The road to Bilbao - Challenge Cup 2017/18

Anyone try and buy Champions Cup tickets on the site? Challenge cup available alright but Champions Cup options seem to be frozen (but not all sold out). Was looking at flights and travel yesterday to try and figure out a plan. Have been to Bilbao and San Seb before so thinking maybe setting Madrid as the base as plenty of flights in and out of there.

I purchased tickets on Dec 13th to both matches; they seem to release a few rows of tickets at random times. When I got mine they picked probably 8 sections around the stadium and released 2-3 rows per section. I would figure out logistics of getting and staying there before worrying about the tickets. I have a feeling there are going to be plenty of tickets released and because the hotels and direct flights are so expensive that weekend the number of last minute travelers probably won't be that high.

Embra team 100% full-strength

Things going our way so far tonight. No tries at halftime in Murrayfield and Gloucester with all to play for against Pau next weekend after getting all 5 points away to Agen.

Edit: Edinburgh squeak through by one point, Stade good as out. Edinburgh will finish on 24-29 points, Newcastle on 28, Gloucs likely on 26.

Permutations....

10 points in the next two games would guarantee top 2 seeding (home q/f and possible home semi)...

... while 9 points *should* be enough as we've a big points difference advantage on Newcastle...

... unless Edinburgh lose at Stade, in which case any old wins will do.

Even nothing tomorrow and a 4 pointer vs. Oyannax would give us a home q/f, unless Cardiff stick 70 on Toulouse & then get a 5-pointer at Lyon

Edinburgh was 1 min for being beaten at home, but anyway, with Gloucester and Newcastle Falcons I highly doubt 25 would have been enough to be top 2 overall.

Now it's cristal clear : it's a win or nothing for a home SemiFinal

A win for us tomorrow gives Stade back control of their destiny too - beat Edinburgh with a bp and they're definitely through.

salmson wrote: A win for us tomorrow gives Stade back control of their destiny too - beat Edinburgh with a bp and they're definitely through.

I don't really care about them, a win for us tomorrow gives Connacht back control of their destiny

I'm pretty sure we can outscore Oyonnax A in the Sportsground by the same margin as Newcastle in Russia for round 6.
So except a 50+ point-gap on Sunday for Falcons (which could happen..), a win of any kind at Sixways is enough. IMO

Another possibilty : Stade français home in front of French TV don't let Edinburgh take the BP

Connacht would then need to trash Oyonnax by 50ish points. Not impossible as I'm deeply convinced they'll send a real "Academy team". They're busy enough to try a desperate salvage operation in Top14.
4 tries a half. If it's sunny!

EDIT : My bad, it would need a hundred point difference. Not possible

Newcastle handicap + 38, we're +1

They'd go to Russia with a 14-point-deficit on us. Would take that

And BTW we have the slight but noticable advantage to play half an hour later than Falcons next Saturday.
Being informed, we'd be able to push for a late try or take the pen depending on what is needed

So it looks like Newcastle have the no. 1 seed sewn up.

We really need the no. 2 seed as that would mean a home quarter and semi. It is impossible for the no. 3 or 4 seed to get a home semi.

Pool 3 will have a big say in whether or not we finish no. 2. I'm assuming Pau will beat Zebre, so it comes down to Gloucester v Pau next week. If Pau win, we will be no. 3. If Gloucester win without a BP and we win with a BP we get no. 2. If both ourselves and Gloucester get BPs we need to win by 38 more points.

If Edinburgh beat Stade away we won't have a home semi.

connachta wrote: Newcastle handicap + 38, we're +1

They'd go to Russia with a 14-point-deficit on us. Would take that

And BTW we have the slight but noticable advantage to play half an hour later than Falcons next Saturday.
Being informed, we'd be able to push for a late try or take the pen depending on what is needed

That match is 2pm local time in Tbilisi which is 10am our time so our lads will know what they need to do long before kick off at 2.30pm.

yeah but that's over now; except if they lose. Which could always happen in Russia/Georgia as I'm sure they will make rotations (they are well placed in premiership!)

Well good, Toulouse are out