Teams capable of winning the 2013 Heineken Cup

[coonor]

It's quite pivotal that a British or Irish team get into the Amin CC final next season. Last week we saw that an all French final will not pull in the crowds and that was in England, so I would imagine it would be even less so in Ireland. I still think the CC is an important competition for development in Europe.

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

I still wake up screaming about Dan 'Bane of the Ospreys' Hipkiss going over at the Liberty in the 6th minute of injury time.

No!! I'd just scrubbed that from my memory! It took me years to save up for the lobotomy!

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Harlequins?

I don't think Quins have what it takes yet to win in Europe. They had a brilliant opportunity to make the QF's but they choked against Connacht in a game they definitely should have won.

They have a great side and a great coach but they don't have the winning mentality yet.

 

[Peat]

I don't think Quins have what it takes yet to win in Europe. They had a brilliant opportunity to make the QF's but they choked against Connacht in a game they definitely should have won.

They have a great side and a great coach but they don't have the winning mentality yet.

Look at their most recent game against Sarries and the play-off win against Saints. Quins are beginning to forge that mentality.

edit: They're also starting to form a fairly strong tight five.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Look at their most recent game against Sarries and the play-off win against Saints. Quins are beginning to forge that mentality.

edit: They're also starting to form a fairly strong tight five.

I agree with that but I think there is a step up with European rugby and they're still going to lose for a few years before they get that edge. They remind me a bit of Leinster in 06-07, they could win games but they couldn't finish the important European matches.

 

[Peat]

I agree with that but I think there is a step up with European rugby and they're still going to lose for a few years before they get that edge. They remind me a bit of Leinster in 06-07, they could win games but they couldn't finish the important European matches.

While you're not far wrong there for my money, the same applies to a lot of the teams you've named, and I reckon they could be in with a shout.

 

[Teh Mite]

Warning: You're suggesting Marler can be part of a strong tight 5!

 

[Peat]

Warning: You're suggesting Marler can be part of a strong tight 5!

The doubters of the mohicaned messiah will soon see the error of their ways.

 

[coonor]

The doubters of the mohicaned messiah will soon see the error of their ways.

I think the Saints front row have already seen the error.....

 

[Nielsch]

Regardless of the teams reaching the final, the public sale has already ended due to huge demand. I take it the teams that will reach the final will be allocated some sections of the stadium right?

Heineken Cup final tickets went on public sale at 12 noon on Monday, 21 May and following huge demand, there are currently no tickets available through Ticketmaster, Ticketline, France Billet or Ticketnet. ​

http://www.ercrugby.com/eng/finals/2013.php

 

[Amiga500]

I think you should blame the ERC for staging the final of the Amlin in the same city as the HC. Remember in 2010 when Cardiff played Toulon at a sold out Stade Veledrome. I'm pretty sure if it was held in France this year it would have been a big sell out as well.

I think it was a good idea - only we were drunk (on the semi-final Saturday) when booking flights and forgot about it being on the Friday. We'd have went for sure if we'd remembered. Give we were half shattered by the time we made Twickenham, coming over the previous day, watching the game in the stoop, then having all Saturday in London would have been a much better plan. Live and learn.




If they keep with the format - supporters will automatically know the ACC final is on the same weekend in the same city as the HEC final, so they will plan accordingly. But they need to stick with it through the first few years till it begins to pay off.

 

[coonor]

Regardless of the teams reaching the final, the public sale has already ended due to huge demand. I take it the teams that will reach the final will be allocated some sections of the stadium right?



http://www.ercrugby.com/eng/finals/2013.php

Each team will be allocated 7,500 tickets, however although they will generally be within the same section, it is likely that it will be farely mixed. As we saw in Twickenham Ulster fans were generally located in the south and Leinster fans in the north, although allocated tickets would have been situated in the simlilar position there is always a mixture of fans which means you will not get a full clump of fans all sitting together without any of the other team's fans seperating some of them.

 

[Nielsch]

So basicly that means 35.000 tickets sold within a day with 15.000 more to be allocated. Well done. Oh and the Aviva is way too small to host this final. I'd say San Siro or Camp Nou in 2014.

 

[coonor]

No, 19,000 tickets were sold on Monday, 5,000 were held back as part of a golden ticket and Dublin Pass scheme, 15,000 will be allocated to teams in the final. That leaves around 12,000 tickets left as the Aviva can hold 51,700 people. Most of the remaining tickets will be corporate and held by the ERC, while others will be used for the ERCtravel programme. I reckon maybe a few thousand will be sold in a second public sale batch but thats if your lucky!

I agree with you though, the Aviva is too small for the final however as it is a new stadium and the H-Cup final hadn't been to Dublin in over 5 years, holding it there was inevetable. In the future it would be great if the competetion got to such a size that the final could be held at Croke Park and the Aviva could hold the Amlin CC final.

 

[Peat]

I can't imagine the IRFU would be particularly happy about such a set-up...

 

[coonor]

I can't imagine the IRFU would be particularly happy about such a set-up...

Ohh of course not, it would mean more people enjoying rugby........ The IRFU would be disgusted with such a suggestion!

 

[big ginger 8]

The Aviva is a brilliant stadium and because fans are close to the pitch the atmosphere is usually very good, pretty much guarantees a full house as well even if no Irish side makes it. In Croke Park you're to far back from the pitch for rugby and the atmosphere (apart from England matches) was pretty poor considering the amount of fans.

 

[Amiga500]

The Aviva is a brilliant stadium

It is great for what it is...

However, what it is is unfortunately too small.

The IRFU should have had a rethink when they seen they were getting 82,000 into Croke with people still looking tickets.


Given that there was all the talk of BertieBowl around that time; they could have perhaps pursaded the govt to forgo the light requirements (or buy out the row of houses) that force the North stand to be so small. If the North stand was around the same size as the others, I reckon you'd be looking at 62,000 or so seats - which is still too small.

Now, rip out the seats* along the entire lower deck and replace them with terracing (who actually enjoys sitting at a match**?!?) - so capacity could be further increased.


*Or go with the German model of seats that entirely fold away.
**If you do, you can f**k off to the clouds and the top deck with the rest of the prawn sandwich brigade.:lol:

 

[Tony Manx]

Actually cannot understand the rapacious IRB/ERC NOT forcing Croke Park on the IRF.....after all they get the bigger slice of the cake and known for protecting their own interests!! Having siad that, I think the Aviva will gve a huge atmosphere and great view of the game for those successful in getting tickets plus it is Dublin for goodness sake, so if you cannot get tickets the pubs will be rocking!!

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

I agree with that but I think there is a step up with European rugby and they're still going to lose for a few years before they get that edge. They remind me a bit of Leinster in 06-07, they could win games but they couldn't finish the important European matches.

I can see the truth in that. This said, winning away to Munster and Toulouse proves they can do a tough job on the european stage. But I'd probably agree, they somewhat ambushed those teams, Munster in particular, whereas I can imagine them finding it harder in advanced knockout stages.

As I've said, Quins are the only 'top' english side who I think definitely will keep improving, but at the same time they're one of the only English sides who will depend to such an extent on a couple of key players; losing Care and Evans would be a huge step back for them, whereas Saracens and Tigers have the depth to at least cope with losses like that.