Italians & Home Nations

[pier12345]

c) Glasgow and London irish will qualify for the first time to the quarterfinals of the Heineken Cup

wrong for Glasgow
right for the Exiles (thank a scot ref...)

d) Munster..with the inclusions of Paul O Connell, Doug Howlett , Paringatai ( all injured ) will be favourites to win the Heineken Cup

they're not even going to advance to the knock-out stages 'cause they're going to lose both next two matches

e) Ireland will finish second last in the 6N

who will be the winner?

well well well....
London Irish..first in their group..(.of course..all thanks to a scottish referee!)....and their are second highest try scorers in the tournament with 25 ( must have been a conspiracy!)

Glasgow...allways was going to be very difficult but thye really threw the game away to saracens..and hard some incredivbile decisions agaisnt the,..such as a try which was never a try...but fair is fair..Saracens deserve the win i suppose...but at least Glasgow were still in with a chance until the last dyings moments

Munster...having only ever lsot ONCE in 11 years of Heineken Cup matches in Limerick ..it is hard to bet against Munster.
They played exceptionally well inClermont..digging themselves backto get a VITAL bonus point..then yesterday ...in match 2006 champions againsts 2007 champions...Wasps were simply smashed away..no other words for it

If Munster get Paul O Connell back for the later stages ...i think they have to be considered Favourites

in any case Danci..2 our 3 is not bad!

Overall this european campain has shown that the margins are getting smaller and smaller..with all Italian clubs showing huge improvements...and all getting at least 1 positive result.

so all in all..a good year for i TRICOLORI!

[MAX_AM]

..then yesterday ...in match 2006 champions againsts 2007 champions...Wasps were simply smashed away..no other words for it

Pier, you're right and no doubt ... Munster was stronger than "my stingless Wasps" .
(...and not a good day for me )

[danci]

well well well....
London Irish..first in their group..(.of course..all thanks to a scottish referee!)....and their are second highest try scorers in the tournament with 25 ( must have been a conspiracy!)

credit to the Exiles, they're a better side than what I expected, but... once again, they were quite fortunate to be in the pool with two much weaker sides (Treviso and Newport-Gwent), it's not accidental that in this pool a best runner-up advanced to knock-out stages with 22 (!) points...

and actually my prediction for the quarter final is USAP winning with their huge pack and a strong back line, now they can play Nico Laharrague, Percy, Aramburu (none of them played at Madejski so as Gerrie Britz, think about their backrow: Vaki - Britz - H. Tuilagi...) togheter with Marty and Grandclaude, a very close game btw...

Glasgow...allways was going to be very difficult but thye really threw the game away to saracens..and hard some incredivbile decisions agaisnt the,..such as a try which was never a try...but fair is fair..Saracens deserve the win i suppose...but at least Glasgow were still in with a chance until the last dyings moments

gotta say the two scots sides were outstanding in this HCup expecially when you think that Saracens are a top team this year (in GP too) and that Edinburgh had to fight against teams like Toulouse (1st in Top14), Leicester (no words needed..) and Leinster (1st in CL)...

Glasgow 3 wins, Edinburgh 2 wins: all the credits to them and of course now everyone's gotta fear the Scots for the 6N!

Munster...having only ever lsot ONCE in 11 years of Heineken Cup matches in Limerick ..it is hard to bet against Munster.
They played exceptionally well inClermont..digging themselves backto get a VITAL bonus point..then yesterday ...in match 2006 champions againsts 2007 champions...Wasps were simply smashed away..no other words for it

If Munster get Paul O Connell back for the later stages ...i think they have to be considered Favourites

in fact, I changed my mind after the match in Clermont and predicted (in the HC thread) Muster winner in the home game vs. Wasps: Munster pack is back...

I only regret Clermont sent a B side to Limerick: probably their strongest side would have lost anyway downthere but I don't think Muster could get the offensive bp so easily and maybe ASM could get a difensive bp (who knows? don't wanna use hindsight btw...)

and I regret this absolutely stupid formula they're using in HCup, hope everything's gonna change next year

in any case Danci..2 our 3 is not bad!

well... I can do better

[Pukana]

hello Pier, are you able to give an inside analisys of Doug Howlett's early perfomance at Munster? i can't get much here down under merely coz when you leave everybody forget you have been one of the greatest ABs ever (in terms of scoring of course!!). thanks in advance mate.

