Who is the top Irish Province?

by Kingshu Mon 08 Apr 2013, 9:38 am

First topic message reminder :

Currently 3 of the 4 can make a decent claim to be the current top Province

Munster
Have done the best in Europe, into H-cup semi-Finals, but 6th in the Leauge and unlikly to make play offs.

Ulster
Went out in Quarter final in H-cup, 2nd in League and should be in the play offs.

Leinster
Went out earlest in H-cup at group stage, but are into semi final of Almin, 3rd in League and should be in the play offs.

Maybe an inter pro table would help?

Ulster 20 v 19 Munster
Connacht 34 v 6 Leinster (BP)
Ulster 25 v 0 Connacht
Leinster 30 v 21 Munster
Ulster 27 v 19 Leinster
Munster 16-12 Connacht
Munster 24-10 Ulster
Leinster 17-0 Connacht
Munster 22-0 Connacht
Leinster 18-22 Ulster

Still to play
Munster V Leinster
Connacht V Ulster

Team p w l BP Points
Ulster 5 4 1 0 16
Munster 5 3 2 1 13
Leinster 5 2 3 1 9
Connacht 5 1 4 2 6

So inter-pro title is between Ulster and Munster.

Honestly I'm not sure who the top team in Ireland are, the good news is the three are among the top in Europe.

I'd prob still say Leinster are the top team but they are not as far and away the best team as last year, it's close, Ulster 2nd and Munster 3rd, but again its close.

What do you think?

by Sin é Thu 02 May 2013, 11:22 am

Mickado wrote:
Sin é wrote:
Biltong wrote:Talking about Leinster, what happened to them in the HC this season, by memory they didn't even make the QF?

Yes Biltong, Munster beat them to the last QF spot by scoring 2 more tries than they did. They like to say it was Clermont that knocked them out - in fact it was Scarlets/Exeter and Munster.

The Amlin is the new Heino now in the east of ireland.

I timed my post well

I'm better on the draw - 3 mins earlier Very Happy

by pete (buachaill on eirne) Thu 02 May 2013, 11:22 am

Biltong wrote:Talking about Leinster, what happened to them in the HC this season, by memory they didn't even make the QF?

We were missing a lot of guys (particularily backs) in the opening 3 months of the season. We had no Kearney, O'Brien or Fitzgerald which meant we played Madigan at 15, McFadden at 14. We beat Exeter and Scarlets in the first two rounds where we should have destroyed Exeter and SCarlets and we played appalling stuff. We sneaked by both and it was debatable whether we deserved to beat Exeter at all.

Clermont went and scored bonus point wins against both teams home and away. I feel we lost the HCup in those first two rounds.
We came close to beating Clermont away when we had a weakened team but we didn't and ultimately that's all that matters really.

Munster were right with us at the end as it came down to best runners up, Montpellier got one and then it was between us and Munster. We put 5 tries on Exeter in Exeter in 50mins then didn't score again, the same thing happened against the Scarlets the week before. An Ian Keatley inspired Munster managed to beat Racing in Thomond park, Racing getting one of their players red carded in the 12th minute. Zebo was on fire and Munster clicked against a slightly weakened Racing team.

I am of the opinion we lost it against Exeter and Scarlets in the first two rounds.

We are currently in the Amlin Cup Final, the Rabo Semi Final and the British and Irish Cup Final. I think we are doing pretty well after an awful September to Christmas period.

by asoreleftshoulder Thu 02 May 2013, 11:27 am

In fairness the only team to have beaten us in the last 3 Heineken Cups is Clermont,we've been unlucky enough to come up against them constantly and if we had drawn any other group we'd have topped it and probably be in a semi-final now.

Playing a backline that had a lineup of 12. Goodman 13. D'Arcy and 15. Madigan meant we were struggling against top class opposition.

by pete (buachaill on eirne) Thu 02 May 2013, 11:32 am

asoreleftshoulder wrote:In fairness the only team to have beaten us in the last 3 Heineken Cups is Clermont,we've been unlucky enough to come up against them constantly and if we had drawn any other group we'd have topped it and probably be in a semi-final now.

Playing a backline that had a lineup of 12. Goodman 13. D'Arcy and 15. Madigan meant we were struggling against top class opposition.

I didn't want to say it but yeah I think we would have beaten anyone else other than Clermont which kinda sucks but thems the breaks

by Mickado Thu 02 May 2013, 11:39 am

asoreleftshoulder wrote:In fairness the only team to have beaten us in the last 3 Heineken Cups is Clermont,we've been unlucky enough to come up against them constantly and if we had drawn any other group we'd have topped it and probably be in a semi-final now.

