Munster, celtic league, heineken cup, general and tag rugby thread 🐐

Sport
6021

Looking at the pools, Munster should top group 1, Biarritz have group 2 as good as won already, pool three is wide open with Clermont, Leicester and the Ospreys all duking it out…Stade should get out of group 4, toulose would be favourites for group 5 while Leinster and London Irish are neck and neck in pool 6…

so we could end up with a quarter final line up of the following:

Biarritz 26
munster 24
London Irish 23
Toulose 20
Clermont 19
Stade 19

Leinster 21
Sale 18

Biarritz V Sale
Munster V Leinster
London Irish V Stade
Toulose V Clermont

6022

Leinster should pull the group out of the fire after getting the season back on track with 2 bonus points.
LI will be a big game, but one we can win
Interesting to hear the Munster folk talk about them trying to play the 15 man game, they should watch Leinster if they want to see Total Rugby

6023

Did you watch the game WBY? O Connell acknowledged Leinster are setting the benchmark in Europe so far this season.

Getting back to the game, great to see O Gara back on track as he has been over the past few weeks. Even the kick they claimed was out should have been adjudged in imo, brought it back on the + and seemed fine to me. Great news from an Irish POV.

6024

They score a try Munster Style-Ryle Nugent, would you ever fuck off for yourself.

6025

PO’C the cute hoor…

‘we are long way off the current standards of leinster’…

hope we get them in Thomand in the q-final.

Great performance up front today. O’Connell, Leamy, Hayes, Wallace, all immense. The bench were great as well, Donnacha Ryan and De Villiers laid down a couple of markers as well.

6026

[quote=“myboyblue”]Did you watch the game WBY? O Connell acknowledged Leinster are setting the benchmark in Europe so far this season.

Getting back to the game, great to see O Gara back on track as he has been over the past few weeks. Even the kick they claimed was out should have been adjudged in imo, brought it back on the + and seemed fine to me. Great news from an Irish POV.[/quote]

As I stated last week, Munster will be hard bet when we get to the business end of the year…

6027

1/4 win against Toulouse is still better, knockout game.

6028

In your opinion of course.

6029

Well it was knockout. Munster could have losted today and still be in the driving seat. Toulouse never gave up that day like Perpignan did today. Perspective should be kept, although it was a superb performance.

And also i would say the majority of Munster people who were around from before that to know believe the same to be honest, not that i need the approval, but it was the game that broke down alot of records, barriers, fears etc.

Also the fact i was there makes it very memorable for me of course. But i know the players always go back to that in terms of winning away games.

6030

My mistake, I felt you were referring to Leinster v Toulouse. That Munster game v Toulouse changed everything for Irish rugby, that is true.

6031

[quote=“caoimhaoin”]Leinster are luck the welsh lads are missing a few key players, especially on the wings, Horgan is there for the taking in pace, and Nacewa is very dodgy on ball kicked or chipped over his head.

Leinster to win though, Munster to struggle. Really don’t know if Munster will win tonight.[/quote]

In fairness to Kev, he’s never wrong :thumbsup:

6032

Details of the Magners League decider and play-off series announced by organising body Celtic Rugby mean Thomond Park and the RDS are the likely venues should any Irish side reach the final with home advantage.

Leinster, currently third, are in contention for the League as it nears the half-way stage, while Munster and Ulster, in sixth and seventh respectively, are both positioned to make a run for the top four.

Celtic Rugby today announced that the Magners League Grand Final will take place on 29 May.

It has a a provisional kick-off time of 6.30pm and that the venue for the final will be determined by the finishing positions of the four semi-finalists.

Organisers keen to reward clubs who finish higher in the table and on that basis, whichever of the two teams that reaches the decider had the most points at the end of the regular season will have the right to play in their nominated stadium.

The ground chosen must have a capacity in excess of 18,000.

Thomond Park could host the Grand Final if Munster make it as it can hold 26,000. The 18,000 rule also means the RDS would qualify. Ravenhill, where Ulster play their home matches, can only hold 12,000 and they may have to pick Thomond Park or the RDS on 8 March, the closing date for nominations.

Of the other contenders, the Ospreys’ Liberty Stadium (20,000), Edinburgh’s home ground Murrayfield (80,000) would both be suitable but current leaders Glasgow Warriors’ regular home ground Firhill, with a capacity of 10,000, is not big enough.

Commenting on the announcement, Celtic Rugby director David Jordan said: 'Getting the date and proposed kick-off time for the Grand Final was the first step, along with underlining the format for the Play-Off matches. As stated at the start of the season, the top four teams in the regular league will progress into the Play-Offs, with the top two teams enjoying home advantage," explained Celtic Rugby Director David Jordan.

'With no pre-determined venue for the staging of the Grand Final, the board has agreed the following principles to determine where the biggest game in the history of the Magners League shall be played.

'The team that reaches the Grand Final having achieved the highest finishing position in the regular Magners League shall have the right to nominate a venue of more than 18k capacity within its own Union’s jurisdiction to host the game.

