Fever in the Aviva II – this time, it’s provincial

First topic message reminder :

Leinster v Munster on Friday night. Should be a cracker, all internationals will be back with both teams and we’ll both be going hammer and tongs at it to get up to speed for the HC the following week.

Let the banter begin.

Turnips….

Thread update. Teams announced:

Leinster also name team

15: Rob Kearney
14: Isa Nacewa
13: Fergus McFadden
12: Gordon D'Arcy
11: Luke Fitzgerald
10: Jonathan Sexton
9: Isaac Boss

1: Cian Healy
2: Richardt Strauss
3: Mike Ross
4: Leo Cullen CAPTAIN
5: Devin Toner
6: Sean O'Brien
7: Shane Jennings
8: Jamie Heaslip

REPLACEMENTS:

16: Sean Cronin
17: Heinke van der Merwe
18: Jamie Hagan
19: Kevin McLaughlin
20: Rhys Ruddock
21: Eoin Reddan
22: Ian Madigan
23: Eoin O'Malley


Munster:

Wian du Preez, Damien Varley, BJ Botha

Donnacha O'Callaghan, Paul O'Connell

Donnacha Ryan, Denis Leamy, Niall Ronan

Conor Murray, Ronan O'Gara

Lifeimi Mafi, Will Chambers

Keith Earls, Johne Murphy, Doug Howlett

Bench: Denis Fogarty, Marcus Horan, John Hayes, Peter O'Mahony, James Coughlan, Tomas O'Leary, Ian Keatley, Danny Barnes

Mickado wrote:Lads he has a point, if O'Brien is being penalised then it shouldn't be a peno try As he didn't stop the try.

Had a chat with a Munster fan after the game who thought the penalty try should have come a few mins earlier for pulling down the maul 3 times. 3 is the magic number apparently...

It was a repeat offence from SOB. That was the 2nd scrum that he did not bind (remember, the ball had come out with advantage Munster in the first scrum in this series the scrum was brought back to the other side of the pitch moving about 5 metres towards the Leinster line from the first scrum).

In the 2nd scrum, the ref's hand goes up as soon as SOB starts hanging onto Peter O'Mahoney's jersey when the ball is still at Coughlan's feet.

The original scrum started about halfway in the 22 so Leinster's scrum was going backwards.

You need to look at the 2 scrums to see exactly what happened.

I can't understand why Leinster didn't put McFadden into push. Doug Howlett famously stood in for POC against Northampton for a 5 metre scrum and Munster kept them out.

I don’t understand why they didn’t substitute a back for a forward. But sure there you go…

Anyway the penalty try was given because there was an infringement and then Nacewa tackled the ball carrier, it was a fair call in my opinion.

The ref was far too whistle happy all match though, watching the replay he was poor for both sides.

Thomond wrote:I think it may be due to Glas having a hatred of Munster.... His comments about Mafi are unjust. Why is he only focusing on Munster's infringements?

I'd say he is just focusing on munster infringements becauce sin é only focused on leinster infringements.

regarding the penalty try we had our second choice front row on, before that i thought healy held botha easily and ross had the upper hand.

i thought toner was brilliant in the lineout for us, anyone have the stats on the lineout

D24 - IMO scrums were even throughout the match only shifting in Munsters favour late in the game.

Agree that Toner impressed me - could he turn out to be an unlikely star. Mike Ross was 30 when he really made it as a rugby player. Toner is still in his early 20s.

I used to think he was a waste of space and would never amount to more than just a bit part Pro 12 player. However to be fair he has done well so far this year.

The stats aren’t up on scrum.com but I can remember us losing one of our own throws and possibly winning one or two of theirs.
Scrums were solid early on but with 7 men and a new front row we were poor.

Watched it again last night and thought McFadden was very lively, he was taking the ball from deep and bouncing into midfield, he done well. I would have no problem if we had to start himself and O’Malley next week.

Mickado wrote:
The ref was far too whistle happy all match though, watching the replay he was poor for both sides.

