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Toulouse and Saracens stay perfect in Champions Cup

15 Dec 2018

Saracens’ Jamie George celebrates his try

Toulouse stretched their winning run to nine matches with a 42-27 victory over Wasps and Saracens also maintained their 100 per cent European Rugby Champions Cup record on Saturday.

Top 14 high-fliers Toulouse were made to work for a bonus-point triumph in the rain at Stade Ernest Wallon, but Antoine Dupont scored two of their five tries in an entertaining encounter.

What a performance by Antoine Dupont!
He's bagged his second try, and it's more sensational running rugby from Toulouse ?
This game has been a joy to watch ? pic.twitter.com/bnFBN05sUZ
— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) December 15, 2018

Toulouse hold a two-point advantage over defending champions Leinster at the top of Pool 1 ahead of what could be a decisive encounter between the two in Dublin next month.

Wasps are without a win and heading out of the competition, but they only trailed 22-20 at half-time, Josh Bassett and Willie le Roux going over, with Yoann Huget, Joe Tekori and Romain Ntamack crossing at the other end.

France scrum-half Dupont claimed a second-half double either side of a Ross Neal score, while Thomas Ramos finished with 17 points in another impressive display from Toulouse.

Two tries and some lovely assists for @Dupont9A as @StadeToulousain ran out victors ?
Was the No. 9 unplayable today? #ChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/A4Kx8atHbZ
— Investec Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) December 15, 2018

Imperious Leinster kept the pressure on Toulouse with a 42-15 thrashing of Bath at the Aviva Stadium.

Tries from Jack Conan, Rory O’Loughlin, James Lowes and Adam Byrne ensured the bonus point was in the bag at the break, then Dan Leavy and Jamison Gibson-Park added further five-pointers with Johnny Sexton pulling the strings in Dublin.

Johnny Sexton, that is magnificent! ?
An inch-perfect crossfield kick is collected by Adam Byrne and Leinster extend their lead!
Moments like that are why he's been named World Rugby player of the year. Brilliant ? pic.twitter.com/vjj2wHiNsZ
— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) December 15, 2018

Sarries continued their march towards the quarter-finals and have won every Champions Cup and Premiership game this season after they saw off Cardiff Blues 26-14.

Sean Maitland and Jamie George went over for the Premiership champions and Owen Farrell scored 16 points from the tee in a hard-fought away victory.

? REACTION | @alex_goode0 reflects on a very important away win against @cardiff_blues.
The full-back believes the ? to victory was the squad's resilience ? and the win puts us in a very strong position in our @ChampionsCup pool. #TogetherSaracens pic.twitter.com/wUrWDEtQYg
— Saracens Rugby Club (@Saracens) December 15, 2018

Glasgow Warriors are four points adrift of Mark McCall’s men in Pool 3 with two games to play following a 21-10 win over bottom side Lyon, Nikola Matawalu scoring both tries for the Pro14 side.

Pool 2 is wide open after Castres edged out Munster 13-12 to go second, just three points behind the province and one ahead of both Exeter Chiefs and Gloucester.

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JH 41 minutes ago

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Didn’t particularly care who won, but then realized a final at the Crusaders ground would have everyone having to listen to their awful PA who can’t seem to shut up or play his spotify playlist every moment of the game.

Now he graces us with his ‘singing’ too. He should be going before Penney.

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JS 54 minutes ago

As the balance of power shifts away from Ireland, has Andy Farrell got his Lions calls right?

Ireland actually reminds me a bit of Australia after Larkham retired in 2007. Team was never really able to adjust to losing their most important player, despite the quality that remained. It has been almost 20 years that Australia has been trying to replace Larkham now. Hopefully Ireland doesn’t need to wait as long.

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TM44 2 hours ago

Leo Cullen 'completely, 100 per cent' understands Leinster fan frustration

You & I have certainly had a few run ins, but I have to say when you're not involved in personal unpleasantries (takes two to tango I know, but man you take offense so easily) you actually write really good insightful interesting posts. Hopefully more of the latter.!

