Munster vs Glasgow

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Munster Rugby v Glasgow Warriors
Saturday 12 April 2014, KO 18:30
Thomond Park, Limerick

Referee: Nigel Owens (WRU, 108th competition game)  
Assistant Referees: Gary Conway, David Connolly (IRFU)
Citing Commissioner: Eddie Walsh (IRFU)
TMO: John Carvill (IRFU)

Live on TG4/BBC ALBA

A. Teams:

I. Munster

Felix Jones, Gerhard van den Heever, Keith Earls, James Downey, Simon Zebo, JJ Hanrahan, Conor Murray, John Ryan, Duncan Casey, BJ Botha, Donncha O'Callaghan, Dave Foley, CJ Stander, Sean Dougall, James Coughlan Capt.

Replacements: Quentin MacDonald, Dave Kilcoyne, Alan Cotter, Billy Holland, Paddy Butler, Duncan Williams, Ian Keatley, Johne Murphy.

II. Glasgow

15. Murchie
14. Maitland
13. Dunbar
12. Russell
11. Seymour
10. Weir
9. Cusiter
8. Wilson
7. Fusaro
6. Strauss
5. Gray
4. Swinson
3. Welsh
2. Hall
1. Reid

16. MacArthur
17. Yanuyanutawa
18. Cross
19. Nakarawa
20. Harley
21. Pyrgos
22. Horne
23. Vernon

B. Form - head to head

22 Played 22
14 Wins 7
7 Losses 14
1 Draws 1
56 Tries 41
41 Conversions 29
51 Penalties 58
1 Drop Goals 1
518 Points 440
27 Avg. Age 25

C. Form - last season:

Sat 1 December 2012
Munster Rugby 31 - 3 Glasgow Warriors
Thomond Park

Fri 29 March 2013
Glasgow Warriors 51 - 24 Munster Rugby
Scotstoun Stadium

Very, very proud of that performance - technically tight and great effort.
Says everything that we're disappointed not to come away from Thomond with a BP win.

I don't think Munster were poor so much as Glasgow gave them no time or space to play.

Nervous about next week, Notch my boy?

Great win. Relentless defence across the squad there. A few errors from weir but you can't complain too much about an away win over Munster. Well done lads.   

Munster deserved that defeat for resting so many of their players, hope they miss out on a top 2 spot for it.

Very strong win for Glasgow,I thought they had a good chance as they're a dangerous team but didn't see that scoreline coming.They should be disappointed to miss out on the bonus point as looking at the league table that's the difference between the top 4 teams.

What were Munster doing at the end? They couldn't get an LBP yet they keep the ball in play to give Glasgow a chance of a fourth try - madness.

When you see the shift that those Glasgow players put in there it does make a nonsense of the way some of them perform for the national side. If we were ever in doubt, we do have some really good players!

That was the best performance of the season by Glasgow by a mile. They are finally raising their game just when they need to.

Still very tight at the top of the Rabo though. The best thing to do is keep winning and then no-one else can take that play off place away from us!

Really not looking forward to the 1872 return leg after this weekend's results.

The Great Aukster wrote:What were Munster doing at the end? They couldn't get an LBP yet they keep the ball in play to give Glasgow a chance of a fourth try - madness.

Rugby players generally are not renowned for their intelligence!

Welsh Magician wrote:Munster deserved that defeat for resting so many of their players, hope they miss out on a top 2 spot for it.

Maybe you're right, but Munster really are a 'Romance of the Cup' kind of team. If they beat Toulon they'll not care if they finish 5th never mind 3rd. They definitely prioritise Europe and the Pro12 can only ever be a consolation prize. The other Irish sides definitely care more about the league than they do. That said it's easy to criticise them when your team hasn't been in the same position, I used to say the same about Munster and then Ulster got to the semi-final in 2012 and the league took a massive backseat. It's not just a Pro12 problem either, its nearly impossible to win the Heineken Cup and your domestic league in the same season. French and English sides suffer in the same way.

It's useful for everyone else in the playoff race that they are still in Europe, thats for sure. They weren't really all there in spirit tonight. If they were knocked out of Europe early they'd be fully focused on the league. I'm hoping they beat Toulon and make the Final; firstly because I always support the other provinces once Ulster are out of course, but secondly because they might rest a few players when we go there in the last weekend of the regular season!

RDW_Scotland wrote:Really not looking forward to the 1872 return leg after this weekend's results.

Yep, if both teams play like they did this weekend, it might be like a repeat of the Melrose7's final...

