Chgalenge cup my round up 25-1-16 Conacht finih top of group

CHALENGE CUP

NEWCASTLE 27-23 BREVE

HAMMERSLEY DOUBLE GIVES NEWCASTLE SESE OF PRIDE

 

Simon Hammersley, Alex Tait and Micky Young tries and Craig Willis' penalty put Falcons 22-3 up at the break, with Thomas Laranjeira responding for Brive.

Tries from Nicolas Bezy and Christopher Tuatara and two penalties from Laranjeira edged the French side ahead.

Hammersley then neatly kicked and gathered to seal victory late on.

CONNACHT 47-5 ENISEI

HEALY DOUBLE PUTS CONNACHT IN QUARTERS

 

Fit-again centre Henshaw claimed one of Connacht's eight tries as Pat Lam's side finished as Pool One winners.

Matt Healy crossed twice, with Henshaw, Tiernan O'Halloran, Denis Buckley, Danie Poolman, Tom McCartney and Caolin Blade also on the score sheet.

Vitalii Orlov claimed the Siberian visitors' solitary score

CHALENGE CUP QUARTER FINAL DRAW

HARLIQUINS V LONDON IRISH

GLOSTER V DRAGONS

SALE V MONPELLIER

GRENOBLE V CONNACHT

MY OPINION

There are some good teams in the Challenge cup that I think could go far in the European Cup next season Like Sale, Harlequin's or Grenoble but the fact that only 2 p0ro 12 teams reached the quarters does not bake me disagree with what I had said before.

26-1-16 RUGBY CHAMPIONS CUP SUNDAY

SUNDAY

TREVISO 5-28 MUNSTER

AWAY WIN DOES NOT SHOW DEEPNESS OF MUNSTER WOUND

 

Early tries from Ronan O'Mahony and David Kilcoyne looked to have seen off the Italian challenge.

But Treviso got back in it thanks to a drive-over try from Marco Lazzaroni just before half-time.

Conor Murray strolled through to score in the second half, and O'Mahony crossed to seal Munster's bonus point.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/35382389

I Think that this win is hiding some serious problems that Munster are having at the moment and  must be fixed if Munster are to be a force in Europe again

STADE FRANCAIS 36-21 LEISTER

DOUMAYROU TRY GIVES SRADE BONUS POINT WOUND

Tigers had already secured a home tie in the last eight after finishing top of Pool Four, and Stade progress as one of three best runners-up.

Manu Tuilagi gave Leicester the lead, but the hosts ran in 26 unanswered points to earn the bonus point.

Tries from Dom Barrow and Harry Thacker gave Tigers hope but Stade added a late fifth through Geoffrey Doumayrou.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/teams/leicester

I think that because Leister were through to the quarters they did not care as much as they should because of this and that was what gave Stade an advantage.        I don’t think that an all-powerful Leister would have went down so poorly as a fan of Irish rugby as Ulster would have went through this disappointed me.

CLERMOUNT 28-37 BORDEUX

SIMPLE SILLY ERROR PUTS CLERMOUNT OUT

Clermont Auvergne crashed out of the European Champions Cup after getting their sums wrong in a dramatic finish to their final Pool 2 match at the Stade Marcel-Michelin.

The home side would have progressed through to the quarter-finals with a losing bonus point but they failed to realise the significance of a last-minute penalty awarded to them in front of the posts and, instead of going for goal, ran the ball in a vain attempt to score a fifth try.

Clermont had led 28-20 after 62 minutes but conceded 17 points while down to 14 men with Julien Bardy in the sin-bin to suffer a 37-28 loss to Bordeaux-Begles.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/article-3414712/Clermont-Auvergne-28-37-Bordeaux-Begles-Clermont-crash-Champions-Cup.html

Rugby in France is booming and some simplicity here would have helped also. I think that there should have been knowledge of what was going on elsewhere.  

