31Mar
The News Review:
- Kidney backs Scarlets to go on and win Heineken Cup
- Wasps sting Leinster hopes
- French clubs postpone Cup boycott
- HC: QF – Biarritz lympique (in Spain) – Preview
- Bath can get even hotter insists Meehan
Kidney backs Scarlets to go on and win Heineken Cup
Belfast Telegraph – Mar 31, 2007
Kidney showered praise on the Scarlets after they booked a semi-final appointment with Leicester or Stade Francais by ending Munster’s reign as European champions at Stradey Park. Wing Dafydd James flanker Gavin Thomas and full-back Barry Davies scored tries in a 24-15 success suggesting Llanelli possess the quality to become Wales’ first Heineken Cup winners. Kidney said “Llanelli have won seven out of seven in Europe this season. They have momentum and they are brimming with confidence.
Wasps sting Leinster hopes
RTE.ie – Mar 31, 2007
Flanker James Haskell and full-back Danny Cipriani grabbed the final touchdown for the depleted side with two tries by their Irish scrum-half Eoin Reddan and 15 points from the boot of fly-half Alex King ensuring victory. Wasps will be away for the winners of tomorrow’s quarter-final between French side Biarritz and Guinness Premiership strugglers Northampton. But it was never as easy as the scoreline suggests for the 2004 Heineken Cup winners who had to battle to break down a Leinster side lacking their inspirational Ireland skipper Brian ‘Driscoll. Wasps opened up a 6-0 lead with two 40-metre penalties by King inside the first 15 minutes. Then King’s tackling played a big part in stifling the dangerous Leinster backs. He took out their Argentinean fly-half Felipe Contepomi and Ireland winger Shane Horgan with pinpoint challenges as Leinster had their attacking attempts disrupted. King was just short with a third penalty attempt from 45 metres and Contepomi missed a much easier kick before Leinster stormed back into the game with a try which came out of virtually nothing.
French clubs postpone Cup boycott
BBC News – Mar 31, 2007
France’s 14 top-flight clubs had until Friday to finalise their decision but French Federation president Bernard Lapasset has convinced them to wait. The French clubs first announced their intention to exit the Cup in January. Lapasset is set to have further talks with leading English clubs on Monday in an effort to find a solution. "Bernard Lapasset asked me to wait until Monday because he has a meeting with the English clubs" said Serge Blanco the president of the French clubs’ body Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR).
HC: QF – Biarritz lympique (in Spain) – Preview
sportnetwork.net – Mar 31, 2007
r will it? Right let’s get the obvious stuff out of the way. Biarritz lympique is the reigning French champion. They have moved this fixture away from their home of the Parc de Sports Aguilera because this means they can get another 20000 fanatical supporters behind them in their temporary home just across the Spanish border at the Estadio Anoeta. Towards the end of Stockers’ match report of that game he says: “Saints kept the momentum going and tried to at least get the losing bonus point but for all the effort and possession no points resulted. This has become a common theme of recent performances and Paul Grayson and his coaching team need to address the current inability to transfer pressure in to points… It is a match that many of the Saints squad will not experience again. Damien Browne speaking to comeonyousaints. com last week summed up what it means to the players: “it’s not every day you get the chance to play in a Heineken Cup quarter final. Do yourself the team the town and the supporters proud. So what team should Saints put out on Sunday? Well if it’s going to be a case of “let’s throw caution to the wind ‘cos everyone expects us to get schtuffed” how about.
Bath can get even hotter insists Meehan
Daily Mail – Mar 31, 2007
“Heineken Cup entry through this competitionwould be fantastic but lifting a trophy would be a great reward forthe players. He added: “This was worth the wait – that’s for sure. It was avery good second half and some aspects of play were brilliant butyou can’t forget the first half when we made some errors that putus under pressure. “We talked about things at half-time that we had 40 minutes toenjoy the moment and play with confidence. This is a skilful teamthat’s getting better.
