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The GOAT League - R.20

Leonormous Boozer

Fat Boi
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Ireland
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Leinster
Ladies (I dunno maybe, I reckon I'm reaching here), gentlemen and enlightened premiership fan, its the penultimate round and last weeks results couldn't have gone better to make things spicy at the top!

The most oddly timed match of the weekend sees The Cheetahs host Munster in a clash to keep hopes alive for South Africa to host a knockout game. Only a bonus point win will do for the Saffas which will force Munster to do the same against Ulster the following week to hold them off. With Europe on the horizon Munster will be expected to rest key players but the IRFU won't be too happy to lose that sweet, sweet home knockout bean!

The second game on Friday sees an Ulster with newfound hope host the Ospreys, 8 points back from Edinburgh with this easily being their most winnable remaining game means this is a must win for Ulster with the added pressure from Treviso trying to grab that Euro playoff spot as well as the likely competitor in that playoff being the Ospreys this is the pivotal game of Ulster's season... Don't disappoint, again!

In a game very closely resembling a dead rubber Glasgow will confirm their all but confirmed position as top seed of Conference A by condemning Connacht to another Challenge Cup campaign.

The game of the weekend undoubtedly is Scarlets trip to Edinburgh with two away fixtures left for the Scarlets a bp win here for Edinburgh could be enough for them to sneak into the playoffs, a nice visit from an already qualified Glasgow who get no break for Europe might just turn into another bp win for the Scots... Ulster loom if Scarlets win putting pressure on Leinster to get a win in Galway which is never too easy against the hyped up Westerners.

Zebre v Dragons is a complete used johnny of a match, Zebre will win to cement a better record over the season than their Welsh bottom feeder rivals, it'll also see them finish with a somewhat respectable win rate of just under 25%.

If Munster do the biz Cardiff's almost certain 5 pointer against the Southern Kings might just mean something but with the Cheetahs visiting their country rivals a fortnight later it's unlikely, dead rubber nummer 2.

The [Insert two word ***le that I will not use as it has jinxed my boys the last two seasons (See almost any of last season's threads for details)] will probably record a 5 pointer over Euro playoff chasing Treviso, that 5 pointer will probably be enough to leave them in a position where at worse a lbp in Galway will see them top Conference B and this will probably only be the start of the procession to the double completing, coveted, historic and filled with tradition Guinness™ Pro14 Trophy©.
 
The Edinburgh vs Ulster race is by far the most interesting and uncertain. Duncan Weir has upped his game since recovering from his "infected pelvic ring" (no sniggering you there at the back) but I can't see him and his fellow "rejects" giving the Scarlets any trouble. Unless the Scarlets pick a side that has given up on top spot in Conference B.

Sadly while the Dragons have shown some signs of life since the 6N, Zebre have been mince. I smell an away win there.

Hopefully the Pro14 will post highlights of Treviso's victory at the weekend at some point before they capitulate to the "chokers elect".
 
So Johan Goosen will be playing at flyhalf for the Cheetahs this weekend, and will play for them until June when he returns to France to play for Montpellier.

This will be his first game after "retiring" last year.
 
So Johan Goosen will be playing at flyhalf for the Cheetahs this weekend, and will play for them until June when he returns to France to play for Montpellier.

This will be his first game after "retiring" last year.
Yea exiting news. I see the reports states that he has been training at flyhalve with Neil Marais training in midfield.
Rassie Erasmus will also be at the game, so hopefully he can have a nice discussion with Goosen so that they are on the same level regarding the Springboks.
I would also assume that Erasmus is attending the game to meet up with some of the Munster people.
 
Well knock me down with a feather! Here I was convinced Goosen was an honest man of integrity when he announced he was retiring. :p The gall to jump straight back into the Top14 is quite impressive.

Can't grumble at the SARU trying to strengthen the Cheetahs for a possible ***le push though. I really feel for Stapelberg though. He did everything right and ends up fourth choice!
 
Yea exiting news. I see the reports states that he has been training at flyhalve with Neil Marais training in midfield.
Rassie Erasmus will also be at the game, so hopefully he can have a nice discussion with Goosen so that they are on the same level regarding the Springboks.
I would also assume that Erasmus is attending the game to meet up with some of the Munster people.
Yes. Aled and Jacques have been with us alot too over past week
 
Well knock me down with a feather! Here I was convinced Goosen was an honest man of integrity when he announced he was retiring. :p The gall to jump straight back into the Top14 is quite impressive.

Can't grumble at the SARU trying to strengthen the Cheetahs for a possible ***le push though. I really feel for Stapelberg though. He did everything right and ends up fourth choice!

I know it's meant to be tongue in cheek, but it was actually Montpellier who made this all happen. They negotiated with Goosen's old employer to "buy out" his contract with them (which they were furious about when he renewed, and then retired), They then signed him to play from June when the new season starts, and then when this news broke, a lot of teams wanted to sign him as a short-term project. In fact, not just the Cheetahs offered him a deal, but also Gloucester, Sale and the Stormers had talks to some extent with him.
 