EXETER 33-17 OSPREYS

SHORT MAKES THINGTS SHORT FOR OSPREYS

Thomas Waldrom and James Short each scored two tries for Exeter with Kai Horstmann also going over

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/35355457

Exeter are through in a group that no one could be certain of who would qualify from at any stage as Exeter were able to take control against the ospreys. Now they are in the quarters I think that it will be a lot tougher but I think thyat the Champiohns Cup is made for teams like Exeter at the moment and you might get a few more coming from no where in England and France to reach quarter finals

QUARTER FINAL DRAW

SARACENS V NORTHAMPTON

LEISTER V STADE FRANCAIS

RACING V TOLOUN

WASPS V EXETER

MY OPINION

With only Leinster qualifying for the quarter finals last year and no pro 12 team qualifying this year the question I have to ask is has the pro 12 served its purpose. Have the English and French become too powerful. Do the English and French have a better reserve of player or something to do with the World cup? I think that it is all of the above. There seems to be a gap of control and I think it is going to get bigger which will not help English, French, Irish or Welsh rugby. Ulster sit in 9^th position and if one more result had had went their way they would be in the quarters.

SATURDAY RESULTS CHAMPIONS CUP 23-1-16

RUGBY UNION CHAMPIONS CUP

SATURDAY

BATH 14- 19 TOULON

HABANA PUTS POOR TOULON WHERE THEY SHOULD BE

 

Steffon Armitage and Bryan Habana went over for the French side either side of half-time at the Rec.

Anthony Watson scored Bath's only try, as George Ford kicked three penalties

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/35355056

This win would be enough to put Tolun into the quarters but we have not seen Toloun play as we know that they can. This world cup year has hurt a lot of teams especially Toulon but I can see them improving a lot for the quarter finals.

 

WASPS 51-10 LEINSTER

GOPPERTH STARTS EVERYTHING FOR WASPS

 

Dai Young's team got off to the worst possible start after only two minutes at the Ricoh Arena, when a rapid break saw Zane Kirchner go over in the right-hand corner for the visitors.

But the Irish province, who finished bottom of the pool, lost influential fly-half Johnny Sexton to concussion after only 10 minutes and their afternoon began to unravel.

Jimmy Gopperth converted his own try and England's Joe Launchbury, on his return from concussion, also went over to put Wasps ahead.

While Wasps front-rower Lorenzo Cittadini was in the sin-bin, an acrobatic inside pass by Rob Kearney saw Eoin Reddan score Leinster's second, but it was to be their final points of the match.

Elliot Daly will head to England's Six Nations training camp on Sunday off the back of a man-of-the-match performance which included a sensational try.

The Wasps outside centre, as yet uncapped at international level, raced diagonally from 40 metres out, beating Rob and Dave Kearney, to touchdown his side's third score of the game.

The bonus point came via a penalty try and Leinster's defence crumbled again as Daly sent wing Frank Halai over.

Full-back Charles Piutau showed his pace to cross with 10 minutes remaining, before Ashley Johnson stepped off the bench to heap more misery on Leinster, who were handed their heaviest European defeat to date

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/35355120

There seem to be things that need fixing at Leinster this season as they finish bottom of the table and I would have saw them as a quarter finalist. Leinster have a lot of things to sort out before next season and I hope that they do as they are one of the better teams for the pro 12

 

GLASGOW 22-5 RACING METRO

HOGG TRY GIVES GLASGOW POINTLESS WIN

 

Finn Russell put Warriors 3-0 ahead at half-time and 19 second-half points to Racing's five - a Cedate Gomes Sa try - put the French Top 14 leaders away.

The critical score was Stuart Hogg's try midway through the second period

Eleven points in total from Russell's boot and six more from Duncan Weir secured the win.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/35383122

This was a good win for Glasgow but very little else can be said about it. I think this has been a poor season for Glasgow bot in the pro 12 and in Europe and I think they are good enough to improve. I don’t think that Racing paid too much attention to the result as they new they were in the quarter finals last week.

