Pool 2 (Connacht, Toulouse, Wasps, Zebre)

[Brigantine]

Two weeks in, three pro 12 sides on top of their pools! The European takeover continues!

That's just the Irish ones - you forgot the Blues, Edinburgh, Ospreys on top of their pools too.

Also impressive that both Russian teams are on top of their pools.

Out of all 12 pool leaders in EPCR competitions now:

Ireland: 3/4 - Munster (D1-P1), Connacht (D1-P2), Leinster (D1-P4)
France: 2/14 - Clermont (D1-P5), La Rochelle (D2-P1)
Wales: 2/4 - Ospreys (D2-P2), Blues (D2-P4)
Russia: 2/2 - Enisey-STM (D2-P3), Krasny Yar (D3 Pool A)
England: 1/12 - Saracens (D1-P3)
Scotland: 1/2 - Edinburgh (D2-P5)
Spain: 1/1 - El Salvador (D3 Pool B )

Italy: 0/6
Romania, Germany, Belgium: 0/1​

4 Countries representing just 1/4 of the teams, are leading 2/3 of the pools.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

And last year it was:

Ireland: 1
France: 2
Wales: 0
England: 7
Scotland: 0
Italy: 0

So 1 country led 7/10 of the pools and it wasn't much of a story but suddenly the Celts are leading and it's a huge thing...?

 

[Brigantine]

Last year set the expectations, this year we see who lives up to them. (Since I never followed EPCR before last year)

Though you do bring up an interesting angle on the RWC last year. Co-incidence or causal?

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Last year set the expectations, this year we see who lives up to them. (Since I never followed EPCR before last year)

Though you do bring up an interesting angle on the RWC last year. Co-incidence or causal?

Last year was a stream of continuous international rugby and the Pro 12 clubs have more players on international duty than the Aviva or French clubs do. That could have led to great fatigue and, coupled with a bouncback by England and English clubs, led to such dominance. On the flip side this year many French clubs seem to not care about the European competition and English rugby domestically has suffered for whatever reason and the standard in the Aviva this year is well below last year for most clubs (Wasps and Sarries being the only exceptions). What has caused this drop off is unknown but it's affecting the entire domestic league this year and clearly filtering into Europe too.

More the point that English achievement in the 6N, internationally or at club level is dismissed regardless of how impressive but the second Celt sides start winning, it becomes an excuse to rub it in their oppositions faces and make a huge song and dance of it. Things go in cycles and this year Celt clubs are winning, they used to win all the time a few years ago.

 

[Brigantine]

this year Celt clubs are winning

Don't speak too soon! They've done very well this fortnight

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Having been told all last year that the Pro 12 is done. Having seen the French and English clubs attempt to bully away their competition with big wallets. I think it is a big deal, if you want to act the victim that's fine although it doesn't look good against the massive underdogs who are clearly just having fun.

Also, the Irish aren't Celts, our genealogy is far more influenced by settlers who likely came from Spain and Portugal and Normans, its my biggest pet peeve being referred to as a celt.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I think it is a big deal, if you want to act the victim that's fine .

Irony overload!

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Irony overload!

When snipped like that, yes...

 

[profitius]

Long way to go yet. One things for sure, the standard of rugby this weekend was terrible.


Last season the English clubs had 3 months off because of the world cup. If anything that showed that the summer break in Europe should be longer.

Also, the Irish aren't Celts, our genealogy is far more influenced by settlers who likely came from Spain and Portugal and Normans, its my biggest pet peeve being referred to as a celt.

I wouldn't pay much attention to newspaper articles. The R1b blood group is a western European blood group. It's strong in the Celtic parts of central Europe and strongest in Ireland, Scotland and Wales.


Its said to originate around Siberia, since they found it in 24,000 year old body of a boy there who came from a tribe of mammoth hunters.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

You celts sure do have a chip on your shoulders.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Having been told all last year that the Pro 12 is done. Having seen the French and English clubs attempt to bully away their competition with big wallets. I think it is a big deal, if you want to act the victim that's fine although it doesn't look good against the massive underdogs who are clearly just having fun.

Also, the Irish aren't Celts, our genealogy is far more influenced by settlers who likely came from Spain and Portugal and Normans, its my biggest pet peeve being referred to as a celt.

Been told? Nope you weren't being told that, you were saying it yourselves. Most of those saying the Pro 12 was done were from Pro 12 nations, not the English or French.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Been told? Nope you weren't being told that, you were saying it yourselves. Most of those saying the Pro 12 was done were from Pro 12 nations, not the English or French.

