Harlequin FC vs Munster - the Heinken Cup QF at the Stoop

First topic message reminder :

Munster, 4 times HEC Champions but a team in flux, take on Quins, past Amlin Champions and Aviva Premiership Champions, at the Stoop on 2pm on Sunday. The two have met before, in Ireland, when Quins surprised the rugby world in beating Munster en route to winning the 2nd tier European Cup in 2011. This time Quins are the favourites but in shaky form and on the back of 3 defeats in the Premiership in a row, whilst Munster were trounced by Glasgow last week. Munster know what it takes to win at this level and could easily upset Quins to win but Quins looked to have their attacking mojo back and just lacked compusure toward the end against Gloucester. THe last time Quins were at this stage in the HEC, it was against an Irish side, Leinster, and the Bloodgate scandal from that match saw them fall from grace and Dean Richards banned form the game for 2 years. The Quins side is quite similar to that disgraced team and the man who was caught cheating, Tom Williams, starts in what will be an epic but hopefully non-controversial encounter

Quins-

"Harlequins have announced the team that will play Munster at The Stoop in the Heineken Cup quarter-final on Sunday, kick-off 2.00pm (live on Sky Sports 2).Related Multimedia
There are four changes to the team that played Gloucester Rugby last Friday. Among the backs, Tom Williams and Ugo Monye return to start on the wings, with Mike Brown continuing at full-back.

George Lowe will make his 100th senior appearance for the club and partners Tom Casson in the centre.

In the forwards, the front five remain unchanged, while Maurie Fa'asavalu and captain, Chris Robshaw return to the flanks.

Tom Guest has recovered from illness and is named among the replacements.

This fixture will be the biggest that the Twickenham Stoop has ever held. With a 15,000 capacity crowd attending, Harlequins are encouraging supporters from both teams to arrive with plenty of time. Gates will open at 12pm for the 2pm kick-off.

Harlequins team

15. Mike Brown
14. Tom Williams
13. George Lowe
12. Tom Casson
11. Ugo Monye
10. Nick Evans
9. Danny Care

1. Joe Marler
2. Rob Buchanan
3. James Johnston
4. Olly Kohn
5. George Robson
6. Maurie Fa'asavalu
7. Chris Robshaw (C)
8. Nick Easter

16. Joe Gray
17. Mark Lambert
18. Will Collier
19. Charlie Matthews
20. Tom Guest
21. Karl Dickson
22. Ben Botica
23. Matt Hopper"

Munster - "Good news for Munster in that Simon Zebo has been passed fit to take his place in the starting line-up for the Quins Heineken Cup quarter final game but Doug Howlett misses out with an injured shoulder, his place on the wing going to Denis Hurley.It’s Zebo’s first game for Munster since the Racing Metro game on January 20thafter which he injured a foot in the second game of the RBS Six Nations against England.
Howlett damaged a shoulder in the act of reaching for the line to score a try last weekend against Glasgow Warriors. He sat out Tuesday’s session in Musgrave Park before finally accepting today that he wouldn’t make the starting line.

Back into the side however come internationals Conor Murray, Peter O’Mahony and Donnacha Ryan who was also mentioned on Tuesday as a doubt forthe trip to The Stoop.

Like Murray and O’Mahony, Ryan hasn’t kicked a ball in anger since the Italy encounter for which he was considered doubtful because of a shoulder/back injury that had been affecting him during the RBS.

Nevertheless he gets the nod over Donncha O’Callaghan to partner Paul O’Connell in the second row while Cathal Sheridan and Ivan Dineen both named among the replacements get a first taste of Heineken Cup fare.

In Howlett's absence, Paul O'Connell will wear the captain's armband.

Munster: F Jones; D Hurley, C Laulala, J Downey, S Zebo; R O’Gara, C Murray; D Kilcoyne , M Sherry BJ Botha; D Ryan, P O’Connell capt; P O’Mahony, T O’Donnell , J Coughlan. Replacements: D Varley W du Preez, S Archer, Donncha O’Callaghan, P Butler, C Sheridan, I Keatley, I Dineen.

"

Bring it on

whats the score guys?

6-0 Harlequins.

Textbook choke tackle by Munster, eventually leads to a pen which O'Gara actually kicks. 6-3.

Hmmm not sure about that scrum penalty.

What is the commentator talking about? Botha clearly popped up first, not Marler!

Pen from a scrum, good kick, 9-3 Quins.

POC is to Munster as BOD is to Leinster. They are a different team when he is in full flow.

Too many penalties in this game so far though.

Watching ROG now is painful. He is such a pale shadow of himself these days. On the other hand, POC? Monstrous. He'll be a Lion in the summer for sure. When he plays like that there isn't anyone to touch him in the Six Nations.

Great to see Zebo back.

COughlan is another having an excellent game.

Agree re: the amount of penalties Munster in particular have conceded a lot.

Conner Murray is having a very good game.

Conor Murray is the most improved Irish international player this season. Really has stepped it up.

Now THAT was Munster.

Quins fans impeccable for the kicks.

anyone got a link?

Gibson wrote:Conor Murray is the most improved Irish international player this season. Really has stepped it up.

