Munster v Glasgow Warriors 8th April 2017

Munster v Glasgow Warriors

Irish Independence Park
Cork

8th April 2017
KO 19.35

Live on BBC Alba

Teams:

Munster (TBC)

Glasgow Warriors

15 Stuart Hogg

14 Tommy Seymour
13 Nick Grigg
12 Alex Dunbar
11 Lee Jones

10 Finn Russell
9 Ali Price

1 Gordon Reid
2 Fraser Brown
3 Sila Puafisi
4 Brian Alainu'uese
5 Jonny Gray (Captain)
6 Robert Harley
7 Ryan Wilson
8 Adam Ashe

Substitutes

16 Pat MacArthur
17 Alex Allan
18 D'arcy Rae
19 Scott Cummings
20 Chris Fusaro
21 Henry Pyrgos
22 Peter Horne
23 Rory Hughes







Well another season defining game for Glasgow against opposition it is fair to say we have struggled against this year. The current score is 3-0 to Munster, though two of the games were very close. There has also been a bit of bad feeling between the sides and their fans, just to add a bit of spice!

Glasgow could win this game and still not make the playoffs and it is still a long shot even if we do. Still if they want to continue their proud record of successive playoffs, then win they must do.

Munster are pretty much guaranteed a playoff place and should also be at home, they have points in hand and are also now playing on two fronts, always a strain on resources. What kind of team will they put out for a game they don't need to win? Even so, they won't want to lose to Glasgow, especially at home.

Glasgow will be glad they are not going back to Limerick, but Munster these days are going to be tough to beat wherever they play.

Can't look beyond a Munster win for this game - it's really not the game you want after the Sarries drubbing.

From a Glasgow perspective, I am hoping for some signs that they are figuring out how to play against teams who apply huge amounts of pressure - we need to be more physical to start with......and for Finn not to miss any kicks to touch.

Very astute thinking BeeGee.  Munster are wily old foxes and will factor in everything into what they want from Pro12 at this point to ensure they can put as much punch into the European semi-final as possible.  So yep, it's very much what kind of team they'll put out in a game they don't need to win.  They won't want to lose momentum as a side but neither will they want to show everything they hope to use against Saracens for perhaps their most important game in quite a number of seasons.

I wonder if both sides might just "throw" this one in order to rest players for other things ahead. I know that Glasgow can't afford not to pick up points on too many occasions, but I'd imagine Toonie's calculations probably don't include picking up 5 points here, plus a fair few players will probably feel like a rest is overdue after the 6 Nations and the Saracens game.

funnyExiledScot wrote:I wonder if both sides might just "throw" this one in order to rest players for other things ahead. I know that Glasgow can't afford not to pick up points on too many occasions, but I'd imagine Toonie's calculations probably don't include picking up 5 points here, plus a fair few players will probably feel like a rest is overdue after the 6 Nations and the Saracens game.

Some players may need a rest, but if Glasgow are to have any chance of making the play-offs they need to win. So no rest for them yet. If they lose, maybe next week. But not this week.

Sam Johnson's reply when asked about the play off's was, "We need to win every match". So, I don't think Glasgow will be throwing this one.
However, Toonie was spotted approaching any Warriors' fans wearing XXL jerseys and asking if they fancied packing down alongside Bri in Ireland this week.

jimbopip wrote:Sam Johnson's reply when asked about the play off's was, "We need to win every match". So, I don't think Glasgow will be throwing this one.
However, Toonie was spotted approaching any Warriors' fans wearing XXL jerseys and asking if they fancied packing down alongside Bri in Ireland this week.

Yeh, I think Johnson probably had to say that, but let's see what the tombola comes out with.

Glasgow will have to go for this one, it is all or nothing, any of the starters remotely fit will surely play.

The rest comes next weekend against Zebra and then they get a week off when the cup semis are played.

BigGee wrote:Glasgow will have to go for this one, it is all or nothing, any of the starters remotely fit will surely play.

The rest comes next weekend against Zebra and then they get a week off when the cup semis are played.

I just hope the Glasgow big guns have one more game in them. They've had one hell of a run.

Well, we won't be seeing ; Jonny, Bluto, Swinson (how he needs the right nickname) or for sure. The Legend That Is Simone, possibly not.
Horne Furra was limping badly after the game.
Other than that...who knows?

Potential team that is healthy for Glasgow

Allan, Brown, Rae, Cummings, Brian, Ashe, Smith, Wilson, Price, Russell, Jones, Dunbar, Grigg, Lamont/Tagive/Junior, Hogg

Flynn, Reid, Puafisi, Peterson/Uanivi?, Wynne, Pyrgos, Thomson, A winger that was not picked

When is Sarto back if he is coming back?

