Munster vs Ulster

First topic message reminder :

Just starting a thread for discussion of the game at Thomond Park on Saturday night. Will add teams as they are announced.

Scarlets defeat at the hands of the Os has given Ulster some breathing room in 1st place- that fact, combined with the fact that there is an Ireland training camp in Kildare this week past and Ulster have three must win games in January (Scarlets, Glasgow and Castres) means that Ulster are resting a large number of key players.

Ulster XV & replacements to face Munster, RaboDirect PRO12, Thomond Park, Sat 29th December, 5.30pm:
(15-9): A D'Arcy, C Cochrane, M Allen, L Marshall, C Gilroy; N O'Connor, P Marshall;
(1-8): C Black, R Herring, A Macklin, L Stevenson, N McComb, R Diack, M McComish, R Wilson;
Replacements (16-23): N Annett, R Lutton, T Court, A O'Connor, A Birch, M Heaney, S Olding, R Andrew.

Still, from an Ulster PoV we'll still get to track the progress of some of the exciting young talent we have breaking through like Luke Marshall and Craig Gilroy. It also provides an opportunity for guys on the fringes of the first team like Adam Macklin, Neil McComb, Mike McComish, Michael Allen and Adam D'Arcy a chance to stake their claim for the important games ahead.

Munster: D Hurley; D Howlett capt, C Laulala, J Downey, S Zebo; I Keatley, C Murray; W du Preez, D Varley, BJ Botha; D O'Callaghan, B Holland; P O'Mahony, T O'Donnell, P Butler.

Replacements: M Sherry, M Horan, S Archer, Dave O'Callaghan, J Coughlan, P Stringer, R O'Gara, F Jones.

Good Munster team. Delighted with that- we'll learn a lot about our reserves.

3-0 after a Keatley penalty.

I've changed streams now.

yeah i think its the commentary because its the same on bbc 2 NI

Ah thanks Neilly - I thought it was. I've got a Setanta Ireland stream now. Let me know when they sort it out.

I can not understand this....

45 seconds in, Keatley, Howlett put the ball through the hands off a turn over. It's a 3 on 1 on the left wing with Zebo on the ball and two forwards outside him. Zebo kicks it on instead of putting it through the hands. Ok maybe the forwards outside couldn't keep up with him and therefore receive the pass, fair enough;

SO GET YOUR FRONTFIVE OFF THE WING!!!!

I'm not liking our ball security at the breakdown when our backs hit it up.

I agree Notch we need to get properly over the ball and more people too many standing off need to get the work rate going.
And Cari I think it is a bit better now

We're growing into it though, our linespeed in defence has been applying good pressure.

God that was ridiculously stupid by Varley, very lucky that his pack were strong enough to win the ball. Commentator babbling sh**e on BBC about the choke tackle.

Jim Neilly on Frankie Sheahan; "A man who can leave his car unlocked anywhere in Limerick"

Can Munster posters confirm or deny this?

Notch wrote:Jim Neilly on Frankie Sheahan; "A man who can leave his car unlocked anywhere in Limerick"

Can Munster posters confirm or deny this?

He was talking about the Claw.

Ah, well thats a different story.

Notch wrote:Jim Neilly on Frankie Sheahan; "A man who can leave his car unlocked anywhere in Limerick"

Can Munster posters confirm or deny this?

Was he not saying it about Peter Clohessy? Scuffed kick there, can't afford to miss those

God awful pass from Marshall.

Two things that frighten me; Adam Macklins scrummaging and Niall O'Connors place kicking.

Munster penalty came from the first and we just missed 3 points after the second. Two things for us that can lose us games which is frustrating because we're playing all the rugby in this one.

I know it's wet but I thought Marshall had sorted out that problem.

He still has hiccups. Thats another bad one.

Terrible kick from Marshall, Ulster forwards don't bother to retreat, more stupid mistakes.

How Varley has not sorted out his lineout throwing is really unforgivable for a professional player.

