‘Tis a cruel, cruel championship that makes you play the same very, very good side two weeks in a row.
Ulster somehow managed to pull off an away win against Toulouse, but nearly threw it away at the end.
What was so scary about the champions?
- Their seven-foot (or nearly) line-out stealer
- Their incredible counter-rucking
- Their loosey-goosey attack
- Their more than solid defence
- The World Player of the Year™
We face them this weekend at Ravenhill, but they are going to be revved up, I reckon. The score was 20-26, and that’s not a comfy cushion (‘No! Not the comfy cushion!’)
Read on for the other fixtures.
Onna telly this week
Friday 15th April
| Leinster v Connacht | 17:e0 | BT Sport 1 |
| Bristol v Sale | 20:00 | BT Sport 1 |
Saturday 16th April
| Chiefs v Moana Pasifika | 05:35 | Sky Sports Main Event |
| Highlanders v Hurricanes | 08:05 | Sky Sports Arena |
| Western Force v Waratahs | 12:30 | Channel 4 / BT Sport 2 |
| La Rochelle v Bordeaux | 15:00 | BT Sport 3 |
| Munster v Exeter | 15:00 | BT Sport 2 |
| Leicester v Clermont | 17:30 | BT Sport 2 |
| Scarlets v Dragons | 19:35 | S4C / Premier Sports 1 |
| Ulster v Toulouse | 20:00 | BT Sport 2 |
Sunday 17th April
| Saracens v Cardiff | 13:00 | BT Sport 2 | ||
| Racing 92 v Stade Français | 15:30 | BT Sport 2 |
Ovally Balls 
That would have been a red in almost every other game in the last few weeks
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Hmm. Looks worse the more you slow it down, although didn’t look good in real time. Yellow is fairvenough all round.
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Stormers showing both sides of their DNA
Both helices, shurely?
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If Evan Roos isn’t in the Bok squad for the Wales series I don’t know what he has to do.
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In a twisted sort of way, Thauma.
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Lowry starting at 10.
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Ulster monstering Munster at the scrum.
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Cooney slots a pen: 3-0.
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Decent start for Embra, Kinghorn spots a huge gap, kicks through and Bennett collects to score on 45 secs
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Unbelievably, Lowry commits a high tackle, of the seatbelt variety, and Carbery duly slots it.
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my mistake, 1 min 45 secs
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Bristol have remembered how to play, 2 tries up inside 6 mins. 14-0
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Try Munster. Dammit.
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I think Embra will see red here
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Lovely from LRZ!
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Earls in for a second Munster try. Dammit.
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Lovely again from LRZ, but a beautiful pass from Hastings to send him through.
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And we’ve forgotten again, Glaws get 2 tries back. 17-14 25 mins.
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Bah. Ulster have the ball approaching the 22 as the clock turns red, and it gets inadvertently kicked out. 3-15 at HT.
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Another lovely try from Harris! Glaws leading now.
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Hendo not out for second half. Not good.
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Munster get another penalty. It’s starting to look very bad for our heroes.
We’ve put out a young side who are making a lot of mistakes.
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Terrific steal from McCloskey and kick-ahead, and some great teamwork, but fumbled forward. However, there’s a penalty, so it’s to the corner.
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TRY Herring! ‘Bout time!
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Tricky touchline conversion masterfully managed. 10-18.
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Ulster get a scrum. Doak’s replaced Cooney, and Munster have replaced their props. Ulster still mangle Munster. Line-out in the 22 … there’s another pen coming … and we go back for it.
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Hamish Watson just missed a tackle to let a lovely try in for Zebre
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E 14 – 19 Z
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Ulster go for the corner again, Munster seem to snaffle it, and then the ref invokes a previously-unheard-of rule (to me) about the line-out not being over and Doak going in, so Munster have the ball. However, Ulster get it back.
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Ticht – NO! Is he ill?
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Ulster do a lot of stupid things, end up back in their own half, and give away a penalty.
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Which goes over.
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Herring gets replaced by Roberts, who immediately throws a squint line-out.
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Roberts gets another line-out on the 22, manages to throw it straight, but gets isolated and loses the ball.
Apparently he’s going to the Dragons. Good.
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Replacement City. Prop gets replaced for Ulster, loses the scrum. Madigan comes on and full-back goes off, so Lowry switches to his usual position. Things suddenly going better.
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Ulster get into the 22 and Munster earn a yellow.
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Kick to the corner, maul and TRY Reidy!
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Doak’s conversion is good and it’s 17-21 with 5 mins to go.
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Bristol player could be in trouble here.
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Yep, that’s a clear red. Dumbo, especially after Bristol had just got back into the match (after a Glaws yellow).
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Well. At least we got a losing bonus point.
The youngsters showed a lot of enterprise, and I have hopes for the future, but this tournament may be over, as well as the European Cup.
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FT: 17-24.
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Looks like Bristol unfortunate to lose that try, according to the commentators.
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Good lord, have Bristol pinched it at the death? Fricker scores right in the corner, with a minute left. 29-28
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Bristol actually claim a restart, Sheedy boots it out and they done a win!
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Refit – I’m glad somebody’s team won.
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Strangely,I’m glad too – it’s good for Exeter’s chances
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Embra finally got the BP win but we didn’t deserve it.
Shite performance from us, Zebre will be gutted, they were worthy of taking something from that, maybe their season has left them a bit lifeless, but by fuck they should have won but for a couple of butchered tries.
We were awful
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What’s happened to Edinburgh, Ticht. Have they just run out of steam this season?
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It would be funny, if she wasn’t actually in a position of power
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