Munster v Racing

First topic message reminder :

Well it comes down to the wire as it always does with Munster. The heart is still pounding after watching the Leinster Chiefs match. A complete roller coaster where it looked like Leinster would score a bucket loads of tries but in fairness somehow dug in and really put it up to Leinster right up until the end. Credit and respect.

Chiefs are my favourite non Irish team

Now its over to Munster. BP win all but guarantees QF spot (barring mad result in Tigers match) and in the process knock Leinster out. If we cant get this BP we have no place in the QFs. If we do, the young talent we have coming through can only benefit from playing at this top level.

So there you have it no pressure them.

COME ON MUNSTER - TO THE BRAVE AND THE FAITHFUL

Now, i am starting to believe

All over.

Also, Kilcoyne = Healy II.

Earls on the crash ball at 12, WTF?

Zebo in, halfway there.

Racing are a joke.

Another good try there. Great work Kilcoyne

And that's why Downey will never get a game for Ireland, thankfully.

O'Donnell has been everywhere, surely he deserves an Ireland call up for the 6 nations?

Rory_Gallagher wrote:O'Donnell has been everywhere, surely he deserves an Ireland call up for the 6 nations?

Might be worth a shot in the Wolfhounds, I seriously would not be surprised if he spent the summer on steroids, the difference in power is huge this season.

Sherry is just on another level to Varley.


Edit; bolded part may not be entirely serious.

YESSSSSSS

Come on Embra now, lets bring Leinster with us

Sherry scores!

Just one to go!

valjester wrote:And that's why Downey will never get a game for Ireland, thankfully.

Downey has been playing brilliantly so far!

Again, surely Earls should not have cut inside again?? Zebo had a clear run and a man outside him!

Earls is butchering a few trys here...

Earls is so bad!!!

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:

valjester wrote:And that's why Downey will never get a game for Ireland, thankfully.

Downey has been playing brilliantly so far!

I'm just up but the only think I've seen him do so far is throw a terrible pass. He might be playing well, doesn't change my mind that he is not good enough for Ireland.

Nice attempt Racing

Rory_Gallagher wrote:Again, surely Earls should not have cut inside again?? Zebo had a clear run and a man outside him!

I think people are being harsh for criticising him for that, Zebo didn't exactly have a clean run in, and he did well to keep possession and recycle play.

Probably Munster's best back in this game so far along with Murray

I can't claim to be too much of an expert but Munster appear to be recycling the ball superbly.

valjester wrote:

Rory_Gallagher wrote:Again, surely Earls should not have cut inside again?? Zebo had a clear run and a man outside him!

I think people are being harsh for criticising him for that, Zebo didn't exactly have a clean run in, and he did well to keep possession and recycle play.

Val that is plain and simply ridiculous.
Zebo is quickest guy on the pitch, draw the last defender, score the try go through to the 1/4 finals.

valjester wrote:

Rory_Gallagher wrote:Again, surely Earls should not have cut inside again?? Zebo had a clear run and a man outside him!

I think people are being harsh for criticising him for that, Zebo didn't exactly have a clean run in, and he did well to keep possession and recycle play.

Nobody is being harsh this time Val, twice he has cut inside when he had men outside. The first one was even worse! For the second time, the defenders were cutting across but Zebo (with a man outside) had nobody in front.

No criticism for Zebo not releasing the ball there, if positions had been reversed Earls would have been absolutely crucified by people.

Earls is a wing not a centre, that was great wing play.

val, i have to say that even as big a fan of Earls as i am, he has twice opted to go inside and ignore Zebo. Not very good from him.

That said, Munster are on their way

Zebo has been unreal. You gotta love em.

Rory_Gallagher wrote:

valjester wrote:

Rory_Gallagher wrote:Again, surely Earls should not have cut inside again?? Zebo had a clear run and a man outside him!

I think people are being harsh for criticising him for that, Zebo didn't exactly have a clean run in, and he did well to keep possession and recycle play.

Nobody is being harsh this time Val, twice he has cut inside when he had men outside. The first one was even worse! For the second time, the defenders were cutting across but Zebo (with a man outside) had nobody in front.

Zebo had Bobo ahead of him, not exactly a slouch in the speed stakes. Earls gets criticised no matter what he does, if he shovels the ball on he gets sh*t for not straightening the line and recycling play, when he does that he is criticised for not doing the opposite. He pass the ball for a try and everyone ignores it.


Sherry is a great prospect at 2, he has brilliant darts and is much more intelligent than Varley, which isn't hard I suppose.

Doesnt look as if Embra are out of their match either, only 7 down at 1/2 time.

valjester wrote:No criticism for Zebo not releasing the ball there, if positions had been reversed Earls would have been absolutely crucified by people.

Again ridiculous!
Zebo was pushing wide to try and create a 2 on 1 out of a 2 on 2. Earls was not free until Zebo nearly beat his man.

Don't understand how you can even imagine they are the same situation!!!!

