Irish Teams - Heineken Cup 17th Oct 2009

murphym7

I just wanted to start a thread to re-focus all our minds again on the actual real games of rugby that are taking place in 2 days time. I know thread's on various Citings, bans, reduced bans, soccer mab menatality, and which boots to buy! are very important but this is a rugby forum and 2 days before 3 Irish teams take part in the HEC there is very little talk about the matches and teams taking part.

Munster v Treviso Sat 13.35
Leinster v Brive Sat 16.45
Ulster v Edinburgh Sat 15.45

I predict Munster to romp home with 4 tries at home in Thomand, its about time for a seriously good performance now.

I fancy Leinster to beat Brive away, who have lost 5 out of last 9 games and settling in near the end of the French league.

Ulster are pretty evenly matched against Edinburgh with home advantage maybe playing a part for Edinburgh, close one the call.

r0nanf

Agree that Munster should romp home, Ulster v Edinburgh will be a tight one but I think Ulster have a bit more going forward and I'd expect them to win by 6+. Leinster v Brive is fascinating as Leinster are gone if they don't win, and I reckon Brive (good few English guys there) will be smelling blood. It's a tough place to play, big physical team and partizan crowd. They'd love to take the Champions scalp so I would throw the form book out the window. It's going to be ugly, but fingers crossed Leinster have the intelligence they didn't have last Friday to squeeze it.

CptMackey

Munster have to win with a bonus point , will be tougher than people expect tho.

Leinster should win but going to France isnt easy no matter who you are playing

Ulster will have a tough game but i think they should manage it

andrewdcs

I think (I hope? pray?) Leinster will get a win through guts and determination, they have a much stronger squad but I have a strong feeling it will be grim / dogged out though due to being away and being up against a lot of familiar faces desperate to impress on a big night (as any game vs champions is). Leinster need to get more depth in the backs and the only way that works is if you get clean ball. Sad/sorry to ask but who's reffing it and are they a "hands away" kind of ref? Breakdown is such a huge part of any game. You've got to be able to play to the referee.

Munster will romp home, feel a dam bursting through frustration in Thomond. Backline is just too classy not to cut loose.

Ulster Edinburgh could be game of the weekend, very tasty match ups all over the field, very finely balanced.

smurphy29

Must say the Brive match has me terrified. I couldn't handle the disappointment if we surrendered our Heineken Cup after two matches. It's a massive test.

Jennings is a big loss, and it's a fairly inexperienced back row we'll be sending into the French bear pit. Sean O'Brien has been brilliant for us over the last 15 months, but now he has to do the business when there is no contingency - he must take it up a level. He's a different player to Jennings, but he brings a lot to the party, especially with ball in hand.

Think we might just squeeze it out; we normally slip up in these sort of games when we're on a good run, and maybe a little complacent, but friday's debacle should have the minds focused. I'll be nervous as a bag of kittens though.

theKramer

andrewdcs wrote: »

Munster will romp home, feel a dam bursting through frustration in Thomond. Backline is just too classy not to cut loose.

Flannery is out for 3 weeks, so our lineout ball is only 50/50 with Fogs junior. Also our scrum is f**ked, so our set piece is a non starter. We could be looking at a very tight game. Apparently Treviso have an all-Italian international front row. It should at least match, if not get one up on the Munster scrum, which aint that strong

Spore

Are the teams announced yet?

Podge_irl

Leinster in France is never, ever certain. They should beat Brive, but then they should have beat Castres last year (on paper at least). I won't be happy til the game is over and Leinster have the points.

Munster should romp home, though I hope that Treviso put it up to them in Italy, because results like their win against Perpignan are good for the comp and Italian rugby in general.

Ulster - Edinburgh is a tough one to call. Edin were useless against Toulouse, but I've seen Leinster lose there enough times to know that it's no walk in the park to win in Murrayfield. I would hope ulster manage it though, as it will really put them on the road to a chance at qual - though its more likely to be as runners-up to Stade I think.

chupacabra

Munster should have signed back Sean Cronin when they had the chance. They are seriously bereft of decent cover at hooker now.

RuggieBear

chupacabra wrote: »

Munster should have signed back Sean Cronin when they had the chance. They are seriously bereft of decent cover at hooker now.

varley looks decent enough

zenmonk

Varley is good in the loose, Fogarty if he can hit his man in the lineout 75% will be fine. Otherwise we are full strength. Would expect the same team as last week to start - apart from hooker - Mafi at 13 is worth another look if not it will be Dowling in at 11 and Earls to the centre.

Leinster should beat Brive, saw them a few times this season, would be no better than Glasgow or the Dragons.

Ulster to win in Scotland , just.

GymJim

Ulster

I know Ulster are improving each week but think people are seriously underestimating Edinburgh. Honestly can't see them winning in Scotland.

With Paterson's kicking they can't give away any penalties and let's not forget Edinburgh won in Ravenhill only a few weeks ago. Really hope Ulster win but wouldn't think coming away with a losing bonus point would be a particularly bad result.

Munster

See this being a tough opening half for Munster (especially in the scrum) but should comfortably get the bonus point win in the end.

Leinster

Strange game here. Leinster really got bullied last week by Mapusua and Armitage so really need to front up first and foremost. Could be a tough game to watch...with Goode and Perry at half back for Brive there's going to be an awful lot of territorial kicking and wouldn't expect much brokenfield play. Really can't call this one.

Connacht

Possible bonus point loss? Tough tough game in France

efb

I've done a treble with Munster and Leinster on the handicap

murphym7

Munster looking good if they can get a bonus point win tommorow. Good result in France this evening, no BP for anyone. I'm going, so hoping for a good show.