Champions Cup Semi finals..

First topic message reminder :

Surprised there's been no build up to it on the forum, so to start discussion, give your predictions for who will be in the final in the poll.

What a dive there, Murray barely touched him. Its not as if Racing are chasing the game here...

Andreu is a bit of d.ck as usual

What about the swinging arm into Murray before he lifted him?

That’s why most French fans are not supporting racing

Utterly embarrassing behaviour from Vakatawa

Ah here lads, its one small incident in the game. No bearing on anything as Racing simply are the better team by some margin.

Doyle calling Machenaud « Max » ... cute.

Surely a yellow card soon for Racing, so many deliberate penalties in the red zone.

Racing played 20 mins of rugby and seem happy to defend since.

Zebooooooooo

Ironically it is Zebo who gets to score

Not sure that was forward myself...

Not sure about that pass being forward ...

This has been a joy to watch

Another try for Munster, very proud of the way they have not given up but this game was won by Racing over 50mins ago.

I cant see Racing beating Leinster in the final. Munster showing just how they can be beaten with their second half performance. Leinster will not allow them to dictate as well as they did against Munster (in the first half).

Munster could possibly have some regrets after this game.
Still they didn’t give up and credit to them.

As disappointed as I am that Munster got beaten I was very proud to see them show a lot of heart in the second half by winning in 3-19.

Very deserved win for Racing, proper excellent rugby in the first 20mins.

Yes Leinster would need to have a really off day for Racing to stand a chance.

Racing have been near the top for some time without winning. It would be great to see them win.

Who knows, maybe Munster would have won this had Hanrahan started.

Also the replacement hooker looked far better than the one who started.

Keatley, Scannell and Wooton all were mediocre and the backline looked as though they had just met in the carpark. Passing wasn't great even from Murray, but Racing were better up front apart from the scrum.

Hard luck Munster. Only managed the extended hilights but they looked really out of sorts in the first half.

I wonder if the SA tour had an impact? Either way Racing were really dominant physically and deserving finalists.

Leinster by contrast have gone to a new level and simply demolished an excellent Scarlet's side in every aspect.

This team looks better than the 2011/12 side, they are so strong in every aspect it's hard to see anyone beating them right now.

Gibson Park is probably the weak link, if McGrath is back they will be even stronger.

VinceWLB wrote:Who knows, maybe Munster would have won this had Hanrahan started.

Also the replacement hooker looked far better than the one who started.

JJ may have made a difference but when he came on the game was well and truly won and Racing knew this so were just in defensive mode.

The Great Aukster wrote:Keatley, Scannell and Wooton all were mediocre and the backline looked as though they had just met in the carpark. Passing wasn't great even from Murray, but Racing were better up front apart from the scrum.

Its amazing how its always Keatley's fault when Munster play badly. He also never gets the credit when they play well.

For me Murray's passing was much weaker than usual.
O'Donoghue at 7 was like bringing a knife to a gun fight, very below the required standard.
POM was very quiet and the Munster lineout really poor. Hard to tell if that was his fault or Scannell's for the missed catches.
Stander was ok but I think Copeland at 8 is a more dynamic option.

Munster made way too many mistakes and their defense was not good enough. With better defending and less errors they may have been able to grind something out.

I cannot believe the arrogance being shown here by some Irish posters, might as well not play and engrave Leinster on the cup already!

Clearly Racing 92 lifted off in the 2nd half, the job was already done.

So happy Munster didn't make it.

Reality is only 4, at best, of that Munster side would make the Leinster team.

It is Leinsters to lose

TightHEAD wrote:might as well not play and engrave Leinster on the cup already!

Totally agree, seems a waste of effort for people to travel to Bilbao.

TightHEAD wrote:I cannot believe the arrogance being shown here by some Irish posters, might as well not play and engrave Leinster on the cup already!

Clearly Racing 92 lifted off in the 2nd half, the job was already done.

So happy Munster didn't make it.

What arrogance?

TightHEAD wrote:I cannot believe the arrogance being shown here by some Irish posters, might as well not play and engrave Leinster on the cup already!

Clearly Racing 92 lifted off in the 2nd half, the job was already done.

So happy Munster didn't make it.

