Scarlets 14 v 17 Munster

Parc Y Scarlets 10/12/11

In the pre match preamble I asked two questions:
1 will the injury to Howlett make any difference at all?
2 can the Scarlets pack withstand the onslaught they are bound to face and get any sort of decent ball for the Scarlets to get their running game going

They were the wrong questions. In the event Munster chucked it about with abandon (for two or three phases anyway) and Zebo looked quite at home.

The Scarlets had plenty of ball but for the main part were clueless with it.

What are your thoughts?

soooooooooooooooooooooooooo SO excited for this it's unbelievable.

Scarlets need to play like they never have before. Play like a team. The forwards need to better even what the did up against Saints.

This game is massive, the biggest game ever to be played at Y Parc, and we're expecting a massive crowd.

Munster are dangerous, oh so dangerous. I'll never write them off, especially not after their last two wins. It's a meeting of two of the most passionate sides (or their followers at least!), it's going to be brilliant. Or at least, from a Scarlets point of view I really hope it will!

My father in convinced they will just steamroller our pack. If this weather continues he may be right (if the Munster players can get here!)

Munster are flying over tomorrow morning apparently. forecast is decent for Saturday. If we have a dry Friday night, conditions should be pretty blydi good. Then again, Parc Y Scarlets seems to make it's own weather, so it could well be sunny outside the barn, but then pissing down over the pitch!

Scarlets have to win this.

They are playing some great rugby this year, better than last year. What a game...!

We could do with:

Iestyn Thomas
Dai Fox
John Davies
Delme Thomas
Phill May
Mark Perego
Phill Davies
Derek Quinell

As a pack. Eat em alive!

yes, but only one of them is still playing!

Or

Buchanan
Rees
Delaney
Cornelius
Scarlet
Tarw
Scot Quinell
Hodges

Another hard b'stard pack!

you are dreaming Glas!

Iestyn
Smiler
Rhys
Welch
Timani
Shingler
Morgan
McCusker

Looks pretty darn blydi good to me. Step up like they did against Castres and Saints, we'll have enough ball to deliver.

Didnt realise until today that Phil Davies is an Oxford university Alumini

Kind of a strange one really. Was giving us a pretty good shout to at least get a LBP if not a win. That's kinda changed now, I think Howlett's injury is a huge loss for us, our backline is now very light and very inexperienced.

Our pack should have the Scarlett's number but I think there is a huge gulf in class between the Scarlett's backs and ours. I would be worried if the Scarlett's backs get the opportunity to run at us with any kind of frequency.

having youngsters in your backline could work though Red Right, can just go out and play with no fear that way.

Scarlets might have good backs, but we need our pack to perform to get us decent ball. Now I think we have a decent pack, but Munster have the edge there and the brains to scupper us big style. We'll have to play with intelligence and ferocity for us to stand a chance.



ooo crumbs, why isn't it Saturday already?!

Rugby scholarship Dreamer, same as Mike Hall had to Cambridge. The academic rigour wad loosened in their cases. Queen Elizabeth Grammar School had a form of 1 pupil at one stage - Ray Gravell!

Now I'm no coach, but the generally accepted wisdom of throwing a crash ball centre/back row forward at ROG is ineffective. He's a tough customer physically. However, he can suffer from the yips. I would start our quickest back rower as 7. Tell him to stand on the offside line as close as he can to ROG and just fly up at him whenever he has the ball. Sacrifice a man in the line out, put a centre to pack down on their scrums. First time he gets the ball hit him. Hit him late hit him high, just hit him. Force him to stand deeper than he wants to abd to rush his kicks DO NOT attack his channel. Then second half change tack, then attack his channel. We will only win this if we beat ROG.

That'll be Shings or Edwards then, Glas?

Don't hit him high! It would be just our luck to do something so stupid as to put us at a disadvantage like getting a player sent off.

Agree otherwise with your sentiment I guess.

Sounds about right Glass

If Priestlands kicking game is anything like it was against saints you'll have their back three tripping over each other.

