Munster in the Aviva, August 22nd, 7.35pm KO

[TrapperChamonix]

Would agree with a lot of the sentiment on here. Thought we looked rusty but that's understandable.

Reffing was a bit lopsided. Toner's yellow was harsh and Sexton was right, the ruck was absolute chaos.

Scrum was solid and I thought we had then on the rack a few times. With another ref could've gotten more from it.

The glimpse of an attacking kicking game was interesting, the Ringrose try and the Sexton kick in behind that resulted in a 5 metre scrum were good examples. Clearly something we've worked on.

Lineout was an absolute shambles, which was predicted pre-game. Kelleher has a bit to go throwing wise, but obviously with Ryan/Toner/Rhys things would be much easier.

Thought Baird had a really good game besides a mad offload he threw.

Backrow in general was good. VDF looks even more fit and athletic than he did pre-lockdown.

Larmour's aerial game was a bit worrying.

Overall we'll need to really improve both lineout and aerially to overcome Sarries, but am sure the coaching team are well aware of that.

Watching the game for a 2nd time, it was noticeable how much both Archer and Hanahran flopped on the top of the rucks without getting penalised. It was exactly the type of actions that I thought the new ref focus was supposed to eliminate.
I really am worried that the HCup QF could be a lottery of breakdown interpretation by the ref.

[TrapperChamonix]

rewatching, looks like Baird was calling the lineout, big responsibility for a 21 yr old.

Thats what we thought as well.

[OTT]

Jesus, going by some of the comments on here you would swear that Leinster were miles ahead of Munster in the game, both tactically and on the score board.

Fact is that there was very little between both teams apart from error count.
Munster spilled the ball far too many times to win the game. With many of the errors being unforced.

Leinster were deserving winners, but I would not be getting up on my high horse over that victory.
Munster were minus 3 of their top players by the 7th minute of that game in Joey, RG and Killer, and had a late withdrawal in Cronin, not to mention the retirement of Tyler, and were still only beat by 2 points.

Enjoy the well earned and deserved victory, but try not to get too carried away when you beat that Munster team by 2 points.

Whoa whoa whoa. Still on it two days after the game fair play lad. Working from home has its perks eh. It will be some headache when you finally have a sleep.

[offshorerules]

I didn't read any of the last couple of pages as anyone getting carried away so your post above comes across as rather defensive I'm afraid. On the other hand a 2 point victory over Munster is something I'd take any day. Do I think the better side one on the day? Yes. If the game were played again would Leinster win again? Yes. If the entire officiating team were neutral and competent would Leinster have won by more? Yes. Was Farrel good? Yes. Did CJ deserve MOM more? Yes.

So you see the post above don't seem too biased after all.

[Morf]

Watching the game for a 2nd time, it was noticeable how much both Archer and Hanahran flopped on the top of the rucks without getting penalised. It was exactly the type of actions that I thought the new ref focus was supposed to eliminate.
I really am worried that the HCup QF could be a lottery of breakdown interpretation by the ref.

Difference between Brace and Murphy was massive, and again to Owens on Friday.
I have no idea if a ref is going with new stricter interpretations or carrying on regardless from March or somewhere in between.
Can imagine it's quite frustrating for players.

[The Doc]

Was looking at the mess we made of kick receptions - Larmour got a lot of scrutiny (rightly so). But it did occur to me looking at it that our retreating players who were trying to shepherd the chasers consistently seem to retreat back into Larmour's space. It looked like he was having to jump into his own players a lot which seemed to do him no favours at all.

Not sure if that was down to a really good kick chase or whether we were just "off" in our retreat - or whether Larmour needs to take charge more

[Hippo]

Was it Archer who ended up head butting Sexton at a maul too? It probably wasn’t as bad as I’ve made it sound but I thought it was fairly deliberate anyway.

When was this? Missed it

[Morf]

Was looking at the mess we made of kick receptions - Larmour got a lot of scrutiny (rightly so). But it did occur to me looking at it that our retreating players who were trying to shepherd the chasers consistently seem to retreat back into Larmour's space. It looked like he was having to jump into his own players a lot which seemed to do him no favours at all.

