The Heineken Cup Thread

[Main Street]

I couldn't make it out on the dodgy stream but Northampton seemed to give O'Gara plenty of time to compose the drop kick.

[GalwayBayBoy]

I couldn't make it out on the dodgy stream but Northampton seemed to give O'Gara plenty of time to compose the drop kick.

They didn't really send anyone to run at him even to try and put him off. Granted they were probably fairly shattered by then.

[Capt Pat]

They were probably out on their feet.

[Hoof Hearted]

O Gara drop goal 4 minutes into injury time wins it for Munster. Sensational. Thats twice in one day for the Irish team with last second kicks.

After 41 phases !! the commentators on Sky were having orgasms !

[Capt Pat]

Just a thought on the signifigance of the Munster performance. Northampton are one of the favourites for the Heineken Cup. Munster had just 4 starters off the European Cup winning team of 2008. They seem to be managing the transition to a new team without turning to shit.

They have newer younger players like O Mahony, Ronan, Donacha Ryan, Varley Murray, Barnes, Hurley and Murphy all started tonight. Earls and Felix Jones are young guys who would have played if fit. Are any of them any good or elite? Maybe only murray might be close to a top level player but scrum half might be the most important position on the pitch.

Wallace and Quinlan were not there. Leamy and O Callaghan were droppped to make way for some of these players and Flannery could return to strengthen the playing resources. It is just a good sign that change and progress are being made at the same time with good young Irish players.

[Main Street]

I couldn't make it out on the dodgy stream but Northampton seemed to give O'Gara plenty of time to compose the drop kick.

They didn't really send anyone to run at him even to try and put him off. Granted they were probably fairly shattered by then.

Yeah I just watched it on TG4 and the Northampton players were shattered, hardly had the energy to stand up, never mind close down O'Gara. That was classic Munster. What a finish.

[RealSpiritof98]

Great result for Ulster. At half time we were lucky to be still in the match, but second half was much more even. Humphries was having a mare, but still managed to come up with a try. Fair play.

Can't remember ever seeing so may visiting fans at Ravenhill. Clermont fans virtually took over the stand. The match wasn't a sell out, so makes me wonder what the attendance would've been had the French stayed at home.

Stand up for the Ulstermen! 

Great win for ulster, i'd like to see them build on last year.

Miles why the apathy?

Recession?? I really think the people in the wee 6 are feeling the pinch more than most, incurring all the prices rises of the global downturn that the south and uk has felt but nowhere near the average take some salary

[Capt Pat]

I will amend 4 starters to 5 starters from the Heineken cup final in 08 in my above piece and one out of seven on the 08 final bench was involved tonight. That is a big turnover in three years.

[Dinny Breen]

Just a thought on the signifigance of the Munster performance. Northampton are one of the favourites for the Heineken Cup. Munster had just 4 starters off the European Cup winning team of 2008. They seem to be managing the transition to a new team without turning to shit.

They have newer younger players like O Mahony, Ronan, Donacha Ryan, Varley Murray, Barnes, Hurley and Murphy all started tonight. Earls and Felix Jones are young guys who would have played if fit. Are any of them any good or elite? Maybe only murray might be close to a top level player but scrum half might be the most important position on the pitch.

Wallace and Quinlan were not there. Leamy and O Callaghan were droppped to make way for some of these players and Flannery could return to strengthen the playing resources. It is just a good sign that change and progress are being made at the same time with good young Irish players.

Niall Ronan is 29, Donnacha Ryan is 28, Johne Murphy is 27, Denis Hurley is 27, Damien Varley is 28. Hardly young players now are they?

That in a nutshell is Munster's problem, under Declan Kindey they completely neglected their underage development, Connacht have surpassed them on that level. McGahan is turning that around but comes in from awful criticism from those Munster fans who believe that Munster have some sort of sense of self-entitlement up there with the Toulouses  and Leicesters of this world. I think he is doing a good job, he has appointed Anthony Foley as forwards coach and now of course the Munster legend Foley is getting all the praise for turning things around up front and is been touted as heir apparent to McGahan's job.

Munster and Leinster showed their European experience to get something out of games they should have lost, The Saints and Montpelier were the better sides, abject refereeing, the last Leinster penalty was never a penalty for example and lack of composure did it in for them.

