The Heineken Cup Thread

[Canalman]

Great result for the final in Dublin . Clermont fans will arrive  in throves with bands etc . Mate who knows more about this than me reckons they will all meet in town and march out to Ballsbridge en masse like they do in France.
Better craic than the" Munster 4 " golf/yacht  club set that would have come otherwise.

Imvho of course.

[muppet]

Great result for the final in Dublin . Clermont fans will arrive  in throves with bands etc . Mate who knows more about this than me reckons they will all meet in town and march out to Ballsbridge en masse like they do in France.
Better craic than the" Munster 4 " golf/yacht  club set that would have come otherwise.

Imvho of course.

They only do that on Throve Tuesday.

[Syferus]

Some effort to come back like that in a game where they looked completely over-matched for the first 50 minutes. It'd be a pity if O'Gara went out like that, he's been an incredible servant for Ireland and Munster. The Reds have the scope to return to this stage again in the next few years.

[sans pessimism]

Great result for the final in Dublin . Clermont fans will arrive  in throves with bands etc . Mate who knows more about this than me reckons they will all meet in town and march out to Ballsbridge en masse like they do in France.
Better craic than the" Munster 4 " golf/yacht  club set that would have come otherwise.

Imvho of course.

They only do that on Throve Tuesday.

[Hound]

Have Connacht qualified for the HC next year or do they need Leinster to win the Amlin?

[Capt Pat]

Munster were not good enough on the day.  I wonder how long Rog and O Connell will hang around for?

[galwayman]

Wilkinson should be on the Lions tour.
I seriously doubt they will pick him though

[Celt_Man]

Have Connacht qualified for the HC next year or do they need Leinster to win the Amlin?

I believe Leinster have to win it and so qualify for the Heineken as winners of the challenge cup, leaving the 3 other provinces taking the other 3 spots through the Rabo

[tyroneboi]

Wilkinson should be on the Lions tour.
I seriously doubt they will pick him though

I think he should be there but when the father of his rival is part of the selection then you would have to doubt it!!

[rodney trotter]

Munster are out of the Heinekn Cup, but worth a mention here. Doug Howlett forced to retire from Rugby http://t.co/q8YBdi9gKu Rugby

Munster Rugby today announced that current squad captain Doug Howlett will retire from professional rugby at the end of this season.

The decision was forced on the former All Black through injury sustained in the RaboDirect PRO12 game against Glasgow Warriors in the game played in Scotstoun at the end of March. At that time, 34 year old Howlett was in contract extension negotiations with Munster but hasn't been able to play since because of the shoulder injury he suffered in the course of scoring Munster's third try. He underwent surgery in a Dublin hospital earlier this month and acting on medical advice will retire at season end.

Howlett joined Munster in January 2008 and played a key role in their Heineken Cup success that season. He won his 100th cap in the October 2012 League game against Leinster and ends his Munster career as the all-time second leading try scorer with 35 tries after five and a half seasons.

he was nominated squad captain at the start of this season and became just the second overseas (Jim Williams the other) and the first back to achieve that honour.

Howlett has intimated that he will remain on in Cork, where he lives with his wife and three children, for the immediate future

Other departures from the current squad – besides Peter Stringer who remains with Bath, Marcus Horan who announced his retirement recently, Sean Scanlon (Rotherham Titans) and Sean Henry (Connacht) – include Wian du Preez who returns to his native South Africa, Scott Deasy and Christy Condon.

BJ Botha will continue on with Munster having signed a two year contract extension while Danny Barnes has not been re-contracted but is understood to have negotiated an opportunity to play abroad and news of that will be confirmed in the coming weeks."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yl1TYOReb04&feature=player_embedded

[AZOffaly]

Sad to hear that about Dougie. Always gave 100% and had mad, mad eyes. Obviously he was not the flying winger of All Black fame, even when he came to Munster, and his game had to change because of the way Munster play. Ironically he'd probably have flourished as a 26 year old in Penney's 'go wide' philosophy that was tried out earlier in the year.

A nice fella as well, very polite, and he'll be missed in Munster.

[muppet]

Sad to hear that about Dougie. Always gave 100% and had mad, mad eyes. Obviously he was not the flying winger of All Black fame, even when he came to Munster, and his game had to change because of the way Munster play. Ironically he'd probably have flourished as a 26 year old in Penney's 'go wide' philosophy that was tried out earlier in the year.

A nice fella as well, very polite, and he'll be missed in Munster.

Some pro all the same.

Always enjoyed watching him play.

[rodney trotter]

 Rumours that O Gara  will be linking up with Racing Metro next season on a 2 year deal, as Kicking coach.  http://balls.ie/rugby/ronan-ogara-racing-metro-coach/

[Count 10]

Rumours that O Gara  will be linking up with Racing Metro next season on a 2 year deal, as Kicking coach.  http://balls.ie/rugby/ronan-ogara-racing-metro-coach/

Fair play ROG and best of luck.

[Geoff Tipps]

England and French clubs to set up new competition from next season to replace Heineken Cup.