Now THAT was Munster.

Quins fans impeccable for the kicks.

Less kicks more running.

Poc is on that lipns plane.

nathan wrote:anyone got a link?

Check your PMs.

POC playing really well. Munster unlucky to be behind

Sent you some links Nathan.

Hookisms and Hyperbole wrote:Watching ROG now is painful. He is such a pale shadow of himself these days. On the other hand, POC? Monstrous. He'll be a Lion in the summer for sure. When he plays like that there isn't anyone to touch him in the Six Nations.

I think Alun Wyn Jones is on par with him if not better.

Munster dragging Quins into a dog-fight here. Ominous.

cheers guys.

VinceWLB wrote:

Hookisms and Hyperbole wrote:Watching ROG now is painful. He is such a pale shadow of himself these days. On the other hand, POC? Monstrous. He'll be a Lion in the summer for sure. When he plays like that there isn't anyone to touch him in the Six Nations.

I think Alun Wyn Jones is on par with him if not better.

Awk, not in a million years. A good player no doubt, but hugely overrated. I'd rather have Evans (criminally underrated) or Charteris in my side than Wyn Jones. O'Connell is just in a different league, not only in an individual basis but he lifts the players around them and makes them play better. Wyn Jones doesn't come near him.

Hookisms and Hyperbole wrote:

VinceWLB wrote:

Hookisms and Hyperbole wrote:Watching ROG now is painful. He is such a pale shadow of himself these days. On the other hand, POC? Monstrous. He'll be a Lion in the summer for sure. When he plays like that there isn't anyone to touch him in the Six Nations.

I think Alun Wyn Jones is on par with him if not better.

Awk, not in a million years. A good player no doubt, but hugely overrated. I'd rather have Evans (criminally underrated) or Charteris in my side than Wyn Jones. O'Connell is just in a different league, not only in an individual basis but he lifts the players around them and makes them play better. Wyn Jones doesn't come near him.

+1

9-9!

COME ON MUNSTER!

O'Connell is having a stormer, on this form he's comfortably the best 5 in home nations. Really showing his Lions pedigree; 4 spots left for Jones, Evans, Parling, Launchbury, Gray, Hamilton & Hines.

Robshaw is having a quiet game.

How are people judging the Care vs. Murray battle?

Anyone else think Zebo should consider a permanent shift to fullback? His ability under the high ball, huge boot and ability to counter attack is exceptional.

12-9 to Munster!

LeinsterFan4life wrote:

Hookisms and Hyperbole wrote:

VinceWLB wrote:

Hookisms and Hyperbole wrote:Watching ROG now is painful. He is such a pale shadow of himself these days. On the other hand, POC? Monstrous. He'll be a Lion in the summer for sure. When he plays like that there isn't anyone to touch him in the Six Nations.

I think Alun Wyn Jones is on par with him if not better.

Awk, not in a million years. A good player no doubt, but hugely overrated. I'd rather have Evans (criminally underrated) or Charteris in my side than Wyn Jones. O'Connell is just in a different league, not only in an individual basis but he lifts the players around them and makes them play better. Wyn Jones doesn't come near him.

+1

Have to agree. Wyn Jones never really got to where we expected him to be. He certainly is a fantastic player around the pitch but can be inconsistent for Wales. Agree with you on Evans too, but he can be a penalty machine at times.

Munster looking like a machine right now.

POM is having a stormer!!! Come on munster

Steal from O'Mahony, he is such a talented player. He hasn't even shown his true potential yet.

Munster all over Quins now. This is magnificent.

Every time people write them off ... they do this.

Fantastic.

They know how to win knockouts in this comp. Quins have to learn that yet.

Munster have turned the ref now. Man!

When POM actually plays like a forward and is at the breakdown then he is a fine player, as evidenced against France when he was Ireland's best player. When he hides out in the backs looking for Hollywood carries and thinking he is Tom Croft then he is frustrating and and ineffective, ala nearly all his other caps.

Reffing of the breakdown is a bit loose.

Quins need a try here. Munster will keep presurising them and will pick up on their resultant errors. And they are attacking Quins on the back of it now.

This is true HC knockout rugby.

What a hit!

Great defence from Harlequins. Kept themselves in the game there.

Hookisms and Hyperbole wrote:When POM actually plays like a forward and is at the breakdown then he is a fine player, as evidenced against France when he was Ireland's best player. When he hides out in the backs looking for Hollywood carries and thinking he is Tom Croft then he is frustrating and and ineffective, ala nearly all his other caps.

Definitely. He is one of the top 6s/8s around in Europe when he gets stuck in.

I love the HC.

ugh, surely there was a bind on the arm at scrum time?

POC & POM have been immense. Quins are being bullied here.

Quins hard done by there, Munster were binding on the arm.

Quins did very well to keep them out during that spell

Zebo back to his lively self here. Id put shekels on him to get a try.

Ridiculous choke tackle again.

If i was a munster fan I would be tearing up. What a performance.

ROG is loving this. He is in the zone now.

binding once again on Marlers arm...

lol, what a joke!!!

So quins are getting penalised for binding on the arm, what about the other side?