Northampton by 9
Montpellier by 6
Ulster by 21+ Just had a look at the ulster team sheet and despite being short a few front-line players they are fielding a very dangerous 15. Glasgow are gonna get chewed up and spat out.
Clermont Auvergne 21
Harlequins by 15
Leinster by 30
Big boys are back, this is the Heineken cup the Scarlets are rubbish despite some brand names on their team sheet and Leinster absolutely need a bonus point win. Not only do they need a BP but due to the injuries sustained early in the competition they have scored only 3 tries thus far. Even if they do manage to get into a qualifying position there is a chance it will be a tie with another team, and tries scored is the next decider! Leinster are literally going to destroy the Scarlets. It's going to be a massacre.
Racing Metro 92 by 4
They are both 3 from 4 in the pool but Metro are at home! And time out of number HC home games are won by the home side. That said Saracens don't care about traveling! so should be an epic game. and i go for Racing only because they are the home team.
Toulon by 12
Lot's of cash doesn't make a team good! but they are light years ahead of cardiff.
Biarritz by 15
Munster by 9
Ospreys by 9
The Ospreys don't do close margins. If its a dogfight Leicester will win. If its open the O's will win. Difficult one to call.
Toulouse by 9
Treviso just look tired at this point.
Sorry lads a bit late for it this week.
Just watched the Sarries v RCM match and what a come back! I'm not much of a fan of the London Springboks but that was a top performance.
Northamption vs Castre was a snore fest!
Agree Sporty. Sarries looked dead and buried 30 mins in. but heel of a game that was.
Well that was an interesting weekend.
On my Lot -
Ulster were solid i thought and look set for a home semi no more than they deserve.
Munster were wet and stodgy (like the weather but not because of it!) and at times completely clueless. I said it last week and i will say it again. ROG is still a very useful Fly Half but not for the game plan Rob Penny is trying to put in place. I personally get the feeling that he's (Penny) swimming upstream in limerick and the establishment down there are fighting him on making the changes he wants and needs. They need to get behind him and a very brave decision needs to be made about ROG.
On Leinster, we were epic and but for some even more Epic defending by the scarlets we should have scored a hat full more. Despite some of the media poo pooing the Scarlets performance! They did really very well against what was the most vicious onslaught i have ever seen Leinster produce. Any other team would have folded and been hammered twice! Scarlets kept it reasonably close i think. The bad Munster result leaves us in a position of fighting them for the 8th spot in the knockout stages. We need to go to Exeter and score a bag full of points in the form of TRYS. On Exeter they got royally throttled in France, and now they have to play the champs next week who are suddenly on fire again. This could turn out to be a very humiliating couple of weeks for the Chiefs. On the other hand, I have been informed they are a very different animal at home... where the drums will be belting and the tomahawks shaking.... I guess they will have their own motivation not least being part of the reason the defending champs get knocked out! Another cracker coming up there!
What did you guys think of your respective teams?
Lots of interesting stuff last week, even more to look to the week ahead.
First, something everyone seems to have missed - I'm certain Ronan O'Gara will be cited for kicking one of the Edinburgh forwards after he appeared to check him. The officials missed it but he'll not get away with that one.
A big performance from Saracens - they must be regarded as genuine contenders after that, like Munster in days of old they were on the back fun for most of the match, but just kept the scoreboard ticking over. Speaking of which, Munster were bad, really bad, they got away with it but I think thats the 9 lives up, can they still "stand up and fight" or are they down for the count
In 2, a real old school knock down drag out game between Leicester and the Ospreys, if Dan Biggar had brought his kicking boots it would have been a different story, but sometimes it really is a game of inches
In 3, Quins looking good
In 4, Northampton & Castres finished each other, but quote of the week from the commentator "that was like a hammer on a meringue" as Ulster burst over to score - don't know the chaps name but I always love his commentary
In 5, Leinster getting there but they're still not firing on all cylinders, but they are now much closer to Munster - 1 try in it now. Clermont march on
In 6, Montpellier looked very good away from home, Toulon very good at home - fun in the sun next week in what good be a cracker
So, on a group by group basis:
Saracens will almost certainly play Ulster in the quarters, Ulster are away to Castres, Saracens are at home to Edinburgh, one point and two tries behind. They're likely to really go for it and I'd fancy a Saracens quarter final. Munster also have to go for it, but will Racing care about the Amlin Cup or even bother turning up, who knows but Munster need a kick in the pants after that Edinburgh game. I think they still have the edge of Leinster but I'd see it as 60/40 now rather than 80/20 as it was on Friday
Only 1 game that counts in Group 2, two great sides someway off their best but Leicester have the edge at home
Group 3
Could Quins win all 6, away at Biarritz I'd tend to say no, but will Biarritz give a toss is the bigger question. An interesting point was also made that Quins game will improve in the summer with quick handling more suited to warm weather
In Group 4 Ulster need to win at Castres and probably need a bonus point win to get a home tie, I understand they haven't won in France in the modern era (perhaps this might just be the Heineken Cup?) and I think they might struggle to do it next week
In 5 the big one is Leinster at Exeter, this will be the biggest ever game at Sandy Park and having been perhaps rather harshly denied at the RDS, Exeter will be well up for it. Can Leinster rise to the occasion, it is a tough ask, but they are a tough team. My prediction? the final runner up spot will be decided with less than 10 minutes to play, but when they take the field they will know the Montpellier result. Elsewhere Clermont to take the top seed spot - and to face ????
