Jonny Wikinsons Toulon Away

[joooooe]

In 2009 we beat the defending champions (Munster) on our way to winning the Heineken Cup.

In 2011 we beat the defending champions (Toulouse) on our way to winning the Heineken Cup

In 2012 we defended the cup so couldn't knock out the defending champions.

In 2013 we beat the defending champions (Biarritz) on our way to winning the Amlin Cup.

This. Is. What. We. Do.

[Cianostays]

3/3 on the road in Europe so far this season. We seem to be playing better away from the RDS/Aviva. Move their big fellas around the pitch and they'll tire. We can take them. Remember '06 Toulouse and '12 Bordeaux

[joooooe]

In 2009 we won our quarter final away and our semi final "away" (Munster were drawn as the home team).

In 2011 we won our quarter final at home and our semi final at home.

In 2012 we won our quarter final at home and our semi final away.

The only remaining combination we haven't done is to win our quarter final away and our semi final at home, which we have an opportunity to do this year.

[Blue not red blood]

Think we will get a big support as there isnt the financial consideration of an away semi
And we have 3 months to organise it

[slum]

3/3 on the road in Europe so far this season. We seem to be playing better away from the RDS/Aviva. Move their big fellas around the pitch and they'll tire. We can take them. Remember '06 Toulouse and '12 Bordeaux

I believe we will win this one, but there's a problem with your tactic here. When their big fellas tire they just bring on more big fellas. We can't depend on superior fitness.

[olaf the fat]

Going into the weekend we were always going on the road(realistically anyway). There are only good teams left.
The only difference is Toulon being where our players like to head to, when looking for a break from contract negotiations!

Playing Munster in Thomond would be no fun, even not forgetting our good record there.

The one place I would of fancied was Clermont. If we weren't knackered with injuries last season, we would have won there.

[paddyor]

Going into the weekend we were always going on the road(realistically anyway). There are only good teams left.
The only difference is Toulon being where our players like to head to, when looking for a break from contract negotiations!

Playing Munster in Thomond would be no fun, even not forgetting our good record there.

The one place I would of fancied was Clermont. If we weren't knackered with injuries last season, we would have won there.

Let's not forget given the time both SOB and Jamie have spent down there we have some good recon done on there setup

[Kinger83]

MOC would of done some good analysis on them last season for Leicester's QF there.

He'll have a chance for revenge.

[rooster]

Reckon ulster on the fri and munster 6pm sat.
So a sat or sunday afternoon game

Is it not usually 2 on Saturday and 2 on Sunday with them playing the pick of the Amlin matches on Friday night ? 6 English sides in it so it is bound to be good with those 60 million viewers they have !

[artaneboy]

3/3 on the road in Europe so far this season. We seem to be playing better away from the RDS/Aviva. Move their big fellas around the pitch and they'll tire. We can take them. Remember '06 Toulouse and '12 Bordeaux

I believe we will win this one, but there's a problem with your tactic here. When their big fellas tire they just bring on more big fellas. We can't depend on superior fitness.

Yes, we can. Our subs are still better conditioned than theirs. The French seem to be significantly unfitter than our players. Run the legs off the feckers...

[fourthirtythree]

Reckon ulster on the fri and munster 6pm sat.
So a sat or sunday afternoon game

Is it not usually 2 on Saturday and 2 on Sunday with them playing the pick of the Amlin matches on Friday night ? 6 English sides in it so it is bound to be good with those 60 million viewers they have !

Stop exaggerating he only said sixty million eyeballs. Just over thirty million viewers (must be a few one eyed in there. And not metaphorically).

Delighted to be playing the champs. They were well better than Clermont in the final and it looked at one stage like they were going to put it all together and be unbeatable. Fortunately they're not there yet.

[neiliog93]

Toulon's mediocre domestic form (currently fifth) is great cause for encouragement. Grenoble beat them home and awayso we'll have to get some advice from big Bernard. I think if you resist them physically (easier said than done) then they don't really have a plan b. Kicking, set pieces and big carriers. If you can defend well and aggressively,while keeping discipline,they don't have the guile to break you down,nor is johnny gettinga constant stream of 3-pointers.then if your set-pieces hold up to a reasonable degree and you take the chances you get,which will be fewer than theirs, you win. Couldn't be easier!

[glenageary]

Just looked at Toulon's matches prior to the QF.

On the 21st march they are away to ASM and then on the 28th they have Toulouse at home! Both are must wins as they are currently 5th! So no home adv in the playoffs. Anyway they will be battlehardened.

We have a comfortable training match in the Aviva!

[glenageary]

Toulon's mediocre domestic form (currently fifth) is great cause for encouragement. Grenoble beat them home and awayso we'll have to get some advice from big Bernard. I think if you resist them physically (easier said than done) then they don't really have a plan b. Kicking, set pieces and big carriers. If you can defend well and aggressively,while keeping discipline,they don't have the guile to break you down,nor is johnny gettinga constant stream of 3-pointers.then if your set-pieces hold up to a reasonable degree and you take the chances you get,which will be fewer than theirs, you win. Couldn't be easier!

This was beginning to should like "what have the Romans ever done for us?", eh .. Big kicking game, great set pieces, eh, big carriers, oh Johnny!, ah sure no plan B! Toulon are beatable but we need our A game! And Owens wouldn't be bad!

[neiliog93]

I see what you mean.I meant they had no plan b in the sense that if the 'bosh and kick' approach isn't working/they get matched by a disciplined defence, they can't switch to another game plan. They can't play with pace,creativity,spontaneity or attacking ambition. In this sense they very much lacka plan b!

This was beginning to should like "what have

[neiliog93]

Toulon's mediocre domestic form (currently fifth) is great cause for encouragement. Grenoble beat them home and awayso we'll have to get some advice from big Bernard. I think if you resist them physically (easier said than done) then they don't really have a plan b. Kicking, set pieces and big carriers. If you can defend well and aggressively,while keeping discipline,they don't have the guile to break you down,nor is johnny gettinga constant stream of 3-pointers.then if your set-pieces hold up to a reasonable degree and you take the chances you get,which will be fewer than theirs, you win. Couldn't be easier!

I see what you mean.I meant they had no plan b in the sense that if the 'bosh and kick' approach isn't working/they get matched by a disciplined defence, they can't switch to another game plan. They can't play with pace,creativity,spontaneity or attacking ambition. In this sense they very much lacka plan b!

This was beginning to should like "what have the Romans ever done for us?", eh .. Big kicking game, great set pieces, eh, big carriers, oh Johnny!, ah sure no plan B! Toulon are beatable but we need our A game! And Owens wouldn't be bad!

[neiliog93]

Agree re our nige as ref, definitely our best bet. The main thing is that we'll avoid the lunacy of a French referee. My gut feeling is Barnes,this game has him written all over it. It worked in clermont in 2012!

[Keith]

Agree re our nige as ref, definitely our best bet. The main thing is that we'll avoid the lunacy of a French referee. My gut feeling is Barnes,this game has him written all over it. It worked in clermont in 2012!

If we got Barnes or Owens Id be very happy. They both like the game to flow

[bluemagic]

Worst case scenario is Leighton hodges. Is there a worse ref in rugby?

[curates_egg]

Somehow, and maybe its just me, but somehow I get the hint that maybe there might be very little love lost perhaps between ASM and RCT

To my knowledge, RCT are the most hated club in France. They call them "the mercenaries".