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

Well done to Clermont, I will be supporting you in the final!

However, Munster, you are heroes.

Lads, the best team in Europe this season, is in the Final. I think that's right and proper.

Munster were so good, but I think ASM in the final is the right team overall!!!

Most costly wrong forward pass call i've ever seen. Poor poor call.

Golden wrote:I'd like another look at that pass looked flat to me

Better than flat it was actually backwards.

Gotta say, Donnelly was excellent throughout!!!

Murray played himself out of a lions tour there, too much competition for the 9 shirt, and same for Zebo I think, too many mistakes.

POC however, is just so obvious by his presence and Munsters performances without him, his performance wasn't that good, but his presence lifted the rest of his pack!!!

I was impressed with ROG as well, very good distribution game from him!!!

Congrats, Clermont.
Gutted for Munster. Played like the warriors they are, and so close to what would have been a staggering result.

So now the only teams left are legions of mercenaries funded by multi-millionaire benefactors. Which multi millionaire has thrown away his money most wisely?

I agree that was a top class openside display...! Very talented lad

Feckless Rogue wrote:So now the only teams left are legions of mercenaries funded by multi-millionaire benefactors. Which multi millionaire has thrown away his money most wisely?

Ah! Ah! ASM!

Munster yas were heroic. 2nd half performance was unbelievable!

Good luck to Clermont in the final. They are a machine!

maestegmafia wrote:I agree that was a top class openside display...! Very talented lad

How old is he, gotta be pretty young?!

wales606 wrote:Hands went forward so Owens called it.

What does that mean? Atrocious call by Owens.

ROG in tears. His last HC game in his mind?

cracking game! extraordinary atmosphere and a really physical arm wrestle of a match. Congrats Clermont! Pack was immense, Para was solid. Bad luck Munster, really went for it. Came so close too, but not quite enough in the end. Extremely good sportsmanship from both sides too.

Munster fans, keep your heads up, your team are class!

Feckless Rogue wrote:So now the only teams left are legions of mercenaries funded by multi-millionaire benefactors. Which multi millionaire has thrown away his money most wisely?

It's not what I want to see either...!

Rugby is a home town game, soccer is for millionaire owners buying overseas talent.

Munster should be proud.


Clermont looked the best in the comp from the start, I can't see them losing this after that challenge

thebluesmancometh wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:I agree that was a top class openside display...! Very talented lad

How old is he, gotta be pretty young?!

Think hes 25

thebluesmancometh wrote:Gotta say, Donnelly was excellent throughout!!!

Murray played himself out of a lions tour there, too much competition for the 9 shirt, and same for Zebo I think, too many mistakes.

POC however, is just so obvious by his presence and Munsters performances without him, his performance wasn't that good, but his presence lifted the rest of his pack!!!

I was impressed with ROG as well, very good distribution game from him!!!

I'd agree with yas bluesman, especially on TOD and ROG. O'Donnell was everywhere, like a man possessed. ROG has took a lot of grief the last few years and a lot of it deserved but I hope he bows out on that performance as a legend of the Irish game.

mankiaow wrote:

wales606 wrote:Hands went forward so Owens called it.

What does that mean? Atrocious call by Owens.

Nah, looked forward from here

Feckless Rogue wrote:So now the only teams left are legions of mercenaries funded by multi-millionaire benefactors. Which multi millionaire has thrown away his money most wisely?

Saracens starting with 11 EQ players. Toulon though....

Feckless Rogue wrote:ROG in tears. His last HC game in his mind?

Ja. You could see it in his face. Hence his son in his arms to taste it.

One the best players the HC has ever seen, leaves the room. Its been emotional ROG. Thanks for the memories lad. You will make a great coach I reckon.

Show me a game in the 6n that came close to that game. There is nothing like HC knockout rugby.

Bj Botha was a rock, clearly showed his worth, Coughlan and O'Donnell immense, Downey too.

Connor Murray average and that was costly.

I will say it again but Owens was poor and was influenced by the home crowd.

LeinsterFan4life wrote:Show me a game in the 6n that came close to that game. There is nothing like HC knockout rugby.

Wales-England beat that.

