there is a player called wigglesworth:p
Christ, we were outstanding tonight. We need to keep our collective feet on the ground but that was powerful stuff. I liked the hard edge to the forwards and Elsom was superb. The defence was great and we displayed great commitment and discipline to hold them out on our own line on occassion. Then thereās so much individual class in our back unit. Cracking stuff and another bonus point secured too.
Was down in the RDS last night, great stuff in fairness. Leinster played very well alright, great to see BOD answering SS* criticism in the best possible manner 
Forwards were good, Elsom is a savage addition. Couldnt believe jennings got MOTM, hard to tell sometimes when your at the game alright but I thought Contepomi or either of the other two back rows. Jennings did make a shed load of tackles alright.
Staunton had a horrow show, truly awful unfortunately. I thought if he got a run of games that maybe Kidney would take a punt on him as maybe lesser of two evils with Wallace but he looked a 100 miles off the pace last night. Not usre if Edwards has taken his eye off the ball with Lions and Wales etc but for me Reddan, Flutey, Lewsey, Voyce and Staunton all looked like they were carrying a bit of timber. Either they are over conditioned or they just arent fit enough but they are not a lean side and that was reflected in the pace they played at. Also a full back playing 13, a 10 playing 15, a 10 playing 12 and Cipriani not firing yet after his return from injury doesnt make for a functioning back line. Frazer Waters ran there back line for the last few years and he is a massive loss.
Praise must be tempered with realisation that Wasps were desperate. They miss Dallaglio, didnt seem to be much leadership out there last night, despite the presence of former england captain (vickery) and Shaw, Worsley, Flutey, Lewsey on the pitch.
Leinster should go through comfortably now, barring a trademark brainfart. Their pool looked a lot tougher when it was drawn than it does now. Interestingly all the teams in the group are struggling in there respective leagues indicating that it based on current form it is a weak group. Not sure how relevant it is but to look at league positions
Wasps 3rd from bottom
Edinburgh 2nd from bottom
Castres 2nd from bottom
These teams have a grand total of 3 wins from 17 league games between them, add Leinster the figure is 5/22. Poor stuff no doubt.
Compared to the Munster group
Sale 3rd
Clermont 4th
Montabaun 10th
Wins 11 from 22, incl Munster this is 16 from 27, fair difference in quality and form between the two groups. Last year Munster had both the English champions and french beaten finalists in the group.
(BTW Ulsters group = 13 wins from 17 games, 14 /22 incl Ulster, Ouch!!)
Just goes to show that the groups are a lottery really. Form can swing so much from season to season amongst the teams below the elite depending on player movement, coaching issues etc. Munsters group looked reasonably tough at the draw but now it looks like its going to be a real struggle to qualify out the pool. Munster should still do it but need a result today, at least a losing bonus.
Big day for Earls starting a game in his preferred position, full back is a very different position and it was a great idea putting him in there so far. You can run onto the ball, make up your mind what line you will take, asses whats going on around you and should only be required to tackle in open play. You dont have those little luxuries at 13, defense will be up in his face, split second decision making and he will be targetted on defence as well.
I think he has the tools and temperament to cope but then you look across and see McAllister with his 20 All Black caps and see proven quality. McAllister made his international debut agaisnt the Lions which should be an indication of what Earls is facing. If he performs today in this company he has given himself a big shout for the Autumn internationals.
Sale by 3-5 points
BTW, anyone in Caaaaark been in ROG new bar, Bob Fox I think its called? Used to be the morgue? New bar, new fookin twins, keep your eye on the ball ROG
Where did the 3rd white jersey come out of? And what is the need to wear it today? They are really not helping themselves dispel the lunatic fringe Toyota PLC theory.
SS**
Were you watchingā¦ BOD was magnificent, terrible that he had to go off. hope that heās not badly injured, he looks like his form was coming right back.
Letās hope this isnāt another false dawn, a little bit of consistency now, wins against Edinburgh and Castres a home with a win either in Twickenham or Castres would see us throguh.
Thought Dr Phil played well and Swirve, Kearney and Horgan were top class.
Wonder will the lidgends front up today?
WBY
Unreal tackling and reading of the game from Howlett today
Howlett was unbelivable today, great performance, I canāt argue with Wallace for MotM but Dougie wasnāt far behind. They have gone from being in risk of being out of the competition to being favourites to get out of the group now. Thereās only 5 points between the 2 French teams at half time, if Mont. get something there itād be great for Munster
Got your answer there palā¦
if the begrudgers were looking for a reason that munster have so much support thene they got their answer todayā¦i cannot think of a team over thge last 8/9 years that have more heart and will to win than munsterā¦if ever a team summed up honesty of effort(TM johnny giles)then it is this munsterā¦
Just saw the tries on the News, great result, any away win is good but when Sale turned over Clermont last week this makes it better.
