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

Mick you original post =

I said sorry, it’s been a long day and I’m browned off in work.

Of course anyone can say what they want, paper doesn’t refuse ink.

5) how much I hate Munster, apparently

We beat the best and in-form teams in Europe, by playing them off the park. Won our impossible pool with room to spare. Then Tigers, then Toulouse, then unbeaten Saints in the Final at 6-22 down. It was the greatest HC win ever.

Everyone knows that. Well... everyone except our jealous country-cousins.

10 more years!

Just to remind ye how it should be done. Again.

Part 1
Munster Parental Guidance Cert denied for what you are about to see. Far too much sex goin on in these clips. It's an alien concept to ye, I know. But just so ye know what it actually looks like...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=W-5z4Nu5r7E


See Part 2 of 27 superb HC tries also.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75vyllDqknY

No charge for the sheer joy.

You're both wrong. Ulster's win was the best. Complete underdogs, massive over-achievement.

Gibson..heres an Irish team back in the day playing s.xy rugby running the ball from their own 22 backs and forwards interchanging. Even better its away to a French team in a HC Semi way back in 2000....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZjMCkiA_iM&feature=results_main&playnext=1&list=PLB2260D41E0C3243A

You learned it from the Masters

Glas a du wrote:You're both wrong. Ulster's win was the best. Complete underdogs, massive over-achievement.

It was great but there were no English teams involved at a time when they were quite dominant in Europe. Also the final was against Colombiers. Who?

You can only beat who's in front of you. They blazed the trail the other two have followed.

They sure did.

absolute peach to be fair DOD. Some score. Played some tremendous stuff that year

cant beat a french team away in the knock out stages if you dont draw them. we lost to Toulouse minus our "not top drawer fly half". The gas thing is Sexton is the one player Leinster cannot afford to lose. Even if Madigan is improving and Berqvist has some pedigree.

Ulster victory was noble in its own right but Colomiers - sounds like some kind of colostomy bag never mind a rugby team. They were no Dax

Oddest invasion of Dublin in a long time. Red Hands of Ulster everywhere and not a stitch of trouble. A lot of the non rugby followers in the city didnt have a clue of what to make of it. great day

They gave you the belief. You'd be nowhere without it.

Mickado wrote:Forgive me, that’s a bit out of line.

Here’s what I meant.

Since Leinster have beaten Munster you’ve written about:

1) How ex-Leinster pundits are biased, more biased than ex-Munster pundits

I mentioned one Munster pundit was unbiased while it was obvious that Byrne & Jackman were watching a different match. See the stats on Leinster's discipline!

2) How Sexton only got a ONE WEEK ban for kicking Larry Murphy in the face

Only responded to your comment that Mafi gouged Sexton and should be cited. I would not have mentioned Sexton kicking Mafi if you hadn't brought it up.
[/quote]

3) How Munster won’t entertain against Leinster because we’d make money off of it

I was really wondering why Joe Schmidt was such a poor winner? There was no need for those arrogant comments, particularly now that we know that Leinster were much more cynical.

4) How Munster’s win in 08 was as good as Leinster’s in ‘11

I think Munster's win was better because it was done on the road. Again, I wouldn't have brought it up if you hadn't been bragging about the 'best win in Heineken Cup history.'

Very very little talk about the match that JUST happened there.

I talked plenty about a few of the ref's decisions. I produced visual evidence as to why it was a penalty try (some people though that Leinster were hard done by). I'd be happy to talk about the gouging incident if you could produce a clip of it to review and now that we have the stats (you all know how I like to use stats to back up my opinion ), what aspect of the game would you like me to give an opinion on?

Ah ya cant really count Ulsters win. It was nice for them, but lets get real here.
Winning it now is nigh on impossible. Winning it twice in a row? That would settle all bets. For good.

Our marker is Toulouse. In so many ways. Not just HC wins. 15 years of consistency.