SCARLETS 10-22 NORTHAMPTON

NORTH PUTS NORTHAMPTON IN QUARTERS

 

Saints needed maximum points from their final Pool Three game to stay in with a chance of progressing as one of the best three runners-up.

And they did it with ease, thanks to tries from Harry Mallinder, George Pisi, Sam Dickinson and George North.

Rhodri Jones grabbed a late consolation score for the hosts.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/35355000

 

TOLOUSE 17-28 SARACENS

MC ALISTER DOUBLE GOOD ENOUGH FOR UNBEATEN RUN IN EUROPE

The Premiership champions had already secured a home quarter-final, while their French opponents' hopes of progressing were over.

Three kicks from Charlie Hodgson and a superb score from Ben Spencer gave the visitors a 12-point advantage.

Toulouse fought back through Maxime Medard's try and a second from Luke McAlister, but Owen Farrell's late penalties made sure of the Sarries win.

ULSTER 56-3 OYONNAX

DEMOLUTION MATCH SHOWS ULSTER HAVE THE CLASS

Rob Herring, Darren Cave, Rory Scholes and Sean Reidy scored tries to put the hosts 28-3 ahead at half-time.

Craig Gilroy, Robbie Diack, Ian Humphreys and Jared Payne added touchdowns after the interval.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/35356465

In my opinion Ulster lost tis both from the time they lead against Saracens at home and against Oyonnax away when they played terribly but just managed to come out with a win but to win in France twice and get no quarter final for any Irish side is heart-breaking

EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS CUP PREDICTIONS 22-1-16

RUGBY UNION TEAMS AND PREDICTION

POOL 1 SAT 1PM

TOLOUSE V SARACENS

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a bad season for Toulouse and a good one for Saracens when it come3s to European Rugby we all know that. It is for that reason I cannot see anything but a comfortable win for Saracens but the question that will have to be asked can they get the bonus point. I think that they can and will.

ULSTER V OYONNAX

 

 

 

 

 

 

Everything lies on this match for Irish rugby as Ulster need to win with a bonus point to stand any chance of reaching the quarter final and Oyonnax have put up there spills this year but this is on Ulster as I think that they can but we still don’t know what that bonus point will mean as they are a few sides ahead of them in the competition. This could be the first quarter final without an Irish side

POOL 3 SAT 5.30PM

GLASGOW V RACING

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Too stand any chance of qualifying no matter how slim they are Glasgow must beat Racing and I have not seen enough of them this year to say that is possible. I think that at the end of the season they need to go back and fix what went wrong this season as a lot has.

SCARLETS V NORTHAMPTON

 

 

 

 

 

Northampton needa bonus point against the Scarlet’s to seal a quarter final spot and there is nothing here to me that says they won’t as they are a much better side than Scarlet’s .   

POOL 5 3.15PM

BATH V TOULON

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is not the same Toulon that we have seen for the last few years but as this is an away tie it is not a sure thing that Toulon will win this by any means. I think that this will be a match that could go either way. But I personally would back Toulon but by no more than 5 points.

WASPS V LEINSTER

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think Leinster will put out a good team first to see where they stand and secondly to help Irish rugby out as an Irish team in the quarters is a good thing by Leinster. I think a drop at goal would be the difference but I still think this season Wasps have too much.

SUN 1 PM POOL 4

TREVISO V MUNSTER

 

 

 

This should be a bonus point away win for Munster under normal circumstances but this is not the Munster we know and I would not be too surprised if Treviso got somrthing out of this but the most I can see Treviso get is a losing bonus point and maybe Munster not get the try bonus point.

STADE FRANCAIS V LEISTER

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think Leister will be too strong for Stade as I think that they are on a hot streak and a win in France would be what everyone wants forget everything else. For that reason a Leister Bonus point win for me. This might push Munster up to second which might help rankings.

SUN 3.15 PM POOL 2

CLERMOUNT V BORDEUX

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a group that has proven hard to predict and it is very difficult to predict with any certainty how a French team will play but if Clermont play well I think they will win.

