Brendan Venter Photo from: http://bit.ly/ib30pA
This was a great rugby weeknd - unless you were a Biarritz supporter or a Sky news reporter. Good weekend for France with 6 wins, two each for Engalnd and Ireland, one each for Wales and Italy, and Scotland failed to trouble the scorer.Ulster 22 - 18 Bath
This was a bizarre match with 3 turn over tries – both teams seemed to be trying their hardest to throw it away. You score – no your turn, I insist. I was very impressed by the Ulster front row as Botha and Court destroyed Flatman and Wilson. Ulster’s SA stars Muller, Pienaar, Wannenburg shone as did their home grown talent of Tuohy, Ferris and Trimble. Ulster need more incision in midfield but their scrum is as good as any now. Bath are just out of luck at the moment, Bannahan looked dangerous (well he can’t help looking dangerous with those tattoos can he?) and that was it.
Saracens 21 - 24 Racing Metro 92
The talking point of this match is now Brendan Venter’s post match interview which has already passed into legend. Pity because it wasn’t a bad match at all, lit up by a scorching try from Sireli Bobo. Brad Barrett scored a try which was just as well as it cancelled out his gift to Racing in the first half. Chabal was in impressive caveman form. He can be a grumpy fecker too!
This is Brendan Venter's interview after the Racing match. I think he's trying to protest at the fines for criticizing the refs. Have to say it’s typical though. Can’t be MY fault we lost. The players won’t like it if I blame them. THE REF! IT’S HIS FAULT!
Northampton 23 - 15 Cardiff Blues
Again the match was overshadowed by Romain Poite’s yellow card frenzy, you only had to look at him sideways and you were gone. The lights went out as well, and somewhere in the middle of that - some rugby was even played as well. It was a decent match , Cardiff gave it their all but probably a fair result in the end.
Munster 22 - 16 Ospreys
This was a massively confrontational match, played with skill and passion, and went down to the wire, with the Ospreys in the match until the final minute. Cheeky Tommy Bowe pinched a try for the visitors and Phillips and Holah were mightily impressive although Holah’s involvement does make a mockery of the citing process. Paul O’Connell had a short lived cameo before being given a straight red for a swinging arm. Stand out players for me were Paul Warwick, and Ronan O’Gara (second half). Munster won, Ospreys got their losing bonus point so it was a fair result all round.
Clermont Auvergne 20 - 13 Leinster
Hat’s off to Leinster for an Herculean effort against Clermont Auvergne taking the loss but getting a losing point. It was mortal combat, brutal hand to hand warfare, with both teams going at it hammer and tongs, no quarter given or asked for. Leinster started well with a try from Shane Horgan who’s hit a rich vein of form and Clermont scored two in reply. Clermont are a massive team, Rougerie is an absolute animal in midfield and they’re not just big they’re skilled too. Leinster stood up to their physicality, with good matches for Mike Ross, O’Malley and D’Arcy. Bring on next week!
Harlequins 20 - 9 Connacht
Quins were too strong for Connacht as expected but they found it far tougher than they expected. To me, Connacht need to find more inspiration in midfield, as they are more than competent everywhere else.
London Irish 13 - 19 Toulon
Exiles are all over the place at the moment, that’s six losses on the trot now. They won’t be looking forward to the rematch either.
Out of the rest, Leeds got a good win, and so did Exeter, I’d say the most Irish team in the Premiership now. Biarritz, hang your heads in shame, and teh Tigers did well to get a losing bonus point.
Heineken Cup
Fri - 10th Dec 10
Glasgow 16 - 28 Toulouse
Sat - 11th Dec 10
Ulster 22 - 18 Bath
Aironi Rugby 28 - 27 Biarritz
Northampton 23 - 15 Cardiff Blues
Castres 21 - 16 Edinburgh
Saracens 21 - 24 Racing Metro 92
Perpignan 24 - 19 Leicester
Scarlets 35 - 27 Benetton Treviso
Clermont Auvergne 20 - 13 Leinster
Munster 22 - 16 Ospreys
London Irish 13 - 19 Toulon
Newport-Gwent D'gons 16 - 23 Wasps
Amlin Challenge
Montpellier 39 - 14 Bourgoin
Sat - 11th Dec 10
Petrarca 37 - 10 Cetransa El Salvador
Brive 18 - 9 Sale
Exeter 36 - 10 Newcastle
Bucuresti 20 - 29 Stade Francais
Rovigo 10 - 33 Agen
La Rochelle 6 - 13 Gloucester
Harlequins 20 - 9 Connacht
Bayonne 65 - 7 Cavalieri Prato
Leeds Carnegie 55 - 6 Rugby Parma
Aironi dumping the defending H-Cup finalist, that's a huge shot in the arm for Italian rugby...or a huge black eye for the Basques. I thought it was a typo when I first saw the score.
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