Arrogance or what ???!!!!

sheepshagger

Mr Rochford from the Munster Supporters Club has written this piece of rubbish in todays Sunday Times.

Whatever happens, that Cup belongs to us

John Rochford, chairman of the Munster supporters club, says the competition would be nothing without his team. Now the fans want their passion to be rewarded

FRENCH is a beautiful language, one so beguiling that even English has never been afraid to pilfer a few phrases over the years. It helps to colour our view of the world. It is the language of love. It can also help to define who we are.

Consider raison d’être — “reason for being”. It examines our true purpose in life, asks how a person sees himself and what he wishes to achieve. For Munster, the reason for their existence over the past 10 years has been easy to nail down. Winning the Heineken Cup. Plain and simple. The quest has been an epic one, taken us to places we never imagined seeing and churned up our emotions in a way we could never have predicted. It has bonded the team to its supporters in a unique way and created an incredible phenomenon. No prize has ever been more sought after than this.

*
Munster have given their heart and soul to this competition, helping to shape its personality. Yet we have been deprived of the ultimate accolade — at times by teams who have given a lot less to the competition than we have. Munster own the Heineken Cup — the only thing they have yet to do is win it. Maybe that sounds arrogant. The truth is that the Heineken Cup would be nothing without Munster.

Even the simplest facts bear witness: no player has made more Heineken Cup appearances than Anthony Foley’s 75. In a recent ERC poll he was voted the most influential player in the competition’s history. Ronan O’Gara has gathered 751 points, making him the highest points scorer the Heineken Cup has ever seen, more than 100 ahead of his nearest rival, Diego Dominguez.

Munster’s semi-final against Wasps in 2004 was voted the greatest Heineken Cup game in the same ERC poll. Their 2002 final against Leicester attracted the biggest attendance, 74,600. Munster also drew the biggest attendance for a pool game, 30,000 against Harlequins at Twickenham last year. Many seasoned commentators said the atmosphere at this year’s semi-final against Leinster at Lansdowne Road was on a scale they had never seen before at an Irish sports event.

Incidents involving Munster have triggered a sea change in the competition rules and the scope of interest it attracts. When a touch judge ruled out John O’Neill’s perfectly legitimate try against Stade Français in Lille and robbed us of a place in the 2001 final, such was the outcry that the ERC introduced compulsory video refereeing for the playoff stages. The impact on the gate for the final probably focused minds, too.

Remember the ticket crisis for the 2003 quarter-final against Leicester? Season ticket holders at Leicester were forced to hand over their tickets to Munster fans because of the small capacity at Welford Road. In response the ERC ensured stadiums with a big capacity were always made available for playoff matches.

Now, less than a week before I head to Cardiff and our third final, I can only hope and pray we succeed. For everything Munster has given the Heineken Cup, we’ve endured too much heartbreak in return. It’s surely our turn this time.

I’ll never forget the final in Cardiff against Leicester in 2002 and the inconsolable tears of the woman sitting in front of me when Munster lost. Or the stunned silence around Twickenham in 2000 when Northampton beat us. That day a television camera caught a weeping Mick Galwey, reflecting the emotional wreckage inflicted on the team and its fans. Awful stuff.

We have celebrated with this team and shared their tears. This time we can write a different ending. The team are as determined and focused as I’ve ever seen. Biarritz arrive with a brilliantly talented array of players but the intensity of the occasion could stifle them. Plus, Munster have us, the fans. The noise should be something else.

If we do win it, I’m sure our raison d’être will change but the Heineken Cup will always drive us more than any other competition. There will always be records to chase. No team has won the Heineken Cup more than three times. If we can win one, I see nothing to stop us remaining a serious force in the competition. This is our chance to stake our claim to be the greatest club in European, if not world, rugby. We can build on victory.

After Munster’s victory against Leinster, Brent Pope wondered aloud what might happen should Munster actually win the Heineken Cup. It had been an epic journey that had captured the imagination of the entire nation, he said, but sometimes the journey could be more thrilling than the final destination. Here’s one Munster supporter willing to take that risk.

We need that Cup more than anything. Saturday is why Munster lives and breathes

Amz

sheepshagger banned for exceeding his Punctuation Quota for the year*.

Hardly what I'd call a piece of rubbish.

Maybe its time you hid under a rock sheepshagger? Perhaps its time you took to your room and kept the curtains closed and radio and TV off. I think there's going to be a lot of media coverage and threads here on the boards and well, pretty much everywhere over the next week or so that might hurt your obviously delicate sensibilities.



[*]Not really

AngryAnderson

I'm a Leinster supporter and a Dub so I don't have any real bias, but Munster have done more for Irish rugby in the last 30 years than any province, including ex-title holders Ulster. They've certainly done more for the Heineken Cup this year than any other team in terms of grit and passion and their supporters are inspiring (apart from the few gloating idiots who should really be watching GAA or football). Munster deserve to win next weekend and some people know this. Not arrogance. Reality.

RuggieBear

Munster deserve to win it if they score more points than Biaritzz on Saturday.

