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
I’ve just had a convo with my mum’s partner, who was at the Ulster v Glasgow match with the controversial penalty penalty try awarded to Glasgow in the dying minutes, and it was right in front of him, and he confirms that there was no contact made.
As echoed by Ulster’s coach, and hundreds of others.
Hmm … was it Brace? Not sure.
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Brace wouldn’t have been reffing an Irish team, Thaum. I think it was a Welsh ref?
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Good point. I don’t remember who it was, just the burning injustice of it!
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Brace wouldn’t have been reffing an Irish team
He’d ref an interpro. Brace is usually ok, just tends towards penalising something in the first 30 seconds – which is then ignored for the remaining 79′ 30″
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Refs miss a helluva lot, but it’s such a chaotic, technical sport, they simply can’t see everything. Maybe it’s time for the assistant refs and TMO to play a bigger role, specifically with the far side of the scrum, the offside line and coming in from the side/slowing down rucks and mauls. I know that initially it’ll cause havoc, but once players are forced to comply, it’ll create a better spectacle? Mind you, scrum feeds haven’t been properly reffed in decades, so who am I kidding? So much of the game would be better by simply enforcing the laws as they stand. Maybe assistant refs could do that?
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Hmm. Ulster’s coach (and fans) didn’t see an offence for a try against Ulster. Strange that. Wonder if they saw the tackle round the neck of the Glasgow player as he went in to score the last try?
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BB – there was a penalty try awarded for a tackle that didn’t happen. There was no contact between the players, as seen on replays.
I don’t recall (funnily enough!) the offence you mention, but if that happened, of course it should also be looked at.
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So much of the game would be better by simply enforcing the laws as they stand
This is true – look up the laws around rucking – binding on to another player and pushing rather than arriving like a missile, head not to be below waistline.
These two – if only from a safety PoV.
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There does seem to be a “cultural” issue with using the ARs / TJs
Whether that is the feeling that you dilute the “ref is sole judge of fact” ethos if someone else has a say, or if refs don’t want to be second guessed by their “support” act.
But things like offside and ruck entry could be easily devolved to the AR.
I run the line a fair bit – as I’m a coach or a dad (depending), I’m only able to call touch but I’ve had refs ask me to stand on the offside line at scrums or lineouts for defending team – just to give them an idea if one team are taking the piss entirely. He or she can glance across and see that Timmy and Tommy aren’t on top of play.
The other thing refs I’ve spoken with will emphasise is “materiality” – how much of an impact does this have? A lad is 9m back at lineout, in from the side but ball already playable – unless someone is making a habit of it or being dangerous with it – they’ll tend to ignore it
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Doing more family tree stuff. The family I’m looking at just now are ‘Murricans. So Person A marries Person B. Person A sadly dies quite young, B then marries C. C had already been married to D, but had then divorced (I think not, always easy to get those records). D then married E, who had been married before to F but had divorced. F had also been married before, to G but, guess what, they got divorced. After G divorced, he married H in later life.
I think.
This is all around Illinois and Missouri, not California.
I’ll be asking questions later….
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Reminds me a bit of this…
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First hydration break at the World Cup. Good thing too, because Bafana Bafana have been left out to dry so far.
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SA seems to have sent their rugby team, instead of the football team, judging on the tackling.
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Unfortunately, SA were very poor. Defensively at sea, and couldnt string a few passes together.
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Rugby Bluesky were having fun
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one two, one two, is thing thing on?
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Hello all, I just had to long in via an email link :-O
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…and put a typo in my first post after logging on
That was supposed to be log on
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Bloody hell, Saints have scored inside 2 mins.
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Good start by Saints, nice work to open up the Tigers’ defence
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That bounced up off the player’s shoulder – not sure that’s a knock on
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Terrific comeback from Leicester
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Saints are pretty easy on the eye
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Apart from the mistake in not retreating during the run up to the disallowed try, Pollock has been the best player on the park
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Lovely pass, again, from Hutch in the build up to that score for Northampton
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How has the Saints loosehead gotten away with two head contacts so far?
