The Heineken Cup Thread

[Dinny Breen]

Leinster's performances have been going steadily downhill all tournament and in truth they were a bit lucky in the end that Wasps were a little bit worse than they were

Ridiculous, they won the group because they were the best team in the group. Edinburgh are actually a decent side and Castres have a fantastic home record including I think two victories over Munster. The criticism Leinster receive is unbelievable, they are through to the quarter-finals, are second in the Magners and have the best defence in Europe and domesictally (lead the inter-pro table as well). I think as AZ mention Leinster's biggest crime is that their not Munster.

[GalwayBayBoy]

Leinster's performances have been going steadily downhill all tournament and in truth they were a bit lucky in the end that Wasps were a little bit worse than they were

Ridiculous, they won the group because they were the best team in the group. Edinburgh are actually a decent side and Castres have a fantastic home record including I think two victories over Munster. The criticism Leinster receive is unbelievable, they are through to the quarter-finals, are second in the Magners and have the best defence in Europe and domesictally (lead the inter-pro table as well). I think as AZ mention Leinster's biggest crime is that their not Munster.

Fair enough if you are happy with their displays. Many Leinster fans certainly don't seem to be. Their defence has held up but right now they look like they couldn't score a try to save their lives.

With 12 minutes to go yesterday Wasps managed to blow a certain try which would have left them needing one more for a bonus point win and left Leinster in real trouble. Thankfully for Leinster they made a balls of it and Castres went down the field and scored themselves.

Leinster will be grateful of the few months break before the Harlequins game because they are not playing well and limped over the line in their group. However they are a very talented bunch and got a pretty decent draw in Harlequins. Certainly a winnable game but not on their current form.

[Dinny Breen]

Fair enough if you are happy with their displays. Many Leinster fans certainly don't seem to be. Their defence has held up but right now they look like they couldn't score a try to save their lives.

I'm not happy with the attacking performance but very happy with the defence and organisational structure of the team. Leinster's attacking allingment is too flat for my liking and they need more depth of 2nd phase but considering they aren't generating that much go forward off 1st phase they're always going to struggle. I never buy into doom and gloom negativity, a pointless excercise in my opinion and I would always try to accenuate the positive. Leinster mentally are heading the right direction which is far more important to this team's development than the all dancing trying scoring rugby of old, Leinster need to believe that they can win ugly tight games and that's exactly what they are starting to do. Wasp's lost a game yesterday they deserved to lose, if my auntie had balls she'd be my uncle. Leinster won the group by 4 clear points and had a much better head to head against the 2nd place team, they lost two games 1 away to the current European Champions and 1 away in France, claiming 2 losing bonus points, they also won away against their bogey side claiming a winning bonus. So they far from limped over while not been impressive Leinster comfortably won the group.

By the way I don't thnk Leinster will win the HC, they will bow out at the semi-final stage but they will be serious contenders next year once they get the scrum half situation sorted. Toulouse would be my choice as winners.

[Hound]

With 12 minutes to go yesterday Wasps managed to blow a certain try which would have left them needing one more for a bonus point win and left Leinster in real trouble. Thankfully for Leinster they made a balls of it and Castres went down the field and scored themselves.

Even if Wasps had scored two more tries and won with a bonus point, Leinster would still have qualified as one of the best runners up.

[Hound]

Draw for the semi-finals take place today.

Apparently each team has to nominate a "home venue" for the semis but it can't be their actual home ground and it must be able to hold 20,000.

Therefore Munster's home venue for a semi final will be the RDS (normal capacity is 18k but its reckoned they can up it to 20k).
And Leinster's home venue for a semi final will be Thomond Park - which would be gas craic!

And that leads to the question what happens if Leinster are drawn at home to Munster in the semis (assuming both win their quarters).
Would the game have to take place in Limerick, but Leinster get 70% (or whatever the home allocation is) of the tickets?
Hardly, but then the rules state you are not allowed play in your own venue.  Is Ravenhill an option? It would be fun to play in Thomond with a majority of Leinster fans and minority of Munsters.

Croke Park is not an option as things currently stand, but no doubt it'll be the possibility that gets the most media attention.
I'm not sure where I stand on that. I was for opening it up for Ireland internationals, but would certainly be against using it for say Bohs to play a Champions League game in. This is somewhere in the middle.

[Tankie]

Draw for the semi-finals take place today.

Apparently each team has to nominate a "home venue" for the semis but it can't be their actual home ground and it must be able to hold 20,000.

Therefore Munster's home venue for a semi final will be the RDS (normal capacity is 18k but its reckoned they can up it to 20k).
And Leinster's home venue for a semi final will be Thomond Park - which would be gas craic!

And that leads to the question what happens if Leinster are drawn at home to Munster in the semis (assuming both win their quarters).
Would the game have to take place in Limerick, but Leinster get 70% (or whatever the home allocation is) of the tickets?
Hardly, but then the rules state you are not allowed play in your own venue.  Is Ravenhill an option? It would be fun to play in Thomond with a majority of Leinster fans and minority of Munsters.

