By Ballagher
May 28 2003

Ok everyone. Following Toulouse's victory on Saturday against Perpignan, I am back for one final time to remind (most of) you just how hopeless your early season predictions turned out to be. Who rose above it all to end top of the pile? Scoring and League table

I'm sure you know it by now but, in case not, the scoring is as follows:

For each quarter finalist you predict correctly 2 points.
For each semi finalist 4 points.
For each finalist 6 points.
For the winner 10 points.

The table is based on the maximum number of points you can still get. The maximum for a completely accurate prediction is 54 points (which, of course, nobody got even close to).

After the Semi Finals

So here are the final standings now that all the games have been and gone. As ever, I'll leave most of the comment to yourselves.

As the tournament comes to a close, the makings of a distinct pack appear possible. Abbers at loosehead (well done Abbers), Chris (the Saints Ed) is hooker and Tim Empson (alias St Tim) at tighthead. That’s their reward for predicting Toulouse as the eventual winners.

The first member of the second row is hippo (courtesy of her identifying 3 of the semi-finalists). However, I'm afraid Saints were never going to beat Munster in the final, as she predicted.

Sir Henry and Well Saint still have to decide between them who will partner hippo (in the scrum that is) and who is to take up the role of blindside flanker. Now I only know one of them but, if I were front row, I know which one I wouldn’t want to lift in the line-out! Behind the top 6 there's a mad scramble for the last places in the pack and then into the backs.

But anyway, double congratulations go to Abbers. Firstly, for winning the competition and also for keeping the Ed from top spot. (Chris isn't that twice recently you’ve finished second? You really are the SAINTS Ed.) (Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr………………Chris)

Anyway, here’s the table.

Position Name Points
1 Abbers 36
2 Chris the Ed 34
3 Tim Empson 32
4 Hippo 30
5= Sir Henry 26
5= Well Saint 26
7= Carol 22
7= Jamie Taylor 22
7= Shaddo 22
10= Clarkey 20
10= Gareth Hughes 20
10= Ross 20
13= Adam Reynolds 18
13= Craig the Ballboy 18
13= Daimon 18
13= Rich Joe's Dad 18
13= Sea Bass 18
13= Simon Timms 18
13= Chris Marshall 18
13= TaG 18
21= Ajack 16
21= Chris Parr 16
21= Dan Cooper 16
21= David Percy 16
21= Jim Taylor 16
21= Kerry Tobin 16
21= Lord Stephen 16
21= Markskaaa 16
21= Smurfomatic 16
21= Stockers 16
21= Terry Wright 16
21= Amy Harrison 16
21= Ballagher 16
21= Rob Morgan 16
35= Amy Battison 14
35= Chris Hoddle 14
35= Dropgoal 14
35= Ian Morris 14
35= Jack 14
35= Large 14
35= Mark Hazell 14
35= Sam Wigg 14
35= Tightheed 14
35= Weeble 14
35= Maverick 14
35= Saint Andrew 14
35= Saint Claire 14
35= Stephen Edwards 14
35= Tom Harris 14
35= Tom Howell 14
51= West Mids Saint 12
51= Ben Dover 12
51= Edward Lovelock 12
51= Ernie 12
51= Hil 12
51= Philip Knighton 12
57= Carl Furness 10
57= David Lloyd 10
57= Eddie Baggott 10
57= LOM 10
61 Craig Holmes 8