European Professional Club Rugby Champions Cup - Knockouts BtN
Eight XVs remain in the hunt for 2024 Champions Cup glory after the first playoff round of the tourney. Three wins for French 14 clubs, three for the Gallagher Premiership, and a brace of happies for those who ply their trades in the United Rugby Championship. By the Numbers:
14 counted by Harlequins at time in the initial 40+ minute interval while Glasgow were under sanction resulted in a like advantage, 21-7, midway; Warriors were winning by a converted try 7-nil early after a touch down by engine, Scott Cummings, but a trio of trys, all gone 7 by the sharpshooting Quins 10, Marcus Smith, had the tallies at the break; Glasgow fought back with 17 unanswered through the hour mark to lead, 24-21, but a grounding by number 2, Sam Riley, and its conversion by Smith in the 77th had Harlequins happy like Larry at the end of time; 13 for Smith on all conversions and a touch down, while travelers 9, George Horne, had 12 on a 2-1-1 triple play;
28 for Bulls in the first forty en route a 59 – 19 shellacking of guests, Lyon, on a splendid RugbyDay on the HighVeld at Loftus Versfeld; millisecond-interval offloads made for an extremely fast-paced affair; 10 for home 10, Johann Goosen, on 5-of-6 true the sticks, a double for flyer, Sebastian de Klerk, and 9 times across the paint for dots as the home side advanced to the quarterfinals in impressive fashion;
5 the measure of separation at the half with traveling Bath in the lead, 12-7, could not be held as a brace of converteds in second stanza by Exeter against a single sticksplitter for visitors resulted in 21 – 15 happiness for homeboys at Sandy Park;
1 point innit at the end of play as La Rochelle returned for improbable victory in Capetown Stadium as Stormers attempt at conversion went awa’ the posts at time, preserving travelers movement on to the quarterfinals, 22 – 21; 11 for home 10, Manie Libbok, on 1and-3 off his tee while his oppo number, Antoine Hastoy, counted 2-and-1 from the gun;
3 Bordeaux Bègles backs with 2 trys apiece: 10, Mateo Garcia; 11, Louis Bielle-Barry; and 13, Nicolas Depoortère, as the home XV grounded half dozen in striking victory over Saracens at Chaban Delmas, 45 – 12; 11 for winning 9, Maxime Lucu, on 4-and-1 shooting;
10 in a brace for Northampton relief backthree back, George Hendy, in the last ’20 did it for the Saints amidst a swirling, challenging, wind at Franklin’s Gardens as Saints broke open the 14-all knot with the 21 years young Hendy’s pair of sublime closings and the home club claimed the 24 – 14 victory;
3 in the hat for the Ireland and Leinster 9, Jamison Gibson-Park, and 5 in all for the homeside as Leicester Tigers were declawed, 36 – 22, at Lansdowne Road; 12 for Cats and South Africa 10, Handre Pollard on a 2-1-1 triple play in defeat;
5 scores for homeside, Toulouse, against a single late Racing 92 grounding meant 31 – 7 victory for 2023 Champions Cup semifinalist at windy Ernest Wallon;
Upcoming Quarterfinals, Saturday, the RugbyDay, April 13th:
Bordeaux Bègles v Harlequins, Chaban-Delmas at 8am MDT: Bordeaux are in form now and will be difficult to top; both sides play an, at times frenetic, spacey style and it’ll look like chaos, but it’ll be a lively, enjoyable thing to watch:
Northampton Saints v Bulls, Franklin’s Gardens, 10:30am MDT see above
Leinster v La Rochelle, Aviva Stadium at Lansdowne Road, 1pm MDT: not much in this one except the most recent European Professional Club Rugby Champions Cup finals, both won by the French squad who are piloted by former Munsterman, Ronan O’Gara, who won 2 Champions Cup trophies with the Irish Province;
Sunday - Toulouse v Exeter, Ernest Wallon, 8am MDT: this could be a rough passage for Los Jefes who are punching above their weight now in this battle that will see a returned-toform Romain Ntamack hooked up with a returned-from-7s Antoine Dupont pairing that may be the best halfback combination on the planet.
Meanwhile in the midst of gale force winds at Legend High School, Denver East High Angels remained atop the Boys D1 Table with a 19 – 12 win at Titans
Angels got up early with a grounding by engine, Gabe Fitzgerald, in the 6th minute of play.
Legend got one late, in the 27th minute of the second half hour to close the gap
Rugby Colorado