Munster vs Sale

Munster are being ripped apart here.. What is going on? They just seem totally lethargic and cumbersome in defence. Their pack is also getting completely bossed, especially in the scrum. Time to bring on James Cronin!

Why was that a yellow card to TOD? It looked to me like it was a 50/50 challenge for the ball that came from a forward pass.

It looked a bit harsh but Munster should never have been in such a position in the first place, the midfield are getting ripped to shreds. Unfortunate to lose TOD for the 10 who has been working hard, he needs more help from POM who has not looked good in this game. He really does need to assert himself more in defence.

Disappointing to hear that Foley went straight to the 4th official at half time to argue about the game rather than straight to his dressing room to talk with his players. He has absolutely nobody else to blame for this game so far, his team have been dire.

Someone better tell Lewis-Roberts to scrummage towards the try line not the touch line!

Yeah, Sale very impressive Munster the opposite. Not a big surprise Munster are unconvincing based on their start in the Pro12 but Sales performance is a gem.

Could be a very disappointing year for the Irish sides.

Hopefully that will give Munster a bit of momentum and confidence.

Conway blows a certain try, redeems himself by finishing it off a minute later- big relief for him!

LBP territory and all to play for- they would have bitten your hand off for that at half-time. Fair play to them, there has been a response.

Plenty of time for Munster to win this yet, Sale struggle managing games over the full 80

Yeah I'm still not confident of a Sale win so I wouldn't worry Rory.

This is pathetic from Keatley

POM really is a world class line-out operator, he has like 5 steals in this game.

Suddenly the Sky commentators are getting all excited.....

This'll be a big talking point regardless of how the match ends I reckon.

Thats twice munster have kicked the ball away on the 5 meter line with a Penalty advantage.

Munster could get 4 tries at this rate.

LeinsterFan4life wrote:Thats twice munster have kicked the ball away on the 5 meter line with a Penalty advantage.

Good on them for trying something different. How do you whether or not it will pay off unless you try.

LeinsterFan4life wrote:Thats twice munster have kicked the ball away on the 5 meter line with a Penalty advantage.

Whats the point? just go through the phases and eventually score...

Thank god POM didn't score or else the Sky team would have jizzed themselves

Normal service resumed, good effort from Sale but the difference in quality coming through now. They look knackered.

Irish Restart Kick Syndrome.

Ref should reverse the decision there

yappysnap wrote:Ref should reverse the decision there

It does look like the Sale tight head is continually pulling the scrum down.

I meant the tackle after the whistle had been blown

Paul O'Connell just happily swims down the side of the maul there after being warned by the ref.

Fuzzy Dunlop wrote:Normal service resumed, good effort from Sale but the difference in quality coming through now. They look knackered.

It's not a vintage Munster side. If it weren't for Murray, POC and POM they'd probably be near the bottom of the Pro12.

Brilliant play from the Munster men. Very impressed with that 2nd half.

Wow, just wow. What a great game of rugby!

Unbelievable lol I did not expect Munster to pull themselves back.

The Saint wrote:

Fuzzy Dunlop wrote:Normal service resumed, good effort from Sale but the difference in quality coming through now. They look knackered.

It's not a vintage Munster side. If it weren't for Murray, POC and POM they'd probably be near the bottom of the Pro12.

I'd add Stander to their current list of crucial players. Without him they wouldn't have much carrying power.

Well done Munster, well hung in there for the win

The Saint wrote:

Fuzzy Dunlop wrote:Normal service resumed, good effort from Sale but the difference in quality coming through now. They look knackered.

It's not a vintage Munster side. If it weren't for Murray, POC and POM they'd probably be near the bottom of the Pro12.

Is this the same Pro12 that Cardiff are in with a shot at winning and Ospreys are going to be the bottom ranked Welsh region Saint?

You have to say, that was a very difficult drop goal opportunity and he nailed it. Feel bad for the Sale fans. Like, really bad.

Wow that drop goal was in the dead middle of the posts.

Feel a bit sorry for Sale fans but looked like there were more Munster fans out there.

