[Closed] Rugby - Heineken cup

Hey don't knock it, I get to be 4th/5th official at the pro teams now...Oh hang on,supervising benches/sin bins at Murrayfield/Firhill in Feb 😕

😀

Great away win for Ulster tonight at Edinburgh, looking forward to taming a few tigers next fri!!!!

Is there a wage cap in Ireland or is it the same as France??

I was under the impression that (most of the) the international squad (unlike say, Tommy Bowe, who seems to like a career with a mediocre team like the Ospreys) is contracted to the IRFU and "released" to the provinces (Leinster, Connacht, Ulster, Munster) for Heineken Cup, Pro 12 (or whatever it's called this week), etc.

So when the 6N is on, the players are called back centrally and only released if not needed in the international squad. I have no idea what the salary conditions are though.

I had a quick google and couldn't turn anything up. If you look on the Beeb though, you'll see a recent story where PO'C signed a deal with Ireland & Munster, not just with Munster. I don't really know how the intricacies work.

The system has probably contributed a lot to the resurgence of Ireland in the 6N from (very) occasional successes to a bit more consistency because you don't get your fly half or no 12 getting injured on a weekend when they're not needed for international duty.

No I meant does the likes of Munster have a wage cap like English clubs, no cap in France and teams having free use of municipal grounds

Just asking like...... not looking for excuses why English teams seem to be struggling in HK 🙂

I was also wondering how the IRFU can afford to ensure that players don't seek more money in France or Japan? We have been skint for 15 years as we paid off Murrayfield,it is only the last 6 months that we can afford to pay the same as the English teams as both pro teams now have a decent budget. But the provinces in Ireland were able to recruit the likes of Howlett when the obvious choice was Japan.

duckie, have a look at attendances at Thomond, and latterly, the RDS. Jersey sales are massive for both provinces too (again of late for Leinster). The provinces are in fairly rude health. Growing up in Limerick, Thomond was a concrete shithole that hardly anyone went to. Look at it now. Arguably, rugby is now the foremost sport in Limerick ahead of hurling.

Well Frankers what is your prediction for tonight? I think it will be close Ulster will win, I can't see them scoring 4 trys and I think Tigers will get a bonus point. Really looking forward to it!!! SUFTUM!!!!

DD you are quite right the Ireland players are contracted directly to IRFU not the provinces. Why do they not go to France for more money? I'd say Bob Casey will tell you the reason. Not many playing outside Ireland make it into the national team

Edinburgh / racing metro tonight - a fantastic game last time so heres hoping.

Will be a big ask TJ. But I hope you get a result

edinburgh up at the half and a cracking game - both teams going for it. Refusing kicks and going for tries

One for the neutrals - watch it chaps

BlindMelon - Member

Will be a big ask TJ. But I hope you get a result

ta

and the tries keep coming

Ospreys doing it to late, fair play to the burgh doing well and should be in quarters with a home draw. Hope Leicester lose.

Oh crap 🙁

We want 4, we want 4!!!!!

We got 4!!!!! Tigers mauled literally !!!!!!

Whoooo and indeed hooooooooooooooooooooo
🙂

Godman doing a ROG!! Well done Edinburgh.

Frankers I feel sorry for you man, the lack of fight from the Tigers was very disappointing am sure as a fan. Can't wait to next week!!

That a game of rugby how it should be. Open, fast, both teams going for it, result in doubt till the end, no foul play, no professional fouls, no yellow cards.

And edinburgh won 🙂 😀 🙂 🙄 😉

Just watched the Ulster game, cracking from both sides, and Embra! Half way their guys,well done.

Good point DD about how the Irish provinces are now self-propagating;Nice place to watch,fans buy strips,turn up each week=revenue=more to spend on ruby. Never happen here because of the old-school-tie network in Edinburgh/Glasgow,despite the Irish example.Even a superteam in the borders would follow the example of Munster without having to compete with any other sport. But in the borders they would have watched their club's 2xv even if the border pro team had been playing Tolouse,free,in the next town.

scarlets doing well so far.... mighty Aviva looking a bit shit this w/e

Scarlets 17-29 Northampton Saints
Northampton did better AA!

