Quarter Final Draw

[An Tarbh]

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Leicester v Bath

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[Vambo]

I bet Cardiff think it's a tough call that they finish top seeds and end up having to face Toulouse.

 

[Sir Speedy]

I see:

Cardiff
Munster
Leinster
Leicester

going through.
Saying that, never discount Toulouse, home or away. I just feel Cardiff will want vengeance after the fixture last year.
Harlequins are a one-trick pony (Evans) for me, and if Leinster find form, then they could sneak it.
Munster v Ospreys is the easiest to call. Munster look unstoppable at the moment; at home they should have no troubles.
Leicester are more street-wise than Bath and will grind out a narrow victory.

 

[Nidhogg]

It's looking like the home teams are most likely to win, with Bath and Toulouse having an outside chance. I can't see Leinster or the Ospreys making it past the Quins and Munster.

 

[Vambo]

Toulouse, Munster, Quins & Leicester for me at this moment in time. Form can be found and lost before April though.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

I'm relatively happy with Harlequins - the draw could have been worse. I wonder if the powers that be decide to move that game to Twickenham.

 

[munross]

I feel these teams will be in the semi's

Toulouse
Munster
Leinster
Bath

With either Bath or Munster winning the Cup this year

 

[Thingimubob]

Toulouse in the Millenium Stadium, could be a very interesting game
can't say I;m confident about it, but the Blues did get through some tough home and away fixtures to Gloucester and Biarritz, so they should be more than capable of winning.
Allez les Blues!

 

[gingergenius]

Cardiff are the best side in the UK atm. I'd tip them to beat Toulouse... but since its Toulouse, who can beat anyone if they bother, they may throw in a surprise.

Munster should despatch the Ospreys easily; they're not a very good side tbh.

Harlequins I think will have the edge on Leinster, who are also not a very good side.

Normally I'd wish for a Bath win over Leicester, especially since they're a better team atm and nicer to watch. But Leicester have a habit of getting through these sort of games, and I can see them in the semis.

So, I'm predicting 4 home wins.

 

[An Tarbh]

I wonder whether Quins will move the game to Twickenham, hard to call at the moment given that we don't know how the squads will shape up post 6 Nations but you'd just about have Quins as favourites.

 

[danny]

Hard to see an away win out of that lot.

 

[An Tarbh]

you'd have to say Toulouse have a decent chance despite the form of the Blues in Europe, they're still a class outfit with plenty of away wins under their belt in European competition.

 

[monkeypigeon]

Delighted with the Munster draw. Really deserve it coming out of another pool od Death this year. Hope to god we don't get drawn with Clermont again next year.

 

[An Tarbh]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Monkeypigeon @ Jan 25 2009, 06:54 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Delighted with the Munster draw. Really deserve it coming out of another pool od Death this year. Hope to god we don't get drawn with Clermont again next year.[/b]

well they're still in the 3rd tier of seeds so they'll be getting another pool of death again.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (gingergenius @ Jan 25 2009, 06:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Harlequins I think will have the edge on Leinster, who are also not a very good side.[/b]

I see Quins having the edge at scrumhalf and, if Nacewa starts, at flyhalf too. Other than that, Leinster have a better team on paper. Home advantage could swing the tie Harlequins' way but they'll be facing the outstanding defence in the competition so tries will be hard to come by. No more than 7 points will seperate the teams after 80 minutes.

 

[Sir Speedy]

'Quins have the better flyhalf regardless of who starts for Leinster.

 

[MunsterMan]

The outstanding defense in the competetion? You had Wasps, Edinburgh and Castres in your group Wait til ye play some good teams to claim something like that.

 

[An Tarbh]

when you only concede 3 tries in the pool stages I think it's a valid claim.

 

[MunsterMan]

But you were still only playing Wasps, Castres and Edinburgh. Compare that with the Ospreys conceding just 3 tries or even Munster coming out of the group of Death having conceded just 6. Thing is statistics can you tell you what you want to believe. Leinster do have an outstanding defense, but I still wouldn't call it the best just yet.

 

[An Tarbh]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MunsterMan @ Jan 25 2009, 10:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

But you were still only playing Wasps, Castres and Edinburgh. Compare that with the Ospreys conceding just 3 tries or even Munster coming out of the group of Death having conceded just 6. Thing is statistics can you tell you what you want to believe. Leinster do have an outstanding defense, but I still wouldn't call it the best just yet.[/b]

yeah I forgot that the Ospreys had the might of Treviso in their pool. I know stats can be misleading, we're not conceding that many tries because we're dominating possession without killing off sides.