Yup, he totally spoiled it. I can't understand why he didn't allow a bit longer for playing advantage. He was just way to quick to blow his whistle. Both sides looked pretty rusty. Munster should be pretty concerned at how predictable their attacking play was and Leinster will be worried about their scrum. Munster really dominated the scrum big time.

If Munster don't replace ROG at 10 asap and get that centre combination sorted I think they will really struggle in Europe this season. Barnes looked really good on the wing but that Mafi/ Chambers combo was pretty one-dimensional.

Leinster are really missing Hines I think in the scrum and the back line looks a lot less threatening without Horgan and Nacewa on the wing instead of 15. Fitzgerald and McFadden combined really well on a few occaisions though.

Agree referee was very poor.

If Earls is injured next week as an off the wall idea what about:

10 Ronan O'Gara
11 Danny Barnes
12 Ian Keatley
13 Lifeimi Mafi
14 Doug Howlett
15 Johne Murphy

Stag why not play Chambers at 12. He looks like a big bloke and then have Barnes at 13?

ROG needs to sort himself out and go back to playing his normal game. He seems obsessed with spinning the ball wide at every opportunity. It is incredibly predictable.

Where is all the kicks in behind? There is just no variety to his game these days. Munster seem to have a stronger pack now so he needs to start controlling games again rather than playing like a headless chicken.

D24tress wrote:

Thomond wrote:I think it may be due to Glas having a hatred of Munster.... His comments about Mafi are unjust. Why is he only focusing on Munster's infringements?

I'd say he is just focusing on munster infringements becauce sin é only focused on leinster infringements.

I asked Red_Stag if the ref had got it right with two fairly high profile incidents in the game. According to Stag, he didn't. Why would Glas have a problem with those two questions. I wasn't claiming that Munster were robbed or anything.

Mickado suggested that Mafi would be cited for gouging Sexton. I replied I hoped if he had gouged Sexton, that he is dealt as leniently as the citing commissioner dealt with Sexton when he was cited for kicking Mafi in the head (which also explained a bit of the agro beween them).

Its not as if the Leinster supporters are not able to stand up for themselves - they hardly need a 'neutral' like Glas to readdress the 'balance'.

I think Mafi brings a bit of aggression to a backline thats otherwise fairly devoid of it.

Sin I think he got the Nacewa incident alright. It was only D.Ryan/O'Brien incident I had a problem with.

red_stag wrote:D24 - IMO scrums were even throughout the match only shifting in Munsters favour late in the game.

Agree that Toner impressed me - could he turn out to be an unlikely star. Mike Ross was 30 when he really made it as a rugby player. Toner is still in his early 20s.

I used to think he was a waste of space and would never amount to more than just a bit part Pro 12 player. However to be fair he has done well so far this year.

sorry stag i didnt mean to give the impression leinster dominated or anything, i thought it was even aswell, hagan will need time but he was given his big game wings.

roddersm wrote:Stag why not play Chambers at 12. He looks like a big bloke and then have Barnes at 13?

ROG needs to sort himself out and go back to playing his normal game. He seems obsessed with spinning the ball wide at every opportunity. It is incredibly predictable.

Where is all the kicks in behind? There is just no variety to his game these days. Munster seem to have a stronger pack now so he needs to start controlling games again rather than playing like a headless chicken.

Neither team were showing anything in that game. Think of the warm up games for the world cup. That was all about getting gametime.

This game has gone back to what it used to be - a warmup game for the Heineken Cup. Anyone remember a game in Musgrave about 4 years ago when Munster kept throwing the ball around in gale force wind and rain? Munster lost 3 - 10 to Leinster. The following week Munster played Scarletts and beat them 16-29 over there in the Heineken Cup. The weather was so bad at one stage they thought they would have to stop it and replay it. Remember the 33 phases of rugby closing out the game?*

*That could also explain why Glas hates Munster

red_stag wrote:Sin I think he got the Nacewa incident alright. It was only D.Ryan/O'Brien incident I had a problem with.

