Heineken and Amlin Challenge Cup Rugby - a right royal dust up in Paris, London, Dublin and Limerick!

I sent the wife - picture from http://bit.ly/iTqJ98

There’s a huge amount to look forward to this weekend, big crowds, lots of enthusiastic fans, tradition, impressive starting line ups, teamwork , fantastic ball handling skills – but enough about the royal wedding, let’s talk about rugby!

Starting with the Heineken Cup and Leinster v Toulouse, what a match in prospect! The best bit is that I’m going to be there, and Leinster’ll actually to get to hear me roaring for a change. Toulouse have a pedigree as long as your arm - record four times Heineken Cup winners, runners up twice, and with a record 17 T14 titles, it’s amazing they aren’t coming to Dublin as favourites. Looking at their record and their players – Dusatoir, Skrela, Heymans, Poitrenaud – actually I think I’ll stop doing that, it’s one scary team. But Leinster are a complete team this days, tough front row, ultra competitive loose trio, incisive backs, passionate defenders. They play smart, smart rugby, prepare well, and deliver. At home, on a roll after a good portion of the team beat England, pretty well brushed Leicester aside, I’m backing them to take this one. The BOD is going to be missing the aforementioned wedding for his Friday Captains run.

On Sunday, the Saints welcome Perpignan to the MK Stadium. This larger venue for the Saints seems to be quite an intimate cosy ground, but with one fatal flaw - soccer supporters aren’t allowed to drink if they can see the pitch apparently. This doesn’t apply to rugby, but it sounds by all reports that it’s pretty difficult to observe one of the fundamental human rights – that’s liberte´. equalite´ , and having a pint while watching a game of rugby. In the Saints/Ulster match both sets of supporters struggled manfully to deal the problem, and came through without too much hardship. No doubt the Saints/Perpignan will overcome the odds as well. And what about the rugby? Saints’ home advantage makes them favourites of course, and I think they would have been a lot more worried about playing Toulon. Also Perpignan are 9th in the T14. But I hope that doesn’t distract the Saints, Pepignan were beaten T14 finalists last year, this is a one off, and anything could happen. In particular, I don’t think the Saints are going to bully Perpignan’s forwards (one Mr Tualagi will help with that), so it’ll be interesting to see how their backs cope with slower ball. Their broken field players like Aston and Fodden are second to none, but I’d say the teams are pretty evenly matched, and this one will be decided on penalties, and is Myler the man to do that for them? Saints by a whisker.

Amlin Challenge Cup

Stade Francaise/Clermont – should be a mighty match, home advantage in France is everything, but Clermont are such an awesome team I think they’ll win this, even away from home.

Munster/Harlequins - Munster will be without POC for this match, but I don’t think that’ll be much comfort for Quins as they head for the cauldron that is Thomond Park. Munster have clicked back in to gear, they even defeated mighty Leinster a few weeks ago, and will triumph again on Saturday.

Magners

The Blues will wrap up a semi final place if they beat the Dragons, and they will.

Shark Bite

The Sharks head to Cape Town to take on the enigmatic Stormers. Likely to be a typical SA slugfest, which the boys from Durban should win.

Heineken Cup


Saturday , April 30

Leinster vs Toulouse 15:30

Sunday , May 1

Northampton vs Perpignan 15:00

Amlin Challenge Cup


Friday , April 29

Stade Francais vs Clermont Auvergne 19:45

Saturday , April 30

Munster vs Harlequins 13:00

Super Rugby


Friday , April 29

Highlanders vs Blues 19:35

Saturday , April 30

Hurricanes vs Reds 19:35

Waratahs vs Melbourne Rebels 19:40

Western Force vs Crusaders 20:05

Cheetahs vs Brumbies 19:10

Bulls vs Chiefs 17:05

Stormers vs Sharks 19:10

The Magners League


Friday , April 29

Newport-Gwent D'gons vs Cardiff Blues 16:05