He was like Barry John in the second test in 71 at Franklins Gardens

Each player could remove the limb of their choice and it will still be a better game than Falcons v Toulon!

I think Scarlets will win this and Munster will win in Thomond. Wouldn't put it past Munster to get the edge in bonus points. They've never come off second in points in a Heineken Cup double header. Ever. Only last year Ospreys ended up 5-5 with them. That's the worst they've ever done.

Scarlets bonus win in Northampton may well make that irrelevant though. What a result.

Glas a du wrote:We could do with:

Iestyn Thomas
Dai Fox
John Davies
Delme Thomas
Phill May
Mark Perego
Phill Davies
Derek Quinell

As a pack. Eat em alive!

Yes, if we cancelled the game and just had a drinking contest.

Seriously our pack has to really perform again. Nullify the Munster pack so that we get enough ball and we might have enough to win. Dont see a TBP even if we do win. Can see it being tight and a LBP to the losing team.

Lads scarlets have had a bonus point win at the Saints. If we get out of the game on Saturday with a lbp i would nearly say that is a result for us. This isnt Munster of afew years ago.

Ah the old "twill be like kicking snow off a rope for ye" blarney! DOD.

rugbydreamer wrote:That'll be Shings or Edwards then, Glas?

Don't hit him high! It would be just our luck to do something so stupid as to put us at a disadvantage like getting a player sent off.

Agree otherwise with your sentiment I guess.

Every ref will allow a 'loosener' on the first tackle of the match

Munster are more than capable of winning this. Zebo is available for selection. Scarlets will be tough but it will be like our last HC away game over there. Everything through the forwards. We have no back play so that's how we will win. Unless we shift it out the backs and someone makes a break.

Glas a du wrote:

rugbydreamer wrote:That'll be Shings or Edwards then, Glas?

Don't hit him high! It would be just our luck to do something so stupid as to put us at a disadvantage like getting a player sent off.

Agree otherwise with your sentiment I guess.

Every ref will allow a 'loosener' on the first tackle of the match

I wouldn't bank on it, Glas. A good, hard, well-timed tackle would be great, but anything late could and maybe should get someone sin-binned. Jonathan Edwards worries me. He gets pinged for the most needless offences.

Who's refereeing the match?

Should be a good one. Zebo seems fit. But still questions over George North and Jonathan Davies. Munster seem to think they have an injury crisis, but they only have 5 starters unavailable.

Scarlets just need the ball and they should be able to score tries.

Teams announced at lunchtime. Should be fascinating. Even Terry Wogan is attending Parc y Scarlets.

Good ol' Romain Poite I believe, luckless.

I think losing Flannery, Wallace, Earls, Jones & Howlett will be the difference between Munster winning and losing this game. If we had even 2 of those guys available I'd be somewhat hopeful but without them we look very bare.

Add to that the dross that is McGahanball that we saw against the Ospreys and I'd agree with DOD, an LBP would be a result.

Our only hope is by mauling Scarlets off the park and keeping it tight for 80 minutes. I wouldn't be as quick as others in underestimating this Scarlets pack though. Certainly the form team in Wales right now IMO.

Chunky Norwich wrote:Munster seem to think they have an injury crisis, but they only have 5 starters unavailable.

So 33% of the team? Pull the other one Chunky. It's not just the number of guys out either. It's the quality of those particular players.

Glas a du wrote:Croesawn gwyr Siroedd deheuol Yr Iwerddon I Barc y Gwyr mewn Sgarlad. R'ym yn 'erfyn' gormest a hanner!

How can a play on an English word still be funny in Welsh?

Chunky Norwich wrote:Should be a good one. Zebo seems fit. But still questions over George North and Jonathan Davies. Munster seem to think they have an injury crisis, but they only have 5 starters unavailable.

Scarlets just need the ball and they should be able to score tries.

Teams announced at lunchtime. Should be fascinating. Even Terry Wogan is attending Parc y Scarlets.

Chucky - how many would need to be missing before you would consider it an injury crisis?

