The Heineken Cup Thread

[Declan]

http://audiostore.todayfm.com/audio/breakfast/Gift_munster09.mp3

and the response

http://audiostore.todayfm.com/audio/breakfast/Gift_Leinster.mp3

[Tankie]

On that vein, Leinster unveiled a new boot deal this week....

And do Lunsters wear half-heels???     

[Gnevin]

3 days to go getting excited now.

[Gnevin]

From Cormac Hayes Earlier, if anyone knows who wrote it please contact me, Id love to credit the right person:

Can I bring to your attention a new service that is on offer to you to co-incide with the Heineken Cup semi-final in Croke Park between Munster and Leinster on May 2 2009.


We understand that the lofty levels of the competition at this stage can be bewildering to Leinster supporters hoping to attend the match given their paucity of experience at this, the business end of the competition, compounding this is the fact that the match will be held in our great pantheon of the GAA, Croke Park, otherwise known as Headquarters by us, your provincial brethren from the non metropolitan parts of this great island of ours. We understand that crossing that gaping physical and metaphysical divide of your Metropolis known as the Liffey is an epic journey from the leafy suburbs that you are more familiar with.


We can empathise with you. We can hope that you can learn from our great odyssey to secure our holy grail.
In the spirit of the great grand slam and in preparation for our unity behind the Green Lions Tour we can help you.

*** Hire a Munster Buddy for the day!! ***

Our Munster supporter will meet with you at a prearranged venue on the Southside of the Liffey of your choice.

He will advise you on the best departure times and pitstop venues between your rendezvous point and Headquarters that will ensure that you make your seat between the end of the minor match and before the kickoff. ( Have no fear that your Buddy will be better acquainted with this part of the city than he is of the back of his hand.) Note: How well can you see the back of your hand when drinking pints)


He will ensure safe passage to (and possibly from, depending on result) the Stadium.

He will cover the costs of all the drink you can consume between rendezvous time and kick off (Our volunteers have been informed to expect that this will involve a maximum of 4 pints. At this point you will probably collapse and your buddy has been instructed to carry you to your seat)


Your Buddy can regale you with stories of our epic campaigns in 2006 and 2008, revisit the debate on Cardiff roof open roof closed and outline the treatment we had envisaged for Paddy Wallace had Stephen Jones's kick gone over or outline the finer details of what is required of a Lions Captain. A huge menu of subjects many of which have nothing to do with rugby are available for discussion which your buddy will have an opinion on. (Warning: these opinions are unlikely to be informed or based on any established fact and may not bear any relevance to reality)


Your Buddy will make the ultimate sacrifice and not wear red at the match to conform to the daft e-mail circulated by your Provincial Branch. ( However the Buddy is not obligated to remain silent or refrain from abusing the referee, any officials other Leinster supports, RTE, Leicester, random punters they encounter at any stage during the day or singing songs from provinces that are still playing Rugby with round balls during training)


This premium service can be secured at a value for money recession price of a SPARE TICKET. This unique offer will enable you to gain maximum value from your Buddy by choosing to have them seated beside you throughout the game or for as long as you are still attending.


Don't miss this incredible offer. When is the next time you will be in a semi-final!!
Contact the Leinster Munster Buddy Service by return e-mail if you wish to avail of this offer.

*** Early bird bonus ***

For any Leinster supporters who avail of this service there is a winners bonus. In the unlikely and unforeseeable event of Leinster winning the Semi-final, your Munster Buddy will have available to purchase at face value a ticket to the Heineken final in Edinburgh on May 23 2009. In fact many will be able to offer you full travel packages at rock bottom prices and will be able to source at least 20 other tickets should you wish to bring your fellow Leinster supporters to Murrayfield. But lets not contemplate that horror story

http://www.bruffrfc.com/new-service-to-leinster-rugby-supporters/2009/04/30/

[muppet]

 

[Hoof Hearted]

not sure who i want to win this one. Being a Derry man and never having played rugby in my life, im totally neutral. I have supported both provinces in this competition over the years. I have my final tickets bought 11 months ago so im in a win win situation. Irish team going to be there. Having been to Cardiff last year, i saw first hand the colour and atmosphere Munster fans bring to an occassion, it was fantastic. But as Leinster haven't won it yet, i might sway toward them a bit. Then again, i would love to see Munster win back to bqck to equal Leicester and Toulouse. Cant wait for it, nor the 23rd !!

[AZOffaly]

So who's heading lads? I hope to be up for about 2 o'clock around Croker. Maybe the Iveagh House or somewhere like that.

[Tankie]

I'll be there but finding it hard to get excited. 2006 will never leave me 

[Dinny Breen]

Not going to the game, have a stag down in Cork of all places, should be fun as some of the lads are diehard Leinster fans including Shane Horgans cousin.

Team Just announced


LEINSTER:

15: Isa Nacewa
14: Shane Horgan
13: Brian O'Driscoll
12: Gordon D'Arcy
11: Luke Fitzgerald
10: Felipe Contepomi
9: Chris Whitaker

1: Cian Healy
2: Bernard Jackman
3: Stan Wright
4: Leo Cullen CAPTAIN
5: Malcolm O'Kelly
6: Rocky Elsom
7: Shane Jennings
8: Jamie Heaslip

REPLACEMENTS:

16: John Fogarty
17: Ronan McCormack
18: Devin Toner
19: Sean O'Brien
20: Simon Keogh
21: Jonathan Sexton
22: Girvan Dempsey

[GaillimhIarthair]

Thats a big call at 15!  Has Nacewa played there before for Leinster? Has he EVER played at 15 before?

[GaillimhIarthair]

Munster team to play Leinster in the Heineken Cup semi-final at Croke Park on Saturday 2 May:

P Warwick, D Howlett, K Earls, L Mafi, I Dowling, P Stringer, R O'Gara, M Horan, J Flannery, J Hayes, D O'Callaghan, P O'Connell capt, A Quinlan, D Wallace, D Leamy.

Replacements: D Fogarty, T Buckley, M O'Driscoll, N Ronan, M Prendergast, B Murphy, D Hurley

[Dinny Breen]

Thats a big call at 15!  Has Nacewa played there before for Leinster? Has he EVER played at 15 before?

He was signed as a full back outstanding for the Auckland Blues in that position in the Super 14.

Personally I think it's a great move.

[Declan]

Personally I think it's a great move.

Agreed. Is it just me or are the Munster fans overly confident. Everyone of them I've spoken to doesn't give Leinster a chance of getting within a score of them?

[Dinny Breen]

Agreed. Is it just me or are the Munster fans overly confident. Everyone of them I've spoken to doesn't give Leinster a chance of getting within a score of them?

It's not you, every Munster fan I've talked to really believe they'll wipe the floor with Leinster. The thing that has given me the greatest hope for Saturday is O'Driscolls interview on The Rugby Club, he looked very relaxed and just radated confidence. With the backline picked I think Leinster are going to go for the jugular and if they can silence the 50K odd Munster fans they really can pull this off. Here's hoping...

[Dinny Breen]