Glasgow V Munster; Rabo Semi Final build up thread

justsomebloke

Glasgow are the team of the moment and have serious momentum on their side.

Glasgow came out victorious against Munster only a month ago however Munster at that point still had eyes on HC success. Now there is only the Pro 12 to play for and Munster will have to up their game significantly, especially after a lack lustre performance against a second string Ulster over the weekend

thomond2006

(Having not seen the Ulster match)

Killer, Varley, Botha, POC, Foley, Stander, TOD, Coughlan;
Murray, JJ, Zebo, Keatley, Laulala, Earls, Jones

Bench: Scannell, Cronin, J Ryan, DOC, Dougall, Sheridan, Downey, Murphy

Glasgow have been on a roll with 8 straight wins in the league. Once again Munster are in a position where they have to recover from an awful performance (this is getting a bit boring at this stage!!!). Eventually the team won't be able to do that and I fear this could be one of the matches. Glasgow by 6-10.

Risteard

I just want to see us catch and give a pass. Then I'll be happy. (Won't be holding my breath though)

Anyway, I would agree with Thomond's team. Though is Sheridan back? Would have had Casey starting if fit too. Actually I'd have Conway on the bench ahead of Murphy.

thomond2006

Risteard wrote: »

I just want to see us catch and give a pass. Then I'll be happy. (Won't be holding my breath though)

Anyway, I would agree with Thomond's team. Though is Sheridan back? Would have had Casey starting if fit too. Actually I'd have Conway on the bench ahead of Murphy.

Sheridan was back training as of last week. Casey is having shoulder surgery so it's safe to say he's out!

Mahatma Geansai

I'd quite like to see the Keatley-Hanrahan axis get a run, but I can't imagine it happening. I wouldn't bring Sheridan back in either. I'm by no means a fan of Williams but he has generally been good this season and Sheridan is just coming off a long period on the sidelines; he's by no means a world beater either.

Henry Ford III

I'll be watching this through my fingers.

phog

I've said this a few weeks back and my view still stands, I've no fear of an away game to Glasgow. They might well beat us but on our day I think Munster should be able to get past them.

BTW, the game is on TG4, S4C and BBC Alba

CatFromHue

Should be interesting to see where Glasgow really are at the moment as at the end of the day they only finished 5 pts ahead of Munster.

Goal kicking has been an issue for them all season and that could be a problem in a knock out game.

Auldloon

As a munster fan living in scotland I'm sorry to say I think we're gonna get a bit of a pasting in this one. Hope I'm wrong!

twinytwo

Munster for the win, prob won't be by much but I reckon they will do it. People are reading too much into that dire performance against ulster.

Buer

twinytwo wrote: »

Munster for the win, prob won't be by much but I reckon they will do it. People are reading too much into that dire performance against ulster.

Alternatively, people aren't reading enough into Glasgow having won 8 in a row including beating two of the other play off sides and winning their last 3 games with bonus points.

I think this could be their year.

ssaye2

ref Marius Mitrea


http://www.rabodirectpro12.com/matchcentre/15042.php

sydthebeat

ssaye2 wrote: »

ref Marius Mitrea


http://www.rabodirectpro12.com/matchcentre/15042.php

decent ref

Riskymove

sydthebeat wrote: »

decent ref

I have no issue with him but starange that their top refs are not being used

I wonder if they are being used in France or England?

sydthebeat

i suppose the "top refs" cant be top refs forever and younger refs need to be given a chance.


if you look at last years semis and final.... only rollaind would have been consider a top ref at the time.

CatFromHue

Buer wrote: »

Alternatively, people aren't reading enough into Glasgow having won 8 in a row including beating two of the other play off sides and winning their last 3 games with bonus points.

I think this could be their year.

Equally 6 of those 8 games were at home and 1 of the away games was to Munster the week after they'd won a HEC QF.