Not sure if that was down to a really good kick chase or whether we were just "off" in our retreat - or whether Larmour needs to take charge more

I wouldn't blame him individually. It's become a unit skill now like lineout.

[Fireworks]

great experience for Baird. Imagine the praise heaped upon him by Toland if he were in red. Doris is definitely more effective at 8 though he did have a better 2nd half. VDF was his usual quietly brilliant self.

Casey looks like a super 9 and he will give Murray a run for his money. Stander is by far Munster's best forward, they'd be lost without him

I thought the commentary was unbelievably one sided. I do like some of Toland analysis but he should be kept away from any game involving Munster.

[ronk]

Jesus, going by some of the comments on here you would swear that Leinster were miles ahead of Munster in the game, both tactically and on the score board.

Fact is that there was very little between both teams apart from error count.
Munster spilled the ball far too many times to win the game. With many of the errors being unforced.

Leinster were deserving winners, but I would not be getting up on my high horse over that victory.
Munster were minus 3 of their top players by the 7th minute of that game in Joey, RG and Killer, and had a late withdrawal in Cronin, not to mention the retirement of Tyler, and were still only beat by 2 points.

Enjoy the well earned and deserved victory, but try not to get too carried away when you beat that Munster team by 2 points.

Which comments?

[fourthirtythree]

Was looking at the mess we made of kick receptions - Larmour got a lot of scrutiny (rightly so). But it did occur to me looking at it that our retreating players who were trying to shepherd the chasers consistently seem to retreat back into Larmour's space. It looked like he was having to jump into his own players a lot which seemed to do him no favours at all.

Not sure if that was down to a really good kick chase or whether we were just "off" in our retreat - or whether Larmour needs to take charge more

Watching the match, and highlights I really felt our shepherding was very poor and we interfered very badly with Larmour three times that I saw.

That's pretty disappointing if we have seen Irish players come second to England in that area and we have said we need to improve to not lose to Saracens again.

That and our failure to deal with the opposition jumping across the line... Again England and Saracens are the leaders at doing this successfully against us. Both areas that Saracens and England specialise in. We need to be nullifying these tactics. It's not a surprise like it seems to have been with Earls on the Wong and Henshae at fullback when England absolutely knocked the stuffing out of the Irish team.

[Laighin Break]

I rewatched the extended highlights and completely agree with comments on DDE. For Lowe's try, as soon as the ball goes outside him he slows down completely and appeals to the touchjudge for a forward pass from Baird (like a soccer player appealing for offside) instead of making any attempt to get back. Compare that to CJ who breaks his b*%&!x trying to make a tackle on Lowe and coming up just short.

And Toland's praise of Keith Earls' try is embarrassing. He must have said "World Class" about three or four times in half a minute. For running through the opposition scrumhalf.

[blockhead]

The lineout is doing my head in. Feel like I’m on a one man crusade with this but Snyman and POM both jumped across the lineout. It’s a penalty and it’s obvious, absolutely ridiculous that none of the officials have picked it up and neither have the pundits.

Kelleher has had some poor throws too though.

Poor Snyman jumped so far across the line that he lost his lifters and injured himself. It is a matter of safety to enforce the law there.

I mean he had to jump across into Leinster's side as the throw was crooked as a fiddler's elbow.

Yaay! Good to have you back 433

[Blueberry]

Jesus, going by some of the comments on here you would swear that Leinster were miles ahead of Munster in the game, both tactically and on the score board.

Fact is that there was very little between both teams apart from error count.
Munster spilled the ball far too many times to win the game. With many of the errors being unforced.

Leinster were deserving winners, but I would not be getting up on my high horse over that victory.
Munster were minus 3 of their top players by the 7th minute of that game in Joey, RG and Killer, and had a late withdrawal in Cronin, not to mention the retirement of Tyler, and were still only beat by 2 points.

Enjoy the well earned and deserved victory, but try not to get too carried away when you beat that Munster team by 2 points.