Wouldn't say the Kings vs Blues game is anything near a dead rubber, regardless of the Cheetahs vs Munster result, as a win here and a loss for the Ospreys should guarantee Champions Cup rugby next season.

Blues will be gutted after that pen try last week, but a bonus point isn't the worst result away to the Cheetahs - especially after the the joyous time they had trying to get there!

Hopefully that means they'll be fired up and ready for this one!
 
I've miscalculated the interest in the Munster vs Cheetahs race for second place. If Munster lose by a BP (which is possible, though unlikely) then they'd have to avoid defeat against Ulster in the last game. That'd be a bit spicy.

Lose that and it's Scarlets away in the QF which probably equals end of season so there is more at stake than I appreciated.

But that is small beer compared to the big news. ToH is exhonerated after being cited. He was just helping Hassler get a fly out of his eye. He can get back to fluttering the hearts of middle aged Scotsmen everywhere.
 
Cheetahs can get into second spot if they beat Munster with a bonus point and since they have Kings the next week you would think that they would be able to hold on to it.
Does the pro 14 still use the old 4 try bonus point system or are they using the same one as in Super rugby where you have to score three more tries than the opposition? If its the 4 try rule then i can easlily see them getting a bonus point.
Actually the bonus point would be much more secure than a win. With Goosen back for the Cheetahs i have much much more confidence in them. He is probably the only player in this Cheetahs team that can walk into the national side.
 
Does the pro 14 still use the old 4 try bonus point system or are they using the same one as in Super rugby where you have to score three more tries than the opposition? If its the 4 try rule then i can easlily see them getting a bonus point.

4 try bonus point system.
 
Leinster Rugby (caps in brackets):

15. Jordan Larmour (16)
14. Fergus McFadden (167)
13. Rory O'Loughlin (39)
12. Noel Reid (98)
11. Barry Daly (24)
10. Joey Carbery (32)
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (47)
1. Jack McGrath (127) CAPTAIN
2. Richardt Strauss (153)
3. Andrew Porter (24)
4. Ross Molony (61)
5. Ian Nagle (17)
6. Jordi Murphy (102)
7. Seán O'Brien (115)
8. Max Deegan (18)

16. James Tracy (60)
17. Ed Byrne (22)
18. Michael Bent (104)
19. Mick Kearney (33)
20. Peadar Timmins (11)
21. Nick McCarthy (23)
22. Ross Byrne (46)
23. Adam Byrne (36)

That weak centre pairing is back, RO'L has been in great form though so hopefully he keeps it up! Good to see Jacko captain.
 
Very excited to see Joey starting, however I think he'd be more comfortable with a big inside center outside of him. Reid and Carbery are a little lightweight I reckon.
 
15 Rhys Jones, 14 Tom Varndell, 13 Ioan Nicholas, 12 Steff Hughes ©, 11 Ryan Conbeer, 10 Dan Jones, 9 Aled Davies, 1 Dylan Evans, 2 Ryan Elias, 3 Werner Kruger, 4 Steve Cummins, 5 David Bulbring, 6 Lewis Rawlins, 7 Josh Macleod, 8 Will Boyde



Replacements; 16 Taylor Davies, 17 Phil Price, 18 Simon Gardiner, 19 Josh Helps, 20 Shaun Evans, 21 Jonathan Evans, 22 Corey Baldwin, 23 Tom Rogers

That line up is simultaneously good and bad for Ster! Embra should get something out of this.
 
What a disappointingly limp selection by Scarlets. Edinburgh must take the win despite their own recent mini-slump.

Edinburgh: 15 Blair Kinghorn, 14 Dougie Fife, 13 James Johnstone, 12 Chris Dean, 11 Duhan van der Merwe, 10 Jaco van der Walt, 9 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, 8 Cornell du Preez, 7 Jamie Ritchie, 6 Magnus Bradbury, 5 Grant Gilchrist, 4 Ben Toolis, 3 Simon Berghan, 2 Stuart McInally, 1 Jordan Lay

Replacements: 16 Neil Cochrane, 17 Allan Dell, 18 Murray McCallum, 19 Lewis Carmichael, 20 Luke Crosbi, 21 Nathan Fowles, 22 Duncan Weir, 23 Mark Bennett
 
This Cheetahs side looks decent on paper but their internationals in particular must be playing on absolute fumes.

Cheetahs: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 William Small-Smith, 13 Francois Venter (c), 12 Niel Marais, 11 Sibahle Maxwane, 10 Johan Goosen, 9 Tian Meyer, 8 Uzair Cassiem, 7 Oupa Mohoje, 6 Paul Schoeman, 5 Reniel Hugo, 4 Carl Wegner, 3 Johan Coetzee, 2 Torsten van Jaarsveld, 1 Ox Nche

Replacements: 16 Jacques du Toit, 17 Charles Marais, 18 Tom Botha, 19 Rynier Bernardo, 20 Henco Venter, 21 Zee Mkhabela, 22 Clinton Swart, 23 AJ Coertzen
 
Although the Cheetahs are leading by a converted try at halftime i cant help but feel that Munster has the advantage for the second half. The Cheetahs players really looked tired and error prone towards the end of the game. Lacked intensity and took any chance they could to stall the game.
 

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