Notch wrote:We're growing into it though, our linespeed in defence has been applying good pressure.

Wet weather and quick linespeed = best defensive strategy ever

Silly penalty, not sure what the wind is doing down there but this should be 3-3

More of the same Pete! We don't want the ball- we want them running from deep all night.

3-3 after 20 minutes, wonder what Le Petit Cummiskey makes of it.

God the cocommentator is unbelievably stupid. Has he watched any of Northampton during Wilson's time there? They had one of the best scrums around and rarely went backwards.

Varley has been absolutely appalling so far.

Hahaha Donnshaw jumping to block the kick, you're tall Donnacha but not that tall

Munster have been rather poor. Lucky for them we have our reserves out!

That and the conditions are making this game rather level.

Notch wrote:Munster have been rather poor. Lucky for them we have our reserves out!

Poor doesn't describe it, they have some awful crap in their side tonight, along with some mediocre players.

Hurley, in the space of a minute, shows that he is not up to Rabo level.

Awwww Macklin, it was on in the corner!

MACKLIN

Too many cooks there, forwards should have got out of the way and let the backs finish.

Great attack by Munster, would be a real sickener if we go behind again after the way this game has gone so far but to be fair we haven't taken our opportunities.

Ah, but Rog would have scored that. FFS how Hurley is involved with Irish training squads is bewildering, he should be doing better in that position.

Excellent by Keatly

Red 6 really getting involved in the front row there

valjester wrote:Ah, but Rog would have scored that. FFS how Hurley is involved with Irish training squads is bewildering, he should be doing better in that position.

I agree, does his father know someone or something?

Varley way clearly up first there.

I see a penalty try in our future

JmD wrote:Varley way clearly up first there.

And as has been discussed on here before that does not lead to a penalty.

Notch; I'm not sure about Hurley lineage, I don't think so to be honest.

The co commentator is a real idiot, and his stupidity is beginning to annoy me.

Interesting to see how this pans out. Their scrum is dominant but not going forward enough to justify a penalty try.

Ah, there it is. He just lost patience.

I am a fortune teller apparently

Notch wrote:Interesting to see how this pans out. Their scrum is dominant but not going forward enough to justify a penalty try.

Ah, there it is. He just lost patience.

It is inevitable. It doesn't really have to be going forward to merit a penalty try, and the ref's patience was bound to give out as you say.

Paul Marshall is having a shocker now hes been binned

That is total garbage from Rolland.

Murray's kicking and decision making has been excellent tonight. Marshall binned for a sneaky kick to the head.

What on earth...? What was the Marshall binning for? Talk back? Use of the foot.

Thats not a yellow card at Ravenhill... unless you're in a red shirt that is.

To the head? are you blind?
it was a stupid petulant stamp on his back

Notch wrote:What on earth...? What was the Marshall binning for? Talk back? Use of the foot.

Thats not a yellow card at Ravenhill... unless you're in a red shirt that is.

It was a stupid petulant bit of unnecessary nastiness, the whistle was gone and there was no need for it, he deserved the card.

Is there a special rule where you can throw squint into every lineout but its okay if you call 2 or 3? Its getting as bad as squint feed to the scrums. Seems random.

Haha does O'Mahony think he is captain!?

Munster deserved the score for the break and for having a dominant scrum overall.

Murray is playing excellently

valjester wrote:

Notch wrote:What on earth...? What was the Marshall binning for? Talk back? Use of the foot.

Thats not a yellow card at Ravenhill... unless you're in a red shirt that is.

It was a stupid petulant bit of unnecessary nastiness, the whistle was gone and there was no need for it, he deserved the card.

The whistle was in the process of going, a player can't be expected to stop instantly, that's not how the brain works.

Notch wrote:Is there a special rule where you can throw squint into every lineout but its okay if you call 2 or 3? Its getting as bad as squint feed to the scrums. Seems random.

Most teams seem to get away with it to the front, really pis*es me off, both teams getting away with it tonight.