Not sure what comments you are talking about - Larmour had a mare in the air, breakdown was a mess with the Munster reffing association, Clancy is a clown, DDA acted the maggot and perhaps you should consider using him as a ball carrier instead of a dirty dummy runner roughing up Sexton at any chance, Sexton is an animal and Stander can't break him, Murray is slow and Casey looks good, VDF is an android, you broke Snyman, Stander had a great game, Toland is a pain, Ringrose was easily the best player on the pitch, Dev got shafted and is going to be superman once he stops playing rugby, our lineout needs work but Baird will learn, Earls is class, the lack of a crowd is pants, no idea why the lads don't shake hands after licking each other for 80 minutes, we should have won by 15 points and Munster threw in the towel...............if we play half well in the inevitable rematch there should be 10-12 points in the gap and that assumes Lowe has three brain-farts in the game........god help you if he doesn't.......

[paddyor]

Jesus, going by some of the comments on here you would swear that Leinster were miles ahead of Munster in the game, both tactically and on the score board.

Fact is that there was very little between both teams apart from error count.
Munster spilled the ball far too many times to win the game. With many of the errors being unforced.

Leinster were deserving winners, but I would not be getting up on my high horse over that victory.
Munster were minus 3 of their top players by the 7th minute of that game in Joey, RG and Killer, and had a late withdrawal in Cronin, not to mention the retirement of Tyler, and were still only beat by 2 points.

Enjoy the well earned and deserved victory, but try not to get too carried away when you beat that Munster team by 2 points.

Which comments?

All the comments. Very disrectful.

Being coddled with fawning press coverage for historic draws and the like will have this effect on your perception.

[Blueberry]

On a serious note though, rumours this evening that Kleyn's neck injury is nasty so lets hope he is okay and if Snyman has done an ACL jeepers what rotten luck for the guy. If you look at it the real legacy of this match is some pile of injuries, Snyman, Kleyn, Killer, Kearney and Earls apparently too. Just shows going back into a game of this intensity after 5 months wasn't perhaps the wisest thing. Perhaps this season should just have been canned....

[blockhead]

Jesus, going by some of the comments on here you would swear that Leinster were miles ahead of Munster in the game, both tactically and on the score board.

Fact is that there was very little between both teams apart from error count.
Munster spilled the ball far too many times to win the game. With many of the errors being unforced.

Leinster were deserving winners, but I would not be getting up on my high horse over that victory.
Munster were minus 3 of their top players by the 7th minute of that game in Joey, RG and Killer, and had a late withdrawal in Cronin, not to mention the retirement of Tyler, and were still only beat by 2 points.

Enjoy the well earned and deserved victory, but try not to get too carried away when you beat that Munster team by 2 points.

Which comments?

All the comments. Very disrectful.

Being coddled with fawning press coverage for historic draws and the like will have this effect on your perception.

Remember now, this lad stormed outta here a few years back complaining about lack of respect or something. He has a history of strops and huffs.

[mildlyinterested]

ROB on OTB seem to suggest semi final rematch will be on friday the 4th

[bluemagic]

Snyman has done his ACL. Terribly unlucky has to be said

[munster#1]

In fairness it was a fairly tame post, I was just pointing out that the game was a lot closer than some comments would suggest.

Comments such as calling archer a J4 prop, hinting that the Munster selection was wrong and the team was too old.
Stander is carrying the pack.
De Allende is completely disinterested.
Murray looks even more snail paced.
Klyne is nothing more than a cart horse.

Even before the game posts were suggesting that Holland is a less than average player.

I apologies if all that came across as a hissy fit.
I even stated that Leinster were deserving winners, but some of the comments are a bit odd, especially when you consider how close the game actually was.

On a rugby front, rather a pi55ing contest, I doubt that either team will be overjoyed by how that game played out.

I suspect that Leinster will win the league, but they will find it difficult against Saracens.

Munster will struggle against Connacht, especially with their ever growing injury list, but Leinster will most likely hockey Munster in the Semi.