Worst and best of Round 2 of the Heineken Cup and Amlin Challenge

Picture from: http://i.thisislondon.co.uk/i/pix/2009/07/venter-415x275.jpg

Best and Worst of Round 2 of the Heineken Cup and Amlin Challenge

Worst defeat – Ta-dah! Cetransa El Salvador 3 - 116 Brive. Another defeat for the South American team ( probably time to retire that joke) in what is a half decent cricket score. Gloucester 90 - 7 Rovigo is not far behind. The point of any of these matches? Answers on a postcard please.


Try of the weekend Shane Williams, Ospreys v London Irish – this is a stonker! http://rugbydump.blogspot.com/2010/10/shane-williams-great-solo-try-against.html

The Brendan Venter diplomacy award goes to (drum roll) Brendan Venter himself. This was his after match comment: Venter : "We were definitely the better team today, by far". After getting pretty comprehensively beaten by Leinster. More sour grapes from him here where he ’worries for the future of the game’ http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3822_6449006,00.html

Best win Exeter against Bourgoin . Go the Chiefs (and probably the most Irish English team if you know what I mean)

Biggest fright Stade by a country mile as Leeds nearly staged the upset of the tournament. Would have been sweet. honorable mention for Northampton by Edinburg The Saints are winning – but only just scraping through each time.

This is the best of last weekends trys : http://rugbydump.blogspot.com/2010/10/best-tries-of-heineken-cup-round-1.html only a week late!

Irish Round Up

Munster 45 - 18 Toulon What a result for Munster! This was top entertainment, loads of trys, superlatives all round from the men in red. Mick O’Driscoll was immense, Mafi and Tuitupou weren’t missed in the slightest, Howlett scored a stunner – what more could you wish for? I2 out 15 Irish players is good news for Ireland too. Tony Buckley is growing with each match, and I’m not talking about bigger jerseys here.

Saracens 23 - 25 Leinster While the Munster match was more fun to watch – this was about as satisfying as a result as you could wish for. All the points for Leinster were scored by Sexton, giving an enviable fly half dilemma for Ireland now. Leinster ground this one out, including holding out Sarries for 30 phases after full time was up, to cement their good start to the HCup. That Leinster engine is beginning to hum again, the only worry being Fitzgerald’s injury. Sarries have plenty of bash, but not much more to show after having imported half of the Souhtern Hemishpere.

Biarritz 35 Ulster 15 The only blot on the Irish copy book was Ulster who were done by last year’s losing finalist’s, Biarritz. The first half was fairly evenly matched, maybe the result of some French industrial action? They made up for it in the second half looking utterly rampant and stamping their authority on the game. Ulster just couldn’t handle their power and go home empty handed for the first time this season.

Connacht 16 - 13 Bayonne The men from the West made up for last week with a good win over Bayonne. So three from four, pretty good result for Ireland Inc.

Shark Bite

The Sharks prospered at home, beating the Bulls to earn a home final. Pretty sweet win, the Super 14 may be the big focus but the Currie Cup is nothing to sniff at, and The Sharks must be odds on to win it now.

Province will provide their opposition after accounting for Free State

Honesty from coaches and preview of this weekend’s Heineken Cup Action

Honesty from coaches

I was reading interviews with Toby Booth of London Irish and Sean Holley of the Ospreys the other week where they were praising the other teams in the pool and it seems that talking up the opposition is now as much a part of the pre match ritual for a coach as video analysis and bribing the ref (just joking). How about a bit of good old fashioned honesty from a coach?

 ‘When I saw the draw for the Heineken Cup pools I laughed at my good fortune when I saw who would be propping up the bottom of our pool. I laughed so hard that the tears were still running down my face when all my friends started to phone me to congratulate me on the easy draw. Even the dogs on the street know you are rubbish, even my wife who never watches rugby said you were hopeless.

Your team is equally composed of no hoper journeyman who will permanently remain on the dole after their final injury, has-beens still under the illusion they are the best thing since sliced bread, and a host of foreign ‘stars’ who haven’t bothered to learn the language, play as if they are working to rule, and are manifestly overpaid and underperforming (more overpaid and underperforming than our overpaid and underperforming foreign stars that is).

 If we don’t get a maximum ten points out of your team I’ll feel like my whole career as a coach has been a failure.’


Heineken Cup Preview

Week two of the competition and the action should really get going on Friday as the Ospreys host London Irish. Both sides are bursting with talent, I support Irish but I reckon the Ospreys are going to want to prove a point here so I’m backing them to win. Racing and Clermont should be really good to watch as well, going with Clermont there as Racing look to have some ongoing fly half issues.

