TrapperChamonix wrote:
Could we rename the title to Leinster v Saracens? Their issue was in the Premiership and nothing to do with us.
Thats not the case though, is it. Their issues in the premiership have a huge effect on us.
Their seeding was as a result of their performance in the premiership. The group they got into was as a result of that seeding. How they performed in that group, with the selections they made, was as a result of the premiership investigation and their initial punishment.
As it happens, I think that we should keep the match thread as a match thread for the rugby side of it, and not discuss their other issues in it - there are other threads for that - but to say it has nothing to do with us is simply not accurate.
Blue not red blood wrote:Sure someone has to get this started.
Has to be the 5.15 Sat game.
As Mr Thornley would say , conducive to a loud athmosphere.
COYBIB
Could we rename the title to Leinster v Saracens? Their issue was in the Premiership and nothing to do with us.
Agree. If I was Exeter I’d be front of the pitchfork and flaming torch crowd. I don’t like several Saracens players and their management are a pox but the outrage in Ireland on this is a bit dull. Any impact on us - once in Europe - is zero. They broke no rules in Europe and shouting about it is not far off arguing that we can’t win unless others are constrained or handicapped. Fugg that - we’re brilliant - we can beat whatever you put in front of us.
Leinster jersey on the Great Wall of China.The Mongolians couldn't breach it but the Blues did!
Blue not red blood wrote:Sure someone has to get this started.
Has to be the 5.15 Sat game.
As Mr Thornley would say , conducive to a loud athmosphere.
COYBIB
Could we rename the title to Leinster v Saracens? Their issue was in the Premiership and nothing to do with us.
Agree. If I was Exeter I’d be front of the pitchfork and flaming torch crowd. I don’t like several Saracens players and their management are a pox but the outrage in Ireland on this is a bit dull. Any impact on us - once in Europe - is zero. They broke no rules in Europe and shouting about it is not far off arguing that we can’t win unless others are constrained or handicapped. Fugg that - we’re brilliant - we can beat whatever you put in front of us.
+1
It's an internal English Premiership matter. They set a self imposed limit on salaries for their own reasons, they play in Europe against French teams who spend more (because their league allows them) and Pro14 teams who have their own system which seems to have no strictly enforceable limits.
Saracens have a salary cap and we have the IRFU culling our squad at the end of every season (and announcing it just before we play in end of season finals, bastids)
You know I'm going to lose,
And gambling's for fools,
But that's the way I like it baby, I don't want to live FOREVER!
TrapperChamonix wrote:
Could we rename the title to Leinster v Saracens? Their issue was in the Premiership and nothing to do with us.
Thats not the case though, is it. Their issues in the premiership have a huge effect on us.
Their seeding was as a result of their performance in the premiership. The group they got into was as a result of that seeding. How they performed in that group, with the selections they made, was as a result of the premiership investigation and their initial punishment.
As it happens, I think that we should keep the match thread as a match thread for the rugby side of it, and not discuss their other issues in it - there are other threads for that - but to say it has nothing to do with us is simply not accurate.
Not sure I agree with that, but no matter. IMHO it doesn't reflect well on us calling them names.
Never argue with an idiot. Someone looking on may not be able tell the difference
Every team has a somewhat derogatory nickname that the opposition uses, there's nothing wrong with it per se as long as its at least a little bit clever and isn't actually offensive, be it turnips, gringos, pests, not-nots or even ladyboys (I remember being on 'the island' in Toulouse back in 06 and there were hundreds of Leinster fans singing 'ladyboys, ladyboys' - though the coiner turned out to be something of a homophobe which puts a darker hue on it).
Sarries used to be the Saffacens, which was a good one as they were part owned by a South African consortium and had a lot of Saffers playing for them. Salarycens/sins though, its just a bit too much hard work. Its a pity Chris Ashton left, because then we could call them RHI
Ruckedtobits wrote:The French Club owners are already in discussion with the FFR about the eligibility of Saracens to continue in this year's EPRC Competition 'as they qualified illegally'. Watch this space.
Where did you read that?
I think the only thing worse than actually having drawn them, would be getting a bye. (a) We need to play tough games at some point; and (b) it would put an asterisk beside our season in the eventuality we managed to go all the way.
On the other part: I thought the non-JIFF limit was 16? Plenty of Top 14 clubs are under that. Also, you could bring in better non-JIFF players.
Would Glasgow not be given the place? I can’t imagine the EPCR tolerating a cancelled knockout game and Glasgow would jump at it. I can’t imagine any objection from us either
Tangentially, there’s a lot of anger amongst their supporters toward Nigel Owens and I think they have a point
We have the chance to beat a full strength Saracens before they are put in the scrapyard, we can be the last team to beat this group in a meaningful match in our own backyard with 50k supporters cheering us on. They were better then us in May when they were arguably at their peak but not much better and we had our own chances and played a little within ourselves.
Ten weeks till the 12 County Army dismantle the Wolf Pack, as someone else said only the bloody six nations interrupting this humdinger of a match. I can't wait.
"Horrocks went one way, Taylor the other and I was left holding the bloody hyphen!"
I think that we go into this game as favourites and rightly so, we are at home and the last time we played them at home 2018 we beat them. Our team has i'd argue improved since then and theirs has declined (and it looks like similar to 2018 they may also be missing Billy V).
The 6nations will obviously be the big risk to both teams and depending how each squad does in terms of injury mgt. will be crucial. Equally how we decide to tackle the SA tour will be interesting.
However for all the financial shenanigans, you have to hand it to a group of players and coaches who can play the last two rounds of Europe with a man down for 120 of 160mins and still come out with two wins. I'm not sure even we'd manage that! They have huge determination within the group to be fair to them.
Dave Cahill wrote:Every team has a somewhat derogatory nickname that the opposition uses, there's nothing wrong with it per se as long as its at least a little bit clever and isn't actually offensive, be it turnips, gringos, pests, not-nots or even ladyboys (I remember being on 'the island' in Toulouse back in 06 and there were hundreds of Leinster fans singing 'ladyboys, ladyboys' - though the coiner turned out to be something of a homophobe which puts a darker hue on it).
Sarries used to be the Saffacens, which was a good one as they were part owned by a South African consortium and had a lot of Saffers playing for them. Salarycens/sins though, its just a bit too much hard work. Its a pity Chris Ashton left, because then we could call them RHI
My memory of Le Stadium in 06 was the Toulouse fans treating us with respect before hand and applauding us leaving the ground afterwards. I'd like other teams to have similar memories of how we respect them (but with us winning obviously).
Never argue with an idiot. Someone looking on may not be able tell the difference