Oh, I misunderstood you there. I thought you said that should have been a penalty.

Fair enough.

For the record everyone, I'm not making a big deal about any of them. I just want to know.

I was dissappointed to see the Leinster scrum under that much pressure (with an Irish hat on).
Toner was impressive for vast periods of the game. I think for one primary reason.... he didn't carry ball. The man is too tall to take ball into contact, tacklers get under him easily and either drive him back cos they have his knees wrapped up or he falls forward and the defense can compete for the ball before Leinster can get up to recycle it. When he focuses on clearing out rucks, driving back malls, tackling, lineouts, etc. he has great reach and technique (and powerful leg drives) to be a really competitive second row. Unfortunately, the standout moments when he is in a game is being put backwards in a tackle and struggling to recycle possession.

It was a very rusty game, both Leinster and Munster needed it before kicking off the HCup group games. Both will hit the group stagings at full speed as a result of a really competitive match.

I hope Earls injury isn't too serious and that he comes back 100% soon enough. Munster have had poor luck with complications to POC, Flannery in the past. Can their backroom be trusted?

Sin é wrote:

red_stag wrote:Sin I think he got the Nacewa incident alright. It was only D.Ryan/O'Brien incident I had a problem with.

Oh, I misunderstood you there. I thought you said that should have been a penalty.

Fair enough.

For the record everyone, I'm not making a big deal about any of them. I just want to know.

Yes Nacewa incident was a penalty and referee gave a penalty.

Regarding Ryan/O'Brien he should IMO have just whistled quickly against Ryan. However when he didn't and O'Brien used him as a stairmaster he should have been penalised. That was a poor decision IMO.

He got the Nacewa incident alright. Penalty but not a yellow card.

Sin é wrote:

D24tress wrote:

Thomond wrote:I think it may be due to Glas having a hatred of Munster.... His comments about Mafi are unjust. Why is he only focusing on Munster's infringements?

I'd say he is just focusing on munster infringements becauce sin é only focused on leinster infringements.

I asked Red_Stag if the ref had got it right with two fairly high profile incidents in the game. According to Stag, he didn't. Why would Glas have a problem with those two questions. I wasn't claiming that Munster were robbed or anything.

Mickado suggested that Mafi would be cited for gouging Sexton. I replied I hoped if he had gouged Sexton, that he is dealt as leniently as the citing commissioner dealt with Sexton when he was cited for kicking Mafi in the head (which also explained a bit of the agro beween them).

Its not as if the Leinster supporters are not able to stand up for themselves - they hardly need a 'neutral' like Glas to readdress the 'balance'.

So all the major incidents just happened to be on munster players and it was leinster players in the wrong,

I'd say it was hard for you to watch king jonny kick all our points in another leinster victory.
I'd say munster over the last few years are having trouble winning the big games away from home.

thebandwagonsociety wrote:Munster have had poor luck with complications to POC, Flannery in the past. Can their backroom be trusted?

An interesting point. Tomas O'Learys back problems dragged on longer than anticipated too and I remember Christian Cullen being injury plagued.

Whether its down to Munster or down to the backroom is hard to say.

On the other hand the likes of John Hayes went a decade without any injuries - is that a plus for Munster backroom team or down to him.

Sin é wrote:
Neither team were showing anything in that game. Think of the warm up games for the world cup. That was all about getting gametime.

This game has gone back to what it used to be - a warmup game for the Heineken Cup. Anyone remember a game in Musgrave about 4 years ago when Munster kept throwing the ball around in gale force wind and rain? Munster lost 3 - 10 to Leinster. The following week Munster played Scarletts and beat them 16-29 over there in the Heineken Cup. The weather was so bad at one stage they thought they would have to stop it and replay it. Remember the 33 phases of rugby closing out the game?*

*That could also explain why Glas hates Munster

I hope you are right Sin.

Both sides will be a bit concerened. However more so Munster.

Leinster looked like a side who's gameplan isn't quite clicking due to personel changes and a bit of rustiness.

