RugbyRebels

The teams:

La Rochelle: 15 Brice Dulin, 14 Jules Favre, 13 UJ Seuteni, 12 Jonathan Danty, 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Antoine Hastoy, 9 Tawera Kerr Barlow, 8 Grégory Alldritt (c), 7 Levani Botia, 6 Ultan Dillane, 5 Will Skelton, 4 Thomas Lavault, 3 Uini Atonio, 2 Pierre Bourgarit, 1 Reda Wardi
Replacements: 16 Quentin Lespiaucq, 17 Hayden Thompson-Stringer, 18 Joel Sclavi, 19 Romain Sazy, 20 Yoan Tanga, 21 Paul Boudehent, 22 Thomas Berjon, 23 Teddy Thomas

Saracens: 15 Alex Goode, 14 Max Malins, 13 Alex Lozowski, 12 Nick Tompkins, 11 Sean Maitland, 10 Owen Farrell (c), 9 Ivan van Zyl, 8 Billy Vunipola, 7 Ben Earl, 6 Nick Isiekwe, 5 Hugh Tizard, 4 Maro Itoje, 3 Marco Riccioni, 2 Jamie George, 1 Mako Vunipola
Replacements: 16 Tom Woolstencroft, 17 Eroni Mawi, 18 Christian Judge, 19 Callum Hunter-Hill, 20 Jackson Wray, 21 Aled Davies, 22 Duncan Taylor, 23 Alex Lewington

Sarries will have to improve 50% on last week to have half a chance. Aldritt v Billy should be funny, assuming Billy brings his hands with him. Assume Theo Dan be crocked.

LR should have too much but Saracens are a cussed bunch and will make life difficult.

Oddly, I think Saracens stand the best chance of us getting an English club in the semi-finals. Exeter have home advantage but are a basket-case, Leicester have a puncher's chance at best, but La Rochelle were vulnerable against Glaws and Saracens have both quality and cussedness of being more than the sum of their parts.

Not sure it'll happen, but they've got the best chance IMO.

Puja

La Rochelle are a great team to watch but they aren't the post patient. If you can frustrate them then they'll take chances and risk more than they should. Sarries defence has a great chance of being able to do that.

I expect LaR will have too much, but I really want Sarries to win this. We *need* one more Exeter v Sarries knock out game before the Chiefs’ team breaks up. Nearly had the Heineken Cup final between the pair in 2020, so feel like we’re due.

Sarries already getting no change from the ref.

Not getting much change from the la Rochelle tacklers either!

Yep. La Rochelle are just lying on the ball at the breakdown with Brace just staring at it.

Mr Mwenda wrote: ↑Sun Apr 09, 2023 3:12 pm Not getting much change from the la Rochelle tacklers either!

Also true.

What do we all think Botia’s real age is?!?

Billy gone, Wray on, bad news for Sarries

Mellsblue wrote: ↑Sun Apr 09, 2023 3:21 pm What do we all think Botia’s real age is?!?

I’m going for 72. One year per turnover he’ll win today.

Mellsblue wrote: ↑Sun Apr 09, 2023 3:30 pm

Mellsblue wrote: ↑Sun Apr 09, 2023 3:21 pm What do we all think Botia’s real age is?!?

I’m going for 72. One year per turnover he’ll win today.

I think I’m joking.

If LR weren't dropping the ball and giving away stupid offside penalties, they'd be away.

usual French TV director farce in not showing replays of home team misdemeanours.

Backrow absent at the breakdown, no running threat out wide, losing 90% of the time in contact, telegraphed full backs to the test match glacier but other than that…
Sadly, Brace’s performance is even worse.

Second game Brace has allowed players to step away as Saracens go for the clear out.
That said Sarries look clueless in dealing with LR

Mellsblue wrote: ↑Sun Apr 09, 2023 3:49 pm Backrow absent at the breakdown, no running threat out wide, losing 90% of the time in contact, telegraphed full backs to the test match glacier but other than that…
Sadly, Brace’s performance is even worse.

Saracens will get no 50/50 calls from this ref now.

Last 5 mins shows you’ve just got to let Itoje play and take the rough with the smooth, imo.

Is that what they call a linking openside?

It’s amazing (insert tongue in cheek emoji) how staggeringly poor and clueless Farrell looks for Sarries when his pack isn’t on top.

Mellsblue wrote: ↑Sun Apr 09, 2023 4:43 pm It’s amazing (insert tongue in cheek emoji) how staggeringly poor and clueless Farrell looks for Sarries when his pack isn’t on top.

at least it looks like he's enjoying himself.

"Sums up Sarries doesn't it?" Yes, not very good.

Do we think the French director believes that was an illegal clear out? Kudos to the Sarries medic who alerted the ref.