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Refit, he’s been very lucky twice now
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It would have been ironic if that had been a penalty for Iyogun
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That was a lovely score to probably seal the game
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Good Friday night entertainment – Saints worthy winners but their defence doesn’t match their attack.
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Unreal try by Tshuinza, galloping in from 20m and ending with a splash.
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You do have to wonder why Bath didn’t go for a drop goal, when they were camped on the Exeter try line right at the end.
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The worst thing about the Bath game yesterday, was TNT Sports pushing Trump’s degenerate UFC thing.
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You do have to wonder why Bath didn’t go for a drop goal, when they were camped on the Exeter try line right at the end
Shades of Leinster vs La Rochelle in 2023 – Carreras was never positioned to take one
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TNT Sports pushing Trump’s degenerate UFC thing.
I watched Bath vs Exeter on Premier – is that the same as TNT?
Have to say, I didn’t register it . By now – like many of us – I automatically tune out anything Trump-related. That said, I might have heard/seen UFC and read it as URC…..
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As noted, I watched Bath vs Exeter – it was amazing how the game switched in the 2nd half – switch of FRs and the game switched in dominance.
At half time you’re thinking how many can Bath get? then you’re thinking – oh, can Exeter get this back.
Also caught the Stade Francais vs La Rochelle – LaR were blown away in the 2nd half -completely overpowered at the scrum and lost collisions all over the pitch. LaR had moved heaven and earth to get into the playoffs- maybe that caught up with them?
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Trisk – TNT used to be BT Sports. They have exclusive rights to normal Prem matches (and UFC in the UK).
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World Cup Soccer reaching climax, Scotland vs England final ?
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SBT – it’s Scotland. Someone will score a 99th minute goal in the very last game of the group stage to knock us out on goal difference because Scott McTominay hit the post against Haiti. It’s a new formula, do you really think we won’t find a new way to go out in the first round?
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Hmm. A beautifully crafted post mixing Leinster, Labour and lettuces couldn’t be posted. A whiff of conspiracy?
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Leinster to repeat last year’s rather comfortable win, I’m afraid. There’s just too much bullishness, ahem, down here for my liking. The average pundit is saying that the Bulls are a better side than last year, whilst Leinster are worse, that the Bulls set piece and reserves will ultimately batter Leinster, that Bordeaux and the Stormers (who lost???) provide the blueprint, and finally, that because the grass is real, it’ll suit the Bulls to a tee. I’m loathe to point out that they’re playing rugby on the grass, not eating it – although a few Bulls may be put out to pasture if things go pear-shaped again.
Having watched both sides quite a bit this season, the view that Leinster have somehow become a bit of a soft touch is a fallacy. They’ve reached the Finals of both competitions they play in, so not sure where that idea germinated from.
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Mind you, watching rugby doesn’t seem to have any correlation to prediction, in my case – I’m sitting out of reach at the top of the AOD PREM! Superbru standings, not having watched a single match this season.
#humblebragsRus
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They’ve reached the Finals of both competitions
In the Investec they had the easier side of the draw – Edinburgh, Sale, Toulon – and made heavy weather of both Edinburgh and Toulon. UBB had Leicester, Toulouse, Bath.
They are weaker – both generally – key players are older, and specifically – starting LH is literally out of the academy.
Whether the Bulls can make those factors stick – who knows – all of the SA teams seem to veer towards flakiness away from home, but occasionally click.
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I keep messing up the formatting….
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England A vs France A is free on Rugbypass tonight, from 1715.
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Trisk, the closing tag should be /i
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@refit – I should know this well, but somehow I’ve twice reversed the order of the backslash.
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Trisk, there’s a wee bit of underdogging going on in the route to the Euro Final! Not so much in the crap away record of SA sides, although the Bulls have the best record of our mob in Ireland (33% win record). The Bulls have the cavalry and big guns to get it done, but will the gunpowder be dry enough?
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England A vs France A
My word, they’ve redeveloped La Rabine since I went there in 2022. They were mid-development on the second toucline stand – but they’ve added a covered stand at each now
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Bristol Women have just gotten a bit better
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