That’s what I get for venturing a rugby opinion on a rugby Notablog: roped into writing about some rugby stuff rather than wittering nonsense. Well, it may still be nonsense, but there we go. Teams haven’t been announced as of this writing, but without further ado some ‘ predictions’:
Leinster vs Saracens
What I said previously: “I can see Sarries giving the Blue Evil a run for their money at the weekend, possibly even sneaking it”.
I’ll stand by this. It’s suitably vague for me to claim a win whichever way it goes. And whichever way it goes, evil wins. Salary cap busters and relegation fodder Sarries, with their strong squad – albeit minus a finally-sanctioned Faz – vs the giant-squad-sized Pro-14 champs-for-life Blue Meanies. Who would bet against Leinster at home? However home advantage may not count for much in a crowdless stadium, and impending relegation doesn’t seem to have dented the Londoners’ squad or resolve significantly so far.
Ones to watch
Leinster: Sexton was relegated to the bench for last week’s ProWoo final in favour of Byrne which seemed to do Leinster no harm whatsoever.
Saracens: Fez is serving his ban but watch him anyway. Very carefully.
ASM Clermont Auvergne vs. Racing 92
What I said previously: “No idea about Racing vs Clermont”.
Still no clue really: not been following the Top 14 at all of late. Finn plays for Racing, though, and he keeps doing funky stuff which hits YouTube highlights when not taking a strop with Scotland management. They’re probably pretty good overall, as *taps in search quickly* they are top of the T14 at the moment! Okay, only two games into the season, but still top – and won both of them.
ASM are third, having won one less game, but are at home (got beaten by Bayonne last time out, however), and they don’t lose at home that often. And they play in yellow. Are crowds allowed in for this one? I don’t even know that.
Ones to watch
Racing 92: Finn! Watch him dance; see him spin!
ASM: err *hastily types in search* Oooh, Damian Penaud! He’s pretty handy.
Toulouse vs. Ulster
What I said previously: “Step too far for Ulster, vs Toulouse”.
Facing Toulouse at their home ground is a hell of a challenge, and while Ulster have made big strides in recent years under Dan McFarland, this may be one a bit too large. Still, should be able to make a fight of it, coming from behind to squeak past Wmbra in the ProWoo QF (boo!) before being pipped by Leinster in the final.
Toulouse are one of the big names in Europe with actual cup wins and stuff, and a squad stuffed with talent, both home-grown (current France half-backs) and foreign (including Cheslin Kolbe). There have been no cup wins since 2010 and I’m sure they’ll be wanting their name on the cup once again.
Ones to watch
Ulster: Marcell Coetzee. Not flashy but very solid.
Toulouse: Romain Ntamack. The silky hair and dreamy eyes.
Exeter Chiefs vs. Northampton Saints
What I said previously: “Exeter will biff Northampton”.
Probably true. The cultural appropriators have been winning a lot even when putting out B teams (yes, I know they got done by Sarries last weekend), whereas Northampton’s form has gone off a cliff a bit. Exeter are a well-known quantity now, but teams still don’t know how to stop them when they get into the oppo 22. They combine a beastly pack with some incisive backs and are a contender for the whole log this year, one suspects. Northampton were riding high in 2019 and early 2020 but their freewheeling style seems to have hit a bumpy patch, and they lost to basement-dwellers Tiggers last outing. Can only see one winner here.
Ones to watch
Exeter: There’s no I in team.
Northampton: The ref needs to heed Big Dan Biggar’s advice.
As predicted by Chimpie
On the telly
Friday 18th September
| Bristol v Dragons | 19:45 | BT Sport 2 |
Saturday 19th September
| Reds v Brumbies | 09:45 | Sky Sports Arena |
| Bordeaux v Edinburgh | 12:30 | BT Sport 3 |
| Leinster v Saracens | 15:00 | BT Sport 3 |
| Clermont v Racing 92 | 17:45 | BT Sport 3 |
| Toulon v Scarlets | 20:15 | S4C / BT Sport 3 |
Sunday 20th September
| Toulouse v Ulster | 12:30 | Channel 4 / BT Sport 3 |
| Leicester v Castres | 15:00 | BT Sport 3 |
| Exeter v Northampton | 17:30 | BT Sport 3 |
Monday 21st September
| Sale v Harlequins | 19:45 | BT Sport 1 |
Ovally Balls 
Sage words, Chimpie! Should be some great contests.
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1 thought on “NOT-HEINIE QUARTER-FINALS PREVIEW”
A very generous headline too!
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And instantly inaccurate. Keep up Ed.