In the Amlin Challenge Cup, the match of the weeknd for me is going to be Leeds against Stade Francaise - come on Leeds, show us what you're made of!

Irish Action

This is going to be a feast…

Munster – Toulon Munster are surely going to bounce back – French teams are notoriously iffy on the road, and Munster are just showing some signs of form. Really looking forward to seeing David Wallace in action again, centre is going to be a bit of an issue for Munster with suspensions, but Munster to win, especially if Wilkinson is rested.

Saracens – Leinster – Oh yeaah! Wembley stadium is the setting as Leinster take on the pride of South Africa (have to call a spade a spade!). Saracens got a spanking at Clermont last week, and Leinster 5 points against Racing. This is a mouth watering prospect. Leinster are going to have withstand a beefy onslaught from Sarries, and then give the backs their head as the game progresses. If the game breaks up at all Leinster are going to get this, it’s going to be one hell of a match. I’m backing Leinster.

Biarritz v Ulster It keeps on getting better, this should be an awesome match as well. Beating Biarritz away is a tall order, but Ulster have been playing really well and their new stars are well bedded in by now. I don’t think Ulster are going to win, but I think they’ll be coming home with something, and could give Biarritz a big fright.

Connacht v Bayonne Connacht are going to want to bounce back after last weekend’s disappointment and my feeling is that the French are going to feel the wrath of a green backlash – Connacht to win.

Irish on the Telly

SAT OCT 16

Munster v Toulon, HC, SS1, 15:30

SARACENS v LEINSTER, HC, SS1, 17:45

Shark Bite

Semi’s time in the Currie Cup and the Sharks are going to take on the Bulls. Gulp. With all their Boks back the Bulls are formidable. But home advantage for the Sharks and a bit of belief this season is going to see them home, in my humble opinion. In the other semi, Province should account for the Cheetahs.

The Best and the Worst of the Heineken Cup and Amlin Cup - in my expert opinion.

The Best and the Worst of the Heineken Cup and Amlin Cup - in my expert opinion

Biggest defeat - Cetransa El Salvador take a bow, 97 -11 to Sale. Back to South America for you! Runner up - Stade Francais 57 - 6 Crociati Rugby . Did I hear a big gulp from Leeds in the same group as Stade?

Best use of facial hair in a supporting role - Erik Lund(Biarritz) (above)

Biggest fright Leicester! Benetton Treviso came within a whisker of causing a massive upset.

Best rugby brain Jim Mallinder, Northampton coach “Our goalkickers, they have got some weaknesses" No s&*t Sherlock! Why did I rashly plump for Saints in that pool?

Funny old world award – Toulon best the Ospreys and all the points for Toulon are scored by English players.

Worst Jersey – Perpignan. Speaks for itself

First – win of the season for Leeds Carnegie!

Honourable mention - Go the Scarlets!

Irish Round Up

Ulster 30 - 6 Aironi Rugby Ulster got the bonus point – still creaking a bit but you can’t argue with 5 points. Pienaar continues to impress.

Leinster 38 - 22 Racing Metro 92 MASSIVE result for Leinster. 5 tries, everything is starting to go well again. I couldn’t catch the match properly because of junior cricket commitments – should that be cricketing commitments for Junior, and I missed a cracker by the sounds of things. Sean O'Brien man of the match is due recognition for a player who goes from strength to strength. This is Chabal introducing himself to Heaslip: http://rugbydump.blogspot.com/2010/10/sebastien-chabals-big-tackle-on-jamie.html

London Irish 23 - 17 Munster Munster lost but got a losing bonus point. A few years ago that wouldn’t have been good enough for them, but Irish are a good team and even O’Gara candidly admitted they didn’t deserve to win. David Wallace was immense, and Bob Casey must be knocking on the selector’s door. They aren’t missing Mafi at all IMO, what they need in midfield is incision, and Mafi is blunt force trauma exemplified.

Cavalieri Prato 23 - 21 Connacht Connacht took their eye off the ball – they obviously had the points already chalked up in their minds. Italy is providing a few surprises this year.

Shark Bite

Western Province 33-21 Sharks Province manned up at home and came up with a good win. Being able to throw on 4 Springboks didn’t hurt their cause. Sharks are still top of the league, and scored three tries.

Idiot's Heineken Cup Form Guide.

This is a guide written by an idiot not for idiots, so if you’re an idiot, probably not for the first time in your life you’re in the wrong place.


There is a mass of analysis of past performance, current form, player stats – none of which you’re going to encounter in this post. No, these are my off the cuff selections, based on whimsy and a vastly self inflated view of my rugby knowledge.