Ah boys, at the risk of extreme Welshness WHAT A DAY!!!!
Glorious sevens.
Winning at Thomond.
After the disappointment of last season I think winning in Ireland would have been pretty high on Toonie's To Do List. So now we've won in Belfast and Limerick.
A win at home next week will set us up for the Herculean task that is thumping the MFL.
Toonie Muppetometer 0.5%

doesn't seem to be any comments from Munster fans?

Welsh Magician wrote:Munster deserved that defeat for resting so many of their players, hope they miss out on a top 2 spot for it.

Did you watch last week's game WM? I infer from your comments that Munster played a second string team. Is that a reasonable inference to draw?

How's about comparing the two teams

V Glasgow
Felix Jones;
Gerhard van den Heever, Keith Earls, James Downey, Simon Zebo,
JJ Hanrahan, Conor Murray,
John Ryan, Duncan Casey, BJ Botha,
Donncha O'Callaghan, Dave Foley,
CJ Stander, Sean Dougall, James Coughlan Capt.
Replacements: Quentin MacDonald, Dave Kilcoyne, Alan Cotter, Billy Holland, Paddy Butler, Duncan Williams, Ian Keatley, Johne Murphy.

V Toulouse
Felix Jones;
Keith Earls; Casey Laulala, James Downey; Simon Zebo;
Ian Keatley, Conor Murray;
Dave Kilcoyne, Damien Varley; BJ Botha;
Dave Foley; Paul O'Connell;
Peter O'Mahony (Capt); Tommy O'Donnell; James Coughlan.
Replacements: Duncan Casey, John Ryan, Alan Cotter, Donncha O'Callaghan, CJ Stander, Duncan Williams, JJ Hanrahan, Gerhard van den Heever.


The backline was adjusted tonight because Casey Laulala was INJURED (not rested)

Keatley is first choice OH, but Hanrahan has played 22 times for Munster this season including coming on as sub in all their HEC games; with Keatley on the bench, hardly a case of "resting" a player.

John Ryan (Prop) played his first HEC game last week - still quite young in "propping" terms therefore good to give him more experience;
Damien Varley has only recently come back from injury; Mike Sherry busted his cruciate ligment in December last; Duncan Casey was the 3rd string hooker but forced up the order because of Varley and Sherry injuries; Quentin McDonald has only recently arrived in Munster as urgent cover for this position; he has only played once before tonight. It is hardly a case of resting to play Casey and McDonald.

I will allow that POC was rested, but heck, why not? But DOC and Foley played last week and Billy Holland has played quite a few games this year and is on Munster's HEC squad.
Peter O'Mahony was injured last week - out for the rest of the season, not rested;
Munster have a number of back row players (POM; Coughlan; TOD; Paddy Butler; Sean Dougall; CJ Stander; Dave O'Callaghan; Barry O'Mahony; Niall Ronan (injured)) who have been rotated quite a lot over the season. You can hardly say that CJ Stander (MOTM v Toulouse), Coughlan and Sean Dougall (just behond TOD in Munster pecking order, is a second string back row.

So what is your complaint, Welsh Magician?

tatterd wrote:doesn't seem to be any comments from Munster fans?

Watched the game on chasing play-back, tatterd, hence the lack of comments from me anyway.

Munster looked hungover; nothing worked; the passes didn't stick; the urgency wasn't there; it was awful to watch (from a Munster fan's perspective). I was hoping we would manage to hold on for a home SF but that is looking in a bit of doubt at the moment.

Having said all that, Many Many congratulations to Glasgow on a realy good win; well planned and executed.

fair do's kia - magnanimous     

Well that's the Ospreys out of it ....   

Well I thoughly enjoyed watching taht. Munster loked like a tem with a hangover but Glasgow looked a class act.

How often do you see 4 tries in the first half and not a point scored in the second?

Well done to our unwashed brethern

Anyone else here Nigel Owens telling the Glasgow players off for celebrating a Munster knock on near the line!? He said something along the lines of, "if you want to cheer for an opponents mistake, your in the wrong sport".
Someone really should compile a list of Nige's best quips   

^^ too good this Nige  

Totallybiasedscarlet wrote:Well that's the Ospreys out of it ....

Well i think they can still catch Ulster considering the run up of both teams.