ChequeredJersey wrote:

mankiaow wrote:

wales606 wrote:Hands went forward so Owens called it.

What does that mean? Atrocious call by Owens.

Nah, looked forward from here

It went about 1 foot backwards! Not even close to being forward.

To be fair to ASM, despite having players from a lot of countries in their 23, at least more than half their squad is French. As opposed to Toulon.

Well done Clermont, unlucky Munster, good go at it

What a dam good game, i thought Owens had a shocker,
favored the home team massively at the breakdown.

But all that aside if Connor Murray straightened ,drew in the defender and a simple pass munster would have been in

If i was a Munster fan i would be very proud, money can't buy out the passion and pride they showed today.

[quote="viewtothegym"]What a dam good game, i thought Owens had a shocker,
favored the home team massively at the breakdown.

But all that aside if Connor Murray straightened ,drew in the defender and a simple pass munster would have been in[/quote]

Great game made by two great teams and refed to perfection. Just a different view

VinceWLB wrote:

LeinsterFan4life wrote:Show me a game in the 6n that came close to that game. There is nothing like HC knockout rugby.

Wales-England beat that.

You think a completely one sided game beat that? No man that game shouldn't even be compared to this.

lostinwales wrote:

Feckless Rogue wrote:So now the only teams left are legions of mercenaries funded by multi-millionaire benefactors. Which multi millionaire has thrown away his money most wisely?

Saracens starting with 11 EQ players. Toulon though....

Yeah just a bit of a bitter comment from me after seeing the Irish guys lose. Money is a fact of pro sport, and it's not as if Munster/Leinster/Ulster are impoverished. But the disparity between the big French teams and the rest is becoming huge.

Today was an awful day for reasons not really related to the game, but the performance was superb, I have criticized ROG justifiably for about 18 months, but no doubt he had some big games in him, was very good today and even managed a turnover. If this is the end, Munster and Irish Rugby owe him a lot, he has seen us through some of our greatest and toughest days and rallied back. He can hold his head high on a magnificent career and will go down as one of Ireland's greatest ever (I still feel he was a tad overrated in the grand scheme of things).

If you told me at the start of the season that we'd get further then last year's winners and finalists and lose by a Score to Clermont in a semi, I would have laughed in your face. They can hold their heads up high, and the future is bright for a lot of this team.

Feckless Rogue wrote:Yeah just a bit of a bitter comment from me after seeing the Irish guys lose. Money is a fact of pro sport, and it's not as if Munster/Leinster/Ulster are impoverished. But the disparity between the big French teams and the rest is becoming huge.

Clermont have a big budget behind them alright, but they are a proper club thats very rooted in the community and always has been- great Academy and amazing fans. Whoever wins tomorrow, I hope Clermont absolutely crush them.

Hard luck Munster and Rog in particular.

Good second half effort.

Leinster flying the Irish flag in europe.

Notch wrote:

Feckless Rogue wrote:Yeah just a bit of a bitter comment from me after seeing the Irish guys lose. Money is a fact of pro sport, and it's not as if Munster/Leinster/Ulster are impoverished. But the disparity between the big French teams and the rest is becoming huge.

Clermont have a big budget behind them alright, but they are a proper club thats very rooted in the community and always has been- great Academy and amazing fans. Whoever wins tomorrow, I hope Clermont absolutely crush them.

Je suis d'accord.

That was a cracking game today. Well played both teams.

Heaslip- had a fantastic game, about the best game he as played this season.

POC, You cannot blame him for getting frustrated in the last 2 minutes of the game with that forward pass...Any other time he might have gotten away it, but Nigel Owens was right on the spot.

I do wander how many of the Munster team would be on Warren Gatland mind for the Lions selection?...Put it this way, i dont think that Ronan O'Gara will be in with a chance..... But how many others will they be?

westisbest wrote:Leinster flying the Irish flag in europe.

I wouldn't go that far. Munster were our flagbearers this year. Whatever happens, Leinster fell at the first hurdle of the real competition- but only because they had the eventual winners in their group. They are still in the Top 2 sides in Europe, albeit that won't matter a damn if they face Ulster in the Pro12 final. But only Clermont can beat Clermont in the final and they may well manage to do that- you saw it in the last 20 minutes there. The doubts creeping in. That is the only thing between this majestic rugby team and glory. The self-belief to go up a gear when under pressure instead of into their shell.

