Harlequins v Ulster Sat Jan 20 1pm KO TNT Sports 2

[Neill_M]

No Reffel (groin), Ewers (concussion) or Herring (elbow) for this one.

McCann available for selection.

[Dave]

It's going to be a cricket score.

McFarland out.

[nonplussed]

I have one ticket available due to a cry off... DM me if interested. Face value 40 quid!

[SUFTUM_19]

Hopefully a back row of Sheridan, McCann and Timoney

[TheBoat]

Hopefully a back row of Sheridan, McCann and Timoney

You spelt Rea wrong there

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[CIMANFOREVER]

Hopefully a back row of Sheridan, McCann and Timoney

You spelt Rea wrong there

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[Bart S]

6. Matty Rea
7. Timoney
8. Greg Jones

[So It Is]

6. Matty Rea
7. Timoney
8. Greg Jones

Swap Timoney for Marcus and that back row should do the business and get us into the Challenge Cup

[solidarity]

Someone keep me right here.

We are safe for the Challenge cup unless
a) Cardiff win, Racing get two bonus points and we lose to Quins without a bonus point
b) Cardiff and Racing draw with a bonus point each and we lose by more than 60 points (!)

We can stay in the Champions cup if
a) we get at least two points, Racing don't get a bonus point and we score at least 8 points more than Racing

... or something like that.

[Bart S]

Any scenario involving ulster staying in the Champions Cup after losing to Quins is not worth even figuring out, given Racing home to Cardiff.

[jean valjean]

Someone keep me right here.

We are safe for the Challenge cup unless
a) Cardiff win, Racing get two bonus points and we lose to Quins without a bonus point
b) Cardiff and Racing draw with a bonus point each and we lose by more than 60 points (!)

We can stay in the Champions cup if
a) we get at least two points, Racing don't get a bonus point and we score at least 8 points more than Racing

... or something like that.

Any kind of win for ulster guarantees champions Cup rugby as racing cannot then get ahead of us.
Challenge Cup is guaranteed if Cardiff lose in Paris which is a fairly foregone conclusion.
We could still end up bottom of the table if cardiff win, racing get 2 bonus points and we get nothing. If that happens I'll eat my hat.

[Neill_M]

Someone keep me right here.

We are safe for the Challenge cup unless
a) Cardiff win, Racing get two bonus points and we lose to Quins without a bonus point
b) Cardiff and Racing draw with a bonus point each and we lose by more than 60 points (!)

We can stay in the Champions cup if
a) we get at least two points, Racing don't get a bonus point and we score at least 8 points more than Racing

... or something like that.

Lots of possibilities but a fair assumption is R92 get max points v Cardiff and Ulster will drop into Challenge Cup if they don't win at Quins.

Racing play Cardiff at 3:15pm on the Saturday so our status will be sorted by 5pm basically.

Will probably be the Sunday before any opponent in R16 of either Cup is known.

[solidarity]

Didn't know whether to scream or cry when I read this: https://www.epcrugby.com/challenge-cup/ ... on-pienaar
Replace 'Cheetahs' with 'Ulster'

[solidarity]

Looking at the three matches, might be an opportunity for a few teams in our group to give some young lads a run out.

[Neill_M]

Looking at the three matches, might be an opportunity for a few teams in our group to give some young lads a run out.

By the maths, all three games have something on them.

Harlequins v Ulster. Obviously an Ulster win gets them into R16, Quins can catch Bath if they get a 5-0 and Bath get nothing in Toulouse and overturn the 20 points on points difference. 2nd in the pool gets home R16 game.

R92 v Cardiff. If Ulster slip up, both sides can get 4th and into R16.

Toulouse v Bath. Playing for the pool and being one of the top four seeds which gets up home R16 and home QF and potential home country SF.

We will see how the various sides are thinking tomorrow with their selections.