ASM, with the illusive Brennus now under their belts, will be going all out to win it this year. They have the squad to win both now.

Have to be honest and say that Munster won their 2 against so many odds. Lot of heartbreak came before they did it. They earned it the hard way.
So did we.

BIG News! BOD out for 6 months!
http://www.ercrugby.com/eng/news/14842.php

Step up Mcfadden and O' Malley. The time is NOW. For Leinster and for Ireland. He will miss the 6-N. So my cunning plan will work...

Rory Best for Captain!

Sin É...you should change your name to Sin Statto...

Bet you cant explain why the Cats beat ye this year though?
You lot have done your usual one in a row after about 50 years. JBM is back and the blood and bandage will take their rightful place next year again.

Glas a du wrote:You're both wrong. Ulster's win was the best. Complete underdogs, massive over-achievement.

+ 100

Munster and Leinster have been riding our coattails ever since SUFTUM!!

DOD wrote:Sin É...you should change your name to Sin Statto...

Bet you cant explain why the Cats beat ye this year though?
You lot have done your usual one in a row after about 50 years. JBM is back and the blood and bandage will take their rightful place next year again.

Actually I do know why we lost to the cats this year. A very young team who had it all in their first year and a change in management and of course, Kilkenny hurting big time.

As for JBM - hope it turns out better than Babs for you! Anyway, good that your back - all the going on strike was getting a bit tedious to be honest.

Every team that wins the Heineken Cup, gets some bit of luck at some point along the way. But Leinster didn't really get lucky in any of the matches. They didn't need to. They topped the group comfortably and won all the knockout games comfortably in the end.

Leinsters one bit of luck was getting the home semi final draw against Toulouse. But that was just evening out the bad luck of the year before of getting an away draw to Toulouse in the semi. And even, then we had to face the champions and we had the blow of conceding that freak try at the start. But we still won by more than a score in the end.

No team has ever had to beat more of the very top quality teams on their route to the title. Leinster beat them all with supreme style. It's the Leinster way.

and to be honest sin e i cannot think of any of us leinster fans who belittled munsters achievement winning 2 HC's in 3 years. i was delighted for them especially after their two final defeats

I just get a little miffed at the failure of a small number of Munster fans to give us any credit for our achievements and attempting to belittle everything about them. more so than that the conduct of a small number of sour red clad idiots at HC Finals in Edinburgh and Cardiff really got on my nerves.

there you go. anyway i am really looking forward to the weekends rugby. Absolute must win game for Munster for me even if its first up. Ulster v Clermont should be a cracker too. Clermont have a serious squad but can be a bit flakey on the road. Ulster with their big guns back will give them a right rattle in Ravenhill. Montpellier will be tough also, would be curious to see how they approach the HC.

Dublin_Dave I agree with you. At times (and it does work both ways) the attitude of certain Munster and Leinster fans to each other actually is like what you'd expect Chelsea v Man Utd fans.

red_stag wrote:Dublin_Dave I agree with you. At times (and it does work both ways) the attitude of certain Munster and Leinster fans to each other actually is like what you'd expect Chelsea v Man Utd fans.

Just takes one reader on here to take a bit of 'banter' as an emphatic statement though to kick threads into 10-11 pages of '..no we're better than you...'

dublin_dave wrote:and to be honest sin e i cannot think of any of us leinster fans who belittled munsters achievement winning 2 HC's in 3 years. i was delighted for them especially after their two final defeats

I just get a little miffed at the failure of a small number of Munster fans to give us any credit for our achievements and attempting to belittle everything about them. more so than that the conduct of a small number of sour red clad idiots at HC Finals in Edinburgh and Cardiff really got on my nerves.

there you go. anyway i am really looking forward to the weekends rugby. Absolute must win game for Munster for me even if its first up. Ulster v Clermont should be a cracker too. Clermont have a serious squad but can be a bit flakey on the road. Ulster with their big guns back will give them a right rattle in Ravenhill. Montpellier will be tough also, would be curious to see how they approach the HC.