Well done Munster, well done the lidgendsā¦
WBY
Two excellent performances from Munster and Leinster, both equally impressive in their own way.
Leinster just blew Wasps away. It was as bad a performance as Iāve seen from Wasps but still six tries or whatever it was is a big achievement and the game was there to be lost right up until the 50 minute mark or so and needed to be won. Great to see OāDriscoll take his two tries well. Sexton did well when he came on which was good for Ireland (cancelled out the horror show from Staunton) and Fitzgerald and Kearney both looked sharp.
Thought Horgan looked off the pace. Epitomised by OāKellyās break near the end when Horgan was trailing him and couldnāt make up the ground to offer him a simple pass on his shoulder - dreadful lack of pace. Then when he did get his hands on the ball he was a yard out against a stretched defence and he allowed himself to be shunted sideways. No speed, no punch.
Otherwise it was excellent from Leinster.
And Munster got themselves a great result yesterday against an in-form Sale team in England. Tough game but they could have won by more, thought a couple of refereeing decisions were a touch harsh (particularly the penalty that was ruled wide) but when it got close the big players stepped up and controlled the game.
OāLeary was good at scrum half (better than Reddan had been on Saturday) and really across the whole park there were excellent performances. Stuart Barnes was talking about how the Munster back-row were wily old performers but youāre talking about a trio that featured at time two from OāSullivan, Ryan and Melck and always one of them playing. The development of Earls continues and thereās been no erosion of power in the subtle changes to the team.
Very encouraging.
Great wins for leinster and munster well done to both.
would be great for both to make the quarters (on home soil). very early to tell yet but leinster certainly look on for it.
driscoll looked back to top form but i thought kearney was the stand out man. in a game where kicking has become a massive part he is the ultimate in safe hands.
personally though o leary looked nervous at times. wally and the doug were savage. mafi is an absolute tank he nearly cut chabal in half- tremendous tackler, pity bout the late close line.
IMVHO Munster have coped with the evolution of their team very well down through the years, oviously you would say that they have no cover for OāGara, but thatās a different conversation, but any time they need to draft someone in they do it nice and quitely and it doesnāt do any harm to the team as a whole.
Munster gave away a lot of penalties yesterday around the breakdown, but thatās the game they play, the French ref pinged them for stuff that wouldnāt be called in a Magners League game.
BTW, how immense was Mafi yesterday? Some of the hits were unbelievable, why oh why did he have to play 7s for the All Blacks? Then again if he didnāt we wouldnāt have been able to sign him I suspose.
Oh yeah, and Marcus, your a prop, not a winger
Think warwick is a very capable replacement,
some drop goal.
[quote=āfist_of_furyā]Think warwick is a very capable replacement,
some drop goal.[/quote]
Warwick would be a good replacement, but he still doesnāt dominate the game like OāGara can, but OāGara is 1 of the best out halves in the world, any team would find it hard to replace him.
[quote=āClaremanā]IMVHO Munster have coped with the evolution of their team very well down through the years, oviously you would say that they have no cover for OāGara, but thatās a different conversation, but any time they need to draft someone in they do it nice and quitely and it doesnāt do any harm to the team as a whole.
Munster gave away a lot of penalties yesterday around the breakdown, but thatās the game they play, the French ref pinged them for stuff that wouldnāt be called in a Magners League game.
BTW, how immense was Mafi yesterday? Some of the hits were unbelievable, why oh why did he have to play 7s for the All Blacks? Then again if he didnāt we wouldnāt have been able to sign him I suspose.
Oh yeah, and Marcus, your a prop, not a winger[/quote]
larry looks more and more like tuilagi every time i see him.
great win.
loving the drop goal from warwick.
[quote=āClaremanā]BTW, how immense was Mafi yesterday? Some of the hits were unbelievable, why oh why did he have to play 7s for the All Blacks? Then again if he didnāt we wouldnāt have been able to sign him I suspose.
[/quote]
thought he was superb yesterdayā¦absolutely brilliant in defenceā¦he was the best kiwi on the fieldā¦
do you still reckon he would be a long way off the all blacks if he went home danā¦
[quote=āThe Pukeā]thought he was superb yesterdayā¦absolutely brilliant in defenceā¦he was the best kiwi on the fieldā¦
do you still reckon he would be a long way off the all blacks if he went home danā¦[/quote]
Heād be a mile from the All Blacks if he went home, heās not big enough for them, they like there centers to be animals
conrad smith isnāt exactly hugeā¦although he would have better hands than mafi i think that mafiās defence would be betterr than smithsā¦there canāt be too many outstanding centres in new zealand if smith and nonu keep geting their gameā¦
on a related note luke macallister is a classy bit of gearā¦