Saracens vs Clermont

First topic message reminder :

This match needs a thread. I feel like this game has been brushed under the carpet by many.

Two of the teams on the rise.

The 2010-11 Aviva Premiership champions vs the 2009-10 Top 14 champions.

Both 2nd respectively in their domestic leagues.

Both with a fair few players who featured in the 6 nations.

Some very fascinating battles to look forward to such as Barritt vs Fofana, Strettle vs Malzieu, Goode vs Byrne, Borthwick vs Hines, Farrell vs Rougerie etc.

There is so much class in the Clermont squad but if Parra doesn't play what do they do at scrum half?

I feel that if Saracens are to win they need Brits and Joubert in particular to fire on all cylinders and Barritt to shut down the Clermont attack.

If Parra is injured they need to put as much pressure as possible on the Clermont halfbacks.

Thoughts?

I really dont like the way that Lee Byrne jumps to catch a ball with his leg out and studs showing. He is going to hurt someone one day. Thats the only critisism i have of him.

eirebilly wrote:I really dont like the way that Lee Byrne jumps to catch a ball with his leg out and studs showing. He is going to hurt someone one day. Thats the only critisism i have of him.

Didn't he catch a scottish player in the gob a coupke of years ago. Of course it was deemed the scot had taken him in the air - so got a
YC as he was stretchered off.

trebellbobaggins wrote:Well that's sealed it. Shame but English rugby needs a long hard rethink I think.

Dumped out of every level in Europe, not even able to compete in the challenge cup now the French have woken up to it. Dark times ahead.

But Lancaster showed home grown talent is there in the kids, so where is it going wrong?

Agreed. Harlequins schooled by Toulon, Wasps sucker-punched by Biarritz and now Sarries getting educated by Clermont.

Is Celtic/Italian qualification change really the answer?

A lot of players do it Billy, guess it's a way of protecting themselves when they are in the air, but I agree with you, I don't like it. Far too easy to catch the oncoming player with your studs.

brits needs to stop with the silly offloads.

I just dont like it dreamer, he is a great player but he does it a lot more than any other player.

LT, you may be right, i seem to remember something happening.

Oh come on, Clermont all offside here

I don't like it either Billy

was about to say some good phases by sarries then, but yet again an error!

Clermont are dominating in the forwards. Saracens are very much missing the likes of Burger, Brown, Smith, Smit & Saull

After the initial break, Clermont were all offside, only Rolland was on side

rugbydreamer wrote:I don't like it either Billy

Yeah you do, you are always hoping for an 'up shorts' glimpse

Sarries fans shouted off the park by a loud and large French contingent.

eirebilly wrote:After the initial break, Clermont were all offside, only Rolland was on side

i have to say Rolland has been very harsh on sarries.

timhen wrote:Clermont are dominating in the forwards. Saracens are very much missing the likes of Burger, Brown, Smith, Smit & Saull

Although only rwo of those would have started (if they were fit of course)

nathan wrote:

eirebilly wrote:After the initial break, Clermont were all offside, only Rolland was on side

i have to say Rolland has been very harsh on sarries.

i disagree.

LondonTiger wrote:

nathan wrote:

eirebilly wrote:After the initial break, Clermont were all offside, only Rolland was on side

i have to say Rolland has been very harsh on sarries.

i disagree.

alright then, very lenient against clermont. If you look closely at the all the sly little blocks they do, parra's play acting.

eirebilly wrote:

rugbydreamer wrote:I don't like it either Billy

Yeah you do, you are always hoping for an 'up shorts' glimpse

rugbydreamer wrote:

eirebilly wrote:

rugbydreamer wrote:I don't like it either Billy

Yeah you do, you are always hoping for an 'up shorts' glimpse

No denial

nathan wrote:

LondonTiger wrote:

nathan wrote:

eirebilly wrote:After the initial break, Clermont were all offside, only Rolland was on side

i have to say Rolland has been very harsh on sarries.

i disagree.

alright then, very lenient against clermont. If you look closely at the all the sly little blocks they do, parra's play acting.

Clermont got away with all the same stuff against Ulster in the groups - dont think its Rolland.

eirebilly wrote:After the initial break, Clermont were all offside, only Rolland was on side

He as happy chap, English side Rubbish, French side winning. They barely need him today.

LondonTiger wrote:

nathan wrote:

eirebilly wrote:After the initial break, Clermont were all offside, only Rolland was on side

i have to say Rolland has been very harsh on sarries.

i disagree.

I dont think that Rolland has been too bad to be honest but he has not policed the offside line for Clermont on more than one occasion after a Sarries break.

Again just now.