Starters :

Reid
Brown
Puafisi
Brian
Gray
Harley
Wilson
Ashe
Price
Russell
Jones
Dunbar
Grigg
Seymour
Hogg

'Finishers'

Macarthur
Allan
Rae
Cummings
Fusaro
Pyrgos
Horne
Hughes

About as strong as we could put out. Please ( and not a little surprised) to see Gray and Horne fit enough to play.

Oooft. Now that's a team. Very curious about Big Jon going off at Allianz, and slightly worried that we're rushing players back from concussions.

IanBru wrote:Oooft. Now that's a team. Very curious about Big Jon going off at Allianz, and slightly worried that we're rushing players back from concussions.

I thought that, I hope it's more a case of being very cautious with any potential HIA and getting the player of if there is any doubt.

Munster: Andrew Conway; Darren Sweetnam, Francis Saili, Jaco Taute, Ronan O’Mahony; Tyler Bleyendaal, Duncan Williams; James Cronin, Rhys Marshall, Stephen Archer; Dave O’Callaghan, Billy Holland – capt.; Jean Deysel, Conor Oliver, Jack O’Donoghue.

Replacements: Niall Scannell, Dave Kilcoyne, John Ryan, Donnacha Ryan, Peter O’Mahony, Angus Lloyd, Rory Scannell, Simon Zebo.

Some bench from Munster!

When did Munster sign Deysel? And here was me hoping we would avoid a ball carrying South African 6/8.

No Stander?

68 - 3 to Glasgow.

EST wrote:When did Munster sign Deysel?  And here was me hoping we would avoid a ball carrying South African 6/8.

He is cover for injured Jean Kleyn until end of season.

Munster have some fantastic contacts in SA between Gert Smal & Rassie.

Sin é wrote:

EST wrote:When did Munster sign Deysel?  And here was me hoping we would avoid a ball carrying South African 6/8.

He is cover for injured Jean Kleyn until end of season.

Munster have some fantastic contacts in SA between Gert Smal & Rassie.

I didn't realise Kleyn was injured - he has been very impressive whenever I have seen him play. A very astute signing.

Deysel used to be a very good player, although I haven't seen much of him recently - I would wager he still a bigger ball carrying threat than any of the Glasgow back-row.

IanBru wrote:Oooft. Now that's a team. Very curious about Big Jon going off at Allianz, and slightly worried that we're rushing players back from concussions.

Agreed. I'd have expected at the very least for Cummings to start with J Gray on the bench. Toonie really going for it.

funnyExiledScot wrote:

jimbopip wrote:Sam Johnson's reply when asked about the play off's was, "We need to win every match". So, I don't think Glasgow will be throwing this one.
However, Toonie was spotted approaching any Warriors' fans wearing XXL jerseys and asking if they fancied packing down alongside Bri in Ireland this week.

Yeh, I think Johnson probably had to say that, but let's see what the tombola comes out with.

Oh ye of little faith, festering one.

Toonie certainly throwing his strongest available team at this fixture, so they have not given up on the league just yet.

Munster not giving up on the game either, but would rather win it without risking any of their top guys, unless they have to.

Could very well be a game of two halves!

jimbopip wrote:

funnyExiledScot wrote:

jimbopip wrote:Sam Johnson's reply when asked about the play off's was, "We need to win every match". So, I don't think Glasgow will be throwing this one.
However, Toonie was spotted approaching any Warriors' fans wearing XXL jerseys and asking if they fancied packing down alongside Bri in Ireland this week.

Yeh, I think Johnson probably had to say that, but let's see what the tombola comes out with.

Oh ye of little faith, festering one.

Next you'll claim that Toonie knows more than I do about his players....

Glad to see Fraser brown going off. He is a dirty Cnut and shouldn't be on a rugby pitch anyway

Geen sport voor watjes wrote:Glad to see Fraser brown going off. He is a dirty Cnut and shouldn't be on a rugby pitch anyway

Are you trolling or just a Muppet in general?

cakeordeath wrote:

Geen sport voor watjes wrote:Glad to see Fraser brown going off. He is a dirty Cnut and shouldn't be on a rugby pitch anyway

Are you trolling or just a Muppet in general?

Pretty sure he has prior on being a complete moron.

Eejit wrote:

cakeordeath wrote:

Geen sport voor watjes wrote:Glad to see Fraser brown going off. He is a dirty Cnut and shouldn't be on a rugby pitch anyway

Are you trolling or just a Muppet in general?

Pretty sure he has prior on being a complete moron.

How very sporting to wish injury on another player.

So you approve of dirty players then?

Glasgow looking very Edinburghesque tonight

They definitely don't look like themselves.

cakeordeath wrote:

Eejit wrote:

cakeordeath wrote:

Geen sport voor watjes wrote:Glad to see Fraser brown going off. He is a dirty Cnut and shouldn't be on a rugby pitch anyway

Are you trolling or just a Muppet in general?

