Clermont v Munster

First topic message reminder :

27 Apr 2013 - Stade de la Mosson in Montpellier 5pm

Munster: F Jones; K Earls, C Laulala, J Downey, S Zebo; R O’Gara, C Murray; D Kilcoyne, M Sherry, BJ Botha; D Ryan, P O’Connell capt; P O’Mahony, T O’Donnell, J Coughlan. Replacements: D Varley, W du Preez, J Ryan, B Holland, P Butler, C Sheridan, I Keatley, D Hurley.

ASM team:

1.Domingo, 2.Kayser, 3.Zirakashvili, 4.Cudmore, 5.Hines, 6.Bonnaire, 7.Bardy, 8.Chouly, 9.Parra, 10.James, 11.Nalaga, 12.Fofana, 13.King, 14.Sivivatu, 15.Byrne.

Remplaçants : 16.Paulo, 17.Debaty, 18.Ric, 19.Pierre, 20.Lapandry, 21.Radosavljevic, 22.Buttin, 23.Nakaitaci ou Skrela.

Munster have not a snowballs chance in hell of winning this in all reality. Clermont are on something of a destiny mission to win the HC after being the nearly men for 4 years. Heartbreaking defeat to Leinster last year in the semi final will be the extra motivation not that they need it.

They are unbeaten in 59 games at the Stade Marcel Michelin (albeit not playing there this weekend but are still the home team), just hammered Toulouse 37 12 and even managed to draw away to Toulon the week before 26 26.

They have one of the biggest budgets in European Rugby if not the biggest. So much so they were able to rest 12 of the HC QF team against Toulouse. Power, pace agression all over the park. Only positive is that Rougerie and Brock James are doubtful.

Munster will probably name same team that beat Quins (unless Dougie and Earls are back which looks unlikely).

A massive invasion of the Red Amry is underway with Munster looking for 5,000 tickets (double that of Leinster request last year ) and with Sponsors etc it might be even more than that.

Time to unleash the Dogs of War - C'Mon Munster SUAF

If your POC now, what are you telling your Munster team in that changing room???

thebluesmancometh wrote:If your POC now, what are you telling your Munster team in that changing room???

Wake up or'all eatchoo!!!

"Have you put the Fear of God into a Frog today? Huh?"

ROG, sweet kick man. You Ligind!

MON Munster!

Believe ta phhok!

Golden wrote:

Ozzy3213 wrote:

Gibson wrote:

Ozzy3213 wrote:

Gibson wrote:

Ozzy3213 wrote:bsando, he has just got better and better as he's got older. Really great player over the past 4-5 years.

Leinster made Hines a far superior player. Joe Schmidt made him a great offloader and a far more effective forward in attack. Added a whole new dimension to his game.

He was always a powerful, influential, intelligent, contrary, cheatin bollix. Now he's all that and more.

Its the Leinster Way.

Munster in trouble here. Need to score next...

Shame that's not worked out for yer man Toner Gibbo

You have one thing right though, Munster do need to score next!

Peadar, a chara,
You can only work on and improve the basic raw material you have at you disposal. Devin is frustrating. Thought he moved on up last year. He has, but its painfully slow. Never be an regular International. Not enough of a kunst to make it.


Meanwhile, back at the game... Munster stopping the ASM flow here. This is what they do best, in times of stress. Stay in touch till half-time and then hit the feciers confidence early in the 2nd.

Or... even better... maybe at the end of the 1st?

I said on another thread earlier that Munster need to just hang in there. If they are still in the game at the 65-70 minute mark, then they could nick it at the death.

Do Munster have the bench to last though?

That's the big difference in class,I don't see how Munster can cope with the fresh international class players coming off the bench.I hope I'm wrong cos they're being dogged as hell you have to respect them.

Gibson wrote:

wales606 wrote:

Gibson wrote:

wales606 wrote:Would Clermont be the first team to win the HC by winning all of their games?

Yes.

Toulon or Munster will have to win it then, both of those have lost a game

Ya know Wales, I have a weird feeling Toulon will do ASM in Dublin.

I hope not, I dislike Toulon and it would be unfair on Clermont who have been immense.

They were awesome last season and it took the best team in European history to beat them (and only just), they deserve to win the HC now having beaten Leinster home and away. Toulon have cruised so far with pretty easy games (and struggled when faced with determined opposition - Montpellier and Leicester)

Murray is a good player but a bad SH if that makes sense.

This is totally neutral roysh, but it would be magical to see those ASM fans in Dublin again. This time in even bigger numbers. No one even near them as fans. Class act. They light this Cup up.

Bit like Munster fans have been for years. Helped make it the spectacle it is now

Yes, ASM fans deserve a Heineken Cup final. Absolute legends.

Munster have really given it socks in this game so far. Just needs to be mistake free and it hasn't been.

Munsters restarts have been good though.

The ref has been quite helpful to Clermont too. As if they need it.

RoG is going for miracle kicks now,really needs to hold his composure and try to play a bit clever.If it's on go for it but don't force it.

Feckless Rogue wrote:The ref has been quite helpful to Clermont too. As if they need it.

Failed to penalise Munster taking Byrne out in the air, what goes around...

Tommy O'Donnell is playing superbly at openside.

What a game.

Munster are dragging Clermont into the game they want to play

wales606 wrote:

Gibson wrote:

wales606 wrote:

Gibson wrote:

wales606 wrote:Would Clermont be the first team to win the HC by winning all of their games?

Yes.

