EPCR Challenge Cup 22/23

[dullonien]

Sale’s pack size / experience will be difficult for Cardiff today. I’m sat in a cafe in the centre right now and it’s wet and a bit humid here. Cardiff’s best tactic would have been to play wide and fast but the weather isn’t suiting that. There’s always a strong wind at the arms park in this type of weather due to the river taff as well so I’m expecting a grind of a game. When Cardiff get into arm wrestles we don’t have the pack to manage for 80mins. Would be great to win for Peter but realistically Sale are strong favourites.

Suns come out now mind, and very little wind, so if weather holds it could be great conditions for running rugby.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Our form hasn't been good this (calendar) year - think we've got one win in all comps in 2023?

Our pack will front up but our backline has been a mess since they've decided to play Ford and Du Preez in the same backline,
It's not worked at all yet but they keep wheeling it out every week
RdPs defence at 13 has been terrible - not in a tackling sense but he's got no feel for the position (hopefully just "yet"), rushing out of the line/leaving massive gaps with poor positioning etc

 

[Welsh Exile]

Our form hasn't been good this (calendar) year - think we've got one win in all comps in 2023?

Jesus. I didn’t realise that. You’ve only lost 6 league games all season. Most of those must’ve been since New Year.

 

[Jer1cho]

Racing were spanked. 14 men and spanked like that.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Racing were spanked. 14 men and spanked like that.

Did they look arsed?
French clubs have a long history of just giving up in Europe when they're not where they wanna be

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Jeez, scrum getting battered
Usually we're pretty good there with Schonert starting - not sure if the absence of Wiese or the rustiness of Akker could be contributing?

 

[Al Bangor]

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Aww jeezy peeps man

 

[TRF_Olyy]

This is dire,
Ford coming back to fitness, ironically, has f**ked us

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Hopefully sale keep this form for the league

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

This is dire,
Ford coming back to fitness, ironically, has f**ked us

I know he's a game changer but honestly surprised Sanderson wasn't tempted to stick with RdP @ 10 and have Ford on the bench till he takes it off RdP.

 

[General Melchett]

Just the five tries for Matthews for Glasgow and just the eight pints for Gareth from the Office.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Hopefully sale keep this form for the league

We probably will, we've only had one decent game this year and we'd have lost that if not for a red card that got rescinded in the citing

I know he's a game changer but honestly surprised Sanderson wasn't tempted to stick with RdP @ 10 and have Ford on the bench till he takes it off RdP.

It's infuriating, every man and his dog can see it's not working yet he persists
Think he's too pally with some players, doesn't want to **** them off by dropping them (yet, ironically after singing his praises so much before his 200th game, he's dropped Sam James who's been playing his best rugby for about 4yrs)

 

[TRF_Olyy]

DDP with what looks like a bad injury is the last thing we need with Cobus out until January too - need to get in either a lock (JL to 8) or 8 (JL stays at lock) as injury cover asap

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

DDP with what looks like a bad injury is the last thing we need with Cobus out until January too - need to get in either a lock (JL to 8) or 8 (JL stays at lock) as injury cover asap

What's the opposite of CrashExhume?

 

[dullonien]

Good game that. Thought Cardiff threw it away when they substituted their front row and promptly coughed up about 8 pens in a row to let Sale edge ahead. But they battled hard in that last quarter and ground out the win in the end.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Called it pregame, Ford/RdP selection cost us massively. Sam James not even getting off the bench was a joke

Wasn't expecting our starting scrum to be battered so heavily, though

 

[Bluemoon]

Good game that. Thought Cardiff threw it away when they substituted their front row and promptly coughed up about 8 pens in a row to let Sale edge ahead. But they battled hard in that last quarter and ground out the win in the end.

Domachowski and Asseratti must have been on the scrum machine all 6N. Fantastic against Zebre’s scrum and now Sale. Bullied a massive pack from the English prem. Just a reminder of how poor Dillon Lewis is at scrummaging as well though.

Missing a bit of composure at the end with Jarrods wayward kicks etc. That’ll be an issue in the next round Grady had a huge game. Physical, broke the first tackle a lot. Priestland now has resurrected himself more times than Ra's al Ghul.

Still don’t think we have the pack to last 80 mins, but Sale didn’t have the power after 60 either.

 

[Tooting Carmen]

Well done Cardiff. Hung on to beat Sale, and especially given the disparity between the two packs that is not to be sniffed at.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

given the disparity between the two packs

Cardiff's pack was actually bigger than ours (about 25kg pack vs pack) dunno why the commentary kept saying ours was so big - think they see a South African surname and presume they're a monster
It wasn't the bulk that was the difference, though (especially as 25kg split between 8 is sod all, really)