Believe me, I give Leinster lots of credit for what they have achieved. I simply don't believe that Leinster's win last year is the "most impressive in the history of the competition." [Quote Micado]. That was claimed by a Leinster poster. Why do Leinster posters need Munster's supporters approval all the time?

Why do Leinster supporters have a problem with I thinking that Munster's win in '08 was excellent (but I have not claimed that it was the most impressive in the history of the competition.

And I did think Joe Schmidt's comments were very poor after the game.

Schmidt & some Leinster supporters could do with learning a bit about being generous in victoryas well.

absolutely red stag. few absolute plonkers about on Friday supporting Leinster. just relaying my personal experience of your select few. i suppose it comes with the huge numbers of followers following both provinces.

im all for a bit of banter and verbals. no issues with both sets of fans making it unpleasant for the opposition within reason. the rivalry would not be near as much fun if sexton was welcomed lovingly to thomond and vice versa Rog in Dublin (same goes for other players). Its just it can turn a little sour at times and lack wit.

think you will do the business on Saturday evening? Will need a good performances to get the win. Night match on a cold November night with raucous support. Just what the doctor ordered to blow the last of world cup cobwebs away.

first time schmidt has ever said anything remotely controversial.

Some Munster people disliking Leinster (their dislike is aimed at Dublin really) and vice versa isn't that unusual. I know people from the south of France who hate Parisian's. I worked with a guy from Devon who said London was just full of scumbags. The English football clubs from the north like Newcastle, always support club before country. And I'd bet rural Americans hate New Yorkers (I know it's not the official capital). Seeing the people of the capital as unlike the rest of the country, and having a strong sense of local identity, isn't unique to Ireland. And the people of the capital branding everyone outside the capital as culshies, rednecks etc. isn't unique to Ireland either.

It's nearly all just harmless banter though. Nothing to get upset about. I grew up watching Drogheda United play soccer. And if anyone thinks they're hearing "abuse" at a rugby match, they should never ever go and watch Drogheda v Dundalk. Soccer is on an entirely different scale of foul insults, and tribal abuse. But it's all seen as pretty standard banter by soccer fans. I think rugby matches are ten times more family friendly, polite and respectful.

Sin é wrote:

dublin_dave wrote:and to be honest sin e i cannot think of any of us leinster fans who belittled munsters achievement winning 2 HC's in 3 years. i was delighted for them especially after their two final defeats

I just get a little miffed at the failure of a small number of Munster fans to give us any credit for our achievements and attempting to belittle everything about them. more so than that the conduct of a small number of sour red clad idiots at HC Finals in Edinburgh and Cardiff really got on my nerves.

there you go. anyway i am really looking forward to the weekends rugby. Absolute must win game for Munster for me even if its first up. Ulster v Clermont should be a cracker too. Clermont have a serious squad but can be a bit flakey on the road. Ulster with their big guns back will give them a right rattle in Ravenhill. Montpellier will be tough also, would be curious to see how they approach the HC.

Believe me, I give Leinster lots of credit for what they have achieved. I simply don't believe that Leinster's win last year is the "most impressive in the history of the competition." [Quote Micado]. That was claimed by a Leinster poster. It was by most all the rest who saw it and experienced it. Welsh, English, Irish, Scottish and French.
Why do Leinster posters need Munster's supporters approval all the time?
Why do either sets of fans have to get approval from each other for anything? We both earned the right as former and present European Super-powers.

Why do Leinster supporters have a problem with I thinking that Munster's win in '08 was excellent (but I have not claimed that it was the most impressive in the history of the competition.

And I did think Joe Schmidt's comments were very poor after the game.

Schmidt & some Leinster supporters could do with learning a bit about being generous in victory as well.

Yeah, in fairness, we are getting a lot of practice at it too.

