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Challenge Cup pools 2016/17 season

So much for my predictions. Enisei win 19-12 and hold on well despite a deserved yellow card on 70mins. Treviso getting royally hammered.
 
Anyone know of any highlights for the challenge cup matches?

Very annoying that these games aren't offered to another broadcaster if Sky/BT don't want to show them. Sure S4C would have jumped at the chance.

S4C usually has a highlights show, but can't find it in their listings.
 
So Bath struggling to get anywhere against Bristol with 2 men in the bin, the same Bristol that everyone else has annihilated... Bath back to their terrible discipline from last year. I hope Blackadder really gives them a hard time about their discipline.
 
It's easy to be over-critical, and that was a poor game of rugby, poorly ref.d (female TJ aside).
However, it was a freezing mid-week night, 5 days after playing in the South of France, with 2 LHPs, no backup SH and several players finding their feet after injury; in a Westcountry derby.
It was never going to be a spectacle of fluent, running rugby.
 
I didn't see the game so can't comment directly - but as WT says it is easy to be critical, and to be fair after last year I've spent a lot of this year reminding myself that this time last season I'd have bitten my own left bollock off for a win so I'll take it
 
Don't see how Marler gets a yellow there... Ediburgh players had lifted their player at an angle, were not in control of him and lifted him across Marler too yet all the ref ever looked at was a way to blame Marler, poor decision. The Scottish commentators are so biased it is really annoying. Now the ref conveniently forgets the Edinburgh knockon to give the penalty to them, disgraceful.
 
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Another win for Enisei of Russia, this time with a bonus point (38-18 against the Dragons). They are top of their table and with a very real chance of qualifying for the quarter finals. All this while being denied the opportunity to play in their home stadium and being made to play hundreds if not thousands of miles away from home. Tremendous effort.
 
Keelan Giles and Sam Davies star for the Ospreys again, Giles must be close to getting a cap in the 6 nations and Davies must be 1st choice 10 in the Autumn tests. The problem is the luckiest man in rugby Rob Howler Howley won't pick them. God only knows how Howley got the attack job in the 1st place, previously he was the 2nd best 9 in Wales no where near as good as Paul John, but he played for Cardiff where you don't have to be the best in your position to get capped. The nepotism continues with Gareth perfect hair Davies at the helm of the WRU, which means Howlers job is safe know matter what
 
Have ponty not got a 10 who can do the job? He'd probably be better than these so called "professionals"
 
TRF_Olyy said:
Have ponty not got a 10 who can do the job? He'd probably be better than these so called "professionals"
Click to expand...

Paul John was playing on the same stage as Howler, he had something like 10 caps for Wales and numerous Wales A caps, John and Neil Jenkins were the best 1/2 back pairing in Wales by a long way.

- - - Updated - - -

Is there no limit to Tipuric's talents coming on as a center replacement yesterday and his classic try last weekend, he must be the best openside in the NH by some way
 
Decent result for Edinburgh given Harlequins had a few internationals in their team. Biggest positives though are the performance of several young Scots (Bradbury, Kinghorn, Deans) and the fact the backs were actually allowed to play rugby. I may have underestimated Duncan Hodges ability as a coach and underestimated the extent to which Alan Solomons was holding them back. Kinghorn in particular at 19 is shaping up as the real deal. One nice try, a good assist for a second and a late try saving tackle against a winger twice his size I think were his highlights. It also puts into perspective the thrashing of Timisoara a week earlier. Maybe Edinburgh aren't the second weakest team in the group after all.


dullonien said:
Anyone know of any highlights for the challenge cup matches?.
Click to expand...

Quite a lot of extended highlights on Youtube. Virtually all full matches for each round too put up after a day or so. WorldRugby and RugbyXV are two good channels for it.
 
So we're back starting with Gloucester v. La Rochelle tomorrow evening.

Interesting squad selection from Glocs:
Starting:
15. David Halaifonua; 14. Ollie Thorley, 13. Matt Scott, 12. Mark Atkinson, 11. Henry Purdy; 10. Billy Burns, 9. Greig Laidlaw (capt); 1. Josh Hohneck 2. Motu Matu'u, 3. Salesi Ma'afu; 4. Tom Savage, 5. Joe Latta; 6. Ross Moriarty, 7. Matt Kvesic, 8. Gareth Evans

Replacements:
16. Richard Hibbard, 17. Yann Thomas, 18. Paul Doran-Jones, 19. Tom Denton, 20. Freddie Clarke, 21. Callum Braley, 22. Charlie Sharples, 23. Lewis Ludlow

Quite a few players getting a break it seems, although not Scott and was hoping Thrush would be back (when interviewed last Saturday he said he might be).