I never said it was the English or French, although the opinion was expressed there. I'm not rubbing anything in anyone's face here, we're two rounds in and both Leinster and Ulster were shocking in France while Munster have played one gane, hammering another pro12 side. There was clearly an element of sarcasm in my posts, I'm just happy that this won't be the Anglo-French cup that I lost interest in in January last year.

 

[Groundhog]

If you can't tell we're completely parodying people who were dissing the Pro 12 ourselves included and going stupidly optimistic and emphasising our dominance, and saying Ulster hammered Exeter by a point after two games as a joke. The general slating of the Pro 12 was so irritating and premature, it's a bit of fun to act like we're the golden boys again.
Sarries will probably win the thing regardless, so leave us have our fun.

 

[Mumbles119]

Wasps team to face Connacht this Sunday at the Ricoh Arena, kick off 1pm

15. Rob Miller
14. Christian Wade
13. Alapati Leiua
12. Kurtley Beale
11. Josh Bassett
10. Jimmy Gopperth
9. Dan Robson
1. Matt Mullan
2. Tommy Taylor
3. Marty Moore
4. Joe Launchbury ©
5. Kearnan Myall
6. Ashley Johnson
7. Thomas Young
8. Nathan Hughes

Replacements
16. Alex Rieder
17. Tom Bristow
18. Jake Cooper-Woolley
19. James Gaskell
20. Guy Thompson
21. Joe Simpson
22. Brendan Macken
23. Frank Halai

Unavailable for selection
· Elliot Daly (back for Wasps v Bath on Christmas Eve)

Injuries:
Forwards:
· James Haskell (toe - expected back in full training in the New Year)
· Tom Cruse (has undergone an operation on his ankle and is expected to be out for around 12 weeks)
· Matt Symons (foot, is expected to be out for 1-2 weeks)
· Simon McIntyre (is progressing well following an ankle operation and is expected to return to training in the New Year)
· Sam Jones (broken leg & damaged ankle ligaments – expected to return to training towards end of February)
· Alex Lundberg (unfortunately suffered a new injury as he returned to training, breaking his leg.)

Backs:
· Kyle Eastmond (chest – hoping to return next week)
· Danny Cipriani (calf - hoping to return next week)
· Nick De Luca (following concussion protocols)

Connacht team to face Wasps (Connacht caps in brackets)

15 Tiernan O'Halloran (111)
14 Niyi Adeolokun (42)
13 Stacey Ili (7)
12 Bundee Aki (51)
11 Cian Kelleher (10)
10 Jack Carty (65)
9 Kieran Marmion (109)
1 Denis Buckley (101)
2 Tom McCartney (49)
3 Conor Carey (8)
4 Ultan Dillane (34)
5 Quinn Roux (40)
6 Nepia Fox-Matamua (11)
7 Jake Heenan (43)
8 John Muldoon (captain) (286)

Replacements:
16 Dave Heffernan (67)
17 JP Cooney (37)
18 Finlay Bealham (65)
19 Sean O'Brien (23)
20 Eoin McKeon (95)
21 Caolin Blade
22 Rory Parata (19)
23 Peter Robb (22)

Injured: Ronan Loughney, Ivan Soroka, Conan O'Donnell, Ben Marshall, Andrew Browne, Eoghan Masterson, John Cooney*, Marnitz Boshoff, Shane O'Leary, Craig Ronaldson, Eoin Griffin, Josh Rowland, Darragh Leader.

*John Cooney was a late withdrawal from the side having suffered a minor quad strain in training this week.

Unavailable: James Cannon**As part of his new contract and release deal from Wasps, second row James Cannon is not permitted to play in the Champions Cup fixtures against Wasps.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Hope wasps lose....

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Games gone soft!!!

 

[ratsapprentice]

The game is cannibalising itself.

Remarkable.

- - - Updated - - -

Give it a year or two and I might just stick with RL and NFL.

 

[Abraxaz]

This referee is a ****ing joke.

 

[Jockstap]

Games gone soft!!!

With all the research about concussion coming out in recent years they're trying to secure the games future. Parents are understandably seriously having to think about letting their children play rugby now, knowing the possible long term ramifications.

 

[Abraxaz]

With all the research about concussion coming out in recent years they're trying to secure the games future. Parents are understandably seriously having to think about letting their children play rugby now, knowing the possible long term ramifications.

So why isn't there penalties for raising arms or hand offs or swing arms into clearances?

How about they play tag rugby instead or football?

Rugby is gonna loose most of its supporters if you cant tackle with out risk of yellow or if the opposite player dives into a tackle looking for a yellow every tackle.

Blatant neck roll infront of the ref...