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DH 2 hours ago

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Mack Hansen is a really good bloke, I'm sure Darcy Graham is a good man too but I think we all know why Hansen is on tour.

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DH 2 hours ago

British and Irish Lions squad 2025: 10 losers from Andy Farrell's selection

I was talking about the manager.

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RedWarriors 3 hours ago

Jordie Barrett produces man-of-the-match showing after benching drama

Serious mistake omitting Barrett for NH. Serious questions remain why the predictable curve balls available to NH against the rush defense were not mitigated for in advance. Leinster did not get tested for the first two rounds but the test was coming.

Look also at the incorrect decision re taking 3 points after the O’Brien ‘penalty where it lands’. The same conference has been happenning for years with the correct decision not often found.

In the URC v Connaught a kick to the corner refusing ane asy kick lead to a Connacht turnover and yellow for Leinster. Connacht scored a try and attacked again for the match against 14. They created an overlap and the tackle of the match saved them before the overlap could be cashed in. Leinster had another kickable penalty and amazingly the conference started again. Barrett ordered a kick at goal to put it out of reach. He was the man who had also saved/won the match for them with that penalty.

Why was this botched decision making not reviewed and eliminated in that match?

It honestly looks like the leadership hole left by Johnny Sexton has not been filled by the coaching group.

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BA 3 hours ago

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Carlos 5 hours ago

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Felipe and Manuel went to Cardinal Newman school and rugby club, ran by Irish priests. One of them left to found St Brendan’s. Newman, St. George’s and St Andrew’s are the traditional upper class Anglo schools of Buenos Aires. Only Newman now sustains great rugby. St George’s previously did and St Andrew’s was a feeder to many clubs.

In 1970 Ireland toured Argentina and the team visited Hurling Club near the city and left them their kits at the end of the tour. The party was memorable. My mother and three brothers played field hockey for Hurling. Also, some of the players visited St Brendan’s.

Some years ago, I met Barry Bresniham at a rheumatology meeting. Sadly he passed away of a brain tumor. Barry was a very charming man and we spoke about that 1970 visit. St Brendan’s posted a picture of him on the front door of the school.

I do know about the Irish. I sincerely appreciate and enjoy Mzilikazi here, for example. But you sound like the Aussie fan OJ. Angry and defensive. Be like the Irish I know and not like a sourpuss.

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Carlos 5 hours ago

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I’m an Argie. We first scrum.

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Ed the Duck 5 hours ago

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Hard to test them when they’re rested the week before or left on the bench, don’t you think?

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JD 7 hours ago

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They are, except when it comes to 10.

Assuming Russell starts as test 10 you have no back up on the pitch. The only option is Kinghorn, but he would need to fill in there during warm up matches which is unlikely.

Only option is Smith in the 23 shirt. This again assumes Kinghorn starting 15. Based on current form that is the case.

Personally I prefer the conventional 5:3 split for the most part.

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RedWarriors 7 hours ago

Leo Cullen 'completely, 100 per cent' understands Leinster fan frustration

The point is the ‘Team are not pushing forward’. The team are better in absolute terms but the tactical coaching is poor. If Leinster are not being challenged and weaknesses exposed in matches then that has to be done in the training ground.

That said individual players must take flak. A lot of ire was directed at Snyman, but McCarthy must take flak too. That said what on earth was Keenan doing attempting to rush against Freeman (first try) and Ramm last try. Both times he was caught in no mans land leaving a field of green behind him. For the first try he just needs to hold his ground a little to cover the kick. An overlap was not on. Keenan would have easily reached Freeman, but rishing up made the grubber 100% on.

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Some players can be rested for 3 weeks, some get rusty. Keenan is one of the latter. But he must do better. All Leinster needed was one of those tries to be averted. Just one.

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Ed the Duck 7 hours ago

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