However Munster look like a side without a gameplan, or at least without a game plan that works. Granted they are missing their two most dangerous backs but I think with a stronger scrum this year they need to roll their sleeves up and go back to basics a bit. ROG needs to start playing like ROG instead of trying to convince everyone he's Quade Cooper.

red_stag wrote:

thebandwagonsociety wrote:Munster have had poor luck with complications to POC, Flannery in the past. Can their backroom be trusted?

An interesting point. Tomas O'Learys back problems dragged on longer than anticipated too and I remember Christian Cullen being injury plagued.

Whether its down to Munster or down to the backroom is hard to say.

On the other hand the likes of John Hayes went a decade without any injuries - is that a plus for Munster backroom team or down to him.

Irish injuries as a whole have gone up since gary o'driscoll went to arsenal i have found.
small injuries that are only meant to last a short period seem to be lasting alot longer.

DOC, ROG, Stringer, Howlett have a fairly good record with regard to injury.

The Bull, DOC & ROG have been amazing really they have stayed so injury free.

red_stag wrote:

thebandwagonsociety wrote:Munster have had poor luck with complications to POC, Flannery in the past. Can their backroom be trusted?

An interesting point. Tomas O'Learys back problems dragged on longer than anticipated too and I remember Christian Cullen being injury plagued.

Whether its down to Munster or down to the backroom is hard to say.

On the other hand the likes of John Hayes went a decade without any injuries - is that a plus for Munster backroom team or down to him.

I think anyone can pick up an injury, so JH going a decade without anything major is down to conditioning (not overconditioning) and luck. But once someone has an injury at Munster, it appears to linger far longer than it should. Sometimes these things just happen. It might be nothing, but I'll be looking at Earls recovery with curiosity.

red_stag wrote:

thebandwagonsociety wrote:Munster have had poor luck with complications to POC, Flannery in the past. Can their backroom be trusted?

An interesting point. Tomas O'Learys back problems dragged on longer than anticipated too and I remember Christian Cullen being injury plagued.

If you add Felix Jones to the list as well as guys like Barry Murphy and Dowling then that is a very good point indeed. Munster certainly have a history of guys with serious long term injury problems. Denis Leamy too has had persistant problems.

Edit: The weather and style of rugby may be a factor but it seems when players get injured at Munster they tend to stay injured or at least not come back the same player.

That could also explain why Glas hates Munster

I don't have enough hate to spread around everybody that beats the Scarlets

Keep going though, I am fascinated by this thread.

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:I had thought McFadden was good I must say. I was there but haven't watched it back and thought mcf was great in midfield off lineouts and made Chambers lose ground.

I dnt know y people are sayin he was poor

I agree thought he was pretty good too.

I've noticed the long term injuries at Munster too. Didn't they originally misdiagnose POC's groin problem? Flannery has had recurring problems for years. I think Felix Jones can just be put down to bad luck. I think they were three bad but entirely different injuries.

Maybe it's just down to the fact that they're an ageing team.

roddersm wrote:

Sin é wrote:
Neither team were showing anything in that game. Think of the warm up games for the world cup. That was all about getting gametime.

This game has gone back to what it used to be - a warmup game for the Heineken Cup. Anyone remember a game in Musgrave about 4 years ago when Munster kept throwing the ball around in gale force wind and rain? Munster lost 3 - 10 to Leinster. The following week Munster played Scarletts and beat them 16-29 over there in the Heineken Cup. The weather was so bad at one stage they thought they would have to stop it and replay it. Remember the 33 phases of rugby closing out the game?*

*That could also explain why Glas hates Munster

I hope you are right Sin.

Both sides will be a bit concerened. However more so Munster.

Leinster looked like a side who's gameplan isn't quite clicking due to personel changes and a bit of rustiness.

However Munster look like a side without a gameplan, or at least without a game plan that works. Granted they are missing their two most dangerous backs but I think with a stronger scrum this year they need to roll their sleeves up and go back to basics a bit. ROG needs to start playing like ROG instead of trying to convince everyone he's Quade Cooper.