Biaritzzzzzzz deserve to win it if they score more points on sat....

sheepshagger

Amz wrote:

Maybe its time you hid under a rock sheepshagger? Perhaps its time you took to your room and kept the curtains closed and radio and TV off. I think there's going to be a lot of media coverage and threads here on the boards and well, pretty much everywhere over the next week or so that might hurt your obviously delicate sensibilities.

I'm not that delicate but I am starting to get a little tired of the 'Munster deserve to win the HEC' lines. . .the sunday papers were bad enough today with their 'special prematch coverage' of the big game. . .the Cork Examiner will be worse as the week wears on at a guess.

Can only hide for this week as Im off to Cardiff on Friday - what am i getting myself in to :eek: :eek: :eek:

Amz

I hope you've packed your Valium petal.

RuggieBear

Amz wrote:

I hope you've packed your Valium petal.

ah be nice you evil woman...leinste rhave managed to blow the celtic league this evening too.:(

Amz

Ah I know, but there's no point in letting them lot *gestures* see us upset about it.

RuggieBear

nothing to see here...:)

carlowboy

AngryAnderson wrote:

I'm a Leinster supporter and a Dub so I don't have any real bias, but Munster have done more for Irish rugby in the last 30 years than any province, including ex-title holders Ulster. They've certainly done more for the Heineken Cup this year than any other team in terms of grit and passion and their supporters are inspiring (apart from the few gloating idiots who should really be watching GAA or football). Munster deserve to win next weekend and some people know this. Not arrogance. Reality.

30 years? Are you kidding me? Munster only ever got good from 1999 onwards. Look at Munster Leinster head to heads and you'll see what I mean. Not sure exactly but Leinster have beaten them more than twice as many times as Munster beat Leinster.

jank

How about victories against the all blacks and the aussies.

Karmafaerie

jank wrote:

How about victories against the all blacks and the aussies.

Note the silence.
Whenever a Munster supporter points that out, the argument just ends!:D

Back on topic though, the idea of Munster winning being almost destiny is not solely a Munster supporter thing.
Before the start of the competition this year, I was watching a rundown on Sky Sports, about the upcoming season.
They were talking about Munsters chances, and they made almost the very same points as the article you so violently attacked!
All around Europe there is an interest in Munster. (And not just Europe either. I received 17 emails in the last week from Americans who had fallen in love with Munster rugby, and wanted any info I could give them!)
Every neutral has a love for Munster.
You're right though.
Munster didn't deserve to win anything until the final whistle.
And what an amazing moment that was!
It'll live with me always!!!!

spanner

Karmafaerie wrote:

You're right though.
Munster didn't deserve to win anything until the final whistle.
And what an amazing moment that was!
It'll live with me always!!!!

definately even all the players were saying their is now such thing that they deserve it until they final whistle which is true. It did annoy me the whole "we was robbed " thing after back incident and the try the should of been. decisions come and go your way all the time in sport and its something you got to accept (as ireland found out againist england). I didnt like the articale that much, it did seem to be a bit of ego boost on look at us how great we are,

But look it there is no begrudeary here, Munster did great and it was great to see so many people supporting the game of rugby union in ireland

carlowboy

Karmafaerie wrote:

Note the silence.
Whenever a Munster supporter points that out, the argument just ends!:D

Back on topic though, the idea of Munster winning being almost destiny is not solely a Munster supporter thing.
Before the start of the competition this year, I was watching a rundown on Sky Sports, about the upcoming season.
They were talking about Munsters chances, and they made almost the very same points as the article you so violently attacked!
All around Europe there is an interest in Munster. (And not just Europe either. I received 17 emails in the last week from Americans who had fallen in love with Munster rugby, and wanted any info I could give them!)
Every neutral has a love for Munster.
You're right though.
Munster didn't deserve to win anything until the final whistle.
And what an amazing moment that was!
It'll live with me always!!!!

Sorry with my tardiness. They were 2 games. 2 games! Leinster rarely played international teams if at all. Leinster have owned Munster up until 2000 and it has been 50 50 since.

Santa Claus

As a leinster supporter I'm delighted for Munster, but they really see themselves as the chosen ones of rugby don't they ?
Some of the stuff that mr Rochford says is a bit generous.

- Axel Foley voted #1 in the Heineken cup poll
Does he remember other internet polls that us Irish have fixed over the years (trying to get Ray houghtons goal against England in Euro 88 into Channel 4's top 100 sporting moments, that young lad from bray who got voted Juve's player of the season a few years ago, etc)

- Munster v Wasps voted best match in same poll
See above for explanation !

- O'Gara top scorer in the history with 100 more than Dominguez
How many years is it since Dominguez played in the Heineken ?


I think Brent Pope summed it up best yesterday when he said "at least this'll stop them harping on about the All Black win 28 years ago"

Chucky the tree

Santa Claus wrote:

- O'Gara top scorer in the history with 100 more than Dominguez
How many years is it since Dominguez played in the Heineken ?

i dont get the point your trying to make? He pointed out a fact. And stated how far he is ahead of the 2nd highest points scorer.