Playing a backline that had a lineup of 12. Goodman 13. D'Arcy and 15. Madigan meant we were struggling against top class opposition.

If Clermont win the HC:

Then the last team to knock Leinster out of the cup, and NOT go on to win it themselves would be….

Leicester Tigers in the 07-08 season

by Sin é Thu 02 May 2013, 11:45 am

asoreleftshoulder wrote:In fairness the only team to have beaten us in the last 3 Heineken Cups is Clermont,we've been unlucky enough to come up against them constantly and if we had drawn any other group we'd have topped it and probably be in a semi-final now.

Playing a backline that had a lineup of 12. Goodman 13. D'Arcy and 15. Madigan meant we were struggling against top class opposition.

But thats was your team, if you go along that way of thinking, if Munster had Paul O'Connell, Tommy O'Donnell & Earls fit, Munster probably would have beaten Saracens away and topped the pool for a home QF.

by pete (buachaill on eirne) Thu 02 May 2013, 11:52 am

Mickado wrote:
asoreleftshoulder wrote:In fairness the only team to have beaten us in the last 3 Heineken Cups is Clermont,we've been unlucky enough to come up against them constantly and if we had drawn any other group we'd have topped it and probably be in a semi-final now.

Playing a backline that had a lineup of 12. Goodman 13. D'Arcy and 15. Madigan meant we were struggling against top class opposition.

If Clermont win the HC:

Then the last team to knock Leinster out of the cup, and NOT go on to win it themselves would be….

Leicester Tigers in the 07-08 season

by asoreleftshoulder Thu 02 May 2013, 12:45 pm

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:
asoreleftshoulder wrote:In fairness the only team to have beaten us in the last 3 Heineken Cups is Clermont,we've been unlucky enough to come up against them constantly and if we had drawn any other group we'd have topped it and probably be in a semi-final now.

Playing a backline that had a lineup of 12. Goodman 13. D'Arcy and 15. Madigan meant we were struggling against top class opposition.

I didn't want to say it but yeah I think we would have beaten anyone else other than Clermont which kinda sucks but thems the breaks

Oh yeah can't complain about it,that's the luck of the draw but anyone using the HC as the sole barometer of success is using a flawed system.If Leinster had fallen down the league as well as being knocked out of the HC then there would be a good argument that our standards are dropping badly,as it is I think we'll still be in with a shout of winning the HC next year.We just won't be favourites and a lot will depend on how our new coach fits in.

by SecretFly Thu 02 May 2013, 12:53 pm

I think the new Leinster coach will be a bit of a Cheika mark-two. They've developed a little bit of a softness again and teams think they might bully them in the physical stakes again.
Cheika hardened up Leinster and that new raw physicality plus their more normal and nimble run chase game got them over the line.
I think the new guy will harden the contours again.

by ME-109 Thu 02 May 2013, 12:54 pm

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:
Biltong wrote:Talking about Leinster, what happened to them in the HC this season, by memory they didn't even make the QF?

We were missing a lot of guys (particularily backs) in the opening 3 months of the season. We had no Kearney, O'Brien or Fitzgerald which meant we played Madigan at 15, McFadden at 14. We beat Exeter and Scarlets in the first two rounds where we should have destroyed Exeter and SCarlets and we played appalling stuff. We sneaked by both and it was debatable whether we deserved to beat Exeter at all.

Clermont went and scored bonus point wins against both teams home and away. I feel we lost the HCup in those first two rounds.
We came close to beating Clermont away when we had a weakened team but we didn't and ultimately that's all that matters really.

Munster were right with us at the end as it came down to best runners up, Montpellier got one and then it was between us and Munster. We put 5 tries on Exeter in Exeter in 50mins then didn't score again, the same thing happened against the Scarlets the week before. An Ian Keatley inspired Munster managed to beat Racing in Thomond park, Racing getting one of their players red carded in the 12th minute. Zebo was on fire and Munster clicked against a slightly weakened Racing team.

I am of the opinion we lost it against Exeter and Scarlets in the first two rounds.

We are currently in the Amlin Cup Final, the Rabo Semi Final and the British and Irish Cup Final. I think we are doing pretty well after an awful September to Christmas period.

Besides the litany of excuses...I have to put paid to another urban legend. Have a look at the game son. I think you mean a Zebo inspired win. For a lot of the first half Zebo was at first receiver on a few occasions. In fairness to Keatley he did what he had to do and was well protected (i.e his teammates didn't give him the ball much) until the game was well won

by **Notch** Thu 02 May 2013, 1:37 pm

Munster have gone for Hanrahan at 10 and Keatley at 12 for Zebre on Friday night- dead rubber game in essence, but a combination we could be seeing more of next year?

by Jenifer McLadyboy Thu 02 May 2013, 1:39 pm

Munster went into denial 4 years ago today.