Morning all, just back from week away Rodders dont agree with your assessment (surprise surprise).

I would have thought that Munster game plan is very clear. Its all about defense. Only 4 tries conceded in I dont maybe 12 games is unbelievable. A game plan doesnt have to be all about attacking flair. Muntsers defense is rock solid.

I would more change your assessment a small bit. The question is, is this gameplan good enought for an assault on Europe?? Can we stangle teams into submission and then pick off scores ruthlesssly. My guess is no.

Probably manage it against the Scarlets at least. Maybe not past the 1/4 final stage.

IMO we can win all 6 matches.
IMO we can also lose about 4 matches.

Hard to tell how it will go.

Sorry Blue Muff I meant Munsters gameplan in attack. Yes their set piece and defence is very good (although the lineout was a bit sloppy), but in attack it's hard to see where the points will come from in Europe.

It was the same last season. In the past you always felt Munster knew what they were doing with the ball and could grind out the crucial scores.

There is no effective carrying from the pack, no angles in attack, no variety just shipping the ball wide with very little effectiveness or inside hospital balls to Howlett coming into the line.

nacewa tackle in the air. penalty no more.

ryan getting a shoeing - well he was lying there not making much of an effort to get away. ref should have blown earlier (like he did all game). to be fair i thought the ball was underneath him but that was just my view. didnt see the replay.

penalty try - not sure why he awarded it. If against SOB fair enough thought Nacewa was entitled to go for it.

All in all not a great game but we deserved to win despite a late scare. roll on montpellier

D24tress wrote:

Sin é wrote:

D24tress wrote:

Thomond wrote:I think it may be due to Glas having a hatred of Munster.... His comments about Mafi are unjust. Why is he only focusing on Munster's infringements?

I'd say he is just focusing on munster infringements becauce sin é only focused on leinster infringements.

I asked Red_Stag if the ref had got it right with two fairly high profile incidents in the game. According to Stag, he didn't. Why would Glas have a problem with those two questions. I wasn't claiming that Munster were robbed or anything.

Mickado suggested that Mafi would be cited for gouging Sexton. I replied I hoped if he had gouged Sexton, that he is dealt as leniently as the citing commissioner dealt with Sexton when he was cited for kicking Mafi in the head (which also explained a bit of the agro beween them).

Its not as if the Leinster supporters are not able to stand up for themselves - they hardly need a 'neutral' like Glas to readdress the 'balance'.

So all the major incidents just happened to be on munster players and it was leinster players in the wrong,

I'd say it was hard for you to watch king jonny kick all our points in another leinster victory.
I'd say munster over the last few years are having trouble winning the big games away from home.

I've no objection to you asking Stag about infringements that Munster made and went unpunished by the ref
As for Sexton kicking all his points. I already predicted last week that his kicking would be fine - he usually is when at home and the majority of the fans there are his own supporters (like in the Heineken Cup finals).

Sin é wrote:

D24tress wrote:

Sin é wrote:

D24tress wrote:

Thomond wrote:I think it may be due to Glas having a hatred of Munster.... His comments about Mafi are unjust. Why is he only focusing on Munster's infringements?

I'd say he is just focusing on munster infringements becauce sin é only focused on leinster infringements.

I asked Red_Stag if the ref had got it right with two fairly high profile incidents in the game. According to Stag, he didn't. Why would Glas have a problem with those two questions. I wasn't claiming that Munster were robbed or anything.

Mickado suggested that Mafi would be cited for gouging Sexton. I replied I hoped if he had gouged Sexton, that he is dealt as leniently as the citing commissioner dealt with Sexton when he was cited for kicking Mafi in the head (which also explained a bit of the agro beween them).

Its not as if the Leinster supporters are not able to stand up for themselves - they hardly need a 'neutral' like Glas to readdress the 'balance'.

