Re: HC Final

In article <quqnr712i1a8camu5dq9ssubhe2c6qaqtv@xxxxxxx>,
John Williams <tigerphileNOT@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

On Tue, 22 May 2012 08:16:17 -0400, William Clark
<clark@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

In article <1ebmr75j0sm4h479hvj024kbk7pafqqhsd@xxxxxxx>,
John Williams <tigerphileNOT@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

On Mon, 21 May 2012 11:04:36 -0400, William Clark
<clark@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:


Leinster are a very good team who played well on Saturday, but I
submit the reason they have won three of the last four HC's is because
they have gained a pack, not because they have invented a superior
brand of rugby. The first 13 years of the HC they had nice attacking
backs and got nowhere because they had a weak pack.

Yes, but that's too simplistic. They have gained a pack that has
developed a level of ball handling that others just don't match. All
five tries on Saturday came from forwards, yet they were not the
pick-and-drive scores we see so much of, they were (penalty try aside)
from slick handling and offloads in open play.

Once again though, Leinster didn't use that style or close to it v
Clermont. They dug up their sleeves and slugged it out -- because they
had to. It depends how the opposition lets them play.

Really? You missed the Leinster try, then? That was a planned move,
called at half time in the dressing room. I'm not sure who else has
stuff like that up their sleeve, and then can execute like that. This
was a pretty mighty contest, as one would have expected, given the
pedigrees, but that try stands out.

We'll see if Leicester
and Quins can compare with that o Saturday.

With every sign of a faster pitch as a result of some sunshine (at
last), there are hopes for an open game. It isn't as if Quins and
Leicester are incapable of scoring points. For example, they totalled
526 and 647 points in their domestic leagues, with Leinster getting
something between with 568. Twenty-two games in both cases. In both
leagues the next teams got less than 500. I can't comment on the
French teams as I barely have time to follow the English league, let
alone others.

Indeed, if they can't produce a flowing game with these kind of
conditions, we really have a problem. It should make for a nice contrast
in style - Quins, like Leinster, have now added a physical edge to
considerable flair.

I'm quite looking forward to the set piece, too. I suspect Leicester's
scrum will remain with a slight edge although the lineout could go
Quins' way.

Yep, let's hope that 20 out of the 80 minutes are not wasted trying to
get scrums to be stable :-) It has become rugby's disease of late.
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: HC Final
    ... On 22/05/2012 21:02, John Williams wrote: ... and Quins can compare with that o Saturday. ... leagues the next teams got less than 500. ... I'd reckon lineouts are 50/50 although without Croft maybe the advantage swings slightly to Quins. ...
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