NPR

Leinster - locked into first position, and have the second/third team in SA. Next up are the Bulls in Loftus, and defending an unbeaten record this season. Big incentive, but they barely got past the Lions and Bulls should be tougher again.

Ulster - Munster did them a massive favour, allowing them overtake Stormers and they'll be desperate to hold on to second spot and therefore a home quarter and semi. Play Embra at home and should easily get the points they need - with a win of any sort guaranteeing second place

Stormers - will be raging with themselves after last weeks game and Benetton will feel their wrath I'm sure, in what should be a fairly facile win to lock up third.

Glasgow - last game of the weekend. Can't be caught in 4th and have almost no chance of getting third place. Face Connacht at home, and I suspect will rest up some players to be ready for their Challenge Cup semi the following week.

Munster - great result last week will give them confidence this week versus Sharks. Their job is about holding onto 5th place to ensure a far preferable draw away to Glasgow rather than the Stormers. Need two points to be comfortable of that, so they'll have to dig deep again, or they'll face a nervous few hours watching the last match of the weekend (see above).

Connacht - have made a great run from the lower reaches of the table to be in 6th place. Currently 1 point ahead of 7th placed Bulls and 2 ahead of Sharks. They have the luxury of knowing exactly what is needed going into their game, and will probably benefit from Glasgow not needing anything and having their focus elsewhere. Could sneak into 5th and I think they'll get past Glasgow, but maybe without a BP depending on how strong a lineup the Weegies put out.

Bulls - Guaranteed an away QF, but have the chance to decide whether that is a trip to Ireland or something more manageable. To achieve the latter they'll need to beat Leinster and set a target for Connacht. Whatever happens they have to also set a target for the 8th placed Sharks or the outcome could be a QF in Dublin. They managed a surprise win last year, but Leinster are unlikely to be ambushed again.

Sharks - 8th placed at the moment, which is in the play-offs but misses out on Europe as things stand. Their local rivals will have played earlier (Connacht kicking off later), so they'll know what they have to do. Munster will be doubly up for this, having been hammered just a few weeks ago by the same opponents in the European quarter finals.

Benetton - have a theoretical chance of overtaking Sharks, but it is mathematical at best, and the Stormers won't be in a mood to grant any chance of that. Likely to finish on 8/18 but may well slip as low as 11th or 12th from their current 9th spot.

OomStruisbaai wrote: Sun Apr 23, 2023 4:35 am Who cares about Jordy and Matt in Australia?

The league ended with 4 Irish, 3 SA and 1 Scot side in the quarters.

What would the URC be without the SA teams?

OomStruisbaai wrote: Sun Apr 23, 2023 8:55 am Bulls are in great form. They'll be the favorites.

Sards wrote: Sun Apr 23, 2023 2:06 pm How do the Leinster supporters feel about having to play against an 8th ranked side after finishing the season top of the log and almost unbeaten. Surely it would be a slap in the face if they had to lose another match and be out of the tournament.

Sards wrote: Sun Apr 23, 2023 2:06 pm How do the Leinster supporters feel about having to play against an 8th ranked side after finishing the season top of the log and almost unbeaten. Surely it would be a slap in the face if they had to lose another match and be out of the tournament.

OomStruisbaai wrote: Sun Apr 23, 2023 4:10 pm

Sards wrote: Sun Apr 23, 2023 2:06 pm How do the Leinster supporters feel about having to play against an 8th ranked side after finishing the season top of the log and almost unbeaten. Surely it would be a slap in the face if they had to lose another match and be out of the tournament.

They'll rape the $hark$ . Kliphard.

TheNatalShark wrote: Sun Apr 23, 2023 4:20 pm

OomStruisbaai wrote: Sun Apr 23, 2023 4:10 pm

Sards wrote: Sun Apr 23, 2023 2:06 pm How do the Leinster supporters feel about having to play against an 8th ranked side after finishing the season top of the log and almost unbeaten. Surely it would be a slap in the face if they had to lose another match and be out of the tournament.