What did Schmidt say in fact?

I dislike Limerick rugby and a lot of their supporters..but i guess we have to tolerate them for Munster..

It used to be much better in the old days when we only had to have the odd token one for appearances. Even worse is the fact that they even allow Tipperary people play

And what's wrong with the people of Tipperary? If it wasn't for them Kilkenny wouldn't have any competition in the hurling. We wouldn't have the song "It's a Way to Tipperary". And the great people of Tipperary have also ensured that in Ireland's hour of crisis, we have Michael Lowry in the Dail.

DOD wrote:I dislike Limerick rugby and a lot of their supporters..but i guess we have to tolerate them for Munster..

It used to be much better in the old days when we only had to have the odd token one for appearances. Even worse is the fact that they even allow Tipperary people play

Love it!

Feckless Rogues, Dundalk v Drogheda is nothing. Sure only 5 people turn up to the match! Go see Scumrock Rovers play Cork City and you will be lucky to come bac alive.


Also who ever said Leinster weren't lucky last year, they got lucky once. But that was all they needed. Let's remember what Seanie did last year........

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zI1M0EeIgdg

T,
Luck is possibly one of the biggest components of it all. But, it needs to be at the right time. And you need to be in the right position to take advantage of it.

BTW. Toulouse did not complain about that one. And we all know why.

Big yeah on Rovers and Caawrk City. Next year eh?

Congrats btw.

Nyanga was being a little Poopie but SOB was lucky to get away with it. I was happy for Leinster but still. City back in the big time, Umbro making their gear now and everything.

Huge season for you my man. Better grounds to travel to. Nicer pies and Bovril. And Europe beckons.

Yeah, he was tres lucky all roysh.

Love Toulouse. Love the way they man-up and dont moan. So much to learn from them yet.

DOD wrote:I dislike Limerick rugby and a lot of their supporters..but i guess we have to tolerate them for Munster..

It used to be much better in the old days when we only had to have the odd token one for appearances. Even worse is the fact that they even allow Tipperary people play

Tipperary keeps the peace in Munster between Limerick & Cork. The meat of the sandwich so to speak.

Feckless Rogue wrote:And what's wrong with the people of Tipperary? If it wasn't for them Kilkenny wouldn't have any competition in the hurling. We wouldn't have the song "It's a Way to Tipperary". And the great people of Tipperary have also ensured that in Ireland's hour of crisis, we have Michael Lowry in the Dail.

ah, Tipperary, the only county outside of Dublin that both Obama & the Queen visited this year, not to mention having the best horse breeding/racing stables in the world.

and Alan Quinlan.

Gibson wrote:

Love Toulouse. Love the way they man-up and dont moan. So much to learn from them yet.

Ya, Joe could take a few lessons from Noves and stay away from copying his fellow countryman, Gatland.

Gibbo - Joe claimed that Munster wouldn't let Leinster play nice entertaining rugby for their fans and Leinster should have won by a lot more.

All true too, Sin. In fairness. 46,000 didn't turn up for a bore-fest. Good man Joe. No false modesty.

Twice the man Gatland is.

Gibson wrote:All true too, Sin. In fairness. 46,000 didn't turn up for a bore-fest. Good man Joe. No false modesty.

Twice the man Gatland is.

Leinster were just as reponsible for the 'bore fest' as Munster were. Have to laugh at the penalty count against Leinster!

True. We were both shoite! The ref... was even worse.
It needed Rolland. Or Clancy.

Jenno was good tho, eh pal?

He missed his mates. Wally and especially Quinlan.

This.. is the fire that started it all... We are lucky we have it. Its got to be the biggest, most intense - rivalry in club rugby.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/Rabodirect-PRO12/jennings-fond-memories-of-day-miller-lit-blue-touchpaper-2926045.html

Surprised at Schmidt but given the amount of whingeing from the kiwis in general I shouldnt be.

