Harlequins v Munster Rugby 14:00 Sunday April 7th Sky Sports

phog

To help us poor Munster fans get over the disappintment of last Friday night I thought I'd start a thread on the build-up to our season deciding game next weekend. A win will soften the blow of losing out in the ML even though a win will send us to the South of France to play what many predict as the eventual winner of the tournament - Clermont. A loss will make this one of our worst seasons since the advent of the two tournaments.

Supporters Information For Heineken Cup Quarter Final
2 April 2013, 11:49 am By The Editor

Thanks to the Munster Rugby Supporters Club we have all the information you need if travelling to the game this Sunday against Harlequins.Information courtesy of the official Munster Rugby Supporters Club
Pre-Match Q&A

We are very pleased to announce our third London Q&A on the eve of the much anticipated Heineken Cup quarter final clash with Harlequins. Rob Penney will be giving a preview of the game with other guest appearances on the night.

There will be Free Entry and it is open to all Munster fans.

The Q&A is taking place at the Chiswick Moran Hotel on Saturday night and the Ulster v Saracens game will be shown live at the venue with the Q&A then starting afterwards at approximately 8.30pm.

Hotel address and location: 626 Chiswick High Road London W4 5RY. The hotel is located across from Gunnersbury station with access to the District Line (tube) and London Overgound. On exiting the Station, head left walking along Chiswick High Road for about 400 metre and the hotel is directly in front of you.

** To plan your journey to Gunnersbury station from anywhere in London, go to TFL and select your travel points within the Journey Planner.

Train And Tube Details

The (Twickenham) Stoop is located in South West London (6 miles from Heathrow/20 Miles from London City/30 Miles from Gatwick airports) and is easily reachable by both the tube and overground trains in London. It is just a few minutes walk from Twickenham Stadium.

Tube: Via the tube to Richmond (District Line) or to Hounslow East (Piccadilly line) (takes about 1 hour from central London).

Both are about 1.5 miles walk from the ground. You can also transfer at Richmond to the overground for 1 stop to Twickenham which is a much shorter walk and also the location of our meeting point.

Mainline train service: From Waterloo station to Twickenham Station with more routes accessible via Clapham Junction. The ground is about a 15 minute walk from the station (train takes about 40 minutes if an express train).

*At the moment there is no planned engineering works affecting any of the above for the weekend.

** To plan your journey to the game from anywhere in London, go to TFL and select your travel points within the Journey Planner.

MRSC Meeting Point

The MRSC Management and Committee along with the London Branch are happy to announce that The Cabbage Patch pub (67 London Road, Twickenham, Middlesex TW1 3SZ) has been designated as the official MRSC matchday meeting point for the day of the Heineken Cup quarter final with Harlequins. A Guinness Rugby Village will be set up there for the day, so you can join the pre match banter and post match debate with fellow fans just yards from the stadium.

It is just one minute walk from Twickenham rail station and a 10-15 minute walk to the ground. We would encourage all fans who do not have tickets to also watch the game here. There will be special offers on match day.

Match flags for Munster fans will be handed out in this venue from up to 2 hours before kick off.

Hermitage Green

In addition to being the meeting point, we are delighted to announce that popular Irish band Hermitage Green will play a gig in the adjoining nightclub section of The Cabbage Patch after the quarter final. The band formed in Limerick in July 2010 and the bass players/vocalist is none other than former Munster star Barry Murphy, and they will be supported by Ellen Cox on the night.

Doors open from 6.30pm with Hermitage Green expected on stage at 8pm.

Tickets for this are strictly limited, and are priced at GBP£8 or EUR€9 each in advance, (GBP£10 on the night if any remain), with MRSC members receiving one free drink per ticket purchased. Tickets can be purchased through your MRSC account, or for non members email mrsclondon@munsterrugby.ie

Some good news on the injury front - POC has returned to the fold and The Examiner is saying Zebo recovery is gathering pace, add Ryan, POM and Murray and our squad is a lot healtier than it has been for recent games.

The Cork flyer returned to training last week, however, and after coming through yesterday’s session he will be asked to work flat out in Cork tomorrow ahead of Rob Penney’s team selection for the clash with the English Premiership champions and Heineken Cup top seeds in Twickenham.

irishbucsfan

So what are the team predictions then?

trouttrout

15 Jones
14 Howlett
13 LLL
12 Downey
11 Zebo
10 RADGE
9 Murray
8 Cawlin
7 TOD
6 POM
5 D Ryan
4 POC
3 Botha
2 Sherry
1 Killer

Would be very surprised if Penney deviated much from this. Maybe Varley instead of Sherry

ed7890

trouttrout wrote: »

15 Jones
14 Howlett
13 LLL
12 Downey
11 Zebo
10 RADGE
9 Murray
8 Cawlin
7 TOD
6 POM
5 D Ryan
4 POC
3 Botha
2 Sherry
1 Killer

Would be very surprised if Penney deviated much from this. Maybe Varley instead of Sherry

Ya team pretty much picks itself. Would love to see that teak but with Keatley at 10, but what can you do....

totallegend

trouttrout wrote: »

Would be very surprised if Penney deviated much from this. Maybe Varley instead of Sherry

Is there any possibility that Archer will get the nod ahead of Botha?

irishbucsfan

totallegend wrote: »

Is there any possibility that Archer will get the nod ahead of Botha?