They'll rape the $hark$ . Kliphard.

Pretty sure that now sits in the same bucket as cancer jokes in terms of reception

OomStruisbaai wrote: Sun Apr 23, 2023 4:10 pm They'll rape the $hark$ . Kliphard.

assfly wrote: Mon Apr 24, 2023 6:25 am

OomStruisbaai wrote: Sun Apr 23, 2023 4:10 pm They'll rape the $hark$ . Kliphard.

Not cool, Oom.

LoveOfTheGame wrote: Mon Apr 24, 2023 6:49 am Sharks are going to get a proper beating though, not going to be pretty.

CM11 wrote: Sun Apr 23, 2023 4:17 pm

Sards wrote: Sun Apr 23, 2023 2:06 pm How do the Leinster supporters feel about having to play against an 8th ranked side after finishing the season top of the log and almost unbeaten. Surely it would be a slap in the face if they had to lose another match and be out of the tournament.

Given we're at home, I'd say we'll win the game but there's an argument for the top two teams making the semis immediately, with the next 4 battling it out for the final two spots.

Leinster have a potential run of Toulouse, Sharks, Glasgow/Munster, La Rochelle/Exeter and, probably, either Ulster or Stormers.

We'll do well to win all 5 and would have loved a rest weekend in two weeks.

CM11 wrote: Mon Apr 24, 2023 8:52 am Neither side were close to full strength. You gave us a good run out but we stlll won by 20.

Sards wrote: Mon Apr 24, 2023 8:58 am

CM11 wrote: Mon Apr 24, 2023 8:52 am Neither side were close to full strength. You gave us a good run out but we stlll won by 20.

Nah....its in the bag for you....no chance of the Sharks upsetting the apple cart......You could even play your B team.

Sards wrote: Mon Apr 24, 2023 8:56 am So looking forward to the Stormers vs Bulls game.........


Smart money is on the Stormers.....but they really haven't clicked end of season and there are confidence issues.


You have to wonder if Jake will eventually get it right. Marcel will be back....thats huge....huger than Fourie making the game for the Stormers.......

Pressure is going to be on...I reckon its poephol quiver for the Stormers and all out for the Bulls.....

I am going Stormers by 12

GrahamWa wrote: Mon Apr 24, 2023 8:49 pm Hopefully Sharks fare better than Glasgow did last season when they finished 8th and had to go to Dublin for a play off.

https://www.unitedrugby.com/match-centre/2021-22/19

Lets never speak about it again

GrahamWa wrote: Mon Apr 24, 2023 8:49 pm Hopefully Sharks fare better than Glasgow did last season when they finished 8th and had to go to Dublin for a play off.

https://www.unitedrugby.com/match-centre/2021-22/19

Lets never speak about it again

assfly wrote: Tue Apr 25, 2023 8:05 am

GrahamWa wrote: Mon Apr 24, 2023 8:49 pm Hopefully Sharks fare better than Glasgow did last season when they finished 8th and had to go to Dublin for a play off.

https://www.unitedrugby.com/match-centre/2021-22/19

Lets never speak about it again

Ugh

Sards wrote: Tue Apr 25, 2023 9:52 am

assfly wrote: Tue Apr 25, 2023 8:05 am

GrahamWa wrote: Mon Apr 24, 2023 8:49 pm Hopefully Sharks fare better than Glasgow did last season when they finished 8th and had to go to Dublin for a play off.

https://www.unitedrugby.com/match-centre/2021-22/19

Lets never speak about it again

Ugh

Is 3th a thing.......according to that the Stormers ended 3th

OomStruisbaai wrote: Sat May 20, 2023 5:21 am

Sards wrote: Tue Apr 25, 2023 9:52 am

assfly wrote: Tue Apr 25, 2023 8:05 am

Ugh

Is 3th a thing.......according to that the Stormers ended 3th

It is. Hosting the final.

OomStruisbaai wrote: Wed May 31, 2023 12:07 pm This weekend is going to be long. Use to watch WP & Stormers on weekends while Sards mow da lawn.