The Heineken Cup Thread

[Gnevin]

Is there any truth in the english/scottish/welsh accusations that munster and leinster enjoy an unfair advantage in terms of their geographical areas of pull and therefore the financial muscle?

i don't know what ulster's excuse is

Thus is only coming from England surely? The Welsh are talking about setting up the region they folded again and pulling out of the powergen cup. If 2 regions in Scotland can't compete why would splitting that up help.

[AZOffaly]

The game would be in Turnip Park, why would Munster give up home advantage, the IRFU would not dictate otherwise. Anyway lot of rugby before that happens, I can see Munster losing in France and although I can Leinster winning I think they won't get the bonus but a win should get them at least a best loser place which wouldn't be too bad, an away quarter to Cardiff is a better option that Turnip Park.

If the IRFU could get 83k into Croker the game would be played in Croker. In 2006 Munster played their Q/F in LR!

That was because Thomond Park only held 13k at that stage which was less than the minimum the ERC specified for Q/F ties.

[Tankie]

The game would be in Turnip Park, why would Munster give up home advantage, the IRFU would not dictate otherwise. Anyway lot of rugby before that happens, I can see Munster losing in France and although I can Leinster winning I think they won't get the bonus but a win should get them at least a best loser place which wouldn't be too bad, an away quarter to Cardiff is a better option that Turnip Park.

If the IRFU could get 83k into Croker the game would be played in Croker. In 2006 Munster played their Q/F in LR!

That was because Thomond Park only held 13k at that stage which was less than the minimum the ERC specified for Q/F ties.

That was not the case, the IFRU run and own Irish Rugby, that includes Leinster and Munster. In 2007 Leinster played Wasps in a Q/F @ Adams park and that holds less than 11k. There is no minimun for a Q/F but the ERC would 'encourage' games to be played in bigger stadiums, Wasps felt they had a better chance at home that play in Reading where it hold 30k so they played in Adams Park. For the S/F the ERC pick the stadium and that must be a minimum 25k (or is it 35k).

So if Croke Park was available you can be sure regardless of who ot the home draw (Leinster or Munster) it would be played in Croke Park.

On the game this sunday, Dr Phil must play 10 and hope he controls the game, if we dont put Edinburgh out of the game after 30mins the game could easily be lost!

[Tankie]

Big weekend for Irish Rugby, lets hope we can have 3 Irish wins with two teams in the Q/F, best of luck to the boys from the West too against Dax!

[AZOffaly]

I see Edinburgh are sending a 'B' team. Serves Wasps right, Leinster should coast this now.

As for Munster, it depends on what Montauban team decides to turnip. () I'd imagine they'd like to get one over Munster, and prove their performance in Thomond Park was no fluke. I expect Munster to be up for it, but a win in France is always tough enough to get, so they'll have to be ready. Montauban collapsed against Clermont last weekend, but we'll see..

[GaillimhIarthair]

Big weekend for Irish Rugby, lets hope we can have 3 Irish wins with two teams in the Q/F, best of luck to the boys from the West too against Dax!

The support is much appreciated Tankie.  We are at full strength this evening so no excuses, especially as I believe DAX have only included 7 players that played against Toulouse recently.  They are more concerned with maintaining the Top 14 status in France as progression in this competition is now beyond.  The Sportsground will be a unique experience for a lot of the french lads 

[lynchbhoy]

Turnip Park  ? I wouldn't be overly confident in Montauban either Dinny, certainly not overly confident about getting 4 tries. As for Leinster, I'm sure they'll handle Edinburgh handily enough. It could end up with Leinster at home (Where would that be played?)

Anyway, I heard a much better description of Leinster a couple of weeks ago. I was always uncomfortable calling them the Ladyboys, it was a bit OTT. But from now on I will happily refer to them as the Latte Boys.

I used to despise leinster for being that latte D4 jet set, but with so many 'culchies' now on the team and throughout the ranks , coupled with the bandwaggoning with munster and the posery ethos that seems to have afflicted their player in the past few years, I have jumped ship and now support the latte bunch!

Not sure what has happened them though, they have good talent and at one point I thought Cheika seemed like a very astute man that was unfortunate with injuries. Now with mostly his first XV available most of the time this past season and a half, I am not so sure.

Dont think leo cullen is playing well either....imo their form has dipped since he came back (could be bias I know).

Turnip park though  

[Dinny Breen]

Cheika gets a lot of flak but Leinster currently have the best defence domestically and in Europe, he's really gone back to basics and Leinster's attacking flair has suffered immensely however this new style is more conducive to winning tight games which is what you need to progress in Europe. It's what Munster and Leicester have been doing for years. There are actually very few Dubs on the Leinster team, BOD, Jennings and Dempsey being the only regular starters from the Capital with Kildare, Louth, Carlow, Wicklow, Wexford, Meath all well represented. Anyway I think Cheika will move on this season but he will leave a good legacy imho and Leinster are least starting to shake the ladyboy image...

Leinster to win no bonus but will still win the goup.
Munste to win no bonus.
Ulster to lose...
Connacht to win...

Munster v Leinster in the quarter-finals, imagine been from Leinster trying to get tickets for that 

[Lecale2]

Munster game off. Re-fixed for tomorrow @ 1.00pm.

[Carmen Stateside]

FT
Stade Francais 24
Ulster             19

[Tankie]

Bid game today for Leinster, if Leinster do not qualify today i fail to see how the current management team will survive at the end of the season.

Also a 1pm kick of is a ridiculous time to be heading to a match!

[TORGAEL]

Halftime scores

Leinster 12  Edinburgh 3
Montauban 6  Munster 10

[Hoof Hearted]

i see the "baby elephant" Ollie Le Roux has turned into an adult !

[TORGAEL]

Fulltime scores

Leinster 12  Edinburgh 3
Montauban 13  Munster 39

[magpie seanie]

Do ya see the state of the pitch for Bath v. Toulouse? Easy pen just missed. A complete lottery.

What result could make us have a Munster v. Leinster quarter final?