Sounded like a home game when Keatley nailed the drop goal

yappysnap wrote:Paul O'Connell just happily swims down the side of the maul there after being warned by the ref.

Yeah ref bottled it a bit there, warning completely ignored but nothing done about it.

Great game of rugby. Draw would perhaps have been the fairest result but no one can deny Munster were good for the win. Tough luck Sale but they can still be proud of how they played. Think they might be seeing Champs Cup action next year.

Quality finish have to admire that last kick. But as a previous poster said its not a vintage Munster side.

Notch wrote:

The Saint wrote:

Fuzzy Dunlop wrote:Normal service resumed, good effort from Sale but the difference in quality coming through now. They look knackered.

It's not a vintage Munster side. If it weren't for Murray, POC and POM they'd probably be near the bottom of the Pro12.

Is this the same Pro12 that Cardiff are in with a shot at winning and Ospreys are going to be the bottom ranked Welsh region Saint?

You have to say, that was a very difficult drop goal opportunity and he nailed it. Feel bad for the Sale fans. Like, really bad.

Don't see what the fortunes of those two teams would have to do with a fictitious Munster team lacking those players. Were those guys in the Munster team for the home loss to Edinburgh? Cardiff could still get to the top 4, lot of season to be played . Currently leading their game today too.

It was very difficult from that angle. I've never really rated Keatley but he stood up for the full 80 today.

Notch wrote:

The Saint wrote:

Fuzzy Dunlop wrote:Normal service resumed, good effort from Sale but the difference in quality coming through now. They look knackered.

It's not a vintage Munster side. If it weren't for Murray, POC and POM they'd probably be near the bottom of the Pro12.

Is this the same Pro12 that Cardiff are in with a shot at winning and Ospreys are going to be the bottom ranked Welsh region Saint?

You have to say, that was a very difficult drop goal opportunity and he nailed it. Feel bad for the Sale fans. Like, really bad.

Yeah, I feel for Sale and their supporters too. Sale had their opportunities to close the door and didn't. And that is all the gap Munster ever need. But still, good job by Sale. They are tenth in the Premiership, and put up a terrific battle. Good signs for them in the future.

What a second half

Boom

Big moment for me was Cips (who otherwise had a good game) failing to clear the ball after the maul was stopped. Suicidal play and those moments are why Cips, Burns and Ford are still behind Farrell despite having much more natural talent.

Congrats, Munster

Nail biting finish. Not sure what was going on in the first half, but you showed great character in claiming the win in the very last second.

Fuzzy Dunlop wrote:Big moment for me was Cips (who otherwise had a good game) failing to clear the ball after the maul was stopped. Suicidal play and those moments are why Cips, Burns and Ford are still behind Farrell despite having much more natural talent.

Yeah that ball just needed to banged as far down the pitch as possible- plenty of good in his game today though.

I wouldn't blame that on Cippers, looks like the Sale pack bottled it. Nobody took control of the situation.

Lucky escape for Munster. I don't know what they were playing at in the first half though.

profitius wrote:Lucky escape for Munster. I don't know what they were playing at in the first half though.

They were absolute rubbish. Looked completely out of it no physicality. While I like Hurley and Smith in centrefield they are too slow defensively. Kilcoyne looked poor in the scrum and needs to work on his technique as refs just do not like him. Thought Conway looked good and he, Zebo and Jones look like as good a back three as any.

As for Keatley....well another mixed bag of the good, the bad and the ridiculous. I nearly chucked the tellie out the window when he kicked out on the full in the lead up to the Sale penalty in the second half.

Anyhow a great win but to be honest I am too effing old for the kind of cr.p we played in the first half. We were lucky not to be 30-3 down and game over. Axel would want to get a grip on things to be honest.

When is Cronin going to get the recognition he derserves? Immense against Leinster and had a change impact today when he came on!

Huge shot in the arm for the match on Friday against Sarries

He probably won't. always makes ground and his work in the scrum work is getting better all the time. I would start him and archer who is also improving