18-12-17 CHAMPIONS CUP
CHAMPIONS CUP
FRIDAY
POOL 1
ULSTER 52- 24 QUINS
O CONNOR TRY KEEPS
ULSTER IN THE GROUP
Centre Stuart McCloskey, winger Craig Gilroy, full-back
Charles Piutau, lock Alan O'Connor, scrum-half John Cooney and wing Andrew
Trimble got the tries.
Harlequins also bagged a bonus point with tries by Marcus
Smith, Charlie Walker, Ross Chisholm and Dave Ward.
MY
OPINION
Ulster are showing that they
have the potential to get out of this group but they have to be able to focus
on one match and try to get the bonus point from it. Poor weather conditions
meant they could not do it last week but this week Ulster showed their quality.
As for quins now they know they are out will they care enough to effect the group?
SATURDAY
POOL 3
MONPELLIER 36-26
GLASGOW
IMMELMAN INSURES
MONPELLIER IN CONTROL OF OWN FATE
Five tries were scored in the opening quarter; Fraser Brown,
Peter Horne and Nick Grigg crossing for Glasgow, with Nemani Nadolo and Romain
Ruffenach responding for the home side.
Two tries from Henry Immelman and one for Benoit Paillaugue
gave Montpellier firm control and a bonus point.
George Horne scored Glasgow's fourth to secure a bonus point
in defeat.
MY
OPINION
This is a win that keeps French
hopes alive and puts the Scots into a bit of a situation as we see in the Pro
14 that they have the quality but when it comes t6o Europe it feels like they
are gone. Monpellier for me are4 chasing the best second place.
LEINSTER 22-17 EXETER
MIGHTY MC GRATH
Tries by Sam Simmonds and Luke Cowan-Dickie gave Chiefs a
deserved half-time lead after Leinster fly-half Johnny Sexton suffered an early
head injury.
The hosts rallied in the second half and Luke McGrath's try gave
Leinster the win.
MY
OPINION
This was a win that might be
enough to put Leinster through to the quarter final and they found it hard in
this match to get the win. Exeter will come back and now I am excited to see
the match between them and Montpellier as that could be a deciding factor
POOL 4
RACING 29-7 CASTRES
MACHENAUD MAKES
MAGIC
The bonus-point win moved them level on points with group
leaders Munster, and was secured thanks to tries from Leone Nakarawa, Virimi
Vakatawa, Dimitri Szarzewski and Louis Dupichot, while Maxime Machenaud added a
penalty and two conversions, and Teddy Iribaren one conversion.
Rory Kockott converted his own try for Castres, but Racing
won comfortably despite having their Argentina international wing Juan Imhoff
sent off for a headbutt in the second half.
MY
OPINION
This feels like a group that is
going to be settled by one match between Racing and Munster in January as I
think that both teams will pick up the wins needed to reach that point. One
match should decide this group as for Leicester they could pull off a result.
POOL 5
TREVISO 12-31 SCARLETS
DYNAMIC DAVIES
Two touchdowns by Gareth Davies and one each for Johnny
McNicholl and Paul Asquith secured the bonus point inside 44 minutes.
MY
This result didn’t really tell
me anything I didn’t know about the Scarlets and it still shows that the
Italian sides have still got a long way to go to compete with the bigger
nations in Europe. Going into the pro 12 has helped but there is still a lot to
do.
BATH 26-21 TOLON
WATSON RUNS IN
DOUBLE FOR BATH
The hosts scored
after 44 seconds through Beno Obano, but Alby Mathewson crossed for Toulon
before two tries from Anthony Watson saw the hosts take a 10-point half-time
lead.
Samu Manoa scored two minutes after the break but Bath held
on.
MY
OPINION
This win has changed the dynamic
of this group and I think that both of these teams have got the quality to
reach the quarter finals. I do though think that this should have been an easy
win for Tolon but I still have the faith to beat the Scarlets as both sides
will have to play them and that will be a vital game.
SUNDAY
POOL 1
WASPS 21-3 LA ROCHELLE
DOUBLE DALEY DELIGHTS
The hosts had all the early possession and Daly finished
well before adding a touchline conversion but Wasps could not extend their lead
before the break.
Daly scored another out wide before Brock James' penalty saw
La Rochelle post their only points of the game.
MY
OPINION
This result has changed the dynamic
of the group completely and I think that Wasps put in a heroes performance and
||Daly should get an England call up to
get this win but La Rochelle still have
got control of the group and 2 wins for them will seal a quarter final spot.
POOL 2
OSPREYS 32-15
NORTHAMPON
WEBB WATERS AWAY
Harry Mallinder's try and Piers Francis' penalty briefly
gave Saints hope before Ospreys pulled away.
Two tries by substitute Rhys Webb and one each for Dmitri
Arhip and Justin Tipuric put the Welsh side in charge.
MY
OPINION
This win keeps the Ospreys in
touch with the big 2 but they need to get a win from somewhere to stand any
chance of getting to the quarter final and I am not sure that Ospreys can do it
when they will need the result. Tipiric and Webb can change things but it will
be difficult.
CLERMOUNT 24-21
SARACENS
SUPER SPEDDING
Ben Spencer's early try helped Saracens into a 13-0 lead but
three-time runners-up Clermont chipped away at the total through the boot of
Morgan Parra.
The scrum-half surpassed 500 European points as he landed
five kicks to add to Spedding's long-range penalty to make it 18-13, but Alex
Lozowski went over for Sarries' second try to put them back in front.
But after Parra levelled the scores, Spedding's last-minute
kick sealed the win
MY
OPINION
Clermount have made things very
difficult for the defending champions going into the last 2 matches and I think
that Saracens will not find things as easy as they think that they will going
into the last 2 games even against Northampton as there will be so much on the
game
POOL 4
LEICESTER 16-25 MUNSTER
SUPER STANDER
The Tigers had made a promising start through full-back
Matthew Tait who, in for the injured Telusa Veainu, darted his way through the
Munster line.
Keatley gave the visitors into a narrow half-time lead
before Ireland number eight CJ Stander barged over after Conor Murray's initial
break.
Ian Keatley capitalised on the home side's indiscipline,
kicking six penalties in total.
MY
OPINION
Munster seem to be in control of
their own fate and are the only team in this group that can loose and still
reach the quarters but a win would seal that spot for them. For Leicester this
result all but means they are out of the competition and might choose to play a
weakened side going forward.
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