Watching Racing Metro versus Jimmys currently. Racing giving Northampton a bit of a touch up so far; five yard shove from a tackle lead to the first try.
Bath have tailed off in the last coupla weeks, but have been in decent form this season. Glasgow actually are pretty decent.
What a beautiful, beautiful man George North is. East Anglian, don't you know? Sigh. Ospreys are faintly plop, but he's making them look every inch of it.
I think the lessons learnt by week 2 are: Don't try and play Glasgow and Toulouse with no recognised back row players Don't be shit away from home Hopefully play most of the French teams after the first couple of rounds Munster and Leinster conform to the fucking annoying, just enough or last min win. Some of the Rabo refs are a liability! Don't be shit Hope you have Treviso in your group, or maybe Sale!!
Steffon Armitage just tried to kick out of his own 22 and was charged down by half the side One of the worst decisions I've seen in rugby this year
Toulon completely panicked in the last 10. Good defence from Leicetser, especially from Gibson and Allen, but Toulon couldn't string three passes together without knocking on. Pretty poor game from the visitors. Still, great result and throws the pool back open
I think a couple of the close games this week may turn into kickings next weekend. Toulon will hammer Leicester Leinster will get the bonus point against a hapless Quins Clermont will butcher Munster
Steffon Armitage with a hat trick vs Ulster today. I've generally been sympathetic to the RFU's stance on this but if they are going to keep an 'exceptional circumstances' clause, what are they thinking of using it on if not Armitage? It's hard to get much more exceptional than picking nominally the best player in Europe to replace a bloke who's broken his leg.
Much as I'd like to see a positive attacking team along the lines of Marler Youngs Cole Attwood Parling Robshaw Armitage Vunipola Youngs Ford May Eastmond JJ Wade Brown Mako, Hartley, Wilson, Kruis, Hask, Dickson, Farrell Watson I think because its a Fri pm in Cardiff, 'credit in the bank' 'experience' and defensive solidity I think we are getting Marler Hartley Wilson Attwood Parling Wood Robshaw Vunipola Care Ford May Farrell Barrett Watson Brown No lessons learn from the positivity shown by some of the English clubs or recognising the form that certain players are in!!
Fuck me, is that really being mooted? Surely Lancaster hasn't given up on 12Ts yet? I can live with Barritt at 13 for now. I expect the fantasy of JJ or Slade at 13 is better than the reality when they've had so little time playing international level.
Having a surprisingly fun time of it watching Treviso beat the Welsh in Italy. FYI Ospreys: Welsh regions are not in a position to send second string teams anywhere