(by the way, Terry Wogan is from Limerick - said one of the things he looked forward to when he retired was being able to go to Munster matches)!

Sin é wrote:

Chucky - how many would need to be missing before you would consider it an injury crisis?

At least half the team.

The way Munster fans are going on about their injuries, shows that they must not have had many through the years.

If North and Davies are out...then Munster will only have 1 ......... yes 1 more first teamer unavailable.

Chunky Norwich wrote: Munster seem to think they have an injury crisis, but they only have 5 starters unavailable.

.

But those 5 included the entire first choice back three - Earls, Jones and Howlett.

That may well make the difference between a Scarlets win and a Munster win.
Munster need the weather to be as unpleasant as possible

The Great Aukster wrote:

Glas a du wrote:Croesawn gwyr Siroedd deheuol Yr Iwerddon I Barc y Gwyr mewn Sgarlad. R'ym yn 'erfyn' gormest a hanner!

How can a play on an English word still be funny in Welsh?

In Welsh the word for turnips is 'erfin gwynon' (white swedes). The word for expect is 'erfyn' which gives a completely different pun. i.e. "we expect (/turnip) a contest and a half."

geoff998rugby wrote:

Chunky Norwich wrote: Munster seem to think they have an injury crisis, but they only have 5 starters unavailable.

.

But those 5 included the entire first choice back three - Earls, Jones and Howlett.

That may well make the difference between a Scarlets win and a Munster win.
Munster need the weather to be as unpleasant as possible

I think Zebo who is next in line is out too, so they are working through their replacements for back three players too...

Making my first trip to Parc y Scarlets for this one , prosaic question what is the parking like ? Standing up on a terrace for the game too great.

Sun shining today and tomorrow should firm the pitch up nicely in the Scarlets favour after yesterdays storms .An attitude like that at Northampton should see them through but Munster in Europe are a different beast . Nice to have the collywobbles in your stomach about a game though.

Glas for this Munster team if we make the quarter finals this year they will be a year ahead of schedule. We have a lot more hope than expectation this time round. Having said that if its a tight game with 20mins to go i would give us a chance.

Pontylad - there are 3 carparks, although carpark A is not used as much (I think it's more for coaches etc). Your best bet is carpark B, literally a 2 min walk from the stadium, costs £3 to park there. I would say get there as early as you can though, they're expecting a massive crowd for this one so it's going to be packed there. If B is full, I think they then open up the Corus carpark as Car Park C.

Also if you are going on the terracing, go and stand at your spot at least half hour before kick off. When I went to the O's game last year, I got there with 15 mins to go, and it was so full, I ended up having to stand right by the try line, instead of near the half way which is my usual spot

pontylad wrote:Making my first trip to Parc y Scarlets for this one , prosaic question what is the parking like ? Standing up on a terrace for the game too great.

Sun shining today and tomorrow should firm the pitch up nicely in the Scarlets favour after yesterdays storms .An attitude like that at Northampton should see them through but Munster in Europe are a different beast . Nice to have the collywobbles in your stomach about a game though.

Parking no problem, but the main routes in cross the main shopping routes so expect cues in and out of the car parks. My tip is get there early then after the match go to the Barn for a pint and hog roast for at least half an hour to let the worst of the traffic pass.

Glas a du wrote:

Parking no problem, but the main routes in cross the main shopping routes so expect cues in and out of the car parks. My tip is get there early then after the match go to the Barn for a pint and hog roast for at least half an hour to let the worst of the traffic pass.

wrong forum

DOD I think Munster are stronger than a lot of people think. A lot of the big names are gone or have been reduced to bit part players but there is still a fair bit of quality and talent there. O'Connell, O'Callaghan, Botha and ROG bring plenty of experience to go with the likes of POM, Murray and zebo.

Munster are well capable of making the HEC QF's and challenging strongly to retain their Rabo crown.

If they can stay in contention until the new year when Earls and Jones return then they could finish very strongly.

ques then! Blydi productive taxing!

