@Mr-Fish said in NH Club Rugby:
@sparky said in NH Club Rugby:
South African teams to leave European club rugby competitions?
Only the EPCR competitions - so they'd remain in the URC.
Makes sense to me.
Do the teams that finish below them then go into the European comps?
If so, can't see any pushback from URC teams?
@MiketheSnow Suspect they would restructure the competitions again but hard to say for sure. The Champions and Challenge Cups have been a mess for a few years now...
With the global club competition coming up in the next few years, the potential restructuring of Wales' set-up and Spain's inevitable selection as World Cup host for 2035 or 2039, there could be some significant changes.
@sparky Not going to happen, the five franchises already indicate they want the Europe Competitions. SARU will dump SANZAR in stead. That will allow the Springboks playing in the URC to rest and condition the same time as the URC players from July-Sept.
@MiketheSnow said in NH Club Rugby:
Huge win for Cardiff against the Stormers
Stormers were so disappointing. Cardiff was excellent on the hockey astro.
Luckily they will work on the mistakes for the quarter finals.
URC Play-Off Format
Quarterfinals
Friday, May 29:
QF1: (1) Glasgow Warriors v (8) Connacht
Venue: Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow
Kick-off: 19:45 UK & Ireland / 20:45 SAST
Saturday, May 30:
QF4: (4) Bulls v (5) Munster
Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Kick-off: 13.00 SAST; 12.00 UK & Ireland
QF3: (3) Stormers v (6) Cardiff
Venue: DHL Stadium, Cape Town
Kick-off: 15:30 SAST / 14.30 UK & Ireland
QF2: (2) Leinster v (7) Lions
Venue: Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Kick-off: 20.00 UK & Ireland / 21.00 SAST
Semifinals – Saturday, June 6
SF1: Winner QF1 v Winner QF4
SF2: Winner QF2 v Winner QF3
URC Grand Final – Saturday, June 20
Winner SF1 v Winner SF2
@OomPB said in NH Club Rugby:
@sparky Not going to happen, the five franchises already indicate they want the Europe Competitions. SARU will dump SANZAR in stead. That will allow the Springboks playing in the URC to rest and condition the same time as the URC players from July-Sept.
I'd say there's next to no chance of the Springboks leaving the Rugby Championship and joining the Six Nations.
Young Springboks coming through the URC like SMZ play two years non stop. There are a lot of youngsters coming through, already in camp.
@OomPB said in NH Club Rugby:
6 Nations maybe in the future. TRC is a dead horse.
LOL. The 6 Nations don't want you.
@hikastags LOL a 3rd WC title in a row can change that.
@Mr-Fish said in NH Club Rugby:
@OomPB said in NH Club Rugby:
@sparky Not going to happen, the five franchises already indicate they want the Europe Competitions. SARU will dump SANZAR in stead. That will allow the Springboks playing in the URC to rest and condition the same time as the URC players from July-Sept.
I'd say there's next to no chance of the Springboks leaving the Rugby Championship and joining the Six Nations.
I for one do not want to see the springboks leave the RC for the 6 nations.. they have the best of both worlds at the moment,
It would be interesting to see what further isolation would do to the Anzac teams. Prior to professionalism it didn't seem to prevent them from being top tier.
@W32 said in NH Club Rugby:
@Mr-Fish said in NH Club Rugby:
@OomPB said in NH Club Rugby:
@sparky Not going to happen, the five franchises already indicate they want the Europe Competitions. SARU will dump SANZAR in stead. That will allow the Springboks playing in the URC to rest and condition the same time as the URC players from July-Sept.
I'd say there's next to no chance of the Springboks leaving the Rugby Championship and joining the Six Nations.
I for one do not want to see the springboks leave the RC for the 6 nations.. they have the best of both worlds at the moment,
It would be interesting to see what further isolation would do to the Anzac teams. Prior to professionalism it didn't seem to prevent them from being top tier.
Don't lose any sleep over it
Not going to happen
What started off as a really competitive back and forth contest ended up in a bloodbath
Ulster punished by Montpellier for not converting territory and possession in the first half
Billy V was excellent
On Billy V, I thought he showed some good physicality but it was his footwork and offloading that really stood out. A shame that he was rarely given that licence when playing for England. Just bash it up all day will you please Billy?
Joe McCarthys try.
Dan Sheehan MkII.
I dont like it. We encourage defenders to tackle low, preferably around the hips or lower.
But now players can just jump directly over you in close proximity to the try line.
Defenders will start to go more upright again to counter this......it's a pig in a poke.
@cgrant said in NH Club Rugby:
So both European Cups have been won by French clubs. Back to back wins for Bordeaux. From what I have seen, Ireland won't be a threat for the All Blacks, even though the latter will lack cohesion. Most of the Irish players look old and slow.
ABs will have 2 tests under their belt by the time they play the Irish.
12 days later
Tight URC semi finals.
Glasgow vs Bulls
Leinster vs Stormers
Sadly overcooked and not good for rugby.
Bordeaux (plus a few others) missing out on the Top 14 finals could theoretically result in France sending a stronger team to play NZ in the Nations Championship than expected. Realistically though, a lot of the top players (LBB, Jalibert) will have played close to the 2,000-minute mark so are unlikely to tour regardless - but while thee was zero chance of them touring had they played in the final, there's at least a small possibility now.
Bulls in the final again. Last year Jake White made a fuss about not having enough quality players and basically put his coaching ability forward as the reason why they even made the final.
So this year a rookie coach is in the same position.
F off Jake the snake.
@Rugbyman said in NH Club Rugby:
@W32 do you fancy their chances against Leinster? Pity they have a 2 week break as it will probably mean they fly back to SA again? I think their power game might cause Leinster some issues but you would think home advantage might be big.
Yeah bulls are underdogs. They are going back to SA for the break. The Leinster backs are so much more experienced and savvy that it’s going to be very hard for the bulls to make their forward dominance count.
JGP is a game winner for Leinster
The Bulls have much better depth compare to the Stormers at the moment. They have a great bomb squad. The Bulls weakness all season was their defense. If they can copy the Stormers defense they should take it. Its their 4th URC final and have beaten Leinster a few years ago in a play off at home.
Geez just watched Saints/Tigers semi final from Gallaher Shield, another top game. It's not only us who had a great Friday night semi!
@Catogrande said in NH Club Rugby:
The man everyone loves to hate
Genge? Farrell? Pollock? Itoje? Daly? Roots?
@Catogrande said in NH Club Rugby:
@Bones I'm not biting on that rancid bait.
Jamie George. Understood
@MiketheSnow said in NH Club Rugby:
Wow
What a second SF
Bath absolutely blew that
@pakman said in NH Club Rugby:
@MiketheSnow said in NH Club Rugby:
Wow
What a second SF
Bath absolutely blew that
Straws clutched
Bath tactically poor
@pakman There were a number of times when I thought Bath had got the ball over the line but Ridley was positioned very well and was very certain in his judgements and conveyed this very well. Telling I think that the Bath boys didn't go up in arms about any of those plays and nor did the TMO intervene at any point to suggest a review..
Typical Planet Rugby hatchet piece. Do they ever do any positive "journalism"?
