Investec Champions Cup 23/24 - Rd 4

[TRF_Olyy]

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Global Sale Sharks fan numbers as a result of the above:

 

[Which Tyler]

Anyone care to breakdown the permutations for this weird format?

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Anyone care to breakdown the permutations for this weird format?

La Rochelle win - They are hated
La Rochelle lose - They are hated
La Rochelle draw - They are hated

I think that covers the lot.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

I like La Rochelle, big men and they hate Leinster so what's not to like

 

[die_mole]

Because I take nothing in life seriously my meme hatred of Leinster outweighs my actual dislike of la rochelle

 

[West Country Wail]

I really don't want Chiefs to play Munster again at Sandy (although their travelling support are brilliant and generous £££) so I hope we go fully loaded* for the 5 points in France, Munster smash Saints and we go top.

I feel torn between hating the format because of the way defeated teams can qualify but also finding the end-of-season vibe permutations riveting stuff.

*As much we can. Wyatt out for season with MCL (possibly ACL ) and also Abuladze with an Achilles. Fisilau back though after having his citing rightfully quashed and Hodge free for selection.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

*As much we can. Wyatt out for season with MCL (possibly ACL ) and also Abuladze with an Achilles. Fisilau back though after having his citing rightfully quashed and Hodge free for selection.

Damn, didn't know that. What a shame, he's been having a great season.

Think we'll see Hammersley go to 15, O'Loughlin shift onto the wing and Hawkins start at 12. Hodge onto the bench. Don't want him to be rushed back.

 

[Al Bangor]

Glasgow over RC Toulon.

 

[Groundhog]

I hope La Rochelle beat Sale so bad they knock the Englishness out of their best players and make them Irish eligible.

We then poach said players.

=Prophet

 

[munstermuffin]

I hope La Rochelle beat Sale so bad they knock the Englishness out of their best players and make them Irish eligible.

We then poach said players.

=Prophet

We don't need La Rochelle to do that.

Sale are pumping Irish DNA out in the dozen.
It's a breathing ground for our academies.

 

[Groundhog]

Every young lad in the greater Manchester area grows up with a dream of playing for Ireland and putting as much distance between them and Bolton as possible.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Every young lad in the greater Manchester area grows up with a dream of playing for Ireland and putting as much distance between them and Bolton as possible.

Such bullshit

They do it in the hope of getting an Irish passport so they can go to Benidorm without having to queue in the non-EU checks

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Most of them just marry their cousins and produce more and more little ones who will be paid for by our taxes.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Ross Harrison confirmed out for two months - really don't know what we're going to be able to put out in terms of the front row, we literally have one (academy) loosehead left - I'm guessing Asher is going to have to go back to loosehead until SiMac is back (I think he's due back in a few weeks, then Ross and Bev due back about the same time)

Luckily La Rochelle's pack is pretty powderpuff...

 

[AngloScotsHybrid]

Any team news for the Tigers game tomorrow? Im taking my girlfriend to her first rugby match and Im hoping the big names will be on the pitch.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Sale Sharks Starting XV:
15. Sam James, 14. Tom Roebuck, 13. Rob du Preez, 12. Sam Bedlow, 11. Arron Reed, 10. George Ford, 9. Gus Warr, 1. Tumy Onasanya, 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3. Nick Schonert, 4. Ben Bamber, 5. Jonny Hill, 6. Sam Dugdale, 7. Ben Curry ©, 8. Josh Beaumont.

Replacements:
16. Agustin Creevy, 17. Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 18. James Harper, 19. Tom Ellis, 20. Dan du Preez, 21. Nye Thomas, 22. Rekeiti Ma'asi-White, 23. Telusa Veainu.

With the exception of Carpenter at 15 (think he's just being rested? no mention of injury) that's about as strong as we can muster - would've rather had RdP at 10, SJ in the midfield and Veainu at 15, though

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Any team news for the Tigers game tomorrow? Im taking my girlfriend to her first rugby match and Im hoping the big names will be on the pitch.

Full strength basically