Toulon or Munster will have to win it then, both of those have lost a game

Ya know Wales, I have a weird feeling Toulon will do ASM in Dublin.

I hope not, I dislike Toulon and it would be unfair on Clermont who have been immense.

They were awesome last season and it took the best team in European history to beat them (and only just), they deserve to win the HC now having beaten Leinster home and away. Toulon have cruised so far with pretty easy games (and struggled when faced with determined opposition - Montpellier and Leicester)

I would agree with all of that mate. Love ASM. Really don't like Premiership Soccer-esque-like rugby clubs. It's just a hunch. It could be an ambush. It would be two French teams who know each other well. Totally different scenario. Anther type of game altogether.

If I'm really honest, I'd just love ASM to win it. For Rugby's sake alone.

Munster defence is excellent, really preventing a rout at the moment.

I think most neutrals would probably agree with you Gibbo in wanting ASM to win it this year.

Finally, someone getting pinged for dropping on the guy on the floor, it never gets pinged and winds me up!!!

Feckless Rogue wrote:The ref has been quite helpful to Clermont too. As if they need it.

give me a break please - he has been very fair. There is a gulf in class clearly

wales606 wrote:Munster defence is excellent, really preventing a rout at the moment.

+1.

MON Munster!

Possession very scrappy at the moment, no one holding onto possession.

Munster need Zebo or Laulaula in space

They're certainly the best team to have failed to win it.

I'd love to see Leinster get a crack at them now that we have our best players back. I still think we're better at full strength. We can live with their power (just about at times) and our movement and accuracy causes them more trouble than any other team can.

LIGIND!

You've got to hand it to Munster for the way they are playing.

The fact that this game is still in the balance is an achievement in itself and a testament to how well they're just hanging onto this.

A try for Munster will make the final 20 minutes close

Feckless Rogue wrote:They're certainly the best team to have failed to win it.

I'd love to see Leinster get a crack at them now that we have our best players back. I still think we're better at full strength. We can live with their power (just about at times) and our movement and accuracy causes them more trouble than any other team can.

True. But... this year...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSep7QJXKlE

Next year. We cant meet them in the Pools TF.

Yaaaaaaaasssssssssssssssssssssssss!!!!

Feckin brilliant

Don't sign Munster off just yet! Try!

Wow!!!

Game. Fecking. ON!!!

Well, its very live.

Beautiful kick through, lovely try.

And there it is!

O'Gara for the Lions!

C,MON MUNSTER!

Notch wrote:You've got to hand it to Munster for the way they are playing.

The fact that this game is still in the balance is an achievement in itself and a testament to how well they're just hanging onto this.

Agree, they're due credit. Lots of guts and effort. But not enough nous in attack to beat Clermont in France. I think they'll kill off Munster in the next 10 minutes.

Again I just get the feeling that CA pack is starting to give Munster the breakdown a little, lucky the bench is immense!!!

Come on Munster grand stand finish!!

Great try... Wonderful match for a neutral.

Feckless Rogue wrote:

Notch wrote:You've got to hand it to Munster for the way they are playing.

The fact that this game is still in the balance is an achievement in itself and a testament to how well they're just hanging onto this.

Agree, they're due credit. Lots of guts and effort. But not enough nous in attack to beat Clermont in France. I think they'll kill off Munster in the next 10 minutes.

Ha do I stupid after that post. I'm watching on a stream which must be delayed. People were already commenting on the try and I was writing them off.

Still some beautiful skill on show from the Clermont backs, they just are not getting the ball enough.

The key is how Munster are slowing them down in their 22.

BELIEVE!

Now ASM, the acid-test. If you even shirk a smidge from here on in, this game could go very wrong for you.

Man I love the Heino. Its unique.

3rd ASM player to go off injured, cant live with the physicality!

Is this competition really not going to exist after 2014? Seems unthinkable.

Again the CA forwards going nowhere in that drive, If Munsters pack are really up for this and have anything left they might just give the backline a chance of winning this!

LeinsterFan4life wrote:Is this competition really not going to exist after 2014? Seems unthinkable.

That's the English for ya. If they don't win, they take their ball back. Or change the Rules...

thebluesmancometh wrote:Again the CA forwards going nowhere in that drive, If Munsters pack are really up for this and have anything left they might just give the backline a chance of winning this!

Everything is coming back slowly and then the linespeed from Munster is great- Munster breakdown and defence is so tight today.

They have made Clermont look pedestrian in attack but they still slowly inch forward...

LeinsterFan4life wrote:Is this competition really not going to exist after 2014? Seems unthinkable.

I know

It is by FAR the highest standard of rugby in the world - the standard of the average SF in the HC is higher than 95% of test matches.

Notch wrote:

thebluesmancometh wrote:Again the CA forwards going nowhere in that drive, If Munsters pack are really up for this and have anything left they might just give the backline a chance of winning this!

Everything is coming down slowly- Munster breakdown and defence is so tight today.

Ominous bud. Imagine if they actually do it?

Don't think I could really take it tbh.

MON Munster!

Notch wrote:

thebluesmancometh wrote:Again the CA forwards going nowhere in that drive, If Munsters pack are really up for this and have anything left they might just give the backline a chance of winning this!

Everything is coming down slowly- Munster breakdown and defence is so tight today.

Ive noticed when CA were at their best the pack was dominant in the tight, and the strike runners were narrow before width, the pack have lost their advantage and the backline is just going wide too early!!!

I think Clermont, but by less than seven. Munster have turned it into their kind of game.