Racing 92 vs Munster, Sun 14th January, 3:15pm Sky Sports Action

thomond2006

Racing 92:
15. Louis Dupichot; 14. Teddy Thomas, 13. Virimi Vakatawa, 12. Henry Chavancy, 11. Marc Andreu; 10. Rémi Tales, 9. Maxime Machenaud;
1. Eddy Ben Arous, 2. Camille Chat, 3. Ben Tameifuna, 4. Donnacha Ryan, 5. Edwin Maka, 6. Yannick Nyanga, 7. Wenceslas Lauret, 8. Leone Nakarawa

16. Dimitri Szarzewski, 17. Vasil Kakovin, 18. Cedate Gomes Sa, 19. Baptiste Chouzenoux, 20. Boris Palu, 21. Xavier Chauveau, 22. Benjamin Dambielle, 23. Joe Rokocoko

Munster:
Simon Zebo; Andrew Conway, Chris Farrell, Rory Scannell, Keith Earls; Ian Keatley, Conor Murray;
Dave Kilcoyne, Rhys Marshall, Stephen Archer; Jean Kleyn, Billy Holland; Peter O’Mahony (c), Chris Cloete, CJ Stander

Replacements: Kevin O’Byrne, James Cronin, John Ryan, Darren O’Shea, Jack O’Donoghue, Duncan Williams, JJ Hanrahan, Alex Wootton.

Pool 4
Munster 15
Racing 11
Castres 7
Leicester 6

Racing 92 host Munster in the new U Arena. This represents an opportunity for Munster to seal a home QF with the expectation that a weak Castres lineup will visit Thomond Park in Round 6. Meanwhile this is a must win contest for Racing 92 to remain in the competition.

Podge_irl

That screen is insane.

Racing are closer to getting ahead of Munster in the pool than I realised actually.

dregin

wtf is that screen? Is there no seating/terraces at the end of the pitch??

dregin

dregin wrote: »

wtf is that screen? Is there no seating/terraces at the end of the pitch??

Yeah WTF is that, and why did they call it the U Arena??

Former Former

Deleted User wrote: »

Yeah WTF is that, and why did they call it the U Arena??

Why did they call that U-shaped stadium the U Arena?

No idea.

Bridge93

Munster

What has happened to Darren Sweetnam?

thomond2006

Tiernan O'Halloran

Bridge93 wrote: »

What has happened to Darren Sweetnam?

Depth in the back three.

Former Former

Former Former wrote: »

Why did they call that U-shaped stadium the U Arena?

No idea.

thomond2006

Tiernan O'Halloran

15. Louis Dupichot; 14. Teddy Thomas, 13. Virimi Vakatawa, 12. Henry Chavancy, 11. Marc Andreu; 10. Rémi Tales, 9. Maxime Machenaud;
1. Eddy Ben Arous, 2. Camille Chat, 3. Ben Tameifuna, 4. Donnacha Ryan, 5. Edwin Maka, 6. Yannick Nyanga, 7. Wenceslas Lauret, 8. Leone Nakarawa

16. Dimitri Szarzewski, 17. Vasil Kakovin, 18. Cedate Gomes Sa, 19. Baptiste Chouzenoux, 20. Boris Palu, 21. Xavier Chauveau, 22. Benjamin Dambielle, 23. Joe Rokocoko

Bridge93

Munster

Good to see Racing taking the foot off the peddle...

Jump_In_Jack

Tiernan O'Halloran

Bridge93 wrote: »

Good to see Racing taking the foot off the peddle...

pedal

Jesus that's two really quality teams. This is going to be a huge test. Munster loss is best for Leinster but f**k that, Munster all the way here - set the national team up nicely for going over there in a few weeks while ye are at it lads.

Former Former

It probably won't matter in the end, but Leicester have named a second-string team to go to Castres on Sunday, so Castres may theoretically have something to play for when they come to Thomond if they can rack up a score this weekend.

More interesting perhaps is that Ben Betts may make his European debut for Tigers off the bench.

kuang1

Munster

Former Former wrote: »

More interesting perhaps is that Ben Betts may make his European debut for Tigers off the bench.

Who's gonna be first to do it...

ScrubsfanChris

Podge_irl wrote: »

That screen is insane.

Racing are closer to getting ahead of Munster in the pool than I realised actually.

For rugby matches at least, no video including replays will be shown on the big screen during games. Players and coaches have said it would be too distracting. It's main purpose it seems was for concerts.

Zzippy

kuang1 wrote: »

Who's gonna be first to do it...

thomond2006

Tiernan O'Halloran

Donnacha Ryan signed for Racing?!

Podge_irl

ScrubsfanChris wrote: »

For rugby matches at least, no video including replays will be shown on the big screen during games. Players and coaches have said it would be too distracting. It's main purpose it seems was for concerts.

Interesting. I wonder what the income differential is from a giant screen for concerts vs an extra tier of seating for rugby games. Even weirder if it is not used at all for rugby games I have to say - I understand the player's logic but I imagine it was built before their viewpoint was expressed and that wasn't the original intention.

errlloyd

Podge_irl wrote: »

Interesting. I wonder what the income differential is from a giant screen for concerts vs an extra tier of seating for rugby games. Even weirder if it is not used at all for rugby games I have to say - I understand the player's logic but I imagine it was built before their viewpoint was expressed and that wasn't the original intention.