Pretty sure he has prior on being a complete moron.

How very sporting to wish injury on another player.

I was referring to the poster not Brown whom I regard as not a dirty player in the slightest.

Eejit wrote:

cakeordeath wrote:

Eejit wrote:

cakeordeath wrote:

Geen sport voor watjes wrote:Glad to see Fraser brown going off. He is a dirty Cnut and shouldn't be on a rugby pitch anyway

Are you trolling or just a Muppet in general?

Pretty sure he has prior on being a complete moron.

How very sporting to wish injury on another player.

I was referring to the poster not Brown whom I regard as not a dirty player in the slightest.

I was talking about the poster as well

Don't feed the trolls lads. It just encourages them! Let him get back to making ugg noises while swigging from his bottle of fortified wine. The good people of Ireland don't want him wound up or he'll go roaming the streets looking for houses with open doors to break into as the closed ones pose too much of an intellectual challenge

And so it ends, not with a bang but with a whimper.

It was not to be our season this year. Lots of effort, but our accuracy let us down at the crucial points, all the close games we pulled out of the bag in previous seasons, slipped away this year.

The team looked like they were running on fumes today and yet were able to make it close in the end. Great credit to the players, but probably to much has been asked of some of them. I have said this before and it is very clear now that the squad is a little bit out of balance. We did not lose our play off chance today, playing away to Munster, but in all the games we lost during the international windows earlier in the season.

The Toonie era draws to an end and what a ride it has been. On reflection, it is probably a good time for a change. We still have a lot of good players and plenty promising youngsters and are certainly not far away from being contenders again. Some new drive and leadership may be just what is required.

Toonie to his credit, probably realised that as well and was always going to go this season, whether he got the Scotland job or not.

We can sit back now and enjoy the last few games with no nerves or pressure, say goodbye to some of our favourites and great servants and all of the Scotland and Lions players will get a decent rest before their summer tours.

I am already looking forward to see what Dave Rennie can bring to the party next season.

Well done Munster as well. Tough as always and we can't say you did not deserve to win again tonight. 4-0 this season, we certainly owe you!

Conor Oliver is some player. Another fantastic openside coming through the ranks. I can't remember Ireland having so many quality 7s.

I was thinking the same thing about Oliver. He is very, very strong for his relatively small size and brilliant over the ball. How old is he?

sensisball wrote:I was thinking the same thing about Oliver. He is very, very strong for his relatively small size and brilliant over the ball. How old is he?

He's 21, still in the academy. He is from Dublin but had SOB, Leavy and VDF blocking his way in Leinster.

Cheers profitus
At least at Munster he "only" has Tommy O'Donnell to get past!
7 is looking a pretty strong position for Ireland for the next decade.

He's only 21. I could see Ireland playing two 7s in the back row in the future. Oliver was in the Leinster academy before moving to Munster as well if I'm not mistaken. Leavy, van der Flier and Oliver. All three are potentially test class, with van der Flier already outplaying some of the greatest 7s in the game back in November. Surprisingly, the other two have been even better this season. An embarrassment of riches.

One player who continually disappoints me is Jack O'Donoghue. I had big hopes for him (and still do). I was wondering if any Munster fans could comment on why he hasn't kicked on. He just doesn't seem to offer himself as a carrier very often, an area which is supposed to be his greatest strength.

I don't know what to make of Jack O'Donoghue this season. He has been anonymous in most of the games I've watched. Doing the donkey work alright but maybe the style doesn't suit him.

Glasgow poor and did not handle Owens well. Stupid penalties and bad kicking has cost us this season.

Both defenses were fantastic. Glasgow had some success picking and going but did not do much with it. The key passes were erratic when going wide. Need a plan B when going wide early does not work and recognising what works. Part of that is the half backs and Price is always learning. Expect more next year.

Munster still seem to lack a cutting edge. Admittedly with a second choice side and the fly half off early, I was expecting worse. They did what they had to and did not make many mistakes.

Any word on Tyler? He is vital to Munster's chances in the HC

Full credit to munster, they were very good.

Pitch helped them a lot though, it was like playing 15 man rugby in a corridor! I know both teams were on the same pitch, but if there was ever a pitch you'd want to play glasgow on it would be a pitch like that. Really narrow.

Yeah, Munster have certainly got Glasgow's number this season - on whatever pitch they play on, it has to be said.

Worth remembering that Munster rested most of their star players and Glasgow were full strength - the Glasgow first team have played straight through from the 6N, and it showed.

EST wrote:Yeah, Munster have certainly got Glasgow's number this season - on whatever pitch they play on, it has to be said.

Worth remembering that Munster rested most of their star players and Glasgow were full strength - the Glasgow first team have played straight through from the 6N, and it showed.

I did say, but Toonie ignored me....