Scarlets vs Munster - Playoff battle heating up

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Written by Rugby Dreamer

The Scarlets had only lost once at home in the Rabo Direct Pro 12 this season. They had also lost the last 14 games in all competitions they had played in against the day’s opponents, Munster. Both facts were something for the local supporters, who had turned out in large numbers, to equally celebrate and despair.

Munster, often incorrectly perceived to be an aging side, were still trying to cope with the smart of being knocked out of the Heineken Cup by a fellow province. Could they then handle losing to a team that for the last five years they have had such a strangle hold on?

The match was set to be a nail biter, with both teams evenly matched at the injury ravaged end of the season, and both vying for a play-off spot.
The game began quietly enough, with the official of the day, Alain Rolland, making his presence felt, which was to set the tone for the rest of the match.

It took just over ten minutes for the first points to appear. Munster had been pressuring the Scarlets deep in their own 22, until a crunching tackle helped enforce a turnover. The Scarlets then ran a sublime length of the pitch try, with the ball going through the hands of at nine Scarlets players, to send wing Sean Lamont over in the corner.

This seemed to be the signal for the floodgates to open, as within a few minutes Munster had scored a try of their own, coming from a Scarlets error (to be a theme of the evening) from their lineout in their 22, to send Ryan crashing through some very weak defending.

Seventeen minutes on the clock and it was 7-7, with very little separating either side.

The rest of the first half, apart from one gleaming move from Munster that sent Zebo over (with the aid from the TMO), continued to be a turgid, stop-start affair. The scrums failed to function and with Munster playing as Munster do and smothering the breakdown, ignoring the need to release the tackled player, and the officials happy to let them. The Scarlets seemed incapable of helping themselves though, where even any half chances were snuffed out by their own unforced errors.

An exchange of penalties saw the first half end 10 – 17 to the visitors, although their lead was slightly overshadowed by Tommy O’Donnell having to be stretchered off the pitch, which looked to hopefully be a precautionary measure.

The second half saw an improvement from the home side, and with the visitors sticking to their spoiling game plan. With teams so evenly matched, in what was such a key encounter, were given no chance to express themselves in what was turning out to be an increasingly frustrating encounter. Munster offered little to nothing, whilst the Scarlets kept trying to apply pressure but to no avail.

It wasn’t until the 54th minute that the Scarlets notched more points on the board to make it 10 – 20.

A few minutes later, a brilliant angle cut by backrow Aaron Shingler, led to an excellent try, after the Scarlets had been doggedly trying to move up field. Priestland converted.

What followed were periods of Scarlets pressure that failed time and again through poor handling, poor control at the breakdown and poor kicking, to be converted into points. It was not until the 71st minute that they managed to level the scores to make it a nervous last ten minutes for the Scarlets faithful, who had remained all match in good voice, despite the exasperating nature of the game.

Could the Scarlets finally overcome their fierce rivals Munster and put themselves in with a chance of making the play-offs? Could Munster grind out yet another win to keep their play-off chance alive? Neither side had been spectacular, or allowed to be, in this match, yet the commitment and ferocity from both sides was clear to see.

Ten minutes of extreme Scarlets pressure in the end, with Munster doing their best to spoil every facet of play, led to no penalties nor even an attempt at a drop goal, and saw the match finishing as an incredibly unsatisfying draw. Neither team looked happy; the Scarlets fans for the first time fell silent.

Munster still limp on towards the end of the season with the prospect of silverware to play for. The Scarlets look to be ending another season just shy of the top four, again having to live with the label of being the “nearly” side, with no one but themselves to blame. The disconsolate look of apology full back Liam Williams flashed to the supporters in the North Stand as he applauded his thanks, said far more than any words could.

The biggest disappointment though was that despite some shining displays from Warren, Shingler, Zebo and Dineen, the game wasn’t allowed to flow. Two key aspects, the breakdown and the scrum, were not under the control of the match official, who showed remarkable lack of feeling towards the running of a game. Often after realising his mistake with one call, it appeared that Rolland would immediately award the next penalty to the previously wrongly penalised team, in the appearance of making amends, with calls at some times that left both sets of players, baffled. Whilst the result itself was a disappointment to the 10,741 supporters who had made their way to Parc Y Scarlets, it was the manner in which the game was allowed (or not allowed) to be played, that truly left such a frustrating feeling.

Full time score: 20 - 20

Attendance: 10,741

Man of the Match: Adam Warren

My Man of the Match: Aaron Shingler

Scarlets: Liam Williams, G North, A Warren, S Jones, S Lamont, R Priestland, G Davies, R Jones, M Rees capt, D Manu, S Timani, D Day, A Shingler, J Turnbull, B Morgan.

