European Rugby 2024-25

pinky
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1 year 9 months ago - 1 year 9 months ago #70124 by pinky

Replied by pinky on topic European Rugby 2024-25

So my original prediction was right but the updated one was nonsense. It was too logical.

Zebre home Sat Dec 7th
Perpignan away Sun Dec 15th
Lyon home Sat Jan 11th
Cardiff away Fri Jan 17th

Not the worst. We avoid a repeat trip from last season, plus Lyon would have been potentially tricky away. And we don't have two trips to Parma to choose between (I'll stick with the more pleasant May option)

Last edit: 1 year 9 months ago by pinky.

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pinky
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1 year 9 months ago #70123 by pinky

Replied by pinky on topic European Rugby 2024-25

In the meantime, I've actually come around to the IRFU's point of view and decided that we will travel to Perpignan and Amsterdam .

A lot of the airports around Perpignan (Carcassone, Girona, Perpignan) don't have flights from here in winter so BCN and Toulouse would be the options. If going overland, there is a sleeper train from Paris but it only goes Friday and Sunday nights in winter. I might do that depending on the timing.

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1 year 9 months ago #70122 by pinky

Replied by pinky on topic European Rugby 2024-25

The IRFU's report on the draw says we are definitely playing Cheetahs, but they don't say why that is, so I assume it is a guess rather than any insider knowledge.

www.irishrugby.ie/2024/07/02/connachts-c...uth-african-flavour/

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1 year 9 months ago #70118 by pinky

Replied by pinky on topic European Rugby 2024-25

Last year the draw was on June 21st and the fixtures were confirmed on July 13th, so I guess we have about 3 weeks.

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1 year 9 months ago #70117 by pinky

Replied by pinky on topic European Rugby 2024-25

It's a very winnable pool, especially if we get Lyon at home. I don't expect Lyon to have the Challenge Cup on their priority list.
A decent pool performance could keep us at home for as long as we progress in the knockouts (though that all presupposes that we play more consistently than this season)

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1 year 9 months ago #70116 by ShaneM

Replied by ShaneM on topic European Rugby 2024-25

It's been a few years since we've been to Perpignan!!
Was really hoping that we would get Vannes!!!

Cardiff, Cheetahs, USAP, Lyon and Zebre!!
Now announce the fixtures so we can start booking :blink:

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pinky
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1 year 9 months ago - 1 year 9 months ago #70115 by pinky

Replied by pinky on topic European Rugby 2024-25

My guess is we play Zebre at home and Cardiff away, as that is the opposite to the URC fixtures.
Lyon at home and Perpignan away would be preferable from a winnability perspective. Also I'd prefer not to go to the same place in consecutive seasons, not sure if EPCR take that into account in the mysterious algorithm.

Last edit: 1 year 9 months ago by pinky.

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1 year 9 months ago #70114 by pinky

Replied by pinky on topic European Rugby 2024-25

We have to get Perpignan and Lyon.

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1 year 9 months ago #70113 by pinky

Replied by pinky on topic European Rugby 2024-25

No Vannes

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1 year 9 months ago - 1 year 9 months ago #70112 by pinky

Replied by pinky on topic European Rugby 2024-25

As I say, I don't think we can play them ...
We will definitely get Black Lion or Cheetahs, but we probably won't know which team we don't play until they release the fixtures, and I suspect we won't play the invitational side.

Last edit: 1 year 9 months ago by pinky.

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1 year 9 months ago #70111 by ShaneM

Replied by ShaneM on topic European Rugby 2024-25

So @Pinky, who are we going to get. Actual Prediction????
I think we'll draw Black Lion, but it'll be a home affair :huh:

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1 year 9 months ago #70110 by pinky

Replied by pinky on topic European Rugby 2024-25

Draw starts at 11am on www.epcrugby.com/

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1 year 9 months ago #70108 by pinky

Replied by pinky on topic European Rugby 2024-25

Based on some vague guesswork and amateur mindreading, I estimate that we will be playing two other URC teams in the Challenge Cup.
rugby.connacht.pink/

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1 year 9 months ago #70102 by pinky

Replied by pinky on topic European Rugby 2024-25

The upshot of having been declared honorary Englishmen is that we will be spared a potential trip to Johannesburg (until we go there in April).
We will have:
Two French teams.
At least one Welsh team.
Another Welsh or Edinburgh/Zebre
One of Black Lion or Cheetahs (we can't get Lions as that would make four URC teams)

Since there will be 3 URC teams in our pool, we will have to play one of them, and one of the three teams will have to play both of the others, which means we might not play either Black Lion or Cheetahs.

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1 year 9 months ago #70101 by pinky

Replied by pinky on topic European Rugby 2024-25

I'm totally confused by this rule:
"Only two of the following clubs can be included in the same pool: Ospreys, Emirates Lions, Edinburgh Rugby and Scarlets."

Ospreys, Lions and Edinburgh are the three highest placed teams from the URC so might make sense to avoid having them all together, but why Scarlets?

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1 year 9 months ago - 1 year 9 months ago #70100 by pinky

Replied by pinky on topic European Rugby 2024-25

Right, so we've joined the Premiership. Wasn't expecting that news.

Last edit: 1 year 9 months ago by pinky.

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European Rugby 2024-25