I think that was pretty close to their optimum use of space anyway, there wasn't room for a full tier of seating on the screen side anyway.

errlloyd

The coolest thing about that stadium is beneath the rugby pitch there is another tier of seating, and then tennis courts.

errlloyd

errlloyd wrote: »

The coolest thing about that stadium is beneath the rugby pitch there is another tier of seating, and then tennis courts.

I have never heard of such a thing. On face value seems like an excellent venue. Do Racing own it or is it municipal?

Cookiemunster

Janessa Tall Wig wrote: »

I have never heard of such a thing. On face value seems like an excellent venue. Do Racing own it or is it municipal?

Have a google for Lille's Stade Pierre-Mauroy (where Ireland played Italy at Euro2016). Half they pitch raises and is stored over the other half revealing seating and an indoor court.

AFAIK the U Arena is privately funded.

ScrubsfanChris

errlloyd wrote: »

The coolest thing about that stadium is beneath the rugby pitch there is another tier of seating, and then tennis courts.

Credit: parcdesprinces on skyscrapercity.com

irishbucsfan

Ban this sick filth

budhabob

Any time I look at an enclosed stadium, all I can think is the roof is no way high enough for a decent up and under kick. This one appears particularly low, but im sure its fine.

phog

budhabob wrote: »

Any time I look at an enclosed stadium, all I can think is the roof is no way high enough for a decent up and under kick. This one appears particularly low, but im sure its fine.

Iirc, a garryowen hit something overhead in the Richo Stadium in one of the games Munster played there

errlloyd

phog wrote: »

Iirc, a garryowen hit something overhead in the Richo Stadium in one of the games Munster played there

I remember a few box kicks hitting those hovering camera cables in Twickers too. Play on believe it or not.

who_me

Former Former wrote: »

It probably won't matter in the end, but Leicester have named a second-string team to go to Castres on Sunday, so Castres may theoretically have something to play for when they come to Thomond if they can rack up a score this weekend.

Castres I think have won one away game in the HEC/CC in the last 10 years, I'd be really surprised if they're up to much in the last pool game, regardless of round 5.

I'm really hoping Tigers go all-out for the round 6 clash though!

smurfjed

So is this an enclosed stadium? As luck would have it, I'm going to Paris tonight and thought about attending the match, an enclosed stadium would make the temperature more bearable.

prawnsambo

Tiernan O'Halloran

smurfjed wrote: »

So is this an enclosed stadium? As luck would have it, I'm going to Paris tonight and thought about attending the match, an enclosed stadium would make the temperature more bearable.

Yeah, it's got a lid on it. Originally was to be retractable, but is now fixed. 4G pitch which is probably necessary as the lid would have issues for grass growth.

sydthebeat

Munster

ScrubsfanChris wrote: »

Credit: parcdesprinces on skyscrapercity.com

Is that actually under the rugby pitch in Parc des princes???

sydthebeat

sydthebeat wrote: »

Is that actually under the rugby pitch in Parc des princes???

No.

sydthebeat

Munster

Janessa Tall Wig wrote: »

No.

Did I have a whoosh moment?

sydthebeat

sydthebeat wrote: »

Did I have a whoosh moment?

Maybe? You can see on the TV screens in the middle that that's the Accorhotels Arena. It's not the PdP or the UArena from what I can gather. It's definitely not the PdP anyway.

prawnsambo

Tiernan O'Halloran

Janessa Tall Wig wrote: »

Maybe? You can see on the TV screens in the middle that that's the Accorhotels Arena. It's not the PdP or the UArena from what I can gather. It's definitely not the PdP anyway.

Yeah. Not PdP, that's a completely different stadium.

maddness

Munster

Bridge93 wrote: »

What has happened to Darren Sweetnam?

Probably replaced by another South African

NollagShona

Predictions for today?

Sitting in Corcoran’s on Place du Clichy enjoying my pre match pint, I’d settle for an LBP

Eod100

Tiernan O'Halloran

NollagShona wrote: »

Predictions for today?

Sitting in Corcoran’s on Place du Clichy enjoying my pre match pint, I’d settle for an LBP

Tight Munster win, giving Racing a lbp.

Aim high but yeah I wouldn't mind a lbp.

thomond2006

Tiernan O'Halloran

Allez!

NollagShona

The stadium is pretty damn cool! And free WiFi- that works!

Eod100

Tiernan O'Halloran

Feck it we should go out for the win! (Not that Munster aren't planning to). 24 points would get us 2nd or 3rd seeds . Leinster likely 1st so get 2nd or 3rd and we avoid them in a potential semi final

Scythica

They should have an epileptic warning up on this light show here.

Some surface

So bizarre. Looks great but 'not right'.

budhabob

Great tackle by Keats.

budhabob

Some start by racing. Relentless pressure.

PTH2009

ah ****

razorblunt

You know it’s a bad state of affairs when DOC is chastising for poor discipline.


I’m not a fan of this ref at all, Racing clearly in at the side of the ruck there completely overlooked.

That TH is enormous.

Akrasia

Balls

razorblunt

Oh FFS then pings Scannell for the same offence.

budhabob

Munster just being that bit indisciplined, silly penalties