EXETER V OSPREYS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ospreys know a win will put them in the quarters anything else then it is down to luck and I think that this match will be played like a war but I hope that the Ospreys are able to come out on top.

 

 

 

cHALENGE CUP GROUPS 22-1-16

CHALANGE CUP PERMUTATIONS

POOL A

 

 

 

 

 

 

Connacht need to get one more point than Breve and I think that is possible as Breve face Newcastle where I think they will be happy with the win and I think Connacht will play for the bonus point find it hard but in the last 10 minutes get it.

POOL B

 

 

 

 

Sale tops the group with Dragons in second as we saw last night.

SALE 38-5 DRAGONS

BIG SALE WIN SETS UP HOME QUARTER

Sale Sharks eased past Newport Gwent Dragons to qualify for the European Challenge Cup last eight as Pool Two winners and earn a home quarter-final.

The match was all-but won in the first half, as Brian Mujati and Josh Beaumont tries either side of a penalty try gave Sale a commanding 24-0 half-time lead.

Danny Cipriani capped a fine display by putting Nev Edwards over before Ashton Hewitt scored a Dragons consolation.

Full-back Mike Haley added a late fifth try for Sale, who was always on top.

POOL C

Harlequins are through to the quarter final at home with 25 points but this group is solely based on what Montpellier will do in their final match any sort of win should get the quarters but anything less they might be going home. Playing harlequins at home the best in the group doesn’t help and I don’t think Quins will go easy on them. Cardiff Blues play Calvasano and hope that 17 points will be enough. You never know But I am not too sure but if Cardiff do not they are out in my opinion.

CARDIFF BLUES V CALVASANO TEAMS

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sam Warburton and Gethin Jenkins return from injuries to start for Cardiff Blues in their European Challenge Cup clash against Calvisano on Friday.

Their returns are a boost for Wales as they prepare for the Six Nations.

National captain Warburton comes in at open-side, while Gareth Anscombe takes over at fly-half from Rhys Patchell, who is on the bench

Cardiff Blues: Dan Fish; Alex Cuthbert, Cory Allen, Gavin Evans, Tom James; Gareth Anscombe, Tavis Knoyle; Gethin Jenkins (capt), Ethan Lewis, Dillon Lewis, Jarrad Hoeata, Lou Reed, Cam Dolan Josh Navidi, Sam Warburton.

Replacements: Matthew Rees, Thomas Davies, Scott Andrews, Macauley Cook, Ellis Jenkins, Lloyd Williams, Rhys Patchell, Aled Summerhill.

Calvisano: Ben De Jager; Giacomo De Santis, Alberto Chiesa, Tommy Castello (capt), Marco Susio; Florin Vlaicu, Pablo Canavosio; Luca Scarsini, Lorenzo Giovanchelli, Rudy Biancotti, Michele Andreotti, Davide Zanetti, Matteo Archetti, Renato Giammarioli, Jim Tuivaiti.

Replacements: Gabriele Morelli, Sami Panico, Marco Riccioni Agustin Cavalieri, Emilio Vezzoli, Nocola Belardo, Riccardo Raffaele, Filippo Buscema.

HARLIQUINS V MONPELLIER

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Harlequins make eight changes to the side that beat Cardiff Blues for their trip to Montpellier.

Ben Botica and Karl Dickson form a new half-back pairing, while Matt Hopper, Harry Sloan and Charlie Walker come into the back line.

Mark Lambert and Joe Gray are named in the front row and Luke Wallace comes in at open-side flanker.

Quins have already secured a home quarter-final in April, having won all five of their matches in Pool Three.

Montpellier, who sit seventh in the French Top 14, are second in the pool, three points ahead of Cardiff Blues.

Montpellier: Mogg; Fall, Tuitavake, Ebersohn, O'Connor; Catrakilis, Paillaugue; Nariashvili, B. du Plessis, Jannie du Plessis, Tchale-Watchou, Willemse, Ouedraogo (capt), Liebenberg, Qera.

Replacements: Geli, Kubriashvili, Cilliers, Jacques du Plessis, Battut, White, Trinh-Duc, Reilhac.

