What a Weekend!

I can't wait for this weekend, I really can't.

For starters, it's my birthday. 

Yes, this means I will be blowing out an increasingly large number of candles on a chocolate caterpillar cake, and venturing into town for a few shandies.

Not only that, the Grand National gallops onto our TV screens on Saturday afternoon.  I will have my annual flutter on the gee-gees with the hope of topping up my birthday beer fund.

But then there's the rugby.

The Guinness Premiership draws ever closer to its epic finale, and my team Leeds travel down to the Stoop to take on Quins.  There's only really one present that I want this year, and that's a four try bonus point win for Carnegie.  But I'll settle for a win though...

Not only that, but the Heineken Cup and Amlin Challenge Cup roll back into town.

I love the Heineken Cup.  After the Six Nations it is my favourite competition.  The pride and passion of club rugby is taken to a whole new level on the European stage.  I can't get enough of it.

But who will win this weekend?  As ever, here are my predictions:.

Leinster v Clermont Auvergne

Defending champions Leinster take on Clermont in Friday's much hyped match.  Last weekend, the Dubliners took the prize scalp of Munster in a 16-15 Magners' League win, which will have helped to build their confidence ahead of this crucial clash.  The RDS faithful will also be pleased to see Brian O'Driscoll included in the squad for Friday.

Clermont Auvergne are currently fourth in the French Top 14 but come into the game on the back of a 19-10 loss away to Stade Français.  Clermont showed dazzling ability in their backline during the pool stages of the cup, most notably against a strong Leicester Tigers.  To win, Leinster have to grab the ball up front and put the squeeze on their visitors.

My prediction: Leinster by 5.

Biarritz v Ospreys

Claiming a win in the south of France in a cup quarter final isn't an easy ask for the Ospreys.  The Magners league side beat rivals the Scarlets 27-19 last weekend, but unlike trailblazing leaders Leinster, the Welsh team are firmly mid-table.

Biarritz are also slap bang in the middle of their respective league, and last weekend they crushed Montauban to the tune of 42-13.  In a crunch fixture like this, I think Biarritz will pull it out of the bag again.

My prediction: Biarritz by 10.

Munster v Northampton Saints

Now this should be a game and a half.  Northampton are the only English team left in the competition and were in the same pool as two time winners Munster.  The men in red beat the Saints 12-9 at Fortress Thomond in January's pool clash, but Northampton claimed Munster's scalp in round one in the closely fought 31-27 win at Franklins Gardens.

Both sides are second in their respective leagues, and whilst Munster lost to rivals Leinster last weekend, Northampton only managed to clinch a late win over relegation battlers Leeds.  Maybe both teams had one eye on this weekend's game?  For me, this is the one to watch, and I sense an upset on the cards.

My prediction: Northampton to win by 6.

Toulouse v Stade Français

Two giants of the French Top 14 will battle it out in another mouth watering clash.  Last weekend, Stade beat Clermont 19-10 whilst Toulouse were 28-23 winners over Racing Metro.

I'll be honest and admit that I don't know too much about French club rugby, but I think the home side will have more of an edge.  Either way, this game should be a corker.

My prediction: Toulouse to win by 9.

Over in the Amlin Challenge Cup:

Connacht to beat Bourgoin by 6.

Toulon to beat the Scarlets by 9.

Cardiff to beat Newcastle by 10.

Wasps to beat Gloucester by 4.

And finally, in the Guinness Premiership:

Leeds Carnegie to beat Harlequins by 5.

Saracens to beat Sale by 17.

London Irish to beat Worcester by 13.

This weekend is a proper rugby-fest, and I can't wait!

Two Fingers to the French

I'm waiting.

Waiting for what?

The inevitable "Anti-French" backlash.  (Yawn).

Why?

Well two reasons.


Firstly, David Attoub's 70 week ban for trying to poke out Stephen Ferris' eyes has been upheld.

Good.

Where was the appeal hearing? 

You've guessed it: London.

Quelle horreur.  It MUST be a case of everyone in England hating the French.

No.  Rules are rules.  Get over it.

Secondly, James "Le Hask" Haskell is starring as the rope in what is possibly the most pointless club v country tug of war ever.

Johnno wants to keep him in the England set up this weekend.  Stade Francais want him to slip on a fetching pink rugby shirt and his ridiculous white boots and trot out against Toulouse on Saturday.

I don't know what all the fuss is about.  Haskell did an excellent impression of Mr. Invisible against Ireland so why do either parties want him so badly?

It would be more understandable if Stade kept sending him back to England to make sure he features in the  France v England game.  Now that would be a cunning French plot to undermine England, by making us have one of our SHIT players back.

Either way, I bet there'll be a lot of furious smoking of Gitanes cigarettes on the other side of the channel.

But seriously Stade Francais, if you want to snatch Le Hask back under the cover of darkness, then please be my guest.

What's the Difference between Rugby and Facebook?

The answer is that poking is fun on Facebook but not in a game of rugby.

Yes Julien Dupuy and David Attoub of Stade Francais, I am talking to you.

Poor Stephen Ferris of Ulster was singled out for a disgusting spot of eye-gouging by this dispicable duo during the Ulster vs Stade Francais Heineken Cup Round 3 game, and the pair will now face a disciplinary hearing this Thursday.

Dupuy and Attoub released a joint statement, which says:
"..We apologise to the players and the Ulster club. Our actions were neither premeditated nor intentional.

"We also want to apologise to our club, players and staff for the negative image we've created."

So your actions weren't premeditated eh?  Let's look at the evidence.

First up, scrum-half Julien Dupuy:

"The pictures aren't really in my favour but I really didn't mean to put my fingers in his eyes," Dupuy told a French radio station. "I don't think I'm a dirty player."

Riiight.

Next up, David Attoub:

Yep, I can see some definite finger to eye contact in both cases.

So what should the punishment be for this pair of pokers?

Schalk Burger got off lightly with an eight week ban for poking his finger right into the eye socket of Lions winger Luke Fitzgerald this summer.  Then a couple of months ago, Shane Jennings was banned for twelve weeks after "making contact with the eye area of Nick Kennedy", even though the disciplinary panel said it was on the "lower end of the scale of seriousness for this type of offence."

So what options do the disciplinary panel have?  Well with the Shane Jennings case as a precedent I'd say Dupuy and Attoub are both looking down the barrel of a minimum 3 month ban if they are found guilty of eye-gouging, but the panel can dish out a ban of up to three years if they see fit.

I'm not saying that Dupuy and Attoub should be made examples of, but surely the only way to deter players from indulging in this disgusting and dangerous tactic which has no place in the game of rugby is to start handing out bans of 6 - 12 months or more.

I will be keeping my eye on this story...