So all the major incidents just happened to be on munster players and it was leinster players in the wrong,

I'd say it was hard for you to watch king jonny kick all our points in another leinster victory.
I'd say munster over the last few years are having trouble winning the big games away from home.

I've no objection to you asking Stag about infringements that Munster made and went unpunished by the ref
As for Sexton kicking all his points. I already predicted last week that his kicking would be fine - he usually is when at home and the majority of the fans there are his own supporters (like in the Heineken Cup finals).

I think it was a big help that Munster chose to infringe in a fairly central position and not too far out either.

nah nothing to do with that. any stats on his kick stats being worse away from home??

when he arrived on the scene first as contepomi's understudy his kicking range was cat. i mean he could barely make the posts from 35 metres out.

Since then he has improved massively but got the serious yips on 2/3 occasions which have lasted for a month or so. It was unfortunate that his most recent dose came at the World Cup and he was dropped on the basis of his poor kicking.

and yes munsters issue is winning big games away from home. we all know they are still a serious proposition in thomond park. i think they will do well to get one win on the road this year. its a very tough group

as for mafi, one of these days he will seriously injure someone in a leinster jersey if he continues trying to decapitate people. in the famous incident sexton lashed out and was punished. how long a ban was warranted? six months?? he kicked out on a fella who again put in a very dangerous tackle on a team mate.

Rava wrote:
I think it was a big help that Munster chose to infringe in a fairly central position and not too far out either.

Deccie probably gave Munster instructions to make it easy for Sexton and get his confidence back

What about the try saving tackle Sexton put in towards the end. Absolute beauty. Won the turnover too.
A lot to be said for having an outhalf who you can rely on in defense…

Did anybody else think the choice of ref was baffling.

This is the showpiece of the Pro 12. The two best and biggest clubs going head to head in front of 50 thousand. Why not give it an Irish ref who knows both teams. Let them go at it for 80 minutes and lets have a spectacle of a match without blowing for every possible 50/50 infringement.

We need to promote the game not bore people to death.

dublin_dave wrote:nah nothing to do with that. any stats on his kick stats being worse away from home??

when he arrived on the scene first as contepomi's understudy his kicking range was cat. i mean he could barely make the posts from 35 metres out.

Since then he has improved massively but got the serious yips on 2/3 occasions which have lasted for a month or so. It was unfortunate that his most recent dose came at the World Cup and he was dropped on the basis of his poor kicking.

and yes munsters issue is winning big games away from home. we all know they are still a serious proposition in thomond park. i think they will do well to get one win on the road this year. its a very tough group

as for mafi, one of these days he will seriously injure someone in a leinster jersey if he continues trying to decapitate people. in the famous incident sexton lashed out and was punished. how long a ban was warranted? six months?? he kicked out on a fella who again put in a very dangerous tackle on a team mate.

Thats all Munster ever manage - win home games and one on the road, and a few BPs!

Mafi's kick? What are you talking about? Mafi was yellow carded - Sexton retaliated with a kick to his head. Sexton was cited and was suspended for a week - only missing one Magners game and being available for the Heineken Cup. One week for a kick in the head - that is far more serious than a high tackle.

I agree with Rava, noe of this kicks were particularly difficult but credit it to him for slotting them. Munster have no attacking gameplan it seems to be largely based on defence. It's all well and good to let the other team have the ball if you can defend it. Giving away 8 penalties in kickable positions kind of negates your defensvie work though.

ROG must have been tutoring him in NZ.

Mickado wrote:What about the try saving tackle Sexton put in towards the end. Absolute beauty. Won the turnover too.
A lot to be said for having an outhalf who you can rely on in defense…

A lot can be said for having a fullback who can tackle as well so that your outhalf doesn't have to be making try saving tackles

BlueMuff wrote:Did anybody else think the choice of ref was baffling.

This is the showpiece of the Pro 12. The two best and biggest clubs going head to head in front of 50 thousand. Why not give it an Irish ref who knows both teams. Let them go at it for 80 minutes and lets have a spectacle of a match without blowing for every possible 50/50 infringement.