If they're still trying to convince Botha to stay I'd very much doubt it.

Tomtom364

I think for the first time this season I'm actually hoping for Rog to start at 10 with Keatly at 15. I think Jones is in poor form and we could do with having 2 playmakers on the pitch.

My hope.
15. Keatly
14. Howlett
13. Laulala
12. Downey
11. Zebo
10. ROG
9. Murray

1. Killer
2. Sherry
3. Botha
4. Ryan
5. POC
6. POM
7. TOD
8. Coughlan

16. Varley
17. Du Prez
18. Archer
19. DOC
20. Dougall
21. Sheridan
22. JJ
23. Murphy

trouttrout

totallegend wrote: »

Is there any possibility that Archer will get the nod ahead of Botha?

Maybe before last week. Not anymore though

Quint2010

POC, ROG,Murray, Ryan and POM will all need to have huge games for Munster to have a chance. Its do-able. Munster are in a similar situation to where Leinster were when they traveled to The Stoop in 2009..

ed7890

trouttrout wrote: »

Maybe before last week. Not anymore though

You mean because Archer came on the pitch and the scrum went to ****e? I thought most of those problems were because of the new Glasgow TH giving Kilcoyne a bit of a roasting. That change was made the same time as Archer came on. When Wian came on the scrum settled down a bit.

I dont doubt Botha will start this weekend though, and rightly so, he's still our best TH. I thought he was decent enough against Glasgow, and got a bit unlucky with some marginal calls going against him.

rrpc

phog wrote: »

To help us poor Munster fans get over the disappintment of last Friday night I thought I'd start a thread on the build-up to our season deciding game next weekend. A win will soften the blow of losing out in the ML even though a win will send us to the South of France to play what many predict as the eventual winner of the tournament - Clermont.

Munster's problem right there. They think they're still somewhere between 2006 and 2011.

phog

Temporary Seating being installed in the Stoop



Not the best of seats but better than sitting outside ticketless.

CIARAN_BOYLE

phog wrote: »

Temporary Seating being installed in the Stoop



Not the best of seats but better than sitting outside ticketless.

can't see the image, could you link to another source??

irishbucsfan

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

can't see the image, could you link to another source??

http://www.munsterfans.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=5906&d=1365009019&thumb=1

Is the link to the image. Won't embed.

phog

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

can't see the image, could you link to another source??

I can see it anyway another source for the photo. Can this one be seen?

CIARAN_BOYLE

phog wrote: »

I can see it anyway another source for the photo. Can this one be seen?

Yeah this one can be seen. Thanks.

Chabals Beard

It would make my year to see RAGDE have a massive game.

P.Walnuts

Chabals Beard wrote: »

It would make my year to see RAGDE have a massive game.

Really don't think he is capable of having a massive game anymore, probably still capable of having an effective game though eg nailing placekicks and being mistake free

Otacon

irishbucsfan wrote: »

http://www.munsterfans.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=5906&d=1365009019&thumb=1

Is the link to the image. Won't embed.

Grimebox

Otacon wrote: »

Eponymous

Who is the man in the middle for this one?

Otacon

Eponymous wrote: »

Who is the man in the middle for this one?

Garces

Chabals Beard

https://soundcloud.com/redfms-big-red-bench/preview-munster-v-harlequins
Give this a listen, if you are not excited about Sunday, you will be after this.

phog

On a tablet so can't embed this but here are our tries from the Racing game in Thomond Park.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7YU-NQS2EU&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Grimebox

phog wrote: »

On a tablet so can't embed this but here are our tries from the Racing game in Thomond Park.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7YU-NQS2EU&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Ah yes that game. In a Munster pub cheering for a french team. That was a bizarre experience

thomond2006

phog wrote: »

On a tablet so can't embed this but here are our tries from the Racing game in Thomond Park.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7YU-NQS2EU&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Those tries really aren't the basis for any optimism, that was Racing's seconds.

(I'm not saying that's what you're implying, just a general remark!)

phog

thomond2006 wrote: »

Those tries really aren't the basis for any optimism, that was Racing's seconds.

(I'm not saying that's what you're implying, just a general remark!)

If for no other reason those tries are important as they got us to the Quarter Final. You might also see in clip that Earls passed twice to Zebo to score, yet some here say he doesn't pass especially to his left.

awec

Good luck to yis lads, here's hoping come Sunday night there's two Irish teams in the semis!

athtrasna

Team Announced: http://www.munsterrugby.ie/news/11775.php

Munster: F Jones; D Hurley, C Laulala, J Downey, S Zebo; R O’Gara, C Murray; D Kilcoyne , M Sherry BJ Botha; D Ryan, P O’Connell capt; P O’Mahony, T O’Donnell , J Coughlan. Replacements: D Varley W du Preez, S Archer, Donncha O’Callaghan, P Butler, C Sheridan, I Keatley, I Dineen.