AA jinxes the Scablets 😉 as long as Cardiff beat the Not Nots

scarlets would be good if they had a pack but Alain Rolland and his 5 million final warnings was awfull, him and the scarlets 9 need shooting.

In other news Henson stands outside that **** Parks and watches him kick the leather off the ball.

If Parks is so crap, why don't they play Gav at 10? Might he be a bit gash himself?

Might have something to do with him not having played more than 10 games in two years and hasnt played 10 since 2005 as far as i recall.

Balls, Glaws almost had it tonight. Makes next Fridays match against Toulouse an irrelevance apart from a good night out for some beers and rugby. A closer Group than it looked.

Interesting results tonight. Helps Edinburgh.

Glaws beat Toulose Scampers a great win

Great night at Kingsholm. Good platform for our back 3 to cut them apart. No substitute for pace.

Where have you been DD? your guys are flying in this years competition. Very impressive, amazing Munster result.

Think Munster have stuttered but they were impressive today. That Zebo looks handy. MalIinder can **** off. 🙂

Top seeds for the QFs as the third best Irish team. I'll take that for now.

Munster's old bones tough it out again 😀 Beasted in the scrum,but fought for every inch everywhere else.It was great seeing the cocky Saints taken apart, did you see Hartley's grumpy wee face at the restart after leaking 50 points? Huffy does not even come close. Classy from the fans as well, booing O'Gara at kick time. So to recap in case anybody thinks I am being vague...Get it right up you Northampton. Now c'mon Embra!

Glitchy double post

Every one loves to see northampton loose, shame Gashton wasnt playing he's perfectly suited to them. Not sure what Saffacens will make of him.

So A-A, which capital city will make the quarters?

If both win both will be thru will they not? Neither look capable of going much further though.
Wish i'd watched the saints munster game, did it look like the big saints pack ran out of puff again?

If both win almost certain both go thru - off to the game this afternoon 🙂

Sorry A-A meant who would top the group. Last night all came down to Munster wanting it more,and a hat-trick from the winger. Munster were so full of dog. Example being Tongathingumy held up/stripped of the ball from one of his two yard charges. Munster never gave an inch all night, RoG even spotted tackling,and only missed one kick. That 9 is a bit of a spikey wee handful as well.They have a home tie prob against Embra 🙁 If DD is still predicting quarters at best he must be part Scottish.They took apart the form team in the independent state of England (sorry just practising for 2013) despite being pinged for two pen tries at scrum.

double post

Can't say much more than what duckie's said above. God knows what the score might have been had Munster not been so destroyed in the scrum. Zebo (Irish before anyone says 🙂 ) looks an exciting prospect for the green machine in the future. Even one of your favourites Earls had a fantastic game a_a 😆 (though I've always held he plays better in a red shirt than a green 'un).

RoG even spotted tackling

😆 I saw this too - he took a fair bit of contact last night, but for me it was Mafi that took hit after hit after hit. PO'C had one of his best games of recent times. Donncha Ryan had a great game too. Northampton didn't help Munster by gifting them lots of restarts in their own had. IIRC, two tries came from Zebo winning restarts.

If DD is still predicting quarters at best

Tbh duckie, I thought Munster might qualify in the lower half of the eight and face a strong French side in the QFs, whereupon I thought they'd exit the competition. They have exceeded all expectations, and finishing top seed means Embra in Limerick. I'd love to be able to go to it, I can't see anything other than Munster reaching the last four from that match (though anything can and often does happen). Then for the semis, it's back into the hat again so I'm not looking any further forward than there.

I hope Mallingerer took lots of grief from the fans in Red. 😛 Sky need someone other than Greenwood commentating.