In 6,
Aargh!
In 6 Montpellier to edge it to create the Leinster / Munster clash of the titans by proxy if you will
LOL love that last comment mate.
And totally agree it will be the final ten mins that makes the Exeter game. Leinster are running on one game plan at the moment, pure aggression and no scoring from penalty kicks.
To be fair a team of such quality should be in the knockouts by default but then we would never get these incredible games to look forward to!
Anyway, Isac Boss will again start for Leinster, being replaced with 20 or 25 mins on the clock by Reddan. The Plan in a nutshell, break them in the first 60 mins and run rings around a tired team in the final 20 ball speeding up considerably by Reddan.
How good are Exeter at defending SARS? because a drunk gypsy would have waltzed through their defensive line this past weekend.
Comment deleted by Site Moderator
Anyone doing a Six Nations thread?
Comment deleted by Site Moderator
Let's hope the weather doesn't ruin this weekend!
Page 1 of 1
First
Previous
1
Next
Latest
Sign in if you want to comment
Heineken Cup Predictions - Round 5
Page 1 of 1
posted on 11/1/13
Northampton by 9
Montpellier by 6
Ulster by 21+ Just had a look at the ulster team sheet and despite being short a few front-line players they are fielding a very dangerous 15. Glasgow are gonna get chewed up and spat out.
Clermont Auvergne 21
Harlequins by 15
Leinster by 30
Big boys are back, this is the Heineken cup the Scarlets are rubbish despite some brand names on their team sheet and Leinster absolutely need a bonus point win. Not only do they need a BP but due to the injuries sustained early in the competition they have scored only 3 tries thus far. Even if they do manage to get into a qualifying position there is a chance it will be a tie with another team, and tries scored is the next decider! Leinster are literally going to destroy the Scarlets. It's going to be a massacre.
Racing Metro 92 by 4
They are both 3 from 4 in the pool but Metro are at home! And time out of number HC home games are won by the home side. That said Saracens don't care about traveling! so should be an epic game. and i go for Racing only because they are the home team.
Toulon by 12
Lot's of cash doesn't make a team good! but they are light years ahead of cardiff.
Biarritz by 15
Munster by 9
Ospreys by 9
The Ospreys don't do close margins. If its a dogfight Leicester will win. If its open the O's will win. Difficult one to call.
Toulouse by 9
Treviso just look tired at this point.
posted on 12/1/13
Sorry lads a bit late for it this week.
Just watched the Sarries v RCM match and what a come back! I'm not much of a fan of the London Springboks but that was a top performance.
Northamption vs Castre was a snore fest!
posted on 12/1/13
Agree Sporty. Sarries looked dead and buried 30 mins in. but heel of a game that was.
posted on 14/1/13
Well that was an interesting weekend.
On my Lot -
Ulster were solid i thought and look set for a home semi no more than they deserve.
Munster were wet and stodgy (like the weather but not because of it!) and at times completely clueless. I said it last week and i will say it again. ROG is still a very useful Fly Half but not for the game plan Rob Penny is trying to put in place. I personally get the feeling that he's (Penny) swimming upstream in limerick and the establishment down there are fighting him on making the changes he wants and needs. They need to get behind him and a very brave decision needs to be made about ROG.