‘All nominated venues will have to meet with the approval of the Celtic Rugby board, and its commercial requirements, and, in the unlikely event of neither finalist being able to nominate a suitable venue, the board will take the game to a ground of its choice.’

6033

[quote=“The Puke”]Details of the Magners League decider and play-off series announced by organising body Celtic Rugby mean Thomond Park and the RDS are the likely venues should any Irish side reach the final with home advantage.

Leinster, currently third, are in contention for the League as it nears the half-way stage, while Munster and Ulster, in sixth and seventh respectively, are both positioned to make a run for the top four.

Celtic Rugby today announced that the Magners League Grand Final will take place on 29 May.

It has a a provisional kick-off time of 6.30pm and that the venue for the final will be determined by the finishing positions of the four semi-finalists.

Organisers keen to reward clubs who finish higher in the table and on that basis, whichever of the two teams that reaches the decider had the most points at the end of the regular season will have the right to play in their nominated stadium.

The ground chosen must have a capacity in excess of 18,000.

Thomond Park could host the Grand Final if Munster make it as it can hold 26,000. The 18,000 rule also means the RDS would qualify. Ravenhill, where Ulster play their home matches, can only hold 12,000 and they may have to pick Thomond Park or the RDS on 8 March, the closing date for nominations.

Of the other contenders, the Ospreys’ Liberty Stadium (20,000), Edinburgh’s home ground Murrayfield (80,000) would both be suitable but current leaders Glasgow Warriors’ regular home ground Firhill, with a capacity of 10,000, is not big enough.

Commenting on the announcement, Celtic Rugby director David Jordan said: 'Getting the date and proposed kick-off time for the Grand Final was the first step, along with underlining the format for the Play-Off matches. As stated at the start of the season, the top four teams in the regular league will progress into the Play-Offs, with the top two teams enjoying home advantage," explained Celtic Rugby Director David Jordan.

'With no pre-determined venue for the staging of the Grand Final, the board has agreed the following principles to determine where the biggest game in the history of the Magners League shall be played.

'The team that reaches the Grand Final having achieved the highest finishing position in the regular Magners League shall have the right to nominate a venue of more than 18k capacity within its own Union’s jurisdiction to host the game.

‘All nominated venues will have to meet with the approval of the Celtic Rugby board, and its commercial requirements, and, in the unlikely event of neither finalist being able to nominate a suitable venue, the board will take the game to a ground of its choice.’[/quote]

A thrilling decision. Well done to everyone involved.

6034

Kev is normally bang on about the rugby alright. Some people dont like his message though.

Munster were fucking awesome yesterday, that is all. :clap:

6035

[quote=“W.B. Yeats”]Leinster should pull the group out of the fire after getting the season back on track with 2 bonus points.
LI will be a big game, but one we can win
Interesting to hear the Munster folk talk about them trying to play the 15 man game, they should watch Leinster if they want to see Total Rugby[/quote]

Leinster have played well WBY, but they have only beaten Scarlets home and away who are second from bottom of the ML. They were beaten in the only home game of consequence. Unreal physicality in their game but I wouldn’t get overly carried away. They are fooked without Sexton I think.

Fear for me is four French sides in Toulouse, Stade, BIarritz & Clermont all looking ominously good. Clermont were v good at the weekend and I felt if they had really wanted to win it they could have. They have a massive squad and are my favourites now, albeit they still need to come out of a tough group. They are 7/1 and that is the best value left in it I think. Couldnt back either Munster or Leinster who both have a bit to do to win the group, either or both could end up away to a french side in the quarters and youd want more than 3/4 to 1 to get on them now

6036

Considering where Munster were coming from I agree with you. Yesterday was a surprise but not like they havent done it time and again. The side that beat Toulouse was full of committed individuals who made a great team. Not sure was there any individuals in the side at the time who would have been considered among the best in their position in Europe at the time, Woody maybe. Munster went out yesterday with Irelands most capped prop, two Lions second rows including the best lock in Europe, a Lions back row, Irelands leading all time leading scorer, a Lion in the centre and all time leading AB try scorer on the wing. Looking at it in that context Bordeaux was a far bigger achievement.

Think that Toulouse side we beat in Bordeaux was probably more dominant in that era than Perpiganan were also, against that Toulouse made some shocking mistakes that day.

6037

[quote=“dancarter”]Kev is normally bang on about the rugby alright. Some people dont like his message though.

[/quote]

He was bang on about Horgan being caught for pace and something about dropping O’Driscoll as well :thumbsup:

6038

Oi Carter - why do you only appear once Munster play well? Where have you been hiding for the past 4 or 5 months? Bandwagoner.

6039

I was here last week as well. End of year pressures at work Maccer. I didnt make much comment about the Munster win either you cranky bollox :stuck_out_tongue:

6040

Gerry T will be on Newstalk shortly talking about the weekends rugby.