The bright side

davyjose

Well it's been a poor Weekend for Irish Rugby, but lets look on the birght side of things. Both Leinster and Munster are in the 1/4's and have the beating of any of the other teams, when they paly like they can. Horgan's injured, and could miss a few 6 Nations game, but guess what? We've got Trimble and Hickie on the wings.
I say all this because this time last year - after the last round of the H Cup Group games, we were said to be "flying high", even though we were s**t in the AI's. Now, let's be honest, we didn't perform in that years 6N tournament - unconvincing against Italy, Shambles 1st half against France, Shaky start to wales, 0 tries against Scotland, scraped win against England. This year is different though. We demolished all before us in the AI's. Munster Leinster qualified for the Knock-out stages aaaages ago and Ulster/Leinster sit atop the ML.
It's been a bad weekend folks, but chin-up - it gets better from here.

smashey

I agree. All isn't as bad as it seems.

mikedragon32

Any of the other 5 nations would kill to have our worries!

This weekend will hopefully serve as a nice reality check for Leinster and Munster and they'll bounce back stronger as a result.

jancav

Who are Munster and Leinster likely to get in the quarter finals?

Chucky the tree

Great realilty check for Irish fans i think. Its about time people realised were are not actually that good.

Considering everyone was harping on about how England rugby was on a severe downward spiral that would take years to recover from its quite funny that it two english teams that gave us a spanking over the weekend. Atleast Munster have an excuse, leinster were playing a side who had nothing to play for.

Both sides will go out in the 1/4's.

Sangre

Chucky the tree wrote:

Great realilty check for Irish fans i think. Its about time people realised were are not actually that good.

Considering everyone was harping on about how England rugby was on a severe downward spiral that would take years to recover from its quite funny that it two english teams that gave us a spanking over the weekend. Atleast Munster have an excuse, leinster were playing a side who had nothing to play for.

Both sides will go out in the 1/4's.

English rugby is a shambles. It has the largest playing population and is the best funded. If you can't grasp this I don't think I can give your other comments any consideration.

Chucky the tree

Sangre wrote:

English rugby is a shambles. It has the largest playing population and is the best funded. If you can't grasp this I don't think I can give your other comments any consideration.

Yet two of their sides gave our boys a beating, doesnt say much for us does it. Also they have the best representation in the 1/4's.

The Rooster

jancav wrote:

Who are Munster and Leinster likely to get in the quarter finals?

Leinster at Wasps
Munster at Llanelli

I wonder how many bad games in a row does Paul O'Connell have to have before he gets criticism? Donncha has been carrying him for quite a while now. And as for his decision (or in reality he let ROG make the decision) not to take the pen at 6-8.........

davyjose

Chucky, without offence, you seem to have blinkered vision if you think that one weekend determines the state of two nation's Rugby. English Rugby IS a shambles, they will tell you that themselves. If I were a fan of any English team I would be jealous of either Munster or Leinster.
Gloucester, before this weekend said they wanted to measure themselves against the best (their words - a team that play week in week out in the GP). They were lucky (as in had it been a different Ref on a different day) to win, on a day where Leinster displayed their worst performance of Rugby in Years. Only the harshest of critics can judge them as a whole on that day.
Let us also not forget that Munster - reigning champions - were unbeaten for I believe 13?? Heineken Cup matches. They went to Leicester and did what Leicester did to them. I didn't see much of the match the other night, but from what I did it just seemed that Leicester wanted (and needed) it a little bit more. and again, to judge them as a team (and Irish Rugby as a whole) on that day, is ridiculously short sighted.
Now you may be right, they might both go out in the next round. But I would imagine - it's just a hunch - that neither Wasps nor Scarlets feel that the draw could have been a hell of a lot worse.
And as for the Irish team in general, i don't know what planet you were on in november, but it wasn't this one if you think "we are not that good". I think New Zealand can count themselves lucky they haven't been to Landsdowne Road in the last 6 months.

Chucky the tree

i was on the same planet where the regular first teamers for the South Africans and Aussies were.


Basically, far far away from lansdowne road.

mikedragon32

I don't thing you can equate the performance of English club sides in the HC with the potential performance of England in the 6N.

Look at how many non-english players and non-current England players play for the better GP teams. I can't think of many positions where the best player in the GP in that position is English.

fatboypee

I was at the Munster match, very sad occasion, being the last game before re-development. It IS a wake-up call for Munster, but the match was very sour, Leicester, by far the better team on the night admittedly but in honesty, the ref was completely outplayed by snakey and devious leicester players in the first half.

