Clermont Probaby

[TheSqueeze]

That could work out great for the Irish teams. I don't think anyone beats Clermount away. A home quarter final against them is the very winnable..

[lordkilmainham]

If it is Clermont then it is the worst possible home fixture.

[suisse]

But a stunning advert for European Rugby. Re-open old wounds - remember Bory on Darcy?

[tackle-bag]

I'm annoyed because we were so slack in the final 20 minutes of that game, not because of the outcome in terms of the QFs. We should be able to beat Clermont at home; they're not great travellers by any means. Their starting back-line is seriously impressive but I'd really fancy our pack over theirs. They also don't offer a huge amount off the bench.

[paddyj]

I'm annoyed because we were so slack in the final 20 minutes of that game, not because of the outcome in terms of the QFs. We should be able to beat Clermont at home; they're not great travellers by any means. Their starting back-line is seriously impressive but I'd really fancy our pack over theirs. They also don't offer a huge amount off the bench.

we were only at half pace today, trying to do just enough and that allowed LI take the initiative; Clermont are a serious team; away to them would have been a disaster of a draw; at home we've a decent chance, but it if they're really up for it, they'll take a lot of beating

[munsterleinster]

I'm annoyed because we were so slack in the final 20 minutes of that game, not because of the outcome in terms of the QFs. We should be able to beat Clermont at home; they're not great travellers by any means. Their starting back-line is seriously impressive but I'd really fancy our pack over theirs. They also don't offer a huge amount off the bench.

we were only at half pace today, trying to do just enough and that allowed LI take the initiative; Clermont are a serious team; away to them would have been a disaster of a draw; at home we've a decent chance, but it if they're really up for it, they'll take a lot of beating

Personally I think Leinster would see off Clermont quite easily (That is if Jackman isn't anywhere near a 22 (He's worse than our Fogarty!!)

[Oldschool]

If it is Clermont then it is the worst possible home fixture.

Would prefer to get them at home, than have to play them away in the semi, on a throw of the dice.
They are one of the best teams in the competition, better to get them at home.

[lordkilmainham]

If it is Clermont then it is the worst possible home fixture.

Would prefer to get them at home, than have to play them away in the semi, on a throw of the dice.
They are one of the best teams in the competition, better to get them at home.

Obviously,you would prefer any team at home!
Clermont are one of the best teams in the competition,it could be Stade either.

[[Jackass]]

I think what he means is, would you rather get Northampton at home now and Clermont away in the semi, or would you rather get Clermont at home now and eliminate them and get a weaker team home / away in the semi...

It's one way of looking at it I suppose..

[macca1983]

As a Munster fan i would hate to to have Clermont - even at home. They were the team i wanted to avoid most. Bit hard to be making predictions regarding results ten weeks out - who knows how things will work with injuries.

[Icarus]

Calm down folks. I had a look at Clermont's away form this season in the French championnat: 5 losses, 2 draws, 3 wins (one against a weak team, Albi). Just one away game in the pool series - against Viadana. Not exactly intimidating. We have a home QF for he first time ever. Play like we did against any team another than LI this season and we should be just fine. There was general melancholia after the away game against Castres last year; the rest, as they say, is history.

[thecoolfreak]

If we have serious aspirations of retaining this Cup I don't think it matters who we get. To win the Cup we'll have to beat the best, so be that Clermont, who cares? We'll be at home and we can take any side at home

[tones]

If we have serious aspirations of retaining this Cup I don't think it matters who we get. To win the Cup we'll have to beat the best, so be that Clermont, who cares? We'll be at home and we can take any side at home

Pretty much. Stll dissapointed - tonight we should have seen off that game. Yeah sure the Munster lads are slagging off Jackman (instead of looking at the 7th placed team who nearly did a job on them last night) but SERIOUSLY - NOTHING I WON THIS TIME OF YEAR.

1 thing I find interesting - only 1 English team in the quarters right now.

[Made Of Ale]

They have never been champions of France.

[Clermont]

If it is Clermont then it is the worst possible home fixture.

Agreed, it absolutely is. As per my Avatar I'm a big Clermont fan. Granted a home Quarter Final is something we've wanted & worked towards for a long time, but of all the French teams, Clermont are the one team we'd ideally have avoided.

HOWEVER, their record away from home is questionable -Hairsprays beat them in one of the early rounds 25-24 (can't remember whether it was round one or two). And I'm glad to say that over the last few years, we've built the RDS into a venue that foreign teams don't want to visit. We've no reason to be afraid of any team in the H Cup and this Q Final will be, on paper, an all time classic.

[suisse]

WELCOME TO YOUR NEW HOME, MR. JOE SCHMIDT

[The Pride Of Ireland]

I'd rather have a tough french team at home in the Quarters than have them in a neutral venue in the semis. I honestly think Leinster can beat CA at home, plus I'd rather have them than say the Ospreys. If we had a weak team at home in the quarters we'd piss all over them and probably peak too early

[[Jackass]]

Well I certainly wouldn't call the Ospreys weak, eliminating Leicester, but I get what you're saying and agree.

We had a horrible draw for the cup last year, away to Quins, "away" to Munster and Leicester in the final, but I think tight games keep you battle hardened, and we probably peaked v Munster, but had enough left in the tank to see off Leicester...before that semi in Croke park, I would have said Munster were the most complete package I'd seen in European Rugby, but they went off the boil and are only now coming back to old form, so a tough draw and tough games stand to you in the end...plus it's at home, and there isn't a team in Europe we should have any fear of in the RDS, it's a fortress now and nobody has ever won there twice, and that doesn't look like changing any time soon, and I think we can (and have - Leicester, Wasps, Munster, Tolouse etc.) take anybody there.

[johng]

Why is everyone presuming Clermont? OK Toulouse will prob beat Sale away, but Biarritz need a bonus point win at home AS WELL, or else we have Stade.

[Oldschool]

I think what he means is, would you rather get Northampton at home now and Clermont away in the semi, or would you rather get Clermont at home now and eliminate them and get a weaker team home / away in the semi...

It's one way of looking at it I suppose..

Thanks for explaining that - I thought I'd just got another new member joining my fan club.