‘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 
This one seems even more complicated (and if I recall correctly, the last offence was complex too – playing lads who’d been tied by France ‘A’ or France U20s at different times as France flipped between different “second” teams)
This time seems like SA-born prop had a forged passport – so when he played for Spain he’d not properly qualified on residency grounds.
On one hand, got to feel for Spanish players and supporters – missing out twice on qualification – on the other hand admin/due diligence seems to be non-existent.
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OK, so Spain was guilty last time too. This time, they have a Saffer prop who has an allegedly forged passport to get him selected on residency grounds. Appears it is part because of Covid restrictions and where he was based for parts of the lockdown:
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/apr/28/spain-kicked-out-of-2023-rugby-world-cup-after-alleged-passport-fraud
Pretty stupid thing to do, on everyone’s part. Spanish federation must have known where he was and what that meant for eligibility, as must the player. Even a prop.*
*Sorry Ticht!
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@Deebee – Pretty sure that last time it was Wales’ fault for having played some ringers in 1999.
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Deebee, ‘pro was pissed off at the Romanians getting kicked out because of a Tongan lad who’d played a 7z game. Chek was happy cos Russia qualified in their and Spaniards’ stead.
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So in hindsight Chek was evil?
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Tuned into the Bulls-Warriors a couple of minutes late. Glasgow got a penalty try early on with the Bulls losing Walt Steenkamp to the bin. I can only assume for repeated infringements or sacking a maul. Bulls have barged over for a 7 pointer in reply. Weege have a penalty just outside the Bulls 22, but going for the corner! Nice!
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Bulls snaffle it and clear their lines. Weege go wide but pass into touch. Bulls penalty this time and they kick into the corner. Their turn to cock up the lineout and Glasgow clear. Bulls back to 15.
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Weege with a penalty in front and this time they take the three. 7-10 . Glasgow cock up the restart and the Bulls oblige by cocking up the resulting attack. Weege get the penalty and are 5m from the line after an attacking lineout but pinged for holding on. Bulls get a couple of penalties and flood upfield but try the cute chip when holding on was the better option.
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Weege with the penalty on their own 10m line and Duncie Weir hashes it, kicking it over the deadball line. Scrum Bulls. Been a bit scrappy in the first 25 minutes, neither side really getting the phases going.
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Scrum penalty Bulls and they’ll take a pop. Morne the Lions slayer and pride of Pretoria slots it. 10 each after 28 minutes.
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Break in play whilst the Weege doctor pitches up on the pitch to do his Hipocratic oath stuff. Ref hounds him off eventually – boo! – and play continues. “A comedy of errors” opines Shimmy in the commentary box and he’s not wrong! Both sets of players stopped a couple of times thinking the ball was out or knocked on and it almost results in a hacked through try for Glasgow.
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A bit of afters following a Bulls penalty but nothing serious. This match just hasn’t got going. Canaan Moodie (prefer mine with Coke) is the latest to dink the ball through to no great effect.
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Getting a bit tetchy now and the ref is speaking to both captains. End result is a penalty Bulls right in front from 18 metres. Morne. Steyn. Pulls. It. Wide! Unbelievable! But probably sums up the match as a spectacle thus far. Hooter goes, Bulls give it a go and get the penalty. Fagerson – unbelievably by the look on his face – gets the yellow for the team.
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Steyn’s confidence clearly shot, they kick to the corner and take it wide from the lineout. Tambwe strolls over and Steyn adds the extras. 17-10 at oranges and Glasgow will play with 10 men for the opening stanza of the second half.
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Glasgow are second best in the physical stuff so far and unless they can really open it up I can’t see them coming back into this. The Bulls will keep battering away and looming for gaps in midfield and altitude will probably score the bonus point try for them.
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*looking for gaps.
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2nd half underway! Steyn makes a second uncharacteristic mistake kicking an attempted 50-22 out on the full. Glasgow trying to slow it down and the ref gets ratty, free kick Bulls. Cooface’s turn to blooter one out on the full. Match is still a slow burner, I think is the polite term for scrappy shite.
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Some quick hands down the short side from the Weege and they draw the penalty. Kick to touch and have the throw on the Bulls 22. Clean take, maul and then a technical call gives the scrum to the Bulls. Fagerson back on for it. Reset. Scrums have been very unstable so far. Penalty Bulls, Bhatti battered like a Mars bar.
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Tom Gordon getting attention. Doesn’t look good, frankly. Faceplanted the turf in the tackle and he’s done.
Well! Tambwe may have scored a scorcher! More trench warfare followed by the obligatory kick through and Tambwe flies down the touchline, gathers and saunters under the posts! Nope. In front of the kicker.
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Glasgow take it through 12 phases with little effort – but equally little reward – and eventually kick it into touch. Kebble on the wrong side of the maul from the resulting lineout. Bulls maul about 40m from the lineout and get the penalty.
Cornal Hendricks has disappointed tonight: such a gifted footballer, he’s taken the crash ball option almost all night.