Far from it, Racing have the pace and power out wide to cause Leinster a lot of problems. Henshaw won't be able to boss around either of those centres like he did on Saturday. Machenaud is a far superior 9 than anything Leinster can put out. The Racing engine room in the pack is one of the best combinations I can remember seeing in years. They compete properly in the lineout and their scrum will win a decent number of penalties out of Healy at the LH side if he starts.

That said, that was one of the tamest displays by Munster in a semi-final in a very long time. What were they thinking at times. At one point they had a penalty on the opposition 22 (perfect for 3 points), kick the corner, almost fluff the line out, couple of messy phases over to in front of the posts and then they snatch at a drop goal where Keatley is almost at the breakdown (not deep in the pocket at all) gets easily blocked down. The amount of times they took the agressive option of going for the corner and followed it up with none/messy primary possession was shocking.

TBH I didn't think Leinster played particularly well on Saturday, Scarlets fluffed their lines, kept the numbers in the defensive line and didn't commit enough to the breakdown to properly compete. It felt like Scarlets also were also a little too quick to kick the ball away after 4-5 phases. Leinster invariably ran it back into contact and because Scarlets weren't competitive at the breakdown, coupled with Leinster not making unforced errors/knockons, Leinster could boss territory and possession stats for large portions of the game. If they play us again in a couple of weeks time I'd be shocked if they tried the same tactic again. Good weather and good atmosphere kind of glossed over what was for large parts a very one-dimensional game.

TightHEAD wrote:I cannot believe the arrogance being shown here by some Irish posters, might as well not play and engrave Leinster on the cup already!

Clearly Racing 92 lifted off in the 2nd half, the job was already done.

So happy Munster didn't make it.

The board wind up merchant is back.

There isn't anything on this thread remotely arrogant

Ryan versus Ryan - the IRFU reject against the IRFU golden boy.

The stage is set.

geoff999rugby wrote:

TightHEAD wrote:I cannot believe the arrogance being shown here by some Irish posters, might as well not play and engrave Leinster on the cup already!

Clearly Racing 92 lifted off in the 2nd half, the job was already done.

So happy Munster didn't make it.

The board wind up merchant is back.

There isn't anything on this thread remotely arrogant

Yes Leinster would need to have a really off day for Racing to stand a chance.


I cant see Racing beating Leinster in the final. Munster showing just how they can be beaten with their second half performance. Leinster will not allow them to dictate as well as they did against Munster (in the first half).

Murray should have been yellow carded for the lift.

rodders wrote:Ryan versus Ryan - the IRFU reject against the IRFU golden boy.

The stage is set.

Shame Zebo isn't already at Racing so he can prove the IRFU wrong too.

Collapse2005 wrote:

rodders wrote:Ryan versus Ryan - the IRFU reject against the IRFU golden boy.

The stage is set.

Shame Zebo isn't already at Racing so he can prove the IRFU wrong too.

Could have sworn Zebo was already in a Racing uniform the way he was playing on Sunday.  At one stage Conway made a break, was tackled, Zebo was directly behind him in position to secure the ball and literally ran away from the breakdown until the two Racing players were in over the ball for the turnover. And his ball to Copeland didn't have to be a yard forward, it didn't even need to be flat, he should have made that pass easily. [pulls pin from grenade and waits for the inevitable]

geoff999rugby wrote:Reality is only 4, at best, of that Munster side would make the Leinster team.

It is Leinsters to lose

Yep and not many more Racing players would make Leinster 23 as well.

It will be interesting to see what playing style Leinster approach the final with. In the 1/4 final they were much more expansive, but I felt they kept it tighter against Scarlets (though just as effective) using a lot more "one-up" runners and building scoring chances through possession and phases. Scarlets made appreciably more passes despite having just 40% possession.

Simplest way to put it is I felt they played like Scarlets against Sarries, and like Exeter against Scarlets.

Id imagine they will play a tight game in the final too. I reckon Racing have a lot of strength out wide with the likes of Thomas, Dulin, Vakatawa, Imhoff, Andreu etc.

Machenaud done his ACLs this weekend during the concussion protocol of the starting SH ! How unlucky is that. Season over anyway.

whocares wrote:Machenaud done his ACLs this weekend during the concussion protocol of the starting SH ! How unlucky is that. Season over anyway.

He had been playing amazing this season. Serious blow to Racing's run in to the season. Taking kicks, quick delivery to FH, tackling, turnovers.... the lad has been doing every role on the field except lineout receiver (he's no Murray!)