Munster vs Racing 92, Sat 23rd Nov 5:30pm, BT Sport

thomond2006

Munster:
Mike Haley; Andrew Conway, Chris Farrell, Rory Scannell, Keith Earls; JJ Hanrahan, Conor Murray;
Jeremy Loughman, Niall Scannell, John Ryan; Jean Kleyn, Tadhg Beirne; Peter O’Mahony (C), Jack O’Donoghue, CJ Stander.

Replacements: Kevin O’Byrne, James Cronin, Stephen Archer, Billy Holland, Fineen Wycherley, Alby Mathewson, Dan Goggin, Arno Botha

Player Update: Tyler Bleyendaal reported stiffness this week and was unavailable for selection.

Racing 92:
15. Simon Zebo, 14. Teddy Thomas, 13. Virimi Vakatawa, 12. Henry Chavancy (c), 11. Juan Imhoff, 10. Finn Russell, 9. Maxime Machenaud, 1. Eddy Ben Arous, 2. Camille Chat, 3. Cedate Gomes Sa, 4. Donnacha Ryan, 5. Dominic Bird, 6. Wenceslas Lauret, 7. Boris Palu, 8. Antonie Claassen.

Replacements:
16. Teddy Baubigny, 17. Hassane Kolingar, 18. Ali Oz, 19. Fabien Sanconnie, 20. Yoan Tanga, 21. Teddy Iribaren, 22. Ben Volavola, 23. Brice Dulin

Massive game in the pool!

sioda

Lack of cover at 10 is worrying

Sabre0001

https://twitter.com/racing92/status/1197847194998472704

Zebo and Donnacha return!

Jump_In_Jack

sioda wrote: »

Lack of cover at 10 is worrying

Scannell would surely move to 10, with Goggin going to 12.

thomond2006

Saracens have put out a weakened side but Ospreys have also. Saracens will get a TBP win.

Former Former

Munster to win. Racing to continue to be total flakes.

Kevski

thomond2006 wrote: »

Saracens have put out a weakened side but Ospreys have also. Saracens will get a TBP win.

Saracens’ weakened team is less weakend than last weekend’s weakend team though!

Burkie1203

Kevski wrote: »

Saracens’ weakened team is less weakend than last weekend’s weakend team though!

https://twitter.com/RugbySaracens/status/1197863545947533314?s=19

LuckyGent88

That is some side Racing are bringing to Thomand. Really Going to be down not being at home for this one. I’d take a one point win now if it was offered to me. As per usual, need to target Russell and not allow him space and I’d test Zebo at every opportunity. Think Conway will skin him at some stage. Zebo can’t be fully prepared for this game after the birth of his 3rd child and he hasn’t looked very good in a defensive side of things since going to racing

Hopeful of getting to Paris for the return fixture. Handy train journey from Germany.

aloooof

Subtle dig at the La Défense Arena in the Red Letter :pac:

Be Loud in our songs, - We do not need flashing lights or DJ’s - do what we do best!!

That's a solid Racing side but I just don't see them turning Munster over in their backyard.

Expect some brilliance but an overall inconsistent Racing performance and Munster to run a few cheeky ones past Zebo in the last quarter.

Felix Jones is God.

Can see Munster winning this handily enough, JJ's passing and eye for what's happening around him has been spot on this season...rough stab at a score prediction. 23-12 and 14 Munster developed players in the squad...not too shabby at all..

171170

aloooof wrote: »

Subtle dig at the La Défense Arena in the Red Letter :pac:

Be Loud in our songs, - We do not need flashing lights or DJ’s - do what we do best!!

Wishing the very best of luck to Munster in the Eurovision Song Contest this afternoon. It's about time that we won it again!

prawnsambo

171170 wrote: »

Wishing the very best of luck to Munster in the Eurovision Song Contest this afternoon. It's about time that we won it again!

It's just the qualifying. They need to get through this first.

ionadnapokot

Why is Botha wearing 23?

rudiger2.0

ionadnapokot wrote: »

Why is Botha wearing 23?

Munster have learned from South Africa's success with a 6-2 split on the bench and are going with an 8-0 split themselves

sydthebeat

ionadnapokot wrote: »

Why is Botha wearing 23?

Munster is basically annexed by South Africa these days

ionadnapokot

ionadnapokot wrote: »

Why is Botha wearing 23?

Munster expecting an arm wrestle / forwards battle so have an extra forward on the bench.

I also think there is an element of getting your best players on the pitch and depth is a little stretched at the moment.

One or two early injuries to the backline could be problematic. O'Mahony having previous gametime on the wing may come in handy!

shootermacg

Does anyone else think a 6/2 split is a bad idea with JJ's hamstring trouble?

Henwin

Is it on any free to air channel

ionadnapokot

sydthebeat wrote: »

Munster is basically annexed by South Africa these days

should be no21 so!
No forward should ever wear a 22 or 23 jersey

The Lost Sheep

ionadnapokot wrote: »

should be no21 so!
No forward should ever wear a 22 or 23 jersey

why? it doesnt matter.
In France one of sub props is regularly seen wearing the 23 Jersey as they have all other players in 16-22 like it was before second sub prop added to match day squad and extra prop just wears 23

ionadnapokot

I’m been pedantic that’s why
&
SA
No.21 Francois Louw

Faugheen

Next Munster will decide their openside wears 6 and their blindside wears 7

I’m joking of course.

Canyon86

Anybody know when the reverse fixture will be confirmed ?

thomond2006

Canyon86 wrote: »

Anybody know when the reverse fixture will be confirmed ?

Probably after Week 4.

Quite looking forward to this I must say.

cameramonkey

Munster by 15+. Conway to skin zeeeebs.

ionadnapokot

Zebo has allot more skin these days

thomond2006

Machenaud out. That's a blow for Racing.

prawnsambo

Scrum looks :eek:

budhabob

prawnsambo wrote: »

Scrum looks :eek:

Very much so

budhabob

Good strong break by Haley, not a fan of that from Murray, but smart play all the same

prawnsambo

budhabob wrote: »

Very much so

That one was better. Murray just about got the ball out in the nick of time though. Ominous. Need to get ball in and out quickly and not try and play for a penalty. Chances are it would be a Racing one. Keep it simple.

budhabob

Jaysus.....some pace on the game. Munster certainly playing heads up rugby, but Racing are fast up! Not sure if I'll last the game.

budhabob

prawnsambo wrote: »

That one was better. Murray just about got the ball out in the nick of time though. Ominous. Need to get ball in and out quickly and not try and play for a penalty. Chances are it would be a Racing one. Keep it simple.

& That one even better again!

budhabob

Haley is pure class so far.

Felix Jones is God.

Conway was probably right in thinking the ref mucked up...Def hands in the ruck... but you can't keep arguing with him, caught himself in time

c.p.w.g.w

How was scannell pinged there?

prawnsambo

It was coming. Munster need to react quickly now.

Oof. Feel that was against the flow of play
there.

its_phil

Get the stretcher out Finn Russell just broke Scannells ankle 😂

shootermacg

Scannell should have hit him regardless. Really stupid from him.

Sephiral

Thought Racing were five yards offside in the phase Conway was complaining about.

budhabob

That was class play....shame the last pass.

shootermacg

Get Goggin on asap!

LuckyGent88

That’s the third break we have made and then got nothing from it. Messed up three very good line breaks!!

yosser hughes

Ref is weak

Burkie1203

Pass was never forward from zebo

thomond2006

Burkie1203 wrote: »

Pass was never forward from zebo

Happened right in front of me. I guarantee you it was!

prawnsambo

Looking ominous now.