It’s a mystery to me, the game commences, for the usual fee, plus expenses, He could throw that ball by you, Make you look like a fool boy. As neither Mark Knopfler nor Bruce Springsteen actually sang. But this is it, after months of travel and travails, outlandish skill and outrageous decisions, flashy footwork and plodding power, sleight of hand, nothing bland, we arrive at the knockouts of the URC. The last eight sides still in with a shout, four matches this weekend that could produce some stunning upsets or predictable eye-rolling. Let’s see.
Glasgow Warriors vs Connacht sets the ball rolling in Scotland on Friday night, with 1st vs 8th on the log being about as deceptive as you’ll get. Glasgow are stacked full of internationals and top the table after a fine season, but they had a couple of notable wobbles later on, losing badly on their tour of South Africa, and sneaking past Ulster in the final fixture to guarantee top spot. Connacht really came out of nowhere after a slow start to the season, but arguably finished the league phase as the form side – a solitary loss to the Lions (of course) in Johannesburg their only defeat since the end of January. Eight wins from their last nine, including wins over the Stormers, Munster – and Glasgow underpinning their pedigree, despite the lack of big-ticket names. Can they pull off what would be one of the shocks of the season thus far? Unlikely – the Warriors have a 100% record at home this season and are fiendishly difficult to beat on their home patch.
Verdict: The Weedge by a whisker!
Bulls vs Munster gets Saturday rolling on the highveld at the ridiculous time of 1:30pm this side, when most parents and kids are still at schools for rugby. Oh well. Both sides had indifferent starts to the campaign, but both have gathered a head of steam lately. The Bulls have only lost two URC matches this year (both to the Stormers) and have scalped Munster, Cardiff and the Lions during that run (as well as Edinburgh to avoid outrage). Both home losses were against local opposition, with a perfect record against European teams. A helluva pack of forwards and some good outside backs along with Pollard’s boot has seen off most at Loftus for a couple of seasons now, but Munster ran them desperately close a few weeks back – 3 points in it. Munster? Won six of their first seven URC matches this season and folks were talking about them being back. Since then, though it’s five wins and six losses, which suggests a side still struggling to get on a run and to finish off the tight matches. Both sides are capable of winning, both have the odd brainfart to undermine them too.
Verdict: Bulls by bugger-all!
Stormers vs Cardiff has upset written all over it. But who is the underdog? Cardiff gave the Stormers a lesson in cohesive, quick-thinking rugby a couple of weeks ago and won’t fear Cape Town Stadium, close to Llandudno, a fabulous, overpriced beach community down there. The Stormers got off to a flyer this season, with eight wins on the bounce, bookended by Leinster at home and then four in Europe, with Munster the final one. After that, though, they’ve spluttered through a series of embarrassing performances, their defence more passive than a noun in a corporate training manual, and their attack more ragged than a tramp’s coat in a tempest. They’ve lost confidence and there are dark mutterings in the camp. The Diff gave them the stiff in the last round, but have been mercurial in their own right this season: two relatively heavy defeats to Glasgow and the Bulls aside, most of their matches have finished within a score – eleven out of the other sixteen. They’re difficult to put away, but can also be their own worst enemies, or perhaps are lacking a little on the bench? A wild ride in, with three wins and three losses, but crucially, all the losses were away, with two in South Africa.
Verdict: Stormers by a sailor’s stubble.
Leinster vs Lions: Obviously the rugby world is backing the Lions to slay the rough beast that slouches towards Scotstoun. Not as obvious is how the Lions will achieve this most magnificent of results. Leinster may be battered and bruised from their hammering by Bordeaux, but they still have pretty much a British and Irish Lions side there. Definitely an Irish international side. Despite whispers of Jacques Nienaber stitching them from the inside, they remain a formidable side, well oiled and with excellent depth. A few injuries for sure, but the Lions are without three key players too – and without anywhere near the squad depth Leinster have. The Pride of Joburg ran Leinster close three weeks ago, being within a score until the last 10 minutes or so, before falling away having tackled themselves to a standstill. They stayed in Ireland and have had two weeks to prepare, whilst Leinster have been battling for higher honours. The word is that they’ve taken the lessons on board from that last match and have a plan. But as Mike Tyson said, “everybody got a plan ‘til they get punched in the face.” I fear we’re going to get punched in the face.