It'll be an interesting game I think.

umop.episdn

Glasgow are in uncharted waters here. They've been outplayed in the HC & no real experience of knock out rugby, this Munster team know how to win big, tight games, Glasgow have not shown that as yet

phog

I wouldn't be talking down Glasgow, they are a very much improved side but Munster won't be travelling in fear regardless of their poor performance last Saturday.

Glasgow are in 2nd spot because they got there by right.

If we don't win then in a way I hope they win the Rabo as it would great for the league to have a Scottish name on the trophy.

flutered

have not munster got into the habit of having a bad day, the week before a big game.

thomond2006

flutered wrote: »

have not munster got into the habit of having a bad day, the week before a big game.

Tiresome isn't it?

Fireball07

I haven't posted about the Ulster game yet, or read the match thread, but it was an absolute shambles. We need to be on a completely different planet to that performance.

We really need to start producing in these type of games, I don't care about how good Glasgow are, I know the talent is there for us to win the league. Near-misses are no consolation any more, we need to have 100% belief in ourselves and win this game. And the final.


I'd pick:

Killer, Varley, Botha, POC, Foley, Stander, TOD, Coughlan;
Murray, JJ, Zebo, Keatley, Laulala, Earls, Jones

Bench: Casey, Cronin, Ryan, DOC, Dougall, Williams, Murphy, VdH



Have to pick JJ-Keatley at 10-12 imo, we're just limiting ourselves otherwise. Would be tempted to start VdH too tbh.

former legend

umop.episdn wrote: »

Glasgow are in uncharted waters here. They've been outplayed in the HC & no real experience of knock out rugby, this Munster team know how to win big, tight games, Glasgow have not shown that as yet

Do this Munster team know how to win big, tight games? Apart from the Quins game, which was impressive, when have they really done so?

edit: emphasis on THIS Munster team.

Fireball07

former legend wrote: »

Do this Munster team know how to win big, tight games? Apart from the Quins game, which was impressive, when have they really done so?

edit: emphasis on THIS Munster team.

Not enough. We need to start now.


Although POM will be a huge loss, has been ever since his injury

Digifriendly

Interestingly the Scrum V panellists fancy Munster to win this one.

kub

Fireball07 wrote: »

We really need to start producing in these type of games, I don't care about how good Glasgow are, I know the talent is there for us to win the league. Near-misses are no consolation any more, we need to have 100% belief in ourselves and win this game.

Win the league? I thought it was a foregone conclusion that the match between Ulster & Leinster was going to decide 1st and 2nd and the we were either 3rd or 4th?

When did that change, or did last weekends performance upset me so much that i missed something?

Fireball07

kub wrote: »

Win the league? I thought it was a foregone conclusion that the match between Ulster & Leinster was going to decide 1st and 2nd and the we were either 3rd or 4th?

When did that change, or did last weekends performance upset me so much that i missed something?

I'm not sure if you are joking or not (some sort of piss-take on the focus the Leinster-Ulster game is getting?)...


But just to be safe, we're playing Glasgow in a semi-final...

kub

Fireball07 wrote: »

I'm not sure if you are joking or not (some sort of piss-take on the focus the Leinster-Ulster game is getting?)...


But just to be safe, we're playing Glasgow in a semi-final...

No seriously I am not taking the piss, I was listening to the commentators during last weekends match, did something change?

Fireball07

kub wrote: »

No seriously I am not taking the piss, I was listening to the commentators during last weekends match, did something change?

No...


It's been in the current format for a good while... 1st plays 4th, 2nd plays 3rd; winners play in the final?

kub

Fireball07 wrote: »

No...


It's been in the current format for a good while... 1st plays 4th, 2nd plays 3rd; winners play in the final?

So the lads were gazing into crystal balls so, what needs to happen for us to win?

sydthebeat

kub wrote: »

So the lads were gazing into crystal balls so, what needs to happen for us to win?

Assuming "us" means Munster. .

You need to win two games to win the league.

sydthebeat

kub wrote: »

So the lads were gazing into crystal balls so, what needs to happen for us to win?

Assuming "us" means Munster. .

You need to win two games to win the league.