[pier12345]

yeah fari play to you !
and yes..London Irish wil get a severe pasting this time from the REAL USAP

Clermont Ferrand are OUT????? thats what happens whn yousend a B team anywhere.. Biarritz also..and Stade Francais???


Wasps...i honestly thought they would win..
but they really got stuffed...they scored 3 points only...!! and also Simon Shaw ..the no1 english lock is badly injured...

Munsters "Prize" for beating Wasps....a trip to Gloucester!!

oh..and to answer yuor earlier question..who is my candidate to come last in the 6N....
Wales....( icould say Italy...I have said much worse than that here!!

)...but Wales dont have the forwards ....

[Pakeha_70]

hello Pier, are you able to give an inside analisys of Doug Howlett's early perfomance at Munster? i can't get much here down under merely coz when you leave everybody forget you have been one of the greatest ABs ever (in terms of scoring of course!!). thanks in advance mate.

Howlett's first two games in HC were IMO extremely positive.

In Clermont he played really well (altough it was the first game in europe with his new team) with very solid defence and some good breaks in offense.

At home against Wasps under HEAVY rain the backs werent much involved in game as it was moslty a forward battle but again Howlett played a great game and was crucial in keeping the ball (playing almost like a forward) during the 21-phases try.

If you have further question feel free to ask.

[pier12345]

Pakeha desrcibed it perfectly

i didnt get to see the game..but from what i have heard,,,Munster were really very impressive...
Againsts the scarlets , in heavy rain and mud..they went thru 35 phases of ball
19 against clermont
and against wasps, 21 or 223 and then scored ....
all this done without launching a potentially devasting back line..
Doug howlett is obviously very popular down there...basically cos he is so down to earth and normal and puts 100% into everything..a class act

by the way ..a lot of people have bumber stickers in Limerick now that say

" DOUG HOWLETT TRAMPLED MY CAR!"

[Pukana]

cheers guys thats so good for him, i am very pleased. Also on another matter, i am following the journey of RCT Toulon i know they have won every single game apart Agen just before xmas. i am more courius to read or get points of view regarding the non frenchness of this team, which if carries on like that through the playoff will finally jump onto the Top14. considering the french are the most nationalists among us european......

[pier12345]

cheers guys thats so good for him, i am very pleased. Also on another matter, i am following the journey of RCT Toulon i know they have won every single game apart Agen just before xmas. i am more courius to read or get points of view regarding the non frenchness of this team, which if carries on like that through the playoff will finally jump onto the Top14. considering the french are the most nationalists among us european......

regarding Toulon...i personally have little time for them
we had a player with them last season..fijian lock Domolailai, ex Northland also and Pacific Islander...anyhow....they gave him a contract to renew..but was not signed by their president.....the player waits until June tro find out his place was given to victor Matfield....Ok ...no realistic comparison obviously....but the point is a litte window into the club
a second player...Salesi Sika..massive USA/Tongan cnetre..offered to Toulon..and i quote.."Looks very interesting...but has no "NAME""
if you ask anyone who follows the big games in the Prod2..ask what Sika did to toulon last year for Beziers....3 tries...and set up a fourth..all this from an unknown player..with all the skills..but no NAME!
point? money buys players...not commitment and certainly doesnt make a team

(and this is not sour grapes..dont worry..all these players a re well set up...)

The president is MAD...and many think he will run the club into the ground.
Toulon can be beaten as shown last season and also already this season by Agen

many in france blame toulon for the absolutely CRAZY salaries been offered ...and consider it unsustainable. and the real damage that is occuring is the ESPOIRS..or academy players...NO CHANCE at all to play....and so all , or a lot , after 4 or 5 years of working hard...have decided to move on.

I think Racing Paris or Agen can push Toulon all the way...

