This Weekend in Europe

[WhitecapTiger]

Benetton beat Lyon 25-22

[Robespierre]

Just seen the Saracens XXIII v Munster, and there are 20 English players, 2 Scots and only 1 Saffa!! I wonder when the last time was that there were so many English players in the match day squad?

[Mark62]

FT Pau 34 Cardiff 29 so a decent result for us. If we win today it’ll be:

1) Leicester 18 (19 with a BP win)
2) Cardiff 13
3) Pau 10

Should be a bonus point win v Cardiff at home so we should go to Pau with the pool won, just need then to get a top 4 seeding for the quarters

[JP14]

Well we all thought today would be a bonus point win.

[Mark62]

Well we all thought today would be a bonus point win.

Yes we did but it shouldn’t matter in the end. Cardiff especially their welsh internationals will have other things on their mind, and I think Tigers will pick more of a 1st/2nd choice side rather than 2nd/3rd

[sam16111986]

Well we all thought today would be a bonus point win.

I imagine we'll do what we did in the other home games and play the first team. Given Cardiff's strongest available team at the time lost to our mix and match side in Cardiff I doubt they'll cope with a Tigers side including our England players.

[JP14]

I know I’m just making the point that nothing is ever given.

[Mark62]

Leinster 14-0 up against Saints in 6 minutes.
James Lowe to qualify for Ireland in 12 months, good odds of being on the lions tour

[sam16111986]

Leinster 14-0 up against Saints in 6 minutes.
James Lowe to qualify for Ireland in 12 months, good odds of being on the lions tour

Good chance, be a handy tour player as he can play 15 as well if required and has a big left boot. Didn't he play Vs the Lions in the last tour?

17-0, Saints taking a kicking early on.

[Tiglon]

Leinster 14-0 up against Saints in 6 minutes.
James Lowe to qualify for Ireland in 12 months, good odds of being on the lions tour

Good chance, be a handy tour player as he can play 15 as well if required and has a big left boot. Didn't he play Vs the Lions in the last tour?

17-0, Saints taking a kicking early on.

Why develop players in your own country when you can pay someone from the other side of the world to represent your nation? Ridiculous. The change to a 5 year residency rule can't come soon enough.

[sam16111986]

Leinster 14-0 up against Saints in 6 minutes.
James Lowe to qualify for Ireland in 12 months, good odds of being on the lions tour

Good chance, be a handy tour player as he can play 15 as well if required and has a big left boot. Didn't he play Vs the Lions in the last tour?

17-0, Saints taking a kicking early on.

Why develop players in your own country when you can pay someone from the other side of the world to represent your nation? Ridiculous. The change to a 5 year residency rule can't come soon enough.

The five year residency rules came in this year. Not before time. To be fair this Leinster team has a lot of homegrown talent and a lot of it has represented Ireland. The Irish team has managed a few high profile imports recently Aki, Herring and Stander jump to mind.

If we could find a powerful and quick winger with a big boot now would be a good time to get him in on injury dispensation. Then slot him under the cap for next season.

[Mark62]

What this game does show to me is the ridiculous advantage that the Irish sides have in Europe. Saints having to rest some big guns, particularly up front, whereas with a couple of exceptional Leinster have their full choice side out 2 weeks on the bounce, but will then rest the whole side in their next two pro 14 games as they will easily qualify

[Tiglon]

What this game does show to me is the ridiculous advantage that the Irish sides have in Europe. Saints having to rest some big guns, particularly up front, whereas with a couple of exceptional Leinster have their full choice side out 2 weeks on the bounce, but will then rest the whole side in their next two pro 14 games as they will easily qualify

Look at the two Springboks that Munster were able to bring in this season. English clubs just can't compete without smashing the salary cap.

[Mark62]

What this game does show to me is the ridiculous advantage that the Irish sides have in Europe. Saints having to rest some big guns, particularly up front, whereas with a couple of exceptional Leinster have their full choice side out 2 weeks on the bounce, but will then rest the whole side in their next two pro 14 games as they will easily qualify

Look at the two Springboks that Munster were able to bring in this season. English clubs just can't compete without smashing the salary cap.

There’s an argument that it’s not just the English, even the French are struggling with the exception of big spending Toulouse, Racing and Clement

[Tiglon]

What this game does show to me is the ridiculous advantage that the Irish sides have in Europe. Saints having to rest some big guns, particularly up front, whereas with a couple of exceptional Leinster have their full choice side out 2 weeks on the bounce, but will then rest the whole side in their next two pro 14 games as they will easily qualify

Look at the two Springboks that Munster were able to bring in this season. English clubs just can't compete without smashing the salary cap.

There’s an argument that it’s not just the English, even the French are struggling with the exception of big spending Toulouse, Racing and Clement

Absolutely. I can see a few years of Irish dominance now Salarycens have suffered a setback.