Verdict: The Lions will be more brave, brave Sir Robin than Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog slayers. Leinster by a length.
Deliberations by Deebee7
Why is Williams taking the kicks when Bristol have McGinty and Jordan on the pitch? Especially as he’s missed a few.
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I think he’s a better aim than either of the other two.
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Saints finish the game down to 13, Freeman taking out LRZ as he chips into the 22. It’s also a penalty try. Final score 41-26.
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TRY Ward (B)!!!
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Bugger. Glasgow even things up.
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TRY McIlroy! Glasgow down to 14 for ten minutes.
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Nevertheless they also score again, and go ahead because they didn’t miss the conversion.
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Yikes! Gloucester are 24-0 up against Quins, with the try bonus in the bag, before half time. Could this be their year?
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TRY Murphy after the clock’s gone red!
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14-19 at oranges.
That try came from George Horne having a strop and winning Ulster a penalty reversal down the far end of the pitch.
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Glasgow making 5 changes in the 43rd minute.
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And Doak on for Ulster.
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Gloucester have scored twice in the first 4 mins of the second half! 36-0
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BP TRY for Mullins!!
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Carson’s gone off with bunker review for head contact. Looked completely accidental, but I agree with Refit on this.
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Glaws have turned in to Fiji. Every player offloading and there’s always someone there to catch it. 7 tries now, 43-0
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Now we’ve lost McIlroy for a deliberate knock-on! Shit!
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Carson’s yellow remains yellow.
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Inevitably, Glasgow score.
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It’s really not Quins day. Glaws cross-kick in the Quins 22, the Quins 14 jumps to intercept, but fumbles it into the Gloucester winger’s hands and he scores anyway. 48-0.
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Glasgow looked to score again, but Ulster heroically manage to hold it up. Yay!
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I’ve just seen head contact that I don’t think deserved a red 😮. Cunningham-South was practically on his knees, lining up a Gloucester player, when the attacker slipped and fell into the oncoming shoulder. Looked nasty, but C-S was actually trying to tackle properly.
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Not so yay. Glasgow score again for their BP try.
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Oh dear. Glasgow score again again.
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Darge now in the bin for repeated infringements.
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Another binning for Glasgow!
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TRY Juarno!!
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33 all and 7 mins left!
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Glasgow win a penalty close to the posts – and Horne bounces it off the posts!
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AAAARRRRGGGHHHH!
We go running up the wing at the end, and are shoved into touch. It’s a draw!
(I’ll take that.)
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Austin Healey pivoting from talking about how moving he found parts of Lewis Moody’s doc about MND, to shilling HBO subscriptions to watch Game of Thrones is just peak TNT.
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I guess it’s a small mercy they didn’t mention Potter.
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the main road to the freeway with its strip clubs and people out of their heads
Given the option – my rule was stick to the busy streets….
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Munster dug out a decent home win vs Bulls.
As hoped, scrum was solid – Milne injured early on but replaced by Loughman. Together with van der Merwe and Aungier – they locked out the scrum all day. Brooks came on as hooker.
Main story was the 20 yo out half Charlie O’Shea – scored 2 tries, and set up another with a cross field kick.
For first time in a while – Munster looked like they had a plan and understood how they needed to play.
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Trisk – actually, I usually took the back way. It’s easier to outrun a couple of people in a car than a mob.
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in local news – our seniors have had a good start to the league season – winning at home to Muskerry (who were relegated from Div 1 last season) and away at Carrick-on-Suir.
So far, so good. Aim must be to establish ourselves in div 2.
We dug out a good win vs Muskerry – went 10-0 up, but got pegged back – went behind 20-25 but came back to win 27-25 and defended grimly in last 5-10 mins.
Bad news, number 1 son injured his ankle early on in the second game. Looks like a bone chip – nothing as serious as last year. He’s in a boot – but can get around without crutches.