Replacements: T Knoyle for G Davies (61), S Gardner for R. Jones (74), E Phillips for M Rees (61), P John for Manu (65), K Murphy for Timani (55).
Munster: F Jones; L O'Dea; J Murphy; L Mafi; S Zebo; I Keatley; C Murray; D Kilcoyne; M Sherry; BJ Botha; M O'Driscoll; P O'Connell capt; D Ryan; T O'Donnell; P O'Mahony.

Replacements: I Dineen for Jones (65), T O'Leary for Murray (61), S Archer for Botha (71), D O'Callaghan for O'Driscoll (67), P Butler for O'Donnell (38).
Not Used: D Varley, W du Preez, S Deasy.
Att: 10,741

Referee: Alain Rolland (IRFU)

Assistant Referees: Gwyn Morris and David Jones (Both WRU)

Citing Commissioner: Jeff Mark (WRU)

TMO: Nigel Whitehouse (WRU)

http://v2journal.com/scarlets-v-munster.html

sheephead wrote:Just spoke yo braders and he off down West to sort out these chokers. Remember what he did thomond?? He did his party piece then your lot moaned about the ref. So its swings and roundabouts!

I have no clue what the heck you are saying. I'm guessing it's the whole Mike Phillips lineout incident but you will find most Irish people on the board accepted Wales were the better team on the day and deserved to win.

AlynDavies wrote:

Pot Hale wrote:Rolland is French - according to every Welshman I talked to after the RWC.

Ah but he's on the Irish wage bill, so he's Irish today!

Anyway I don't mind if you beat the Scarlets by 90 points, Munster and the Ospreys are playing each other in the play offs and we've beaten you twice in the league already, and Leinster too!

If I beat the Scarlets? I'm not playing for Munster. Nor support them.

I doubt Rolland is on the Irish wage bill. Or French. Or even Welsh.

Whats the latest score?

Jenifer McLadyboy wrote:It's a bit like when English teams do well in Europe it's because they are battle hardened from their superior league. When they do badly it is because we don't take our league seriously and rest our players.

Na the problem is there always seems to be Irish refs for the Ospreys and they are very fussy, watch the Ospreys V Leinster game again earlier in the season, we were 27 points up by half time, but after that Fitzgibbon penalised us and did everything he could to prevent us playing in the second half it was disgraceful. He was only reffing one team, Leinster were getting away with murder all over the pitch, even the Welsh linesman were shacking their heads at some of the decisions. Whats more any time the Ospreys scored a try he seemed to TMO it just on the off chance he could get away with not awarding it.

eirebilly wrote:Whats the latest score?

http://www.s4c.co.uk/clic/e_live.shtml

Watch is there 10-17 to Munster

Artful_Dodger wrote:Alyn sounds like your the one that think a successful season is beating an Irish team despite being out of the HC in the groups.

The Blues didn't go out in the groups...and they didn't beat an Irish team

So really, beating an Irish team is like winning the HC...right..right - or at least 2/4ths or 3/8ths of one.

Thanks Alyn but that stream doesnt work for me

17-10 Billy. Sorry about the links, if you have a free to air satellite box or Sky box you can add S4C to it.


Alyn you may give out about fussiness but people would give out if refs let everything go too. It's a double edged sword.

No probs Thomond, normally they are perfect so i cant complain. You are a gentleman for providing them

wales606 wrote:

Artful_Dodger wrote:Alyn sounds like your the one that think a successful season is beating an Irish team despite being out of the HC in the groups.

The Blues didn't go out in the groups...and they didn't beat an Irish team

So really, beating an Irish team is like winning the HC...right..right - or at least 2/4ths or 3/8ths of one.

That's fair comment for Welsh teams. They set their expectations at the right level.

Thomond - braders = Bradley and his wwf wrestling move first game of the 6 nations

Scarlets are going to make a comeback in this half. They've had enough of Rolland.

Do you have a satellite box though? You can add it to your box, I did it for BBC Alba and S4C after I managed to delete them.

Fair enough we did complain about about Bradley although I think almost breaking a fellas neck warrants more aggrevation than tackling by the neck, there's actually a rucking technique that can sometimes involve people grabbing a guy by the neck that a lot of teams use.

Interesting tactics by Munster. They keep the ball and attack and lose 40 metres. Must be a new game plan.

That was not a forwards pass?

Pot Hale wrote:Interesting tactics by Munster. They keep the ball and attack and lose 40 metres. Must be a new game plan.

It's the Declan Kidney gameplan.

Thomond wrote:

Pot Hale wrote:Interesting tactics by Munster. They keep the ball and attack and lose 40 metres. Must be a new game plan.

