European Cups, Round Four

L’équipe de Cardiff by Delaunay; photo by Flair99

You might think that Cardiff are completely out of the Champions Cup, but you’d be wrong! And you’d probably get very rich betting on them to go through. They just need a bonus-point victory over Racing 92 in Paris and for Ulster to not get more than one point.

Connacht, languishing at the bottom of their pool on one point, also have a theoretical chance.

All the permutations have been not very clearly worked out by BBC Sport.

Onna telly this weekend

Showing matches that are televised in the UK and Ireland or on popular subscription services. Bold indicates free-to-view. Times are in the UK zone, so adjust as necessary.

Friday 19th January

Connacht v Bristol20:00TNT Sports 2
Glasgow v Toulon20:00TNT Sports 1
Scarlets v Edinburgh20:00S4C / iPlayer
Gloucester v Castres20:00Viaplay Sports 1

Saturday 20th January

Bulls v Bordeaux13:00TNT Sports Extra
Harlequins v Ulster13:00TNT Sports 2
Black Lion v Clermont13:00epcrugby.com
Racing 92 v Cardiff15:15S4C / TNT Sports 2
Leicester v Leinster15:15TNT Sports 1
Oyonnax v Cheetahs15:15epcrugby.com
Treviso v Montpellier15:15epcrugby.com
Munster v Northampton17:30RTÉ2 / TNT Sports 1
Stade Français v Stormers17:30TNT Sports 2
Saracens v Lyon20:00TNT Sports 1

Sunday 21st January

Sale v La Rochelle13:00ITV1 / STV / TNT Sports 2
Perpignan v Newcastle13:00Viaplay Sports 2
Lions v Ospreys13:00Viaplay Sports 1
Toulouse v Bath15:15TNT Sports 2
Bayonne v Exeter17:30TNT Sports 2
Dragons v Sharks17:30Viaplay Sports 2

248 thoughts on “European Cups, Round Four

  1. Borderboy's avatarBorderboy

    ‘Mon Ra Weedge!!!!’

    Like

  2. Looks a wee bit breezy in Galway. Kicking’s gonna be ‘fun’ tonight.

    Like

  3. Borderboy's avatarBorderboy

    Glad I’m not in Scotstoun tonight, weather is absolutely boggin’ here.

    Like

  4. thaumaturge's avatarthaumaturge

    It’s been a lovely, calm, sunny day here, if a little on the chilly side!

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  5. thaumaturge's avatarthaumaturge

    First blood to Connacht!

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  6. Bugger. Nice try Connacht. Hanrahan’s conversion moved in about 4 different directions, before missing the posts.

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  7. Borderboy's avatarBorderboy

    Try Glasgow!!!! Brilliant run from McKay! From his own half!

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  8. Borderboy's avatarBorderboy

    Noooo! Going to chalk it off for blocking! Boooo!

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  9. Red card for Bristol 4, Josh Caulfield. He stamped on Bealham’s head, in a ruck. It looked fairly accidental, but extremely careless.

    Like

  10. thaumaturge's avatarthaumaturge

    BB – that’s a shame!

    Refit – yes, I can’t believe he did it on purpose, but it was nasty.

    Like

  11. thaumaturge's avatarthaumaturge

    From the BBC link:

    Connacht, meanwhile, will also need a huge upturn in fortunes to reach the next stage by beating Bristol with a bonus point and then hoping Lyon win at the StoneX Stadium without the hosts gaining a losing bonus.

    Hmm, this is suddenly looking more likely. Sorry, Refit!

    Like

  12. Borderboy's avatarBorderboy

    Another try Glasgow! Hope this one sticks, lovely run from Jones, nice pass to Rowe and in. Hopefully the TMO won’t look for a reason to chalk it off.

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  13. thaumaturge's avatarthaumaturge

    Especially as Sinckler has now also been binned (but only a yellow)!

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  14. Bristol down to 13 – Sinckler with a yellow (I missed what for). Connacht get a 2nd.

    12-0 20mins

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  15. Borderboy's avatarBorderboy

    Huwipolotu strike again! Jones in for Glasgow try number two!

    Liked by 1 person

  16. thaumaturge's avatarthaumaturge

    Hanrahan limping off, but I’m not sure that Carty coming on is a downgrade.

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  17. thaumaturge's avatarthaumaturge

    Refit – I didn’t see it either as I was feeding the dog, so I asked the mister and he wasn’t entirely sure either, just ‘something leading up to the try’. Perhaps an off-side too many, he thought.

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  18. thaumaturge's avatarthaumaturge

    Leo Varadkar is at the match, apparently because he’s just approved funding for a new stadium.