Much of the "sly" stuff is some way off the ball - officials cannot keep an eye on all 15 Clermont players. They only have 6 after all. Sarries are also doing an amount of pulling back. After eirebilly mentioned stuff on Farrell I started looking and just saw him doing stuff.

Both defences are offside the whole time.

So far Sarries have simply not been as good as Clermont.

What's the current law/Rules on shoulder guards?

Rougerie is clearly wearing them.

Pot Hale wrote:

trebellbobaggins wrote:Well that's sealed it. Shame but English rugby needs a long hard rethink I think.

Dumped out of every level in Europe, not even able to compete in the challenge cup now the French have woken up to it. Dark times ahead.

But Lancaster showed home grown talent is there in the kids, so where is it going wrong?

Agreed. Harlequins schooled by Toulon, Wasps sucker-punched by Biarritz and now Sarries getting educated by Clermont.

Is Celtic/Italian qualification change really the answer?

Harlequins weren't interested in that game, they left out key players, clearly focusing on maintaining them for the premiership rather than the 2nd rate European cup. Wasps were never really going to be contenders, they've been terrible this season and are still fighting relegation. Sarries definitely second best to Clermont, but then they're missing a number of important players and Clermont are arguably the best French side at the moment with a far bigger budget.

Portnoy wrote:What's the current law/Rules on shoulder guards?

Rougerie is clearly wearing them.

didn't realise there was one. Fair few players wear them. think croft does too.

Portnoy wrote:What's the current law/Rules on shoulder guards?

Rougerie is clearly wearing them.

I remember Kaino having a shirt change during a WC match. He was wearing what virtually amounted to body armour underneath.

As far as i know all kit like that has to be on an IRB ratified list.

haines grabbing onto the scrum half there, just slowing it down illegally once again...

got to say clermonts defence has been brilliant (other than the times they were offside)

It's not fair, the French are clearly resting their players during the Pro12...

There used to be regulations - with any padding having to be an integral part of the jersey.

Since then though we have seen a marked increase in the padding being worn - on the body and head. Now it is very similar to what American football used in the 1930's.

Oh and do not get me started on the strapping and blocks that lineout jumpers wear to make them easier to lift.

surely clermont were clapsing the maul?

nathan wrote:

LondonTiger wrote:

nathan wrote:

eirebilly wrote:After the initial break, Clermont were all offside, only Rolland was on side

i have to say Rolland has been very harsh on sarries.

i disagree.

alright then, very lenient against clermont. If you look closely at the all the sly little blocks they do, parra's play acting.

Clermont got away with all the same stuff against Ulster in the groups - dont think its Rolland.

LondonTiger wrote:

timhen wrote:Clermont are dominating in the forwards. Saracens are very much missing the likes of Burger, Brown, Smith, Smit & Saull

Although only rwo of those would have started (if they were fit of course)

The other three would have been on the bench though, and one of those starting if any of the other starters had been injured.

My principal point was that the deficit has principally been a physical one and the starters would have greatly aided the physicality from the off and the likes of Smit & Smith coming off the bench would have done even more so.

rougerie straight in at the side!!! lol

On the plus side our teams get a longer rest and more time to figure this all out,

Come on Sarries get over the line.

How can that be allowed? all Clermont players were in from the side?

When they did it in Montferrand against us we were told to stop whining by posters on these boards.

LondonTiger wrote:When they did it in Montferrand against us we were told to stop whining by posters on these boards.

Yeah but thats the Tigers, everyone hates you

Amazing defending by Clermont.

Leinster will have their work cut out in France.

Clermont 6 keeps going in to slow the ball down after sarries get a pen each time.

do clermont actually release a tackled player?

nathan wrote:do clermont actually release a tackled player?

The Munster of France but with attacking flair

why didnt that go wide!!!!

lol, did clermont actualy want to push in that scrum?

eirebilly wrote:

LondonTiger wrote:When they did it in Montferrand against us we were told to stop whining by posters on these boards.

Yeah but thats the Tigers, everyone hates you

Our mummies still love us.

Most of the time.

Deserved win for Clermont

LondonTiger wrote:

eirebilly wrote:

LondonTiger wrote:When they did it in Montferrand against us we were told to stop whining by posters on these boards.

Yeah but thats the Tigers, everyone hates you

Our mummies still love us.

Most of the time.

Are you sure about that?

eirebilly wrote:

LondonTiger wrote:

eirebilly wrote:

LondonTiger wrote:When they did it in Montferrand against us we were told to stop whining by posters on these boards.

Yeah but thats the Tigers, everyone hates you

Our mummies still love us.

Most of the time.

Are you sure about that?

eh! nothing wrong with us Tiger's fans!!

very good win for Clermont. Clinical. Going to be a tough tough ask for Leinster when they go out there in the SF. Whoever wins that SF will win the whole thing I reckon.