Think it's looking like Ulster in Dublin to play Leinster in the QFs? Now that's a game I won't be missing. One to savour for sure. I still think Munster are the third best Irish side.

What was going on with the two Munster fans that wandered into the Northampton coaches box? That was right out of order.The telly showed two security guys just standing watching them. They must have been pretty drunk to be getting in Dorian West's face.

They must have been pretty drunk to be getting in Dorian West's face.

I didn't actually catch that, but I think there was a bit of needle after the game in Thomond with Mallingerer's comments. Hey ho, Munster end up having needle with every-flipping-one - not something I like that much. But they seem to thrive on resentment (actually that might be a green machine thing in general 🙂 ) I'll do a bit of digging on Twitter and forums and find out.

That was right out of order.

Can't disagree there.

They must have been pretty drunk

Ever been at a match with a few thousand visiting Munster fans? Especially a Saturday one. They're all on the piss all day. 😆

EDIT: Found this...good for a giggle. Cookie Munster.

QFs

Munster v Ulster : Munster
Leinster v Cardiff: Leinster
Embra v Toulouse: 50/50 can't commit
Saracens v Clermont: Sarries to edge it at home

So,
Semis
Munster v Embra/Toulouse
Saracens v Leinster

Munster Leinster Final

Leinster to win it.

I will of course be wrong all over the place. 🙂

On current form I quite fancy Edinburgh's chances against Toulouse. That said, there's no way they'll win in Cork.

Head says To-lose but heart going with Embra. First appearance in QFs and they've been playing some lovely rugby. I'd love to see them go further. (and if they meet Munster, in Ireland, I couldn't see Munster losing that).

Whooooooooooo Hoooooooooooooo

[img] [/img]

Great game to watch for and Edinburgh fan, they did great. Laidlaw must play ing eh six nations. A great display. Great all round performance.

Mind you Toulouse is Edinburghs bogey team - the last time Edinburegh were in the QF they played Toulouse

cookie munster 🙂

Got to say Edinburgh have suprised me, good luck to em. Still think Parks is part of the Blues problem rather than a solution.

@TeeJ

Did you hear it? "…Munster, after a hundred thousand phases..." 🙂

Edinburgh really look like a good team - I have seen them a couple of times and they attack relentlessly form anywhere with variety pop passes. miss moves, loops, cutout passes. Today they had a defence as well - kept LI out for multiple phases on the line. Didn't give many penalties away.

They seem to be getting better and better and might surprise a few folk in the QF. they play a brand of rugby that is great to watch

Is Visser likely to become Scottish qualified?

Yes, Visser will play for Scotland this year. I think it's a daft rule, but if every other country uses it well......

Edinburgh currently ploaying great stuff, and Toulouse aren't the team they once were. It'll be a close game, but I think Edinburgh may shade it. And TJ, agreed, Laidlaw should start for Scotland.

Visser would be a real asset to Scotland

but if every other country uses it well......

oh come on!!!!!!

So DD Munster are the third best Irish side but you still think they are gonna beat Ulster, come now - look at your previous posts!!! Oh boy I can't wait for this one, its going to be epic!!

So DD Munster are the third best Irish side but you still think they are gonna beat Ulster, come now - look at your previous posts!!!

If it was at that shithole in Belfast, then I'd definitely tip Ulster BM. However, at Thomond, I'm tipping Munster - especially as they'd been hiding what they really can do until yesterday. I'd tip them in Thomond in a HC QF against [i]anybody[/i].

What previous posts? I have been entirely modest and lacking in confidence regarding Munster's prospects throughout the competition. Having seen their performance yesterday, and given that they now have a home route to the final, I think they'll beat Ulster in Thomond. What's wrong with that?

Aironi aside, it's pretty plain that Ulster don't travel too well...especially south of the border. 🙂

Ah we will be ok dd just hitting form at the right time. Can't wait for it will you be in attendance? I'll even buy you a beer when we win!!