So in brief 6 pools, all winners qualify plus two best runners up.

Pool 1 Cardiff Blues, Northampton Saints, Edinburgh, Castres. Has to be the Saints from an easy pool. I was just joking Blues fans about the easy pool but the Saints it’s going to be.

Pool 2 Leinster, Clermont, Saracens, Racing Metro. Clermont for me out of the pool for the biggest, baddest, meanest teams in the tournament. And Saracens. A bit traitorous from a Leinster supporter but this is no place for sentiment.

Pool 3 Munster Ospreys London Irish Toulon. Munster in a crimescene CSI will be called in to investigate – don’t know how they’ll do it but they will. Ospreys to get last spot.

Pool 4 Biarritz Bath Ulster Aironi. Ulster – Controversial! but the Irish/South African mix is going to be a winner.

Pool 5 Leicester Tigers, Scarlets, Perpignan, Treviso. Tigers to stroll this one. Perpignan as the second qualifier

Pool 6 Toulouse Wasps Glasgow Dragons This one’s easy peasy Toulouse by a country mile.

So there you have it, rush down to the bookies and get ready to rake it in.

More info for info junkies is here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010%E2%80%9311_Heineken_Cup and here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heineken_Cup
Irish games on the telly.

SAT OCT 9

LEINSTER v RACING MÉTRO, HC, SS1, 13:30

London Irish v Munster, HC, SS1, 17:45

Ulster get things going for the Irish provinces on Friday night and need to extract 5 points out of Aironi, anything less is a unacceptable especially if they are going to top their group as I’ve somewhat optimistically predicted.

Connacht are away to I Cavalieri – they look like they could get out of their group, and this could be the ideal start.

Leinster fans will be crossing their fingers and anything else they can think of that last weeks improvement in form continues as they take on Racing Metro at the RDS Saturday. It’s a typical French T14 side stuffed with stars but I still fancy Leinster as these French teams are notoriously bad tourists. Leinster by 5.

Saturday evening should be the match of the weekend as Munster come up against London Irish at the Madjeski Stadium. Last season the Exiles started the season by pooping Leinster’s party, and they going to do the same for Munster? I reckon! Exiles by 7 but I still think Munster are going to qualify.

Toulouse and Wasps on Sunday looks pretty tasty too, but could be painful for Wasps.

Shark Bite

Sharks and Western Province in Cape Town in the Currie Cup – bring it on! Sharks could struggle away from home – Province by 3.

Leinster stage a comeback

Cardiff 22 - Connacht 6

Ulster 19 - 17 Glasgow

Leinster 13 - 9 Munster

Magners League
 
The result of the weekend has to be Leinster's win over Munster. Experts - what do they know? Not a lot by the sound of things. Even though there are certain teams that treat the Magners as if it was sponsored by Disney (Leinster, Munster, Cardiff, Ospreys I hope your ears are burning) neither side wanted to lose this match. As a Munster supporter said to me, I guess Leinster wanted to lose it less.The wet conditions made ball handling difficult, so the quality wasn't the highest, but you couldn't match it for passion. Leinster seem to be getting back some of their verve as Carney and Fitzgerald found their dancing feet and Munster...I don't know what to say really, they should have won this match on this season's form. I think they are missing Paul O'Connell a lot. Hat's off to BOD for popping up in the right place at the right time. 5 in row? Wow.
 
The Aviva seemed to be rocking, and the blue light display at the end was awesome - did they have some red lights on stand by if need be? I wonder if the lights were left over from the Buble concert?
 
In other Irish action, Connacht lost but didn't disgrace themselves against a Cardiff side who look like they could easily balance the Irish national deficit with all those foreign stars. Fionn Carr must be knocking on the National sides door.
 
Ulster sorted out Glasgow - maybe not as easily as they should have, but the big news in that match was the impressive debut of Ruan Pienaar, who is going to be an excellent buy for Ulster I'm sure. Hope they find game time for Williams as well. They could easliy be the form Irish province this season.
 
Exiles
 
London Irish stomped all over Leeds 40-24 to remain top of the heap
 
Shark Bite
 
Sharks 56 - Leopards 6
 
What's the adjective for a score like that? The Sharks obliterated the Leopards in a 9 try rout - still wouldn't have been satisfied with anything less though.

The Hunt for Red October - Leinster v Munster at the Aviva Stadium

Something red and dangerous is heading for the Aviva Stadium, tension is building up in Leinster...only one man can save us now...if only it was that simple...