Gutted for Munster, they put their hearts into that one. I'd say that is going to hurt for quite a while.

ASM however are on a different planet, those offloads they were throwing were unbelievable. I was surprised that Munster were able to bring them down to their level, I would have thought Clermont could have reacted better to that but I guess that says a lot for the level of intensity that Munster created.

Echoing others, it is right that ASM are in the final but fair play Munster you did yourselves proud and can hold your heads up high.

Gutted just gutted too soon to make any rational comments! So so proud of Munster and our fans

Second half is what we are about Munster and Proud but gutted

Munster were magnificent in their 'ordinariness'. After the obvious heartache and bitterness of coming close to pulling it back and actually pulling it off... they'll realise they competed hard with the Invincibles in France.
You can't bluff that any more than the game against Quins can be bluffed. It's the potential lurking behind a very disappointing season.

Munster are back on the map as far as I'm concerned. It might take a year or two still to stabilise but Clermont have been knocking on the HC door for four years now. Munster are the old 'brand' but ironically also again one of the new challengers on the block.

Heads up guys and keep building.

Great match, really enjoyed it, but what caught my eye most of all......

It's been an epic battle, the captain has put his body and soul on the line, and in the last minute a horrible call goes against him personally, and his team, the final nail in their coffin. A few brief moments later the final whistle goes. Its hard to imagine how exhausted he is, his frustration, disappointment, anger even......he reaches out and taps the refs arm, and then simply reaches out to shake his hand with absolute dignity.

Paul O'Connell, a class act.

I love rugby.

Absolutely magnificent tear-up. Munster fans should be as proud as anything.

Every other team that made the quarter final would have fallen to pieces in a way that Munster specifically didn't.

Very bad luck Munster - a few key decisions went against you mystifyingly or you may have clawed it back. Clermont are a class act and you roared back at them. You did the Rabo league proud

LeinsterFan4life wrote:Show me a game in the 6n that came close to that game. There is nothing like HC knockout rugby.

Couldn't agree more 6n has gone stale needs bonus point or a new format! Hc is tops for attacking rugby passion colour and atmosphere!

Clermont fans were unreal yesterday

6N is not a knock-out tournament and is played mostly under sh•t conditions. Am struggling to compare both.

logie28 wrote:Great match, really enjoyed it, but what caught my eye most of all......

It's been an epic battle, the captain has put his body and soul on the line, and in the last minute a horrible call goes against him personally, and his team, the final nail in their coffin. A few brief moments later the final whistle goes. Its hard to imagine how exhausted he is, his frustration, disappointment, anger even......he reaches out and taps the refs arm, and then simply reaches out to shake his hand with absolute dignity.

Paul O'Connell, a class act.

I love rugby.

Completely agree. Beautiful moment.

majesticimperialman wrote:That was a cracking game today. Well played both teams.

Heaslip- had a fantastic game, about the best game he as played this season.

POC, You cannot blame him for getting frustrated in the last 2 minutes of the game with that forward pass...Any other time he might have gotten away it, but Nigel Owens was right on the spot.

I do wander how many of the Munster team would be on Warren Gatland mind for the Lions selection?...Put it this way, i dont think that Ronan O'Gara will be in with a chance..... But how many others will they be?

O'Gara is a better option than Owen Farrell

viewtothegym wrote:

majesticimperialman wrote:That was a cracking game today. Well played both teams.

Heaslip- had a fantastic game, about the best game he as played this season.

POC, You cannot blame him for getting frustrated in the last 2 minutes of the game with that forward pass...Any other time he might have gotten away it, but Nigel Owens was right on the spot.

I do wander how many of the Munster team would be on Warren Gatland mind for the Lions selection?...Put it this way, i dont think that Ronan O'Gara will be in with a chance..... But how many others will they be?

O'Gara is a better option than Owen Farrell

Not sure I agree with that one view. I guess this afternoons game will give us a bit of a steer on which one of us right.

If the Lions are hell bent on taking a kicking 10 Wilko would be a better option than Farrell and O'Gara on current form.