Glasgow still in this. Only 7 points behind approaching the final quarter and the Bulls have looked a bit toothless this half.
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And that said, another relentless driving maul by the Bulls and they’re over! Big Walt Steenkamp won’t be stopped from there. 24-10.
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Cyle Brink wins the turnover penalty – WRF would the Bulls do without poaching Lions players – and they’re hunting for the BP. And over! Brink is the man. Judas.
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Chris Smith has replaced Steyn and proves that he’s a more deadly kicker by hitting the upright that Steyn missed.
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Cardiff get an early try, but Munster return the favour in fine style.
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Another turnover penalty from Brink and Glasgow need something quickly. They oblige by pinching the Bulls lineout and get into the 22 with some nice hands but cough it up. Scrum Weege in midfield eventually. Think all the bench front rows are on now. Reset. Yawn. Penalty Weege. Not sure we’ve had a completed Scrum yet?
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Little of interest. Weege lineout and maul which goes nowhere,so they sling it into midfield and carve the Bulls wide open! Great try! 29-17 with 5 to go.
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Weege concede a free kick at the scrum. No idea about that call, but the Bulls opt for a scrum and I think that may be the first one completed! Glasgow get the ball back and take it through some lovely phases and score! Except for a forward pass. Pity. Great hands in the build up. Bulls scrum, hooter imminent. And done. Scrum not. Reset. They get it out somehow and into touch. End of a very disappointing match.
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Not particularly surprised by that result.
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Well, the Munster/Cardiff match has been entertaining so far. 5 (?) tries, Munster ahead at HT.
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Cardiff score again and it’s 3 tries each, but Munster have a couple of penalties, so are 6 points ahead.
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Jones looking very sharp at 15 for Quins tonight.
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Danny Care gets a yellow with 6 seconds left on the clock. He now holds the record for most yellows in a season. The ref threatened to upgrade it to a red too.
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Tahs are 14-0 up against the Crusaders with 5 minutes to the break. Haven’t seen much, but lack of impartiality from the commentary team or not, that’s a very good score line right now. Going for posts now too. 17-0 at the break, but I forgot to post that.
Coming up to the 60 minute mark and it’s 17-14, with the Tahs a man down and hanging on against the relentless attacking of the Crusaders. They’re some machine when they get going.
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Except one hit to the head goes unpunished completely, but the same player executes the same ‘tackle’ a couple of minutes later and gets a red. The Tahs kick to the corner and maul it up to the line. Illegally collapsed, and it’s a penalty try and yellow. 24-14 and the Crusaders are down to 13 for the rest of the match, basically.
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Crusaders blast downfield, score, convert and are back to within three with five minutes to go.
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Crusaders battle back downfield and are pressing on the 22, but the Tahs get the turnover penalty! Is that enough to hold on?
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It should be! They’ve got a penalty with 30 seconds to go and they waste enough time to see the hooter go and belt it into touch! Great win!
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Lions see off Benneton easily enough in the end after coughing up another large early lead. Sharks hosting Connacht now . Game just started.
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Scrappy start, both sides giving it air but without accuracy.
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Connacht draw first blood from the tee, but the Sharks are starting to get some momentum. Bosch evens it up at his second attempt, the first off the upright.
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Sharks have conceded 5 penalties in the opening quarter, all of them at the ruck and maul. Connacht 6-3 up with a second penalty.
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Connacht are having some heavy artillery chucked at them, but have coped pretty well, well organised defence, no panic. Checking now for head contact. There is, but fuck it, the ball carrier seems equally responsible in real time. Porch binned for Connacht. Sharks going for the corner. Sharks maul it over from a long way out. 10-6 Sharks after 25 minutes.
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And big Gavin Thornbury charges down the clearance from the restart and gallops over! 10-11 as the conversion is missed
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Connacht are contesting really well and the Sharks are coughing up a lot of penalties and being forced to play behind the advantage line. Another breakdown penalty and it’s 10-14 and Porch is back on. They’ve coped with the card really well.
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Great try by Connacht! Goal line kick from the Sharks is short, Connacht take it, move it wide, create the numbers and under the posts! 10-21 a couple of minutes from the break.
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Sharks go close but penalised a metre from the line! Seems to me that the Connacht player was contesting without holding his own weight, but ref sees it the other way. He’s contesting with a hand clearly on the ground for support. Sharks can feel hard done by there.
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Sharks start the 2nd far more positively and get a 7 pointer after sustained pressure. Williams, the replacement 9 is actually on the wing but creates space in midfield for Marius Louw to crash over! And then from the restart Fassi takes and burns downfield, but the Sharks can’t finish. They’ve got the penalty five metres out. Mbonambi scores after a couple of bashes at the line. Sharks ahead, 24-21 after 50 minutes. Connacht haven’t come out of the changeroom yet!
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Sharks score a 3rd in the first 15 of the 2nd half. Connacht looking Dazed and Confused. 31-21. They need to regroup quickly.
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