25 Jan 2015, 17:20#2
Mike...if you read my post below you will see that Wasps have already qualified, as have Saracens and Clermont.
The latter two are simply playing to find out who has the home advantage....
However, the five teams you have named plus these three are the qualifiers.
In what order, we shall see !
25 Jan 2015, 18:54#3
Looks like
Saints going to ClermontBath off to LeinsterWasps off to racing MetroAnd Saracens to Toulon.
25 Jan 2015, 20:52#5
The Saracens and Wasps matches were that way around until the final whistle in Clermont, Mike.Then the fixtures changed round, according to BT Sport that were showing the match live and working out the machinations as the afternoon progressed. This is why they erroneously announced Bath had just secured a home QF when they had not.
According to them, at the end of the Sarries match, the games were to be played in the order I have listed....but I thought that Wasps were headed to Toulon myself.
If they are, so be it !
All I know is, I doubt my lot will win in Clermont
I have just quadruple checked and it is Wasps/ToulonSarries/RM
So, if we do get through and Sarries lose....we have to play Racing again in the Semi's
Yep, it won't happen
CLclevermike
Coach57,555 posts
CLclevermikeCoach57,555 posts
26 Jan 2015, 01:02#6
becs
The following being the quarters I think I am going to highlight which teams to my mind is going to win:-
Clermont Auvergne - Northampton SaintsLeinster - BathRacing Metro - SaracensToulon - Wasps
I cannot see how any of he travelling teams can beat the teams playing at home -
* Saints was beaten playing Racing Metro away and at home - they were poor in the last game - and I cannot see how they can beat Clermont;
* I was not overly impressed by Bath in the game yesterday and Leinster at home will be a ha rd nut to crack;
* Saracens will find Racing Metro a hard nut to crack - even though Clermont beat RM with relative ease in the French Top 14 competition, Saracens will have an uphill battle in Paris;
* Toulon will beat Wasps with the greatest of ease.
That would leave Clermont Auvergne, Leinster, Toulon and Racing Metro in the semi's. Lets see how that will pan out.
26 Jan 2015, 10:59#7
Mike, it is way too early to make any predictions. The QFs are more than tw o months away and a lot can happen. Players can get injured. Injured players can return. Players who are on form could loose their form. Player who, at this stage, are not in form can regain form. Struggling clubs can hit the straps. Clubs who are currently on good streaks can start to slip up, etc.
CLclevermike
Coach57,555 posts
CLclevermikeCoach57,555 posts
26 Jan 2015, 11:42#8
Ceradyne
I know all that and appreciate it as well. It is a long call - but on present form the wins by home clubs would appear to be rather one-sided.
BEBeeno1
Captain40,032 posts
BEBeeno1Captain40,032 posts
26 Jan 2015, 11:53#9
Indeed yaaawn. Oaks I cant imagine why you find these NH club matches of any interest. I wish instaed they would televise the Strormers palying SWD etc.
Lest see some rea l rugby soon!
26 Jan 2015, 12:01#10
Well that is what I have been trying to tell you for ages and it is particularly true in France where the home crowds are extremely partisan. Ask Jake White. He stuck his foot in it when he rubbished the Oy onax venue and their supporters.
The All Blacks have their Haka but I think it is probably more daunting to face Toulon and their home crowd with their Pilou
I have told you often enough that it is not strange for the log leaders in the Top14 to trip over sides at the bottom of the log when they have to face those dudes in their own backyards.
That is one of the reasons why I fancy the Top14. There are very few easy games.
26 Jan 2015, 12:24#11
Ceradyne is right....with the QF's being so far away, anything is possible. And the players will have had the 6 Nations to either get injured or galvanise teams or play at their optimum level. It really does sometimes come to that.
And, what everyone should think, is that, just because someone hasn't lost at home for a long time, it doesn't mean they never will. Too much emphasis is placed on that by teams, to my mind. Instead of going out and playing, they often frighten themselves half to death by the history or a statistic ! It either works for you or against you. If you are a travelling team, just go out and play. And the thing with all the French teams.....if you start to get a foothold in the match, or particularly on the scoreboard, that famed support just dies on them and starts to turn against them ! So that is something to always bear in mind when you play in France.
But it's a long way off. Much is to be done in the meantime and we have more pressing matters at hand....like actually finding a half fit XV to turn out for England in time to play Wales ! They're dropping like flies