Unfortunately not. I will have to watch our victory from afar. 🙂

anagallis_arvensis - Member
Got to say Edinburgh have suprised me, good luck to em. Still think Parks is part of the Blues problem rather than a solution.

But if you don't have anybody better; the problem our national team has had. A good piece in the Times about him yesterday, very good tactical kicking game,but at the detriment of the rest of his backs.

Right off for a look at the 6N thread as this one is far too civilised.

Nice to have a Scottish involvement in the Spring for a change... 😀

As a proud Munster man I have to say the omens point to an Ulster win outright this year, as far as I remember they last won it the year the English teams previously didn't compete.

Well done to Michael Bradley former Munster and Ireland scrum half, the last coach to do a half decent job with Edinburgh ended up coaching the national side.....

Ulster not renewing Brian McGlocks contract. Humph must have lined up a seriously good replacement. Rumours its Kirwan. Strange timing for such an announcement given the recent results.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/rugby/ulster-set-to-ditch-brian-mclaughlin-16111184.html

On a brighter note tommy Bowe is on his way back to Ulster or Munster, really hope its the province of his birth DD!

Time to resurrect (no Easter pun intended) this thread. What are the predictions for the weekend;

I'll go with Toulouse, Leinster, Ulster and Sarries for going through. Ulster win dependant on Ferris being fit as its going to be one hell of a battle up front.

Edinburgh game to be close and possibly the most entertaining of the weekend.

I hope the Edinburgh game is a good one - I have tickets 🙂

Edinburgh could and should beat Toulouse. got all the internationals back now for a couple of weeks and settled back in.

Looking forward to it

Hope you enjoy the game TJ and hope Edin can get the win. It really depends which Toulouse side turns up on the day, just hope its the won that doesn't travel well!

33 000+ tickets sold as of last week - we could break the record!

Looking forward to this. Edinburgh really could do it.

Unlikely when they're down to thirteen though! 🙂

Much sobbing in to deep fried porridge expected.......

What a lovely try from the Fijian.

Oooh, game on now!

YESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYES!

CaptainFlashheart - Member
Unlikely when they're down to thirteen though!

Much sobbing in to deep fried porridge expected.......

Arse oot in Jenners window for mystic Flashy!

Gosh.

🙂

Brilliant well done Edinburg 😀 enjoy your celeberations. Sore heads in the morning.

[img] [/img]<

Great win. Not the best of games, too many mistakes and defence dominating but what a hard nosed performance from Edinburgh. To only have a 4 pt deficit with a double sin bin is great and to stop Toulouse and to keep taking the ball off them is just fantastic. 22 turnovers according to ESPN

🙂 @ duckman!

*waves @ darcy over there in the tw*tterverse.... 🙂 *

Very impressed with how the 'Burg closed that game down. Far from what I had expected! Great sound from the full parts of the ground too! Top stuff all round!

Well done Edinburgh great result. Cardiff did better than I expected too. Those two idiots pretending to becoaches need taking out and shooting.

A-A I felt really sorry for Cardiff. They were playing the best team in the comp by a country mile and just didn't have the quality to live with them. I would be scared to let my COUNTRY play a full strength Leinster.Cardiff competed well where they had the quality to do so and the way the fire still burns in Williams was brilliant. They lost probably 5-7 individual battles and didn't seem to set out with anything other than a plan of containment,which worked for a few mins 😆 . Once they started conceding tries they were strangers for the rest of the first half.

Blues are a shambles. Two blokes coaching who have no experience, losing players such as Laulala, gethin, rees, parks, Williams, yapp and maybe Cuthbert. Rush, molitika past there best, Roberts doesn't really play for them and neither does warburton. The welsh regions are screwed, shit Tandy is head coach of the O's who has he coached before?

how long do you think Ferris will last? looks to be limping already!