On Leinster, we were epic and but for some even more Epic defending by the scarlets we should have scored a hat full more. Despite some of the media poo pooing the Scarlets performance! They did really very well against what was the most vicious onslaught i have ever seen Leinster produce. Any other team would have folded and been hammered twice! Scarlets kept it reasonably close i think. The bad Munster result leaves us in a position of fighting them for the 8th spot in the knockout stages. We need to go to Exeter and score a bag full of points in the form of TRYS. On Exeter they got royally throttled in France, and now they have to play the champs next week who are suddenly on fire again. This could turn out to be a very humiliating couple of weeks for the Chiefs. On the other hand, I have been informed they are a very different animal at home... where the drums will be belting and the tomahawks shaking.... I guess they will have their own motivation not least being part of the reason the defending champs get knocked out! Another cracker coming up there!
What did you guys think of your respective teams?
posted on 14/1/13
Lots of interesting stuff last week, even more to look to the week ahead.
First, something everyone seems to have missed - I'm certain Ronan O'Gara will be cited for kicking one of the Edinburgh forwards after he appeared to check him. The officials missed it but he'll not get away with that one.
A big performance from Saracens - they must be regarded as genuine contenders after that, like Munster in days of old they were on the back fun for most of the match, but just kept the scoreboard ticking over. Speaking of which, Munster were bad, really bad, they got away with it but I think thats the 9 lives up, can they still "stand up and fight" or are they down for the count
In 2, a real old school knock down drag out game between Leicester and the Ospreys, if Dan Biggar had brought his kicking boots it would have been a different story, but sometimes it really is a game of inches
In 3, Quins looking good
In 4, Northampton & Castres finished each other, but quote of the week from the commentator "that was like a hammer on a meringue" as Ulster burst over to score - don't know the chaps name but I always love his commentary
In 5, Leinster getting there but they're still not firing on all cylinders, but they are now much closer to Munster - 1 try in it now. Clermont march on
In 6, Montpellier looked very good away from home, Toulon very good at home - fun in the sun next week in what good be a cracker
So, on a group by group basis:
Saracens will almost certainly play Ulster in the quarters, Ulster are away to Castres, Saracens are at home to Edinburgh, one point and two tries behind. They're likely to really go for it and I'd fancy a Saracens quarter final. Munster also have to go for it, but will Racing care about the Amlin Cup or even bother turning up, who knows but Munster need a kick in the pants after that Edinburgh game. I think they still have the edge of Leinster but I'd see it as 60/40 now rather than 80/20 as it was on Friday
Only 1 game that counts in Group 2, two great sides someway off their best but Leicester have the edge at home
Group 3
Could Quins win all 6, away at Biarritz I'd tend to say no, but will Biarritz give a toss is the bigger question. An interesting point was also made that Quins game will improve in the summer with quick handling more suited to warm weather
In Group 4 Ulster need to win at Castres and probably need a bonus point win to get a home tie, I understand they haven't won in France in the modern era (perhaps this might just be the Heineken Cup?) and I think they might struggle to do it next week
In 5 the big one is Leinster at Exeter, this will be the biggest ever game at Sandy Park and having been perhaps rather harshly denied at the RDS, Exeter will be well up for it. Can Leinster rise to the occasion, it is a tough ask, but they are a tough team. My prediction? the final runner up spot will be decided with less than 10 minutes to play, but when they take the field they will know the Montpellier result. Elsewhere Clermont to take the top seed spot - and to face ????
In 6,
posted on 14/1/13
Aargh!
In 6 Montpellier to edge it to create the Leinster / Munster clash of the titans by proxy if you will
posted on 14/1/13
LOL love that last comment mate.
And totally agree it will be the final ten mins that makes the Exeter game. Leinster are running on one game plan at the moment, pure aggression and no scoring from penalty kicks.
To be fair a team of such quality should be in the knockouts by default but then we would never get these incredible games to look forward to!
Anyway, Isac Boss will again start for Leinster, being replaced with 20 or 25 mins on the clock by Reddan. The Plan in a nutshell, break them in the first 60 mins and run rings around a tired team in the final 20 ball speeding up considerably by Reddan.
How good are Exeter at defending SARS? because a drunk gypsy would have waltzed through their defensive line this past weekend.
posted on 14/1/13
Comment deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 14/1/13
Anyone doing a Six Nations thread?
posted on 14/1/13
Comment deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 18/1/13
Let's hope the weather doesn't ruin this weekend!
Page 1 of 1