Fireball07

Aye, what syd says.

We need to beat Glasgow in Glasgow.


And then, if we do win that, we have to beat either Leinster in Dublin, or Ulster in Limerick, depending on the result of that game.


But basically, we have to play a lot, lot, lot, lot better.

kub

That is great thanks lads,' we' does indeed mean Munster, What we need so is two of those once off excellent performances. If they treat this like a European game, I have every confidence in them.

Grimebox

Fireball07 wrote: »

Aye, what syd says.

We need to beat Glasgow in Glasgow.


And then, if we do win that, we have to beat either Leinster in Dublin, or Ulster in Limerick, depending on the result of that game.


But basically, we have to play a lot, lot, lot, lot better.

How come it's ulster in Limerick?

Fireball07

Grimebox wrote: »

How come it's ulster in Limerick?

Because we finished ahead of them in the league, team who finished higher gets home advantage.

kub

Ideally so we need Ulster to beat Leinster, then we have Ulster in Thomond.

Fireball07

kub wrote: »

Ideally so we need Ulster to beat Leinster, then we have Ulster in Thomond.

If we do manage to beat Glasgow in Scotland, there's absolutely no reason why we should fear going to the RDS.

We have to believe we're the best team in the competition and just go and win it. We shouldn't fear anyone.

kub

Fireball07 wrote: »

If we do manage to beat Glasgow in Scotland, there's absolutely no reason why we should fear going to the RDS.

We have to believe we're the best team in the competition and just go and win it. We shouldn't fear anyone.

I know what you are saying and would love nothing more than winning the league in the RDS, its the history is what I don't like.

It would be nice to fill Thomond for the last game of the season, then win it and give Penney a good send off. ( Not sure if winning in the RDS is better though )

Grimebox

Fireball07 wrote: »

If we do manage to beat Glasgow in Scotland, there's absolutely no reason why we should fear going to the RDS.

We have to believe we're the best team in the competition and just go and win it. We shouldn't fear anyone.

I'd love if it stayed in the RDS too. I way prefer it to the AVIVA. I can't remember the last time I've seen Munster at the RDS.

CatFromHue

Leinster haven't won a home final in the RDS yet :eek:

We've only won when we've been the away team!

Hagz

….I feel like it's the general ignorance round on QI.

I'm not gonna be the one who says it.

Bridge93

CatFromHue wrote: »

Leinster haven't won a home final in the RDS yet :eek:

We've only won when we've been the away team!

Did they not beat Ulster in the RDS last year?

Grimebox

Amlin final against Stade...?

CatFromHue

Bridge93 wrote: »

Did they not beat Ulster in the RDS last year?

We did but we were the designated away team then. We've lost two home finals to the Ospreys though!

Yeah we did beat Stade but I was thinking of Rabo only.

It's a bit mad that there's only been one home Rabo final winner in Munster.

Swiwi.

CatFromHue wrote: »

We did but we were the designated away team then. We've lost two home finals to the Ospreys though!

Yeah we did beat Stade but I was thinking of Rabo only.

It's a bit mad that there's only been one home Rabo final winner in Munster.

Oh! A trick Q. You sly fox CFH.

Riskymove

Grimebox wrote: »

I can't remember the last time I've seen Munster at the RDS.

unfortunately I can

thomond2006

TOD dropped from the 23

.ak

Munster XV: Felix Jones, Keith Earls, Casey Laulala, James Downey, Simon Zebo; Ian Keatley, Conor Murray; Dave Kilcoyne, Damien Varley - Capt, BJ Botha; Dave Foley, Paul O'Connell; CJ Stander, Sean Dougall, James Coughlan. Replacements: Quentin MacDonald, James Cronin, John Ryan, Donncha O'Callaghan, Paddy Butler, Duncan Williams, JJ Hanrahan, Andrew Conway.

thomond2006

Matawalu on the bench, is that good or bad for Munster? Hard to know!

.ak

No Hogg?

thomond2006

Who's Russell at 10? Any good?