Harlequins: Chisholm; Yarde, Hopper, Sloan, Walker; Botica, Dickson; Lambert, Gray, Collier, Merrick, Matthews, Robshaw, Wallace, Clifford (capt).

Replacements: Buchanan, Evans, Jones, Treadwell, Luamanu, Care, Swiel, Stanley.

POOL D

 

 

 

 

 

Gloster are through can Zebre get the win needed to bring them into the mix. If they do it might get some pride in Italian rugby. Zebre play Gloster at home and playing in Italy might be the only thing that saves them.

POOL E

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pool E is a straight shootout between Grenoble and Edinburgh. The final match of the pool stages and what a match Edinburgh 1 point behind going to France I think Edinburgh can  and will win this one but by no more than 5 points.  

 

chalenge cup 21-01-16

RUGBY CHALENGE CUP TEAMS

SALE V DRAGONS

 

Josh Beaumont is captain with Peter Stringer, Sam James, Eifion Lewis-Roberts and Brian Mujati coming in.

Captain T Rhys Thomas returns at hooker for Dragons after being cleared of biting an opponent.

A hearing on Wednesday dismissed a claim that the former Wales player had bitten Castres' Thomas Caballero.

Sale Sharks: Mike Haley; Will Addison, Sam James, Johnny Leota, Nev Edwards; Danny Cipriani, Peter Stringer; Eifion Lewis Roberts, Tommy Taylor, Brian Mujati, Bryn Evans, Andrei Ostrikov, Cameron Neild, Magnus Lund, Josh Beaumont (capt.)

Replacements: Neil Briggs, Ross Harrison, Vadim Cobilas, Jonathan Mills, Mark Easter, James Mitchell, Joe Ford, Mark Jennings

Dragons: Carl Meyer; Ashton Hewitt, Adam Hughes, Adam Warren, Hallam Amos; Jason Tovey, Sarel Pretorius; Phil Price, Thomas Rhys Thomas (capt), Brok Harris, Cory Hill, Rynard Landman, Lewis Evans, Nic Cudd, Taulupe Faletau.

Replacements: Elliot Dee, Boris Stankovich, Shaun Knight, Matthew Screech, Ed Jackson, Charlie Davies, Angus O'Brien, Nick Scott

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/35353570

 

This is the biggest week in European rugby since the quarter final of the world cup. I would be going slightly towards the dragons as they have less to play for.

19-1-16 european champions cup permutations

RUGBY EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS CUP POOLS

Pool A

Team	Played	Won	Lost	Bonus  points	Points
Saracens	5	5	0	4	24
Ulster	5	3	0	1	13
Oyonnax	5	1	4	3	7
Toulouse	5	2	4	1	5

 

Pool B

Team	Played	Won	Lost	Bonus Point	Points
Ospreys	5	3	2	4	16
Clermont	5	3	2	2	14
Exeter	5	2	3	3	11
Bordeaux	5	2	3	3	11

 

Pool C

Team	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Bonus Point	Points
Racing	5	4	1	0	4	22
Northampton	5	3	1	0	0	14
Glasgow	5	2	0	3	2	10
Scarlet’s	5	0	0	5	2	2

 

Pool D

Team	Played	Won	Lost	Bonus Points	Points
Leister	5	5	0	3	23
Stade Francais	5	3	2	2	14
Munster	5	2	3	2	10
Treviso	5	0	5	0	0

 

Pool E

Team	Played	Won	Lost	Bonus Point	Points
Toloun	5	4	1	0	16
Wasps	5	3	2	3	15
Bath	5	2	3	1	9
Leinster	5	1	4	2	6

What does this mean?

Saracens, Racing Metro and Leister are through to the quarter finals.

Ospreys and Toulon are looking to book themselves a home quarter final with a win

Ulster, Northampton, Wasps, Sade Francis are looking to get them 3 quarter final spots

Clermont Exeter and Bordeaux still believe they can top their pool