[Pukana]

Hi Pier thank you for the inside view into Toulon rugby. I have to say that when my friend told me he was nagotiating with the president to go to toulon with tana's crew and he told me the salaries they were dealing with i was "wow stop this is what the guy is paying for coaches??? and similar????" i could not believe the amount of foreign legionars have been added to the ROSA the head team i mean. And you are pefectly right still it does not guarantee that they are going to win the jump into Top14. are you able to tell me what is going on if Tana & Co. won't make it? how will the supporters react? and the whole rugby nations (considering how many seats in the dressing room are taken by other rather than franchmen)? and the President? most of the downunderies have a 2 years contract.

[danci]

i am more courius to read or get points of view regarding the non frenchness of this team, which if carries on like that through the playoff will finally jump onto the Top14. considering the french are the most nationalists among us european......

Pukana, I wouldn't stress too much attention on the "legion etrangére" in Toulon, many european teams (french and not) are crowded with foreign players

it's true not too many french players are in the "real squad" (usually 8-9 out of 22), in one of the latest important match played by Toulon (v. Narbonne) in fact five french players played for the club varoise (but you know what? they all are from Toulon or neighbors)

but it's more or less the same policy they had last year when they completely failed the season: this year they just added Grgan, Matfield, Merthens, Oliver, Sephaka...

last year Agen had a similar situation in Top14, lots of foreign players and a top class team ambition (result: relegated in ProD2...)

I mean, it's something very common in many NH professional sides today (results not granted, of course) and the nationalism slides away a little bit in these situations

I would rather stress my attention on what pier said: their president is completely crazy

Boudjellal is taking to his limits the "showbusiness rugby": no to players with no commercial names but only international stars, strong links with huge sponsor (adidas, etc.), high salaries and so on

RCT is a very tradition rugby side in france, they won 3 times the french league and lost the final match 5 times, his supporters are very passionate and somehow traditionalists too, they are much more worried about this spectacular mecenatism than for the too many foreign players: in this way of dealing with the business he run the risk to run the club into the ground (as pier said)


one more thing: in ProD2 the top seeded team advance directly to Top14 with no playoff and actually Toulon has 10 points more than the runner up team

[pier12345]

yeah good point..Touon are basically already with one foot in the top14...
BUT..some very hard games left..and racing and Agen..in fact everyone will be gunning for them..and to be honest ..their rugby has been pretty mediocre so far..

they are winning their games...( apart from the bashing that Agen gave them! 33-0!!) , but not blowing anyone away

now i see they have also signed Bakkies Botha?

by the way..you know how much Victor Matfield is getting? Euro765,000 a month!

[pier12345]

just going back to the chat about Toulon..
they have lost two games in a row...
interestingly ..they got beaten again by Beziers!
they have seen their unassailbale lead slip to now just 3 points!!!, over Mont Marsan...
( the coach of Mont Marsan used to write here a lot actually, last year)

anyhow..i can only IMMAGINE the atmosphere in Toulon nowwith the crazy president !!!

[Gunter]

Hi, im from Spain and Im looking for a amateur Rugby club in Florence, I've never played Rugby but I'm sure i will enjoy it.
Someone Knows of a club in florence to learn to play?
Thank You

[Pukana]

just going back to the chat about Toulon..
they have lost two games in a row...
interestingly ..they got beaten again by Beziers!
they have seen their unassailbale lead slip to now just 3 points!!!, over Mont Marsan...
( the coach of Mont Marsan used to write here a lot actually, last year)

anyhow..i can only IMMAGINE the atmosphere in Toulon nowwith the crazy president !!!

Hi Pier, On thursday i spoke to someone who is now in the Tana's entourage in Toulon, and about the President he said that despite the fact the guy is pretty mad is finally learning the spirit of rugby and he is definately passionate about it. apperently if they win the promotion that staff stays, if they loose the promotion the staff goes. fair enough. thou the guy pointed me out that having former superstars doesn't spread the gate of heaven but it gives a good little push. The team and Tana still have to work their a--e off to jump in Top 14 next year. Funny enough they lost twice Bazier. other team can only learn and carry the negative mojo. My friend was very much disappointed for the massive brawl developed during last match against Bezier. but they won against Blagnac so they lifted it back to +8.