GLove39 wrote:Anyone else here Nigel Owens telling the Glasgow players off for celebrating a Munster knock on near the line!? He said something along the lines of, "if you want to cheer for an opponents mistake, your in the wrong sport".
Someone really should compile a list of Nige's best quips   

As if by magic...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S73UAhBHQEg&feature=youtu.be

Love Nigel.

"See that man with the orange shirt? That's where you throw it in from".

Some good stuff here too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FDh1xtqaWA

hahaha this is just too good   

Last week Munster v Toulouse
Nigel to the front rows
"If you don't want to scrummage, you shouldn't play in that position"  (or words to that effect)

Well done Glasgow. Beat us everywhere and we got exactly what we deserved..nothing

Just to add..that was embarrassing and unacceptable from the players

Cheers for that Notch   

Anybody we think we should give the soap dodgers Cornell and matt Scott on loan for their game against ulster on Friday because a home semi final would be excellent for scottish rugby.




We want them back for the week after though!

George Carlin wrote:Love Nigel.

"See that man with the orange shirt? That's where you throw it in from".

Some good stuff here too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FDh1xtqaWA

Nigel is the best argument for human cloning. wish he could ref every match

I'm pretty sure the best argument for human cloning was my sixth form economics teacher, but she's a different story.

Maitland made it look easy on Zebo
Hows his form?

What the heck is with Munster's attendances this season? It seems to be rapid decline. I expected a big crowd for this after last week.

IanBru wrote:I'm pretty sure the best argument for human cloning was my sixth form economics teacher, but she's a different story.

Bet you pushed for extra tutoring in that class. Sorry, "tutoring".

CraigS1874 wrote:Anybody we think we should give the soap dodgers Cornell and matt Scott on loan for their game against ulster on Friday because a home semi final would be excellent for scottish rugby.




We want them back for the week after though!

Why - they wouldn't get into the match day 23 ? !   

LeinsterFan4life wrote:What the heck is with Munster's attendances this season? It seems to be rapid decline. I expected a big crowd for this after last week.

Not two home games in a row. Bear in mind that the distances involved and how expensive that would work out. Most people (particularly families) couldn't afford two trips on the trot apart from the fact that there is an expensive trip to Marseille coming up.

edit: Congratulation Glasgow with a well deserved win over Munster.

Munster were very, very, very poor.

I actually think Munster were pretty good. They created quite a bit in attack but just handling and decision making let them down.

For example Stander kicking the ball away when he intercepted and I think was it Zebo who bombed a try down the left wing. Murray getting greedy and knocking on going for the line was another one,

Glasgow are a good side and were good for the win but Munster would have made the game a lot closer if they'd have taken their chances.

Congrats to Glasgow. There was only one team at the races on Saturday.

It's been a long time since I've seen Munster so inept and ragged and it really isn't good enough anymore to blame the previous week's highs.

I really though that we had moved beyond the HC being the be all and end all.

All those players on Saturday are paid pros but it was so obvious that they were operating at not only a level below the previous week but 2 or 3 levels.

That was a very important match that we needed to win to ensure a home semi and all the extra finances that that would bring and I think the tone was set when you have the likes of POC, Varley, TOD left off the squad and Keatley & Killer left on the bench.

We all knew Munster would show up against Toulouse and we all know they'll show up against Toulon but I spend a lot of time and money following them and I expect them to show up at every match especially one as important as Saturday.

Very disappointed.

And might I also compliment the Glasgow fans on Saturday. If ever a set of fans deserved the performance their team gave it was them.  They sang their hearts out for the whole of the 2nd half and were by some distance the best away fans I've encountered at Thomond for a Rabo match.

Welsh Magician wrote:Munster deserved that defeat for resting so many of their players, hope they miss out on a top 2 spot for it.

Thank you for your ill informed and inaccurate contribution - as has been pointed out

rodders wrote:I actually think Munster were pretty good. They created quite a bit in attack but just handling and decision making let them down.

For example Stander kicking the ball away when he intercepted and I think was it Zebo who bombed a try down the left wing. Murray getting greedy and knocking on going for the line was another one,

Glasgow are a good side and were good for the win but Munster would have made the game a lot closer if they'd have taken their chances.

Meh...we certainly butchered about four tries but that wasnt the problem. We were as soft in defence as I have ever seen us especially around the breakdown and Glasgow were able to score at will.

2 areas in particular where I thought we were terrible were the speed of the defensive line (we just kept letting Glasgow come onto us) and not having enough numbers in the rucks to protect the ball.

Yes and just a complete lack of aggression overall..we will be lucky to get a semi not to mind a home one.