How's that for a big introduction? Not that Leinster versus Munster at the Aviva stadium needs much talking up. There's going to be big hits, massive collisions, blood and guts, and that's just getting into the stadium (if it’s anything like getting into the Michael Bublé concert that is.) Hopefully the crowd this weekend will be treated to a less asinine performance than Michael dished up ( my apologies and commiserations to the anyone who is a fan of his).

If you’re from Ireland you must live in a cave if you don’t know that Leinster have beaten Munster in the last four fixtures between them. But Munster are four from four in the Magners this year, with Leinster’s one from four slightly less impressive. You can find some clues for Munster’s selection here http://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2010/0929/wallaced.html. Even more cryptic clues for Leinster’s team are here: http://leinsterrugby.ie/5110.php.

I’ll bet Joel Schmidt is nervously scratching his head as he trys to work out who the hell to pick to produce a return to form for Leinster.

Going for him is:

Leinster is going to be really up for this one

Munster are going to be totally underestimating them

That’s about it for positives

Cons

Munster is going to be really up for this one

Munster have a far superior Magners record this season

The last place you want to get creamed is in your own back yard

Key players are missing and form of stars is uncertain

I really can’t see a happy ending here for Schmidt or Leinster – they have a critical mass of grunt absent from their scrum (Leo Cullen), and they have big problems with their two main play makers – Jonny Sexton has been one to verge of returning for 3 weeks now, and Reddan has looked out of sorts. So Munster by 10.

Rugby on the Telly

Thursday 30th

Cardiff Blues v Connacht RTE 2, 19.00

FRI OCT 1

Ulster v Glasgow, ML, BBC2, 19:05

SAT OCT 2

LEINSTER v MUNSTER, ML, TG4, 20:10

Thursday rugby! Cool! Connacht welcome back Johnny O’Connor as they travel to Cardiff, and look to build on their good start to the season. I’m tipping them to come up with the goods.

Friday sees Ulster take on Glasgow at home – the big news in that match is the inclusion in the squad of Springbok star Ruan Pienaar – he is one seriously talented player, and likely to make a big impact for Ulster.

Shark Bite

Sharks v Leopards, CC, SS3, 18:00

The Sharks lost out narrowly to the Lions last week but they face a vastly inferior member of the cat family this weekend – expect to see some fur flying.

Exile update

London Irish are top of the pile right now and Leeds Carnegie must be quaking in their boots considering what Irish did to Newcastle last week. It could be a cricket score.

Munster, Ulster, Connacht riding high, Leinster riding low – full CSI investigation of the Murrayfield crime scene

Edinburgh 32 - 24 Leinster

Glasgow 29 - 43 Munster

Connacht 15 - 15 Ulster

Leinster don’t look like a team who won the Heineken cup just over two years ago at the moment. Leinster look like a team who won an out of date box of chocolates in a village fete two years ago. There are reasons (not excuses, mind) for why they are looking so bad so this isn’t going to be a full out flaying of the team. Just yet that is.

Reason no 1 - don’t bring a knife to a gun fight. Edinburgh were winless until this weekend, and picked their first team. What was the point of leaving Healy and Heaslip on the bench? They’ve been molly coddled enough by the IRFU, time to have a decent run of games and build up some form.

Reason no 2 – injuries. Leinster need a good back up fly half/ kicker in a hurry until Sexton sorts himself out. They are sadly lacking in the second row too. If Ali Williams is going spare they should sign him up ASAP.

Reason no3 – defense. Last minute fly half changes don’t help the defense. Also IRFU enforced abcences/chopping and changing/general buggering around don’t help. But we’re creeping from reason to excuse here, come on chaps, brush up on the tackling, what!

Reason No 4 Attack see reason 2 not enough fly half back up Isa is a legend but for whatever reason he’s not a fly half’s bottom. The rest of the guys need to settle – there is an embarrassment of riches in the backline, let’s stop kicking so much and see some razzmatazz.

Reason no 5 Edinburgh at home are always a bugger, and not to be ungracious they played really well.

All they have to do is beat the top team next week now and everything will be ok. Simple really.

To add salt to the wound, while Leinster were being royally skewered by Edinburgh, Munster had the temerity to notch up a good away win over the other Scots representatives, Glasgow. Show offs!

Ulster and Connacht rounded off the weekend at the showground with a hard fought draw. As far as Connacht have come a draw is still a result for them against the 'Man City' of the Magners League. Decent place kicking from out halves, lots of resolute defence and a good tight match.

Overall, it's looking pretty healthy for Ireland at the moment, just waiting for the boys in blue to come to the party.