Howlett ruled out POC as captain

Botha over Archer is a big call but the best news for me is Sheridan on the bench!

irishbucsfan

athtrasna wrote: »

Botha over Archer is a big call

The world has turned inside out!

athtrasna

irishbucsfan wrote: »

The world has turned inside out!

Given that Archer has been getting all the game time lately. For this one I'm definitely happier to see Botha there.

And you might have noticed the relief/joy at a certain "scrum half" not featuring

thomond2006

Fantastic to see Zebo confirmed, he is massively important.

Hurley on the wing could be a problem, I can see Quins targeting him. He doesn't offer much in attack unless he gets the opportunity to offload which he does really well.

2smiggy

Has CJ Stander run over Penneys dog ? or is there some other reason for his continued absence ?

jamiedav2011

Casson starting is interesting, would have thought Turner Hall was number 1 12.

That Quins team doesn't look world beaters on paper, but are far more than the sum of their parts, a bit unlike Sarries.

thomond2006

2smiggy wrote: »

Has CJ Stander run over Penneys dog ? or is there some other reason for his continued absence ?

He's not registered in the squad, Dineen was put in to cover for injuries. It's hard to say whether he's in the doghouse.

2smiggy

strange situation with Stander. He's been back to SA recently, and has played a hand full of Munster 'A' matches. He is also alot quieter on twitter about Munster. He seemed to play well when I have seen him. I am curious what has happened.....

awec

I don't get the Archer talk? He looked hopeless during his gametime for Ireland, folded like a deckchair in every scrum. How is Botha ahead of him a big call, it's the obvious call no?

P.Walnuts

awec wrote: »

I don't get the Archer talk? He looked hopeless during his gametime for Ireland, folded like a deckchair in every scrum. How is Botha ahead of him a big call, it's the obvious call no?

I think 6 months ago this would be accurate, but to be fair he has improved this season

Fireball07

I'm a big fan of Hurley but not on the wing...not enough explosive pace.

We'll miss Earls and even LOD. And I still think Keatley is a much better option than ROG. At least Murray and Zebo are both playing, we rely hugely on them. I'm hoping Laulala has a big game too.



The way we're playing, it seems pretty unlikely we'll win but we can always hope. Howlett out isn't as big a loss as it would have been last year, but he's still one of the best finishers we have and a rock defensively.

.ak

Botha hasn't unlearned how to scrummage, he's just been too obvious in the dark arts. This is the kind of game he'll excell in.

Good looking Munster team, apart from the flyhalf. Pity Earls isn't fit, would've changed the dynamic entirely.

PhatPiggins

thomond2006 wrote: »

Fantastic to see Zebo confirmed, he is massively important.

Hurley on the wing could be a problem, I can see Quins targeting him. He doesn't offer much in attack unless he gets the opportunity to offload which he does really well.

Target him how? His defence is good and he's great under the high ball. Munsters drift defence will cover for his lack of top end gas.

Not sure why Hurley gets so much stick or why he hasn't played more this season but Jones and Howlett haven't exactly set the world on fire this season.

thomond2006

PhatPiggins wrote: »

Target him how? His defence is good and he's great under the high ball. Munsters drift defence will cover for his lack of top end gas.

Not sure why Hurley gets so much stick or why he hasn't played more this season but Jones and Howlett haven't exactly set the world on fire this season.

I have images of Gilroy last year...

Then again Hurley wasn't the only one at fault there.

.ak

Hurley/Jones/Howlett have to be the slowest back three in Europe this year. Having Zebo back is huge.

PhatPiggins

thomond2006 wrote: »

I have images of Gilroy last year...

Then again Hurley wasn't the only one at fault there.

Hurley should have been at 15 that day

thomond2006

PhatPiggins wrote: »

Hurley should have been at 15 that day

That cost you money remember?

Podge_irl

thomond2006 wrote: »

Those tries really aren't the basis for any optimism, that was Racing's seconds.

That was 14 of Racing's seconds!

Having Zebo back is vital. Its a shame Earls didn't make it, with him Munster's backline would have had some real zip and danger. Still struggle to see past a Quins victory though POC will certainly help.

Chabals Beard

thomand2006, when is the "official" thread going up?

thomond2006

Chabals Beard wrote: »

thomand2006, when is the "official" thread going up?

I'm not writing anything Chabal. I will if we get to semis.

totallegend

thomond2006 wrote: »

He's not registered in the squad, Dineen was put in to cover for injuries. It's hard to say whether he's in the doghouse.

He's either in the doghouse or just not rated. The HC squad thing is irrelevant

thomond2006

totallegend wrote: »

He's either in the doghouse or just not rated. The HC squad thing is irrelevant

That's not true at all IMO. The Rabo was more or less gone so all the selections lately had both eyes on the Quins match. Dineen was added and he's clearly rated by Penney since he is on the bench ahead of the likes of Murphy.

Chabals Beard

thomond2006 wrote: »

I'm not writing anything Chabal. I will if we get to semis.