Croke Park is not an option as things currently stand, but no doubt it'll be the possibility that gets the most media attention.
I'm not sure where I stand on that. I was for opening it up for Ireland internationals, but would certainly be against using it for say Bohs to play a Champions League game in. This is somewhere in the middle.

Its a rediculous situation to be in when there is a stadium in the country that should be hosting the game!

[Hound]

Its a rediculous situation to be in when there is a stadium in the country that should be hosting the game!

Does a decision to use Croke Park need to go to Congress or are Central Council now empowered to make such decisions?

[Tankie]

Its a rediculous situation to be in when there is a stadium in the country that should be hosting the game!

Does a decision to use Croke Park need to go to Congress or are Central Council now empowered to make such decisions?

i would assume it needs to go through Congress so it aint even worth debating as they will never beable to make a decision! If it was a Leinster or Munster home draw I wouldnt be surprised if the ERC refused to play it in Ireland due to stadium restrictions!

[Hardy]

Central Council has the say-so on the use of Croke Park for soccer and rugby for the duration of the Lansdowne Road development. This power was was given to them by a Congress vote. Central Council decided that they would make CP available for international matches only. I don't think there's anything to prevent them making another decision to make it available for some other type of competition. Myself, I can't see why they wouldn't, if asked and if it's available. What would be the point of refusing the money?

[Dinny Breen]

Munster v Leinster in the Semi.......


Gentleman prepare for another round of open Croke Park speculation.........

[Billys Boots]

but would certainly be against using it for say Bohs to play a Champions League game in.

Why's that Hound?  As opposed to Munster -v- Leinster, why are the Phibsboro mob less worthy?

[Tankie]

Munster v Leinster in the Semi.......


Gentleman prepare for another round of open Croke Park speculation.........

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, its like all my dreams have come true. Cancel the Kinsale 7's accom!!!!

[Hound]

but would certainly be against using it for say Bohs to play a Champions League game in.

Why's that Hound?  As opposed to Munster -v- Leinster, why are the Phibsboro mob less worthy?

Just my views Billy. And in fairness "certainly be against" would be over-stating it, but my gut is No, and I'd need to be persuaded.

Its not beyond the bounds of possibility that Bohs (or whoever the champs are) could draw say AC Milan in a final qualifer for the CL knock out stages.  If we allowed them to use Croker it would enable them to really market the game and create a lot of interest in their club, thus giving them the opportunity to be a real rival/competitor to the GAA.

Whereas playing Munster v Leinster or internationals at Croker doesnt give them any more exposure than they would get be playing elsewhere.

There might be flaws in that logic! But its what comes to mind...

[Tankie]

Munster and Leinster may clash in semis
Tuesday, 27 January 2009 13:41
Irish provinces Munster and Leinster could meet in the semi-finals of the Heineken Cup after being placed in the same side of the draw.

The draw, made at Murrayfield this afternoon, saw the Irish provinces come out of the pot third and fourth.

Munster emerged first of the pair, meaning they will get 'home country advantage' if they can beat the Neath-Swansea Ospreys in the quarter-final. Leinster must beat Guinness Premiership side Harlequins to progress.

If both sides win, they will then meet in the semi-final in early May.

Due to competition rules which mean they must move the match to a different venue than their Pool and quarter-final match home ground, Munster do not have a convenient stadium in which to play their 'home country advantage' semi-final.

The redevelopment of Lansdowne Road is not due to be completed until later in the year and Croke Park is only open to international matches.
That means that the dual winners may be forced to play their semi-final at the RDS in Dublin, where Leinster normally play their home games.

Munster would still be treated as the home side, meaning Munster supporters would receive the majority of tickets for the match.

In the other side of the draw, the winners of the clash between Cardiff and Toulouse will face the winners of the all Premiership meeting of Leicester and Bath in the semi-final.

This is really gonna be an interesting one for the GAA and the IRFU to work out, I have no faith in the GAA to allow this game be played in Croke Park, even if its not a Leinster v Munster Semi final if Munster get there they should be allowed to use Croke Park imo.

[magpie seanie]

Central Council has the say-so on the use of Croke Park for soccer and rugby for he duration of the Lansdowne Road development. This power was was given to them buy a Congress vote. Central Council decided that they would make CP available for international matches only. I don't think there's anything to prevent them making another decision to make it available for some other type of competition. Myself, I can't see why they wouldn't, if asked and if it's available. What would be the point of refusing the money?

I wasn't sure if Hardy was right but reading the rule I see nothing stopping Central Council from allowing a potential Munster v. Leinster HC semi final in Croke Park. They were cute the way they worded it. So long as they get a good fee I wouldn't be too bothered. I would wager that this WILL happen if the two teams progress.