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  19. thaumaturge's avatarthaumaturge

    Nice penalty kick from Bristol to put them on the board!

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  20. 3rd try to Connacht, off the back of a maul. Probably luck they scored – I reckon Bristol would have got a yellow for any number of infringements at the maul.

    17-3

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  21. thaumaturge's avatarthaumaturge

    Some lovely play by Bristol, but stopped just short of the line and the ball turned over.

    Like

  22. Borderboy's avatarBorderboy

    12-0 at half time. Win and we’re through. Embra also leading, but down to 14 I think at half time.

    Liked by 1 person

  23. thaumaturge's avatarthaumaturge

    And it’s 17-3 at HT, with Connacht on three tries.

    The mister inexplicably wants to watch … er, something else … so please keep me updated!

    Like

  24. Borderboy's avatarBorderboy

    Bugger. Toulon score. We had plenty of chances to clear the ball too.

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  25. Fucking hell, how did the Connacht winger score that?

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  26. He didn’t. Booooooooooooooo! Judged to have just brushed the line, with a toe.

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  27. Borderboy's avatarBorderboy

    3rd try for Glasgow!

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  28. Borderboy's avatarBorderboy

    Last pass was a miss pass off his left hand by Johnny (Erling Mauland) Matthews!

    Huw Jones in for his second and Glasgow’s 4th and bonus point!

    Like

  29. Ravuvu looks to have scored a wonderful try, kicking on a chip, gathering and getting though the Connacht defenders. But it’s spotted that he knocked on just before grounding – good defence by the last tackler.

    Like

  30. Borderboy's avatarBorderboy

    Bugger x2. Another Toulon try. But they are looking at it. Chalked off for obstruction. Scored by Cornell du Preez, who is apparently only 32, thought he’s been around for longer than that.

    Like

  31. Borderboy's avatarBorderboy

    Another try on 83 minutes for Glasgow!

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  32. Borderboy's avatarBorderboy

    Edinburgh winning but seem to be making heavy weather of it. Gilchrist shown red after two yellow, and McDuhan also shown yellow, Scarlets get a penalty try after it. Embra win 19-31.

    Like

  33. tichtheid2's avatartichtheid2

    “Edinburgh winning but seem to be making heavy weather of it”

    Not really BB, it was 5 – 31 until the last minutes when the game descended into farce. Scarlets weren’t even close for any part of the game

    I have to say though, the ref seemed to favour one side, and that side was Edinburgh.

    Like

  34. tichtheid2's avatartichtheid2

    For those of a sentimental bent, Jonathan Davies passed into row fourteen of the stand, just for old time’s sakes.

    Liked by 4 people

  35. It will be with a great sense of relief, and possibly euphoria, that you are reading that Jaco Peyper has hung up his boots, packed away his whistle and scurried off into the sunset. Loose forwards the world over are mourning the loss of the unreffed ruck and maul.

    Liked by 4 people

  36. I quite liked Peyper when he first appeared reffing international matches. Running around with his little grin, he seemed to be fairly even-handed and sympathetic to the players.

    Then he went a bit…weird.

    Like

  37. thaumaturge's avatarthaumaturge

    ‘MON Ulster!!!!

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  38. thaumaturge's avatarthaumaturge

    Jesus fucking christ.

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  39. thaumaturge's avatarthaumaturge

    Should be a penalty try, that!

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  40. Hero-to-zero. Nick David scores a try then gets a yellow.

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  41. shylurkingmrcoddfish's avatarshylurkingmrcoddfish

    Neither team quite clicking at the moment

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  42. thaumaturge's avatarthaumaturge

    TRY McCann!

    Like

  43. shylurkingmrcoddfish's avatarshylurkingmrcoddfish

    Ulster very nearly managed to butcher a clear chance there from Balacoun (?) 7-7

    Like

  44. thaumaturge's avatarthaumaturge

    SLMC – indeed! (It’s Baloucoune, and Lowry the butcher).

    Like

  45. shylurkingmrcoddfish's avatarshylurkingmrcoddfish

    Ulster breaks look very dangerous

    Like

  46. thaumaturge's avatarthaumaturge

    Actually, we’ve butchered about 4 tries by now.

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  47. shylurkingmrcoddfish's avatarshylurkingmrcoddfish

    Quins getting the key ref decisions close to the line keeping Ulster out miraculously

    Like

  48. thaumaturge's avatarthaumaturge

    Make that 5 now.

    Like

  49. thaumaturge's avatarthaumaturge

    And we let another one in.

    Like

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