A real shame – not just cause he missed most of season 25-26 with a broken fibula and ligament damage – but he had played well in our preseason games, and cemented himself as first choice full back, and goalkicker
Against Muskerry, he scored a try, kicked all 3 conversions, and added 2 penalties.
Number 2 son is still on the path back- seems like he damaged his meniscus in a warm up. We’re expecting surgeon to recommend a clean up – previous surgeon had left them when he did the ACL reconstruction, but the new one implied he’d have cleaned the whole joint up.
Number 3 son is back to contact after breaking wrist and collarbone over the summer.
Our U18s could do with #2 and #3 back as they are low on numbers. We’ve been strong at U18 last 3-4 years (reached last 8 in Munster on 2 occasions and top 16 last 4 years). I think it is a covid thing, as numbers behind are pretty good. The cohort who lost a season would be U17 / U16 now – U11/U10 at the time – and seems like losing that developmental period was significant.
By comparison, we have an adult 2nds team this season for first time in years
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Jeez, Trisk, your doctors must love you! But good on the clan for keeping going and giving rugby what it needs!
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In other news:
Argentina, Uruguay, Chile and Brazil have submitted a joint bid to host the Rugby World Cup in 2035, hoping to bring the quadrennial tournament to South America for the first time.
The bid outlines plans to stage games in 11 stadiums across 10 cities, with eight venues in Argentina and one each in the other three countries, including the iconic Maracana in Rio de Janeiro.
Might have to put a few pennies away for Boks v All Blacks at the Maracana… it’ll be the Last 32 match, with the Boks scraping into the playoffs on drop goals against a rampant Kiwi side after the collapse of the Boks in the post-Rassie era.
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Dave Rennie will be riding the crest of the wave being compared to Alex Ferguson as a GOAT, when we all know that Shankley and Paisley were far better managers than that pound-laden, pampered poseur.
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Touring S America would be brilliant!
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We went to Argentina on honeymoon (with side trip to Brazil) – I’d like to go back some day – might be well past it by 2035……..
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Je ez, Trisk, your doctors must love you!
We’d had a few minor injuries – everyone had broken a wrist or a finger then in Sept 2024 it all started…. it’s not been all rugby related – but mainly.
Second child roke a collarbone playing soccer in Sept 2024, got back playing in Feb 2025 and ruptured ACL and broke a collarbone in April 2025 (one of the worst tackles you’ll ever see)
Eldest broke his leg a year ago in his first month at uni. Hopefully, this is a minor injury.
Youngest suffered an undisplaced fracture of the tibia last year, then broke a wrist ice skating at Christmas, then broke collarbone and other wrist when cycling during the summer.
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I have been to Argentina and Chile twice each. Best friend hails from Buenos Aires, and younger sibling lives in Chile. Very enjoyable, apart from heatwaves (twice) in BsAs. Would like to explore wine-producing regions in Argentina, and I understand that Uruguay is fun and quite liberal.
Did a pisco trip in Chile that was great.
If you’re visiting Buenos Aires, you have to go to the cementerio de la Recoleta, which is a city of the dead. Evita is buried there, but her grave is far from the most impressive, and quite hard to find. The statuary is most impressive.
I also liked the feria hipi, (hippie fair), which has a lot of hand-crafted goods in leather and so on for knock-down prices. And I’m not a shopper.
The food in both countries is good, heavy on excellent beef, and not at all spicy. (I mean, I like spicy, but they don’t do it. Chile doesn’t do chillies.) Excellent wine, of course.
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One example of the cemetery:
Another:
And yet another:
It’s amazing.
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Stunning, Thauma! Really would love to do a World Cup tour to South America.
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Here’s a wee bit of fun, if anyone is interested. A site that will allow you to make up a poster of your 9 favourite albums, which you can then post on your favourite social media platform, should you so wish.
https://my9albums.org/
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Oh, and you can also apparently do one for fillums too.
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Go on, then, BB, what are yours?
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I will need a long think to shortlist it to nine.
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I could easily do 9 Bowie albums…!
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