Euros

[Neils]

Last season there were no Thursday matches so hopefully they will continue in that way.

[Trevs Big Tackle]

Is it just me, maybe because we're not it in this year, but fewer of the Champions Cup groups look like tough groups this year! There's no group of death whereas we've been in the damn group of death for the last few years!

[Neils]

Looking at their draw I don't think I would like to swap places with Gloucester.

[Raggs]

Munster, sarries, racing looks pretty nasty.

[mike909]

I'd have some confidence in Wasps progressing - and I rather fancy a w/e in Edinburgh - so hope the game is on a Saturday!

[Neils]

Nice to see the Edinburgh fans don't fear us.

[Heathen]

Nice to see the Edinburgh fans don't fear us.

But based on last season you would have to share their confidence. They won 5 of their 6 pool games. How many did we win?

OK 19/20 is a new ball park. We have to demonstrate that last season was a low point.

[backdoc]

And you can't get lower than no wins.

Neither Agen nor Bordeaux will be aiming to win this competition. Edinburgh will, though.

It seems odd that a QF team from last year are in the lesser competition this year.

[Neils]

Edinburgh will be focusing on the Pro 14 and qualifying for playoffs and Champions Cup. With a large number of players involved with Scotland Cockers may not play senior players in these matches.

[Brandnewtorugby]

Nice to see the Edinburgh fans don't fear us.

I agree, complacency is very dangerous, I would hope lots of teams are a tiny bit complacent about facing Wasps next season. I think it's a cracking fixture and a real challenge for the team. A win against last year's Champions Cup quarterfinalists would be a good win.

[BG]

"Nice to see the BBC still couldn't give a fig about Union"

The BBC tend to only report on the sport that they have some sort of coverage of.. so quite often they will report on RL due to their coverage of the Challenge Cup, or if we're really lucky they'll report on the World Indoor Bowls championships.

"Last season there were no Thursday matches so hopefully they will continue in that way."

I think the thursday games were as a result of BT not having airtime to fit all the Champions and Challenge Cup games into their week-end schedules.. but that problem has been solved by BT choosing not to televise the group games of the Challenge Cup anymore.. I'm not sure if they televise the Qf's and SF's either.

[Neils]

The Thursday matches were the result of having two broadcasters - Sky and BT- and the ability to fill schedules with most matches. Sole licence BT focus on the Championship with only later stage lesser cup cover. BT dont have the channels to cover it.

[Neils]

BBC Sports is headed by a RL supporter. There is not a general desire to cover RU from Manchester.  Only major items are covered in a timely manner. They have no dedicated staff. After all the BBC barely covers any live RU throughout the year apart from the 6N and they gave up half of that.

[RogerE]

"Nice to see the BBC still couldn't give a fig about Union"

The BBC tend to only report on the sport that they have some sort of coverage of.. so quite often they will report on RL due to their coverage of the Challenge Cup, or if we're really lucky they'll report on the World Indoor Bowls championships.

"Last season there were no Thursday matches so hopefully they will continue in that way."

I think the thursday games were as a result of BT not having airtime to fit all the Champions and Challenge Cup games into their week-end schedules.. but that problem has been solved by BT choosing not to televise the group games of the Challenge Cup anymore.. I'm not sure if they televise the Qf's and SF's either.

We seem to be forgetting that there are also broadcasters from France and the celtic regions that also cover Rugby, and they might want top cover the "biro" cup matches on days that do not clash with their domestic cover of HCup matches featuring teams from their countries.

Within the ERCC these (especially the French) seem to have as much say as BT