The Heineken Cup Thread

[seafoid]

 Ulster beaten . Not ideal .

[Capt Pat]

Ulster were well beaten in the end 27-16. They got a late consolation try.

[Capt Pat]

Munster are through to the semis after beating Quins 18-12. They will play Clermont next in France.

[Dinny Breen]

Munster are through to the semis after beating Quins 18-12. They will play Clermont next in France.

I know O'Connell will get the kudos but Tommy O'Donnell was my man of the match - he was David Wallacesque today.

It was Munster old school today, wonder what Penney thought of it all, they will need to score tries against Clermont or I would fear the worst.

[ballinaman]

[Crete Boom]

Munster are through to the semis after beating Quins 18-12. They will play Clermont next in France.

I know O'Connell will get the kudos but Tommy O'Donnell was my man of the match - he was David Wallacesque today.

It was Munster old school today, wonder what Penney thought of it all, they will need to score tries against Clermont or I would fear the worst.

  Yeah Tommy O'Donnell was at his destructive best along with some great carries on attack. I thought the Munster backrow stood up and really put the squeeze on Quins as a unit. 1 to 9 were immense for Munster and played the perfect game. Big worry is apart from Zebo and at a stretch Felix Jones nobody looks like giving any penetration out wide so as you said tries will be hard to come by in France. Delighted for O'Gara after the tough time he has had lately but while he had a good second half I did feel he was one mistake from a complete meltdown and struggled to dictate the game until the pack got totally on top in the third quarter.
A bit like in NFL you might make the playoffs with a dodgy QB but you rarely beat the top teams to go all the way and at this level in the Heineken Cup I'd liken the out-half to a QB in terms of influencing these semifinals. Think Sexton vs Myler in the 2011 final or O'Gara vs Perylonge in 2006 decider.

[muppet]

Munster are through to the semis after beating Quins 18-12. They will play Clermont next in France.

I know O'Connell will get the kudos but Tommy O'Donnell was my man of the match - he was David Wallacesque today.

It was Munster old school today, wonder what Penney thought of it all, they will need to score tries against Clermont or I would fear the worst.

  Yeah Tommy O'Donnell was at his destructive best along with some great carries on attack. I thought the Munster backrow stood up and really put the squeeze on Quins as a unit. 1 to 9 were immense for Munster and played the perfect game. Big worry is apart from Zebo and at a stretch Felix Jones nobody looks like giving any penetration out wide so as you said tries will be hard to come by in France. Delighted for O'Gara after the tough time he has had lately but while he had a good second half I did feel he was one mistake from a complete meltdown and struggled to dictate the game until the pack got totally on top in the third quarter.
A bit like in NFL you might make the playoffs with a dodgy QB but you rarely beat the top teams to go all the way and at this level in the Heineken Cup I'd liken the out-half to a QB in terms of influencing these semifinals. Think Sexton vs Myler in the 2011 final or O'Gara vs Perylonge in 2006 decider.

Will Howlett be back for the semi?

[Crete Boom]

 I'm not sure Muppet but he'd be a huge boost to the back three if he was available in attack and especially in defence because while Munster can block up the midefield with Downey and Laulala Clermont have the option of a monster back three with pace to burn to get in behind Munster.

[trileacman]

Any good links for the clermont v munster match today??

[Dinny Breen]

Check this link shorty before kick-off

http://www.wiziwig.tv/broadcast.php?matchid=201731&part=sports

[Syferus]

Leinster are still the best team in Europe, and by a considerable margin. It's a pity they sleepwalked the first four group stages because they would have won three-in-a-row. Circus rugby today, making Biaritz look like a schools team.

[Dinny Breen]

Eh they're not, you could argue subjectively the best XV but Clermont, Tolouse, Toulon even Saracens have better squads and that's what you need to succeed in Europe.

[trileacman]

Biarritz are a schools team, far removed from their previous power.

[CorkMan]

Brilliant effort by Munster. Unlucky to lose the last lineout and the decision for the Clermont scrum at the end was wrong.

[muppet]

Nigel Owens, dear God why do we put up with him?