DOD wrote:Surprised at Schmidt but given the amount of whingeing from the kiwis in general I shouldnt be.

Yes, the mask has slipped. It began to slip last May. I thought he was very annoyed at that loss - and he usually comes across as being a real nice guy.

Hamlet will see no Prince for 6 months then.

Gibson wrote:

DOD wrote:I dislike Limerick rugby and a lot of their supporters..but i guess we have to tolerate them for Munster..

It used to be much better in the old days when we only had to have the odd token one for appearances. Even worse is the fact that they even allow Tipperary people play

Love it!

Who's joking?

They try oh how they try.

Say a bad word about their Deccie and its like yer calling their mudder a sluh.

Nasty Joe. I like it.

A Sin production...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbVaWD1XzSw&feature=player_detailpage

He's all ours now. We shared him with everyone.

Ya can have im back.

Will he go back?

If he continues to turn this squad around and evolve with it - like he has been of very lately. If he gets in a top notch backs coach.. and we grow.

Then leave him where he is for the next RWC. I mean that, but not sure if he really is the Man.

He has been given a decision-making break with BOD out now. I hope he uses it well. His love-child - Earls, will be given 1st go... I don't think he will be the One. I thought he was 2/3 year ago. Had huge hopes for him. Not sure now.

Love an honest Munster opinion on that one.

Schmidt was talking about the refs influence on the game. Not Munsters:

"It’s not the way we want to play necessarily. It was a penalty fest. We prefer to play rugby in a positive way. With the second highest crowd attendance in the league it’s not the way we would have liked it . . . a penalty fest.”

To be honest Joe didn't really say anything too controversial. The media can always pick little soundbites and blow them out of proportion. Same ol' lazy media.

Joe is still in a glory phase with the media, but it is linked to HC success. He hasn't had to take any real flack outside of his first 3-4 games. THIS WILL CHANGE.

The man is a good coach, and is very good at giving players confidence. But he is working with an established squad and structures that were put in place by Chieka (along with some of Chieka's backroom gang). So Joe is fortunate in a way to have a very solid base in Leinster to start from. Usually new coaches are taking over positions where a core of a team have just retired, where finances have dipped, where confidence is low, were recruiting and underage has been poor.

Mickado wrote:Schmidt was talking about the refs influence on the game. Not Munsters:

"It’s not the way we want to play necessarily. It was a penalty fest. We prefer to play rugby in a positive way. With the second highest crowd attendance in the league it’s not the way we would have liked it . . . a penalty fest.”

I saw the after match interview on TG4 - he was blaming Munster for all the infringements. We weren't allowed go past 4/5 phases comments when the opposition would infringe. He actually said we should have won by more.

Arrogant twit.

PS - Sexton was just as whingey.

in a way he is right. did you enjoy the game sin e?

i thought it was pretty poor to be honest. munster infringements at the breakdown sucked the life out of our attacks. any bit of forward momentum resulted in a penalty and 3 points

we gave away our fair share but most were clustered in the last 10 minutes when Heaslip was off.

the ref was poor i thought and detracted from the game as a spectacle

dublin_dave wrote:in a way he is right. did you enjoy the game sin e?

i thought it was pretty poor to be honest. munster infringements at the breakdown sucked the life out of our attacks. any bit of forward momentum resulted in a penalty and 3 points

we gave away our fair share but most were clustered in the last 10 minutes when Heaslip was off.

the ref was poor i thought and detracted from the game as a spectacle.

I think the ref was responsible, not Munster. He blew Munster for stuff that he was letting Leinster get away with. Thats why I think Joe was wrong to claim that it was Munster who ruined the game as a spectacle.

I thought Munster did well, considering we were down 3 of our best attacking players (Earls, Wally & Jones). Our scrum was good. Leinster should consider themselves to be lucky to get the penalties. Bear in mind its a while since Leinster have scored a try against Munster.