2012/13 H Cup pools

[Me 1]

the Scarlets haven't achieved much in Europe since 2007 though, the Ospreys have reached the quarter finals three times since then, and still have cursed luck with the draw every year

And that year we had the pool of death too

[TRF_Draggs]

cyRil, is that a Turk in your sig?

[TRF_SelimNiai]

Oh noes! A hard group in the top club competition in the world. I feel your pain.

[psychic duck]

Oh noes! A hard group in the top club competition in the world. I feel your pain.

yes but it's every single year

why can't we just for once have a group Connacht and Zebre in it, no surprise Biarritz are the ones who get that group, I'm beginning to agree with Sébastien Chabal that the ERC fix the draw in favour of Biarritz due to Serge Blanco's high position in European rugby

Chabal s'en est aussi pris à Castres, le club du président de la Ligue, Pierre-Yves Revol, en disant que le CO est avantagé par l'arbitrage. Il s'est expliqué : "Je cite un match de la saison dernière où tout le monde l’a vu. Les gonzes, ils ne se cachent même pas. C’est dommage pour notre sport." Le rugbyman français le plus médiatique a ensuite comparé la situation de Revol à celle de Serge Blanco, président du Biarritz Olympique et ancien président de la Ligue. "Avant, c’était pareil avec Biarritz... et c’est toujours un peu le cas." Il va même plus loin : "Il suffit de regarder les tirages au sort des poules de Coupe d’Europe : Biarritz n’a jamais des groupes très relevés."

http://www.rugbyrama.fr/rugby/top-14...80/story.shtml

[TRF_SelimNiai]

yes but it's every single year

Im so sorry you qualify for it every year....

[Teh Mite]

Zing!

[cyRil]

cyRil, is that a Turk in your sig?

It may well be! It is also my try of the season, which was shockingly culled from the TRFies!

[Tony Manx]

the Scarlets haven't achieved much in Europe since 2007 though, the Ospreys have reached the quarter finals three times since then, and still have cursed luck with the draw every year

Ospreys pool history:

2005/06: Leicester, Stade Français, Clermont
Leicester were the Premiership runners up that year, Stade had been Top 14 and Heineken Cup runners up the previous season

2006/07: Stade Français, Sale, Viadana
Stade won the Top 14 that year, Sale were the reigning Premiership champions the previous season

2007/08: Gloucester, Bourgoin, Ulster
Gloucester topped the Premiership table that season, and the season before, the other two weren't that strong though, probably the easiest one the Ospreys have had

2008/09: Leicester, Perpignan, Treviso
The Premiership and Top 14 champions that season

2009/10: Leicester, Clermont, Viadana
The Premiership and Top 14 champions that season

2010/11: Toulon, Munster, London Irish
One of the richest teams, the team who always reaches the knockout stages, and a tricky team to face as a fourth seed in a group

2011/12: Saracens, Biarritz, Treviso
English champions the previous season, and the Amlin Challenge Cup winners

2012/13: Toulouse, Leicester, Treviso
The Top 14 champions and the Premiership runners up

that is about 6 "pool of deaths" in 8 seasons and compare to ...

Biarritz pool history:

2005/06: Saracens, Ulster, Treviso
the team that finished 10th in the Premiership that season, and Ulster who although winning the Magners League weren't up to European level

2006/07: Northampton, Borders, Parma
the 12th placed team in the Premiership, and Borders and Parma ... yet they still hilariously mucked up the quarter final

2007/08: Saracens, Glasgow, Viadana
the 8th place team in the Premiership, and Glasgow and Viadana ... and still didn't qualify

2008/09: Cardiff Blues, Gloucester, Calvisano
Quite a decent group, with Cardiff nearing the peak of Dai Young's spell in charge, and Gloucester still decent

2009/10: Gloucester, Dragons, Glasgow
just as Gloucester declined after their good team in the mid 2000's, and two teams who have never gotten anywhere in the Heineken Cup, meant they could get a home quarter final thanks to the easiness

2010/11: Ulster, Bath, Aironi
no teams who reached the league playoffs that season

2011/12: Saracens, Ospreys, Treviso
probably the hardest Biarritz have had, which says a lot

2012/13: Harlequins, Connacht, Zebre
the two worst teams in the tournament

Anyone arguing with this assessment....certainly not me as regards Biarritz......better to be lucky than not!!