Ulster I thought were the most impressive province this weekend although I'd say Butch James hates coming to this island at this stage. One player to catch my eye was Eoin Griffin, looked the most impressive Irish 13 this weekend.

Still only the 1st game, lot of rugby to played yet, good to have it back.

[Hoof Hearted]

Brock James ? Yes he must hate this place. Was it the RDS he shit himself recently ?

[Dinny Breen]

Brock James ? Yes he must hate this place. Was it the RDS he shit himself recently ?

Sorry Brock not Butch 'Clothesline' James, yea Brock was the reason Leinster beat Clermont in the quarter-finals last year.

[RMDrive]

Anyone have a link to the TG4 player highlights? Can only find the first half.

[Myles Na G.]

Great result for Ulster. At half time we were lucky to be still in the match, but second half was much more even. Humphries was having a mare, but still managed to come up with a try. Fair play.

Can't remember ever seeing so may visiting fans at Ravenhill. Clermont fans virtually took over the stand. The match wasn't a sell out, so makes me wonder what the attendance would've been had the French stayed at home.

Stand up for the Ulstermen! 

Great win for ulster, i'd like to see them build on last year.

Miles why the apathy?

Recession?? I really think the people in the wee 6 are feeling the pinch more than most, incurring all the prices rises of the global downturn that the south and uk has felt but nowhere near the average take some salary

Ulster haven't made the greatest of starts this year, so maybe that has something to do with attendances being fairly average so far.   Usually though the HC brings people out, especially a game against a team like Clermont. Yet there was no temporary stand behind the posts as there often is to cater for the extra demand for tickets for HC matches, tickets were available to buy at the gate, and there were hundreds of Clermont fans in town. Maybe people are feeling the pinch a bit.

[lawnseed]

I couldn't make it out on the dodgy stream but Northampton seemed to give O'Gara plenty of time to compose the drop kick.

They didn't really send anyone to run at him even to try and put him off. Granted they were probably fairly shattered by then.

Yeah I just watched it on TG4 and the Northampton players were shattered, hardly had the energy to stand up, never mind close down O'Gara. That was classic Munster. What a finish.

saw this last night on tg4 brilliant stuff tbh. i thought northhamption were the better team but they just didnt have the resolve to finish the game

[Capt Pat]

Just a thought on the signifigance of the Munster performance. Northampton are one of the favourites for the Heineken Cup. Munster had just 4 starters off the European Cup winning team of 2008. They seem to be managing the transition to a new team without turning to shit.

They have newer younger players like O Mahony, Ronan, Donacha Ryan, Varley Murray, Barnes, Hurley and Murphy all started tonight. Earls and Felix Jones are young guys who would have played if fit. Are any of them any good or elite? Maybe only murray might be close to a top level player but scrum half might be the most important position on the pitch.

Wallace and Quinlan were not there. Leamy and O Callaghan were droppped to make way for some of these players and Flannery could return to strengthen the playing resources. It is just a good sign that change and progress are being made at the same time with good young Irish players.

Niall Ronan is 29, Donnacha Ryan is 28, Johne Murphy is 27, Denis Hurley is 27, Damien Varley is 28. Hardly young players now are they?

That in a nutshell is Munster's problem, under Declan Kindey they completely neglected their underage development, Connacht have surpassed them on that level. McGahan is turning that around but comes in from awful criticism from those Munster fans who believe that Munster have some sort of sense of self-entitlement up there with the Toulouses  and Leicesters of this world. I think he is doing a good job, he has appointed Anthony Foley as forwards coach and now of course the Munster legend Foley is getting all the praise for turning things around up front and is been touted as heir apparent to McGahan's job.

Munster and Leinster showed their European experience to get something out of games they should have lost, The Saints and Montpelier were the better sides, abject refereeing, the last Leinster penalty was never a penalty for example and lack of composure did it in for them.

Ulster I thought were the most impressive province this weekend although I'd say Butch James hates coming to this island at this stage. One player to catch my eye was Eoin Griffin, looked the most impressive Irish 13 this weekend.

Still only the 1st game, lot of rugby to played yet, good to have it back.

They are yougnger generally. It is just for years we were lead to beleive that when Leamy Wallace and Quinlan and Strings adn Flans and O Callaghan were gone Munster would be completely uncompetitive