The could of been so much better if he could of some of his arrogant poitns though. But the majority of it was spot on i thought.

John Rochford, chairman of the Munster supporters club, says the competition would be a little less special without his team. Now the fans want their passion to be rewarded.

FRENCH is a beautiful language, one so beguiling that even English has never been afraid to pilfer a few phrases over the years. It helps to colour our view of the world. It is the language of love. It can also help to define who we are.

Consider raison d’être — “reason for being”. It examines our true purpose in life, asks how a person sees himself and what he wishes to achieve. For Munster, the reason for their existence over the past 10 years has been easy to nail down. Winning the Heineken Cup. Plain and simple. The quest has been an epic one, taken us to places we never imagined seeing and churned up our emotions in a way we could never have predicted. It has bonded the team to its supporters in a unique way and created an incredible phenomenon. No prize has ever been more sought after than this.

*
Munster have given their heart and soul to this competition, helping to shape its personality. Yet we have been deprived of the ultimate accolade.

Even the simplest facts bear witness: no player has made more Heineken Cup appearances than Anthony Foley’s 75. In a recent ERC poll he was voted the most influential player in the competition’s history. Ronan O’Gara has gathered 751 points, making him the highest points scorer the Heineken Cup has ever seen, more than 100 ahead of his nearest rival, Diego Dominguez.

Munster’s semi-final against Wasps in 2004 was voted the greatest Heineken Cup game in the same ERC poll. Their 2002 final against Leicester attracted the biggest attendance, 74,600. Munster also drew the biggest attendance for a pool game, 30,000 against Harlequins at Twickenham last year. Many seasoned commentators said the atmosphere at this year’s semi-final against Leinster at Lansdowne Road was on a scale they had never seen before at an Irish sports event.

Incidents involving Munster have triggered a sea change in the competition rules and the scope of interest it attracts. When a touch judge ruled out John O’Neill’s perfectly legitimate try against Stade Français in Lille and robbed us of a place in the 2001 final, such was the outcry that the ERC introduced compulsory video refereeing for the playoff stages. The impact on the gate for the final probably focused minds, too.

Remember the ticket crisis for the 2003 quarter-final against Leicester? Season ticket holders at Leicester were forced to hand over their tickets to Munster fans because of the small capacity at Welford Road. In response the ERC ensured stadiums with a big capacity were always made available for playoff matches.

Now, less than a week before I head to Cardiff and our third final, I can only hope and pray we succeed. For everything Munster has given the Heineken Cup, we’ve endured too much heartbreak in return. It’s hopefully our turn this time.

I’ll never forget the final in Cardiff against Leicester in 2002 and the inconsolable tears of the woman sitting in front of me when Munster lost. Or the stunned silence around Twickenham in 2000 when Northampton beat us. That day a television camera caught a weeping Mick Galwey, reflecting the emotional wreckage inflicted on the team and its fans. Awful stuff.

We have celebrated with this team and shared their tears. This time we can write a different ending. The team are as determined and focused as I’ve ever seen. Biarritz arrive with a brilliantly talented array of players but the intensity of the occasion could stifle them. Plus, Munster have us, the fans. The noise should be something else.

If we do win it, I’m sure our raison d’être will change but the Heineken Cup will always drive us more than any other competition. There will always be records to chase. No team has won the Heineken Cup more than three times. If we can win one, I see nothing to stop us remaining a serious force in the competition. This is our chance to stake our claim to be the greatest club in European, if not world, rugby. We can build on victory.

After Munster’s victory against Leinster, Brent Pope wondered aloud what might happen should Munster actually win the Heineken Cup. It had been an epic journey that had captured the imagination of the entire nation, he said, but sometimes the journey could be more thrilling than the final destination. Here’s one Munster supporter willing to take that risk.

We need that Cup more than anything. Saturday is why Munster lives and breathes

Thats how it should of been originally. Bascially cut the majority of the 4th paragraph and it wouldo f come across alot better. One or two other changes aswell.

Karmafaerie

carlowboy wrote:

Sorry with my tardiness. They were 2 games. 2 games! Leinster rarely played international teams if at all. Leinster have owned Munster up until 2000 and it has been 50 50 since.

Ahhhm, Leinster never play international teams!!!
What?
Neither provence have played international teams since going professional, but before when a side was touring Ireland, they would play all 4 provences before playing the national side.
It's not as if Munster were going arounf challenging countries.
The fact remains that at the time, this was one of the strongest New Zeland teams to ever pull on the all black jersey, and Munster were the first non-national side to ever beat them!!!
And it wasn't 50-50 between Leinster and Munster this season now was it?;)


23/04/2006 (HEC)
Leinster 6 - 30 Munster

31/12/2005 (CL)
Leinster 35 - 23 Munster

09/10/2005 (CL)
Munster 33 - 9 Leinster

Amz

Province; Provinces (pl)

Crash

Amz wrote:

Province; Provinces (pl)

Someones been studying...

Amz

Aye, but it wasn't Karmafaerie.