zebra in URC

Sun 10 Dec at Leicester in NHC
Sat 16 Dec @ home vs Stade Rochelais in NHC

Sat 23 Dec @ home vs Bulls in URC
Sat 30 Dec @ home vs Sharks in URC

Sat 13 Jan @ home vs Sale Sharks in NHC
Sat 20 Jan in Paris vs Stade Francais in NHC


Sat 16 Dec after 6 days might be tough, but I suspect we'll two-squad the Leicester game the week before.

We are there.

[OomStruisbaai]

Stormers not in great shape and only one match to regroup with their Springboks before taking on Pollard & Wiese at home. Its going to be a tough match against Leicester Tigers.

Luckily we have Leinster in our pool and together we need to try and knock the others over.

[assfly]

Challenge Cup is where it's at.

That's the trophy kids dream about.

[OomStruisbaai]

Challenge Cup is where it's at.

That's the trophy kids dream about.

Yes its a bit like the conference shield in URC.

[assfly]

Challenge Cup is where it's at.

That's the trophy kids dream about.

Yes its a bit like the conference shield in URC.

Ah man, imagine having those two trophies in the cabinet. The pinnacle. There is nothing left to achieve.

[OomStruisbaai]

Challenge Cup is where it's at.

That's the trophy kids dream about.

Yes its a bit like the conference shield in URC.

Ah man, imagine having those two trophies in the cabinet. The pinnacle. There is nothing left to achieve.

I'd love to see ANY Saffer team winning the European leagues.

Man that will be great.