Not quite as strong as it might be but pretty happy, although I hate 6-2 bench splits and it looks like Marshall really is our only actual FB so we'll give anyone a go.
 
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I know you're all desperate to hear how it went last night, so....

Crowd of just under 10k saw an excellent performance from Glocs.
FB - didn't have a lot to do but no mistakes and one try saving tackle.
3/4 - all played well and Thornley didn't look out of place at all.
HBs - Burns had the best game I've seen him play - his kicking out of hand was sublime and Laidlaw showed how much we will miss him next year.
Front row - new combination held up really well (La Rochelle has one big set of forwards). Matu'u's throwing is a bit suspect but he's lively round the park and Hohneck looks the business.
2nd row - very solid and Latta was prominent in open play
Back row - great combination. Not much to be had in the turnover stakes (La Rochelle are really efficient/brutal clearing out) but good running and link play. Evans looked like he hadn't been away - a quality player.
Subs - Braley looked tidy, Hibbard led with his face but chopped down their big runners, front row generally though got mullered in the scrum in the last 20.

La Rochelle - Looked up for it, off-side a lot but if the ref doesn't stop it..., back line is quick but they seemed to squeeze infield in defence and Burns just kept putting the ball in the corners and they couldn't cope. Suspect it will be a far tougher prospect next week.
 
Bath away to Cardiff in the who-cares? cup

15. Tom Homer
14. Semesa Rokoduguni
13. Max Clark
12. Ben Tapuai
11. Jack Wilson
10. Dan Bowden
9. Darren Allinson

1. Beno Obano
2. Ross Batty
3. Max Lahiff
4. Charlie Ewels
5. Elliott Stooke
6. Matt Garvey ( c )
7. Tom Ellis
8. Paul Grant


16. Jack Walker; 17. Nick Auterac; 18. Kane Palma-Newport; 19. Guy Mercer; 20. Michael van Vuuren
21. Will Homer; 22. Adam Hastings; 23. Jeff Williams

So 2nd XV + Garvey and Rocco; 2 hookers on the bench. Possibility that Stooke faces a late fitness test.
 
Which Tyler said:
Bath away to Cardiff in the who-cares? cup

15. Tom Homer
14. Semesa Rokoduguni
13. Max Clark
12. Ben Tapuai
11. Jack Wilson
10. Dan Bowden
9. Darren Allinson

1. Beno Obano
2. Ross Batty
3. Max Lahiff
4. Charlie Ewels
5. Elliott Stooke
6. Matt Garvey ( c )
7. Tom Ellis
8. Paul Grant


16. Jack Walker; 17. Nick Auterac; 18. Kane Palma-Newport; 19. Guy Mercer; 20. Michael van Vuuren
21. Will Homer; 22. Adam Hastings; 23. Jeff Williams

So 2nd XV + Garvey and Rocco; 2 hookers on the bench. Possibility that Stooke faces a late fitness test.
Click to expand...

Based on selections so far I'd say Homer, Ewels and Ellis are all definite first XV, arguably also Clark who's started most games he hasn't been injured (although not at 13with JJ available to be fair) and Tapuai has shown enough that I'd be surprised if he wasn't first choice going forward. Batty and Lahiff have both been rotating rather than straight-up second choice as well haven't they? Not so sure my memory is reliable on that

Edit: Yeah two hookers in the bench is weird. Did VV play back row at all at Leicester?
 
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I'd say that Homer would have had a (losing) fight on his hands once Watson returns... but for Banahan's injury (and he still may, with Freaun offering a fairly like-for-like replacement for Banas)
Ewels first choice bencher; I just can't see him ahead of Attwood or Charteris just yet.
Ellis is way behind Louw for the 7 shirt he seems to be being groomed for now.
Clark is behind Tapuai, JJ and Freuan.
Lahiff I'd suggest is 3rd choice on either side of the scrum.

Batty - yeah, fair play, pretty evens between himself and Dunn currently.
 

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