Heineken Cup winners?

[I Look Like Kevin Costner]

After the Heineken Cup quarter finals, no French or Irish teams are left standing and the competition is now an Anglo Welsh affair.

Of the Scarlets, Tigers, Wasps and Saints>>>>>

Who do the Goaters think is going to win it.

I reckon it will be the Tigers.

[wolfy]

I would love to see the Tigers win it because I really want to see them do the Treble. However the Scarlets are playing some good open rugby which I think will be enough to take them through to meet and beat Wasps in the final.

[The Bowmeister]

C'mon the "Scarlets", but if anyone deserves to win, it would have to be Northan'ts as it will soften the blow of relegation:PDT_Xtremez_15:

[rugby then work]

The scarlets are playing some excellent rugby (Popham is one of the best Backrow forwards around at the moment) and if they can get past Leicester in the semi I think they can beat either Wasps or Northampton. Just depends whether they can get enough quickclean possession if their packs going backwards (as it may well be against Leicester).

I'll go for Leicester as I think they'll stiffle LLanelli and stop them playing their natural game.

[Tashy_Man]

Scarlets for me......will trash the english scum.....i hope :-)

[Ex-Stacker]

As much as it pains me to say it....the Troggs match against Munster was the best of last weekends offerings. I can't recall a team stifling Munster as well as they did, and they pushed teir pack all over the park.

I think the shock result was obviously the Saints against BOPB. I've got some great memories from last season in San Sebastian, and I know that Saints fans will have certainly enjoyed themselves.

I predict a Scarlets V Saints final....Scarlets to win & Saints to be relegated as well.

[wgaf]

Tigers and Wasps in the final, Tigers to squeeze the life out of Wasps and win it in the last quarter.

[True Blue Jack]

Since this seems doomed to be the last Heineken Cup, then it's Scarlets all the way and all the English and French clubs can ram it. How the hell does anyone think we can groom the best players for international rugby without a serious continental club competition?

[wgaf]

The French and English clubs are on about having their own inter club competition. Where this leaves the Welsh, Scots, Irish and Italians I don't know.
About the same time as the advent of proffesionalism Bill Beaumont and Gareth Edwards predicted this would happen, IIRC they also said that it would lead to a major breakdown in the quality of northern hemisphere international rugby. Bit doom and gloom for our wonderful game at the mo.:PDT_Xtremez_09:

[rugby then work]

The "Champions League" style competition being advocated by Wasps at the moment would take up even more of the season than the present Heineken cup. The main winner thee would be the fact that the clubs would have a much greater control over any new competition started under their rules. The major stumbling block would again be that players are tied to club games and would not be released for international training camps.

Question: Should the English game go down the same route that many other countries have and regionalize our teams that compete at the highest level (For instance New Zealand super 14 teams and Welsh regional teams, Neath Swansea Ospreys etc).

I’ve got my opinions on that but will save them for a while.

[True Blue Jack]

Question: Should the English game go down the same route that many other countries have and regionalize our teams that compete at the highest level (For instance New Zealand super 14 teams and Welsh regional teams, Neath Swansea Ospreys etc).

I think most English teams are big enough that they don't need to regionalise. The fact that 3 of the 4 semi-finalists in this year's Heineken Cup stands testament to that. Intra-regional rivalry brings its own rewards - take Gloucester and Bath; always a big fixture. I just think they would lose more than they stand to gain if they combine forces.

[Ex-Stacker]

No franchises...full stop. You lose identity & tradition, and as you say, England has the strength to resist that route.

Seen on Sky text today, that the English & French boycott could cause the abolition of pro rugby in Scotland. No offence meant to anyone who does go to watch pro rugby up there, but if more than 2000 people went, the finances wouldn't be in such a state. Example: Borders V Biarritz att 1200 (ish). That sort of crowd (gathering) will not support a pro squad of players without someone shelling out a lot of their hard earned.

Personally, I'm glad about the boycott. Not that Sale would have been playing in the HEC, but it'll mean fewer games when the powers-that-be want the top players to play less. Get rid of the pointless EDF cup and we're laughing.

[True Blue Jack]

it'll mean fewer games when the powers-that-be want the top players to play less. Get rid of the pointless EDF cup and we're laughing.

It certainly is a very full calendar these days, and it's no wonder injuries are such a major problem. Personally, I'd rather get rid of the Anglo-Welsh cup than the Heineken.

[rugby then work]

It certainly is a very full calendar these days, and it's no wonder injuries are such a major problem. Personally, I'd rather get rid of the Anglo-Welsh cup than the Heineken.

I agree and it's a bit pointless having both competitions, the tp clubs get to play each other in the Heineken Cup so why bother with the Anglo-Welsh Cup (except for the clubs to make extra cash of course)

[auchtermuchty]

At the risk of dragging this back on topic I agree that whoever wins in the scarlets/tigers game will be too strong for the others.

But.......

Can someone please explain to me why a London club would choose to play their 'Home' neutral venue in Coventry? Isnt there enough stadia around their fan base? or did cov buy it?

[rugby then work]

At the risk of dragging this back on topic I agree that whoever wins in the scarlets/tigers game will be too strong for the others.

But.......

Can someone please explain to me why a London club would choose to play their 'Home' neutral venue in Coventry? Isnt there enough stadia around their fan base? or did cov buy it?

According to what I can find it was only confirmed as the venue after Northampton won their 1/4 final.

http://www.ercrugby.com/eng/12_6794.php

[auchtermuchty]

Thats because if biarritz won it would be their 'Home' fixture and played in France (since they couldnt use San Sebastian). So is it Northampton's 'Home' game? that would explain Cov a little easier - there arent that many 32,000 seater stadiums between saints and there.

[rugby then work]

Thats because if biarritz won it would be their 'Home' fixture and played in France (since they couldnt use San Sebastian). So is it Northampton's 'Home' game? that would explain Cov a little easier - there arent that many 32,000 seater stadiums between saints and there.

That's what I was thinking, biarritz finished top of there group (same as Wasps but with more points) so would have been the higher seeded side in the 1/4s.

[Sospan]

I can't understand why the QF is seeded for a home match and the SF is a draw. Makes no sense to me :PDT_Xtremez_35:

I know the SF is a neutral venue in the home country but....

QF 1 Seed 1 v Seed 8
QF 2 Seed 2 v Seed 7
QF 3 Seed 3 v Seed 6
QF 4 Seed 4 v Seed 5

SF 1 QF 1 v QF 4
SF 2 QF 2 v QF 3

Teams in red have home advantage
Anybody care to explain why this aint the case ?