The Red card will cause debate, it's a knee to the head so for me he has to go, it may have been "soft" but ROG deserved to go last week for his kick as well.


Gif of the kick:

Spoiler:

We have seen once today why Earls will never be a top class centre, he is a flat track bully. (the second butchering, for the first , not giving it was probably the right move, I don't think it was on)

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:

valjester wrote:No criticism for Zebo not releasing the ball there, if positions had been reversed Earls would have been absolutely crucified by people.

Again ridiculous!
Zebo was pushing wide to try and create a 2 on 1 out of a 2 on 2. Earls was not free until Zebo nearly beat his man.

Don't understand how you can even imagine they are the same situation!!!!

Seriously, Earls ran a great line outside then cut inside and didn't receive the offload, don't tell me Earls would not be crucified if situations were reversed.

Fair play to Murray and Keatley they look out of this world good.

Zebo, POM and Sherry are also having mammoth games

Val, I think you are blindly defending Earls here. Even the Munster fans are disagreeing with you here. I like Earls and I hope he can improve but he has been butchering basic centre plays.

If I was a coach I would be furious with that.

Yeah Thomond, looked soft but he did knee him in the head, (he did hardly touch him however), but rules are rules and it can be deadly dangerous

What was the red for?

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:Fair play to Murray and Keatley they look out of this world good.

Zebo, POM and Sherry are also having mammoth games

Kilcoyne and O'Donnell too.

Rory_Gallagher wrote:Val, I think you are blindly defending Earls here. Even the Munster fans are disagreeing with you here. I like Earls and I hope he can improve but he has been butchering basic centre plays.

If I was a coach I would be furious with that.

+1

Pretty indefensible.

I would have thought for the first one, that Earls should have backed his pace (the way Zebo did) to go outside the 12 or given to Howlet who had a one on one which you have to back your winger on even if it is against another winger.

A knee to the head for the RC. Edinburgh aren't out of their game yet so here's hoping they do us and Leinster a favour. Leicester still need to win for Munster to progess

Rory_Gallagher wrote:Val, I think you are blindly defending Earls here. Even the Munster fans are disagreeing with you here. I like Earls and I hope he can improve but he has been butchering basic centre plays.

If I was a coach I would be furious with that.

I missed the first one, reading elsewhere that he wasn't as bad as is being made out, I don't get the Sky link here so haven't seen a replay and didn't wake up in time for the first few mins. The second one, I might be wrong on, I don't think it was as bad as people are saying. Earls gets a ridiculously hard time from people, I might have gone a bit over the top in defending him on the second but I honestly don't think it is as bad as people are saying. Opinions, a***oles etc...

Easy win for Munster this, seems a shame there wasn't a contest for the fans to enjoy, this just doesn't give good value or tell you where you are sadly.

As much as i hate to say this but the major difference here today is that ROG is not playing. Keatley is a far more attacking threat.

valjester wrote:No criticism for Zebo not releasing the ball there, if positions had been reversed Earls would have been absolutely crucified by people.

That sounds like bad play that you rightly highlight, but as a winger Zebo is in primarily as a finisher whereas Earls is being shoehorned into a playmaker role. You expect your centre to have more game awareness than your winger.

Although really we should expect that right across the backline, but anyway...

eirebilly wrote:As much as i hate to say this but the major difference here today is that ROG is not playing. Keatley is a far more attacking threat.

Making a huge difference for sure and Murray is loving it too

Racing not sending their firsts and now being down to 14 does help though too.

Thomond sounds like a cauldron today

eirebilly wrote:As much as i hate to say this but the major difference here today is that ROG is not playing. Keatley is a far more attacking threat.

Why would you hate to say that? ROG is shoite and has been for over a year and a half, he is only playing as he is Deccie's love child and a media darling. Without a world class pack that Ireland and Munster had in the 2000s ROG is a better version of Dan Parks, there's a reason they don'y rate him in the SH.

POM is really playing out of his skin

Notch wrote:

valjester wrote:No criticism for Zebo not releasing the ball there, if positions had been reversed Earls would have been absolutely crucified by people.

That sounds like bad play that you rightly highlight, but as a winger Zebo is in primarily as a finisher whereas Earls is being shoehorned into a playmaker role. You expect your centre to have more game awareness than your winger.

Although really we should expect that right across the backline, but anyway...

The thing is, if I was to blame him, awareness isn't the problem with Earls, he saw Zebo supporting him, he just chose not to use him.

POM or Henry for Ireland no7 folks?

theslosty wrote:POM or Henry for Ireland no7 folks?

Henry! POM plays 6 or 8. Unless you mean moving SOB to 7 with POM at 6.

theslosty wrote:POM or Henry for Ireland no7 folks?

It shouldn't really be a contest, Henry has been the outstanding seven in Ireland for the past year.

I would have selected a back row of Henry, POM and SOB for this 6 nations but for obvious reasons that won't be the case.