It's the Declan Kidney gameplan.

wales606 wrote:That was not a forwards pass?

Miles forward.....

Keatley kicks straight to North...clever

Rolland is reffing. Or is Clancy a touch judge? What a combo...

Almost break a guys neck? I forget the Irish guys name who was the victim but to say almost break his neck is a bit strong. He played the rest of the game. To be fair he could have put his hands out too

Rolland talking in French to Rees who looks nonplussed and decides to ignore him.

Scarlets getting their act together - for about 30 secs.

Both teams looking brilliantly inept as they drop balls, miss tackles and generally move the ball across the pitch aimlessly.

wales606 wrote:Keatley kicks straight to North...clever

And this time straight to Preistland who gives it to North

If O'Gara was dead he would be turning in his grave.

Artful_Dodger wrote:Alyn sounds like your the one that think a successful season is beating an Irish team despite being out of the HC in the groups.

Na a successful season for me is a Grand slam!

Thomond wrote:

Pot Hale wrote:Interesting tactics by Munster. They keep the ball and attack and lose 40 metres. Must be a new game plan.

It's the Declan Kidney gameplan.

Ahhh Keatley!!!

Morgannwg wrote:Rolland is reffing. Or is Clancy a touch judge? What a combo...

Thought it was Clancy.

To be fair, the ref hasn't been that bad...that's what made me realise couldn't be Clancy.

Priestess makes a complete mess of a relieving kick and Munster manage to do everything but score as they knock on at the try line.

Morgannwg wrote:Rolland is reffing. Or is Clancy a touch judge? What a combo...

It could be a lot worse, it could be Dudley or Wilkinson reffing!

AlynDavies wrote:

Artful_Dodger wrote:Alyn sounds like your the one that think a successful season is beating an Irish team despite being out of the HC in the groups.

Na a successful season for me is a Grand slam!

Calm down you two.

Outstanding defending from the Scarlets full back, Johne Murphy was looking for the trip, would have given a penalty against him.


Sheephead, are you defending Bradley? Admittedly break his neck was a bit harsh but a tackle like that and you are going out of your way to seriously injure your opponent.

Ok guys I'm worried. There's a sniper down there because the Munster 13 just got brassed up!! God bless him and his thought go to his family. ..... Hang on he's up. Kevlar is amazing

Thomond don't get me wrong I'm not defending him just using the incident to prove a point about moaning

Munster complete a series of attacks in which the ball is carefully passed out to one side of the pitch, and then to the other and make no gain. They complete the phase with a penalty to Scarlets.

Brain dead stuff.

Fair enough. Both countries do our fair share of b!tching. Although most of Ireland's b!tching is about internal issues, like Kidney, players et al. We're never happy!

Scarlet's can't stop knocking on, or throwing the ball into Munster - perhaps that's the tactic, wind them with possession.

sheephead wrote:Ok guys I'm worried. There's a sniper down there because the Munster 13 just got brassed up!! God bless him and his thought go to his family. ..... Hang on he's up. Kevlar is amazing

Go on O'Mahoney son!

wales606 wrote:Scarlet's can't stop knocking on, or throwing the ball into Munster - perhaps that's the tactic, wind them with possession.

Worked for Ulster two weeks ago....

Warren is playing well when he gets a chance.

Where's Priestlands head today? His form isn't getting better...

Thomond wrote:

wales606 wrote:Scarlet's can't stop knocking on, or throwing the ball into Munster - perhaps that's the tactic, wind them with possession.

Worked for Ulster two weeks ago....

To prove my point Turnball actually throws the ball at O'Connells face when he "knocks on"

Thomond wrote:Do you have a satellite box though? You can add it to your box, I did it for BBC Alba and S4C after I managed to delete them.

Fair enough we did complain about about Bradley although I think almost breaking a fellas neck warrants more aggrevation than tackling by the neck, there's actually a rucking technique that can sometimes involve people grabbing a guy by the neck that a lot of teams use.

No mate, just cable here in Holland

Matthew Rees is injured :/

munster 13 off his feet visibly slowing the balll down, how much does rollnd want to miss?

GavinDragon wrote:munster 13 off his feet visibly slowing the balll down, how much does rollnd want to miss?

I saw that, thought it was classic Munstering

You still might be able to add it, have a look around your menu for an add channel option, SKY have it too. Murphy should have been penalised but Timani is lucky he didn't get sanctioned for the no arm tackle.

Keatley penalty, first points of the second half

10 - 20

Fair play you must be moaning bar-stewards to still be moaning with the qualityof provincial set up you have

Munster well in control of this, I can't see the Scarlets getting anything out of this, time is ticking by and the Scarlets are not achieving anything.