We need to promote the game not bore people to death.

Munster tactics and negative play contributed to the dullness in fairness.

leinsterbaby wrote:

BlueMuff wrote:Did anybody else think the choice of ref was baffling.

This is the showpiece of the Pro 12. The two best and biggest clubs going head to head in front of 50 thousand. Why not give it an Irish ref who knows both teams. Let them go at it for 80 minutes and lets have a spectacle of a match without blowing for every possible 50/50 infringement.

We need to promote the game not bore people to death.

Munster tactics and negative play contributed to the dullness in fairness.

I can see why Joe was so upset about the game not being entertaining - no more big cash nights for Leinster Rugby on Munster's back!

LB was clearly wearing his heino goggles....

Stats from friday
18 Kicks from hand 11
125 Passes 73
89 Runs 69
173 Metres run with ball 288

Attacking
3 Clean breaks 5
7 Defenders beaten 9
3 Offloads 8

Which one do you think are Munsters stats????

Sin é wrote:

leinsterbaby wrote:

BlueMuff wrote:Did anybody else think the choice of ref was baffling.

This is the showpiece of the Pro 12. The two best and biggest clubs going head to head in front of 50 thousand. Why not give it an Irish ref who knows both teams. Let them go at it for 80 minutes and lets have a spectacle of a match without blowing for every possible 50/50 infringement.

We need to promote the game not bore people to death.

Munster tactics and negative play contributed to the dullness in fairness.

I can see why Joe was so upset about the game not being entertaining - no more big cash nights for Leinster Rugby on Munster's back!

That was Munster's plan all along, play boring rugby so Leinster lose out on a few bob!

Sin é wrote:

leinsterbaby wrote:

BlueMuff wrote:Did anybody else think the choice of ref was baffling.

This is the showpiece of the Pro 12. The two best and biggest clubs going head to head in front of 50 thousand. Why not give it an Irish ref who knows both teams. Let them go at it for 80 minutes and lets have a spectacle of a match without blowing for every possible 50/50 infringement.

We need to promote the game not bore people to death.

Munster tactics and negative play contributed to the dullness in fairness.

I can see why Joe was so upset about the game not being entertaining - no more big cash nights for Leinster Rugby on Munster's back!

Classic munster mentality that Leinster somehow owe munster some sort of debt of gratitude.

Well they taught leinster not to play Leinster schoolboy rugby as in 2006. Since Leinster have got boring they have managed to start winning...well done Leinster...and its allright dont worry about thanking us

It is in Munster's very soul to play boring rugby. It's their Birthright.
Thank the Rugby Gods for us, Toulouse, Quins and ASM.

Tigers, Munster and Sarries - should be put straight into the Amlin LV Trucks Div 3 Southern Section Cup for 10 man rugby.

Sin é wrote:

leinsterbaby wrote:

BlueMuff wrote:Did anybody else think the choice of ref was baffling.

This is the showpiece of the Pro 12. The two best and biggest clubs going head to head in front of 50 thousand. Why not give it an Irish ref who knows both teams. Let them go at it for 80 minutes and lets have a spectacle of a match without blowing for every possible 50/50 infringement.

We need to promote the game not bore people to death.

Munster tactics and negative play contributed to the dullness in fairness.

I can see why Joe was so upset about the game not being entertaining - no more big cash nights for Leinster Rugby on Munster's back!

A lot of the big cash nights have come to an end. I was shocked to be offered tickets to the Northampton game for next week end from numerous people. Considering the nice bit of history between the sides and it being HC, a stadium the size of TP would be a sellout months in advance in previous years. Also the seasontickets were a stretch for the clubs this year, a lot of people renewed only after significant effort from the clubs.

On the game going to Lansdowne road, considering there are only c.3,000 spare seats at RDS these days it would be silly not to move the game and give it the proper pomp 'n' ceremony it deserves.

Oh, and I'm not going to claim Leinster are immune to a drop in demand, a poor HC run and this wagon might be on the move up the N1!