Posted by admin @ 9:09 am
31Mar
The News Review:
- Kidney backs Scarlets to go on and win Heineken Cup
- Wasps sting Leinster hopes
- French clubs postpone Cup boycott
- HC: QF – Biarritz lympique (in Spain) – Preview
- Bath can get even hotter insists Meehan
Kidney backs Scarlets to go on and win Heineken Cup
Belfast Telegraph – Mar 31, 2007
Kidney showered praise on the Scarlets after they booked a semi-final appointment with Leicester or Stade Francais by ending Munster’s reign as European champions at Stradey Park. Wing Dafydd James flanker Gavin Thomas and full-back Barry Davies scored tries in a 24-15 success suggesting Llanelli possess the quality to become Wales’ first Heineken Cup winners. Kidney said “Llanelli have won seven out of seven in Europe this season. They have momentum and they are brimming with confidence.
Wasps sting Leinster hopes
RTE.ie – Mar 31, 2007
Flanker James Haskell and full-back Danny Cipriani grabbed the final touchdown for the depleted side with two tries by their Irish scrum-half Eoin Reddan and 15 points from the boot of fly-half Alex King ensuring victory. Wasps will be away for the winners of tomorrow’s quarter-final between French side Biarritz and Guinness Premiership strugglers Northampton. But it was never as easy as the scoreline suggests for the 2004 Heineken Cup winners who had to battle to break down a Leinster side lacking their inspirational Ireland skipper Brian ‘Driscoll. Wasps opened up a 6-0 lead with two 40-metre penalties by King inside the first 15 minutes. Then King’s tackling played a big part in stifling the dangerous Leinster backs. He took out their Argentinean fly-half Felipe Contepomi and Ireland winger Shane Horgan with pinpoint challenges as Leinster had their attacking attempts disrupted. King was just short with a third penalty attempt from 45 metres and Contepomi missed a much easier kick before Leinster stormed back into the game with a try which came out of virtually nothing.
French clubs postpone Cup boycott
BBC News – Mar 31, 2007
France’s 14 top-flight clubs had until Friday to finalise their decision but French Federation president Bernard Lapasset has convinced them to wait. The French clubs first announced their intention to exit the Cup in January. Lapasset is set to have further talks with leading English clubs on Monday in an effort to find a solution. "Bernard Lapasset asked me to wait until Monday because he has a meeting with the English clubs" said Serge Blanco the president of the French clubs’ body Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR).
HC: QF – Biarritz lympique (in Spain) – Preview
sportnetwork.net – Mar 31, 2007
r will it? Right let’s get the obvious stuff out of the way. Biarritz lympique is the reigning French champion. They have moved this fixture away from their home of the Parc de Sports Aguilera because this means they can get another 20000 fanatical supporters behind them in their temporary home just across the Spanish border at the Estadio Anoeta. Towards the end of Stockers’ match report of that game he says: “Saints kept the momentum going and tried to at least get the losing bonus point but for all the effort and possession no points resulted. This has become a common theme of recent performances and Paul Grayson and his coaching team need to address the current inability to transfer pressure in to points… It is a match that many of the Saints squad will not experience again. Damien Browne speaking to comeonyousaints. com last week summed up what it means to the players: “it’s not every day you get the chance to play in a Heineken Cup quarter final. Do yourself the team the town and the supporters proud. So what team should Saints put out on Sunday? Well if it’s going to be a case of “let’s throw caution to the wind ‘cos everyone expects us to get schtuffed” how about.
Bath can get even hotter insists Meehan
Daily Mail – Mar 31, 2007
“Heineken Cup entry through this competitionwould be fantastic but lifting a trophy would be a great reward forthe players. He added: “This was worth the wait – that’s for sure. It was avery good second half and some aspects of play were brilliant butyou can’t forget the first half when we made some errors that putus under pressure. “We talked about things at half-time that we had 40 minutes toenjoy the moment and play with confidence. This is a skilful teamthat’s getting better.
Posted by admin @ 7:11 am