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Hoggy fit (like).
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/54204445
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Hmm. May become a ‘former’ Edinburgh* player after this…
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-54208314
*Academy, not first team.
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“Way to go” Llama!
In all the rugby I have watched in the last two seasons, Toulouse have been the most exciting/startling to watch.
A player to watch in Exeter team? Try Jo Simmonds at 10 (that’s cursed him, no doubt!)
Any idea who the refs are?
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I saw that, BB. I’d hope that as an academy player he gets a right good bollocking, but also that he isn’t kicked out of his job, there will be a lot of cases like this in the coming months and to set a precedent of sacking a teenager for being a heidrabaw could lead to standards we can’t possibly live up to, not to mention the others who will do this with impunity who aren’t rugby players
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I have divided opinions on the game tonight, I like the way Brizzle play, but Dragons will be plucky undergods
I just hope it’s a good match.
I have a bottle of Argentinian Cab Sav from Aldi here as a viewing companion and it’s pretty tasty I have to say
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BTW, the bad news is that Duhan the Destroyer is out of tomorrow’s game at Bordeaux.
Pisser.
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Gwan the Drags, lovely kick from SD
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Lovely cross-field kick for the Dragons try there.
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Should add that I was favouring Bristol, because a) Refit and b) orange is a horrible colour.
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Bristol make hard work of it, but get a try.
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I had a vaguely soft spot for orange, Thaum, because a relative by marriage played for Dundee Utd back in the day
Golden rum and orange is quite good, too
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And another!
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That was too easy for Bristol
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Nasturtiums can be orange. Obviously, orange has some connotations to me that I don’t like, apart from just being a horrible colour.
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Ulsterman Piutau crucial in both those tries.
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Bloody hell, Bristol go over again!
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Oh dear.
And yeah, Thaum I was trying ignore that particular connotation- did you ever hear the story about carrots and how they used to be lots of different colours, but the Dutch prods made a point by only cultivating orange ones?
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Ticht – I have seen purple and yellow carrots. Not sure I knew it was a deliberate Orange plot!
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Bristol thoroughly enjoyed that purple (not orange) patch. Lovely flowing rugby quite unlike their first 10 minutes
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SLMC, great to see you back!
In fact it was in conversation with a greengrocer here in Brighton that I heard the story after admiring his purple carrots, to coin a Karl.
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I’m not sure it’s over yet! Could be the BPT right here.
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OMG. Govt getting really desperate now, calling in management consultants to address the back-office logistics farce called test and trace.
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SLMC – I wish you were having a laugh. Fucking management consultants, really?
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Yes. Apparently hundreds of the buggers from all the usual suspects
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I mean seriously, the people who know how to do track and trace are local councils, who just need the bloody funds to do it. What do management consultants know about it?
*fuming*
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https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/18/troubled-covid-test-and-trace-programme-drafts-in-management-consultants
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They’ve had the management consultants in for a while:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/23/hospitals-sound-alarm-over-privately-run-test-centre-in-surrey
https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/dark-money-investigations/revealed-sloppy-whitehall-departments-spent-56m-on-covid19-consultants/
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*whimpers*
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Am not watching the match but it seems a little strange that Radrada can play in the same tournament for 2 different teams. This tournament is different but I’d’ve thought the cup-tied rule’d be a good one to follow.
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Dido Harding must be extremely good at networking/socialising. She seems absolutely fucking useless at any job she’s paid to do.
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That was a pretty good score
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Dontcha know? Dido is Matt’s buddy from Newmarket, as in his racing constituency.
Enquiries about competence are so common, darling.
And Brizzle get the BP try as I type.
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Bristol resume second half with a 60+ yard break by Ranradra
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Tbh, Tom, I think a moratorium on transfers until we got all the competitions done would have been the right thing to do
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Great score by the gobby 9! Drags still 14 points down though.
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Bristol’s gobby git then knocks on in a great attacking position. Get the penalty from the scrum though. Posts – and over! 34-17
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Bristol playing some swaggering stuff! But a lot of loose stuff from both sides too.
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Fuckit Drags! Two more phases and it was under the posts!
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I would not have predicted this score. I blame Pat Lam.
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Bristol in for umpteenth try. They’ve really been quite magnificent tonight.
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That’s the half ton
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And another, from their own 22 after the restart.
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Another purple patch by Bristol straight from the restart with full length of pitch try.
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Yep. That,‘S three in 5 mins again
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And yet another!
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Time to draw a veil over this, it’s a beating
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Blimey. 56-17 at FT.
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