They are still there. Very consistent they are.

by **Notch** Thu 02 May 2013, 1:41 pm

Jenifer McLadyboy wrote:Munster went into denial 4 years ago today.

They are still there. Very consistent they are.

by Don Alfonso Thu 02 May 2013, 1:54 pm

Is this Munster's last game of the season, then?

Seems early.

by Jenifer McLadyboy Thu 02 May 2013, 2:25 pm

Don Alfonso wrote:Is this Munster's last game of the season, then?

Seems early.

This is Munster's first chance of an away Rabo win in 2013. Against a side that have lost 27 games in a row..... They might even do it!

Now I see why "the Rabo means feck all" to them..... Cause they are feck all use at it.

Even at home they have only beaten Embra and Connacht. Shocked

by ME-109 Thu 02 May 2013, 4:24 pm

Jenifer McLadyboy wrote:
Don Alfonso wrote:Is this Munster's last game of the season, then?

Seems early.
This is Munster's first chance of an away Rabo win in 2013. Against a side that have lost 27 games in a row..... They might even do it!

Now I see why "the Rabo means feck all" to them..... Cause they are feck all use at it.

Even at home they have only beaten Embra and Connacht.

Awwww...who didn't make the QF of the HC...boohoohoo Whistle

by Mickado Thu 02 May 2013, 4:29 pm

Spoiler:

by Jenifer McLadyboy Thu 02 May 2013, 4:30 pm

Aww. Got the "Season over blues" eh?

by debaters1 Thu 02 May 2013, 5:38 pm

Children, children. Whist.

Someone asked about a 10-12 axis of JJ and Keatley respectively next season. Would like to see that myself, as well as JJ getting to play with Downey at 12 too. Or indeed, JJ at 12 the odd time but would prefer that we effectively play our base 28 matches (hopfully 33 and the RIGHT 33 at that Wink

) with just the two of them rotating between the 10 jersey. And, all being well, JJ installed as the number 1 by the time the HC QF in Thomond.

Yes I can dream. On all counts.

by SecretFly Thu 02 May 2013, 5:57 pm

not a bad reckoning debaters. Things is a stirring down Munster way.

by pete (buachaill on eirne) Thu 02 May 2013, 9:55 pm

DOD wrote:
Jenifer McLadyboy wrote:
Don Alfonso wrote:Is this Munster's last game of the season, then?

Seems early.
This is Munster's first chance of an away Rabo win in 2013. Against a side that have lost 27 games in a row..... They might even do it!

Now I see why "the Rabo means feck all" to them..... Cause they are feck all use at it.

Even at home they have only beaten Embra and Connacht.

Awwww...who didn't make the QF of the HC...boohoohoo

Who still has a chance of ending up with not one, not two but three trophies? Cool

by ME-109 Thu 02 May 2013, 9:58 pm

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:
DOD wrote:
Jenifer McLadyboy wrote:
Don Alfonso wrote:Is this Munster's last game of the season, then?

Seems early.
This is Munster's first chance of an away Rabo win in 2013. Against a side that have lost 27 games in a row..... They might even do it!

Now I see why "the Rabo means feck all" to them..... Cause they are feck all use at it.

Even at home they have only beaten Embra and Connacht.

Awwww...who didn't make the QF of the HC...boohoohoo

Who still has a chance of ending up with not one, not two but three trophies?

B&I Cup = LD Vans Trophy
Amlin = League Cup
Rabo = League Championship

Everyone prefers the champions league

by pete (buachaill on eirne) Thu 02 May 2013, 10:16 pm

But that is between Clermont and Toulon, I don't see how any of the Irish provinces are going to win that..... Whistle

Just messing with ya Dod-dy Hug

by SecretFly Thu 02 May 2013, 10:31 pm

With all the football analogies in here lately I feel like I've taken a wrong turn at the .. turnstiles... and ended up at a Manchestah gyme:

Most torturous football memory: ITV in the 70s and the blasted results shows

Leeds United .....Nil..... Crystal Palace....Nil
Blackpool...........Nil..... Sheffield Wednesday.... Nil
Barnsley............Nil..... Burnley 12
Hull City and Charlton Athletic called off due to rain
Bolton Wanderers..Nil..... Derby County.... 1

All that and Dickie Davis too. We were spolit in the 70s for TV excitement.

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