Glas a du wrote:

Parking no problem, but the main routes in cross the main shopping routes so expect cues in and out of the car parks. My tip is get there early then after the match go to the Barn for a pint and hog roast for at least half an hour to let the worst of the traffic pass.

Will remember that for next time I'm going, cheers...!

Cheers for the info and advice rugbydreamer and Glas , although I'm going by car I'm not the driver so that pint in the Barn may stretch to a few more ,better atmosphere on a terrace so I've gone for that option.

roddersm wrote:DOD I think Munster are stronger than a lot of people think. A lot of the big names are gone or have been reduced to bit part players but there is still a fair bit of quality and talent there. O'Connell, O'Callaghan, Botha and ROG bring plenty of experience to go with the likes of POM, Murray and zebo.

Munster are well capable of making the HEC QF's and challenging strongly to retain their Rabo crown.

If they can stay in contention until the new year when Earls and Jones return then they could finish very strongly.

It is a cliche that you never write Munster off. I certainly am not seeing them weakened in any way by the injuries as it will make them play the 3 point game which will win them the match. As I said above I'd be plotting to pressurise ROG when he's on the ball initially, then just when he's thought he hasn't had much to do in the way of tackling forwards, change tack and chuck a fresh heavy backrow replacement at him.

Glas a du wrote: As I said above I'd be plotting to pressurise ROG when he's on the ball initially, then just when he's thought he hasn't had much to do in the way of tackling forwards, change tack and chuck a fresh heavy backrow replacement at him.

Teams do this all the time anyway.

Munster just combat it with their own backrow both legally and illegally. It's up to the ref to spot that.

The way to beat Munster tomorrow is play a mixed game. The Scarlets forwards will not be on top for 80. That's a given. So when they do get ball it will have to be used very wisely. Maybe Priestland will pepper the back 3 again. But Munster will expect that. So I tend to think that the backs will be given alot of freedom and we will see a few moves bringing in Lamont, Davies and North if fit into play. The ball will go through the hands if the Scarlets get it. If it's on - go for it type of attitude.

Trouble is, the Scarlets are not great at defending the maul, and we know the Irish love a good maul. I expect to see Musnter score at elast 2 tries from either mauls or lineouts.

Scrum will be key. If the Scarlets scrummage well enough they'll score tries in my opinion. But will they score more than Munster? How fascinating.

Johne Murphy has been an unsung hero for Munster. Filling in for Felix Jones is no easy task and he's the kind of guy you'd single out as a potential weak link but he's really impressed me when I've seen Munster play.

O'Mahoney has been the find of this season so far in Ireland. Along with Stephen Ferris hes been the outstanding back rower in the country.

Donnacha Ryan has really stepped up to the plate and given Munster more options in the 2nd row.

Munster are definitely not the European powerhouse of a few seasons ago but they are a very good side. I'd say the future and present is looking pretty bright for Munster, certainly more so than last year.

dod is a pragmatic cute hoor rodders he expects nothing more than a victory. it should be a great game. i think munster might pull it out of the bag especially if North and Davies are out. that will rob them of two key strike runners

agreed on the scrum alright. scarlets for all their talent do not have a great front row. certainly not one to exploit munster and munster may even have the edge there.

rog to win it with an over time drop goal??

Who's refereeing the match?

Romain "The Scourge of Munster" Poite

Munster: D Hurley; J Murphy, W Chambers, L Mafi, S Zebo; R O'Gara, C Murray; W du Preez, D Varley, BJ Botha; D Ryan, P O'Connell capt; P O'Mahony, N Ronan, J Coughlan.

Replacements: D Fogarty, M Horan, J Hayes, D O'Callaghan, D Leamy, T O'Leary, I Keatley, D Barnes.

Our front row of Iestyn Thomas, Matthew Rees, and Rhys Thomas, is actually one of our strengths dublin_dave, although I'm happy for other's not to think so

aha so Zebo is starting! daro, he was very good against us last time Munster played at Y Parc. That's a massive boost for you guys.