From where I was (East stand, on the touch line) I counted numerous incidents by Leicester that just-delayed Munster being able to re-gather or get back in support, at least two off-the-ball take-outs by Rabeni that went totally unpunisned...

My friend put the nail on the head, saying Munster were Bullied into losing....about right... but taking nothing from the win, to go in and play as Liecester played (when legal), against an awesome atmossphere was incredible...

Deserved the win, but sad they just can't play straight...

As for the Munster loss at Thomond, IMHO the best thing that could happen to them, the pressure I think is what lost the game for Munster... saw no real passion or fire there on Saturday... Damn sure we'll see it against llanelli now...

FBP.

buck65

True Mike dragon
Jennings, Humphreys, Cullen, Murphy, Castro did the most damage.
Surely these guys should be in the Irish panel (not Castro of course or Murphy who is)
I think picking only Irish based players is shortsighted

thirdmantackle

some of the most 'in form' Irish players are in the Premiership.

time for Eddie and IRFU to stop ignoring them.

the main reason most of them went over there was because Ireland only have 4 full time setups

Erin Go Brath

Bad results for Munster and Leinster, both still have a chance though.

Munster were outfought on their home patch, by a tough tackling and it has to be said cynical Leicester team at times. No gripes though, Leicester were more up for it and by a mile the better team on the day. Munster badly missed Flannery, Halstead and Quinlan. With this trio most likely back for the Scarlets game, Munster will be a completely different proposition in the QF's.
Fancy Munster to beat them.

Leinster, don't know if you can really trust them, away from home especially. If they got Leicester, Munster or Biarritz away in the QF's, I definetly say it would be curtains. Wasps, I think they have a chance against. If Drico, Horgan, and co. are in form could well be Leinsters day. (Lets pray for dry weather). This game is an interesting one, too close to call.

Sangre

thirdmantackle wrote:

some of the most 'in form' Irish players are in the Premiership.

time for Eddie and IRFU to stop ignoring them.

the main reason most of them went over there was because Ireland only have 4 full time setups

Just like Johnny O' Connor etc.,? Or even Murphy.

Performance in the GP has never been a indicator of performace at interntional level.

Chucky, Ireland played a full strength Australia.

After Leicester match I'm delighted Jennings is coming back to Leinster.

Webbs

fatboypee wrote:

the ref was completely outplayed by snakey and devious leicester players in the first half.

From where I was (East stand, on the touch line) I counted numerous incidents by Leicester that just-delayed Munster being able to re-gather or get back in support, at least two off-the-ball take-outs by Rabeni that went totally unpunisned...

My friend put the nail on the head, saying Munster were Bullied into losing....about right... but taking nothing from the win, to go in and play as Liecester played (when legal), against an awesome atmossphere was incredible...

Deserved the win, but sad they just can't play straight...

FBP.

Pot calling kettle black methinks.

Munster are past masters at the art of killing ball, illegal lineouts, the list goes on. If you can get away with it then its legal!! Muster were completely out 'munstered'.

To be honest I was surprised by the level of confidence in the munster fans. If you think of their HC campaign they won their games against 2 poor teams in the Blues and Bourguoin, and how they won the game in Welford road still goes down as one of those anomalies of sport were one team is battered and still manages to win.

I thought Leicester would comfortably beat Munster and actually was surprised that it was so close at the end.

Chucky the tree

Sangre wrote:

Chucky, Ireland played a full strength Australia.

.

hmmm, my mistake. I thought they were missing a few of their regular forwards. I cant see Leinster getting past Wasps.

Snickers Man

Webbs wrote:

Pot calling kettle black methinks.

Methinks?
Meknows.

Webbs wrote:

I thought Leicester would comfortably beat Munster and actually was surprised that it was so close at the end.

But wouldn't it have been cool if Munster had managed to score a try and convert it at the end? The match would have been drawn, the unbeaten record would have been preserved, both Munster and Leicester would have gone through and Munster would have had a 'home' quarter final against Leinster.

Ladyboys abu!!!

davyjose

Chucky the tree wrote:

hmmm, my mistake. I thought they were a few of thir regular forwards. I cant see Leinster getting past Wasps.

So which planet was that then?

Diamondmaker

Webbs wrote:

Munster are past masters at the art of killing ball, illegal lineouts, the list goes on. If you can get away with it then its legal!! Muster were completely out 'munstered'.

.

Did not get to see the match...but seems Munster were out Leicestered! The original street wise gang.
Sure Munster learned all "their" ticcks from Back, Johnson etc...