Saracens v Clermont

[tigercaspian]

Abendanon scores try of the season?? Brilliant!

[baz1664]

Nigel Owens outstanding until the clear knock on for Sarries final try, massive decision and one that you can't get wrong, must be referred to the tmo but he doesn't??

[BFG]

Wishful thinking baz it looked fine to me and obviously the man in the middle who matters most!
A decent game with some good scores.
Massive physicality from two very big forward packs.

[baz1664]

Not wishful thinking as the commentary team even said it went forward, and for me it did, I understand Owens wants to make his own decisions but ones like that where there is an element of doubt should be referred, that's the point of the tmo.

[L Smith]

Sarries beat a very, very good Clermont side tonight.
They deserve the plaudits.
I thought that Kruis and Goode had a shout at MOTM but, equally, so did Billy.
Congratulations

[tigercaspian]

Comedy moment at half time when Dan Carter could barely stop wetting himself at MacGreenwood's kilt.........

[ourla]

Big congratulations to Saracens.

A great performance and confirms them as the best in Europe at the minute.

Tough ask to do it another two Saturdays on the trot but who'd back against them at the minute.

[SirGordonRamsey]

Usually I am a Nigel Owens supporter but he was awful today, I understand wanting to let it be a good final, but ASM were criminal through most of the game.

Lopez needed a yellow.

Barnes > Owens

[tigercaspian]

Sorry, SGR, thought Lopez made a genuine attempt to catch the ball and, if he had, he was away for Sarries try line........except for the advantage that Owens was already playing.
I thought he got the knock on off Burger's hand right too.
The non-yellow under the posts was debatable though

[Noddy555]

So they've won it two years in a row, so what we did that 15 years ago. It will probably take them decades to catch us up. After all no other club comes close to our record of qualifying 13 years in a row for the semi finals and from 2005 to 2013 we went on to qualify for the final. 9 years in a row of which we won 4 and lost 5. Now that's SPECIAL.

[Tigerbeat]

Usually I am a Nigel Owens supporter but he was awful today, I understand wanting to let it be a good final, but ASM were criminal through most of the game.

Lopez needed a yellow.

Barnes > Owens

Ben Kay and Austin agreed with the decision. He made an effort to catch the ball and was clipped which prevented him catching it. Not deliberate, therefore only a knock on.

[h's dad]

Usually I am a Nigel Owens supporter but he was awful today, I understand wanting to let it be a good final, but ASM were criminal through most of the game.

Lopez needed a yellow.

Barnes > Owens

Ben Kay and Austin agreed with the decision. He made an effort to catch the ball and was clipped which prevented him catching it. Not deliberate, therefore only a knock on.

We had to watch it with Barnes where no mention was made of the clip although it was pretty obvious and fundamental to the decision making.

[mightymouse]

It wasn't just the knock on. Most refs would have given that but I think they are often wrong. However his refereeing of the breakdown and the scrum was shocking. I hate to say it but Saracens generally got the rough end of decisions. Clermont consistently offended in the red zone and yet never got a yellow. At the scrum Yashvilli was up to all sorts of games and managed to con Nigel into thinking he was dominant. Actually the scrum went both ways and yet Saracens always tended to get decisions against them.


I thought he had a bad day. Saracens on the other hand proved themselves once again to be the standard to which Tigers need to aspire to be. Leaving salary cap issues aside I admire them. I admire their playing style and ability, I admire their team spirit and camaraderie and their ethos and values. If I was playing now and good enough to be a professional player that's the team I would be attracted to. Sadly all those things used to apply to Tigers and I suspect it has slipped a little. Tigers need to find their way back to that pinicle. If I were running tigers I would start with the culture and particularly with the youth teams and build it back upwards from there. I only hope that is what is happening, otherwise we will be also ran for another few years.

Saracens prioritised Europe at the detriment of their position in the league. Exeter away will be a tough task and they may fail. We all know how difficult doubles are to do. However Europe is the pot I would want and if they manage to win the Aviva from here then they truly will be a remarkable team and I am only happy that 6 of them are on the Lions squad.

[SirGordonRamsey]

Usually I am a Nigel Owens supporter but he was awful today, I understand wanting to let it be a good final, but ASM were criminal through most of the game.

Lopez needed a yellow.

Barnes > Owens

Ben Kay and Austin agreed with the decision. He made an effort to catch the ball and was clipped which prevented him catching it. Not deliberate, therefore only a knock on.

Sensetive subject for me haha.

*Clipped = He ran into Wyles and put his arm out. Wyles was the ball carrier, so you either make the tackle or go for the interception. Can't begin to decipher which he chose.

[h's dad]

Usually I am a Nigel Owens supporter but he was awful today, I understand wanting to let it be a good final, but ASM were criminal through most of the game.

Lopez needed a yellow.

Barnes > Owens

Ben Kay and Austin agreed with the decision. He made an effort to catch the ball and was clipped which prevented him catching it. Not deliberate, therefore only a knock on.

Sensetive subject for me haha.

*Clipped = He ran into Wyles and put his arm out. Wyles was the ball carrier, so you either make the tackle or go for the interception. Can't begin to decipher which he chose.

So you can't decipher what was going on but you think Lopez deserved a yellow card?
He ran into? You are aware that both players were moving and that it is a contact sport?