Munster vs Saracens, Sat 7th Dec 5:30pm, BT Sport

thomond2006

MUNSTER RUGBY
15. Mike Haley, 14. Andrew Conway, 13. Chris Farrell, 12. Rory Scannell, 11. Keith Earls, 10. JJ Hanrahan, 9. Conor Murray,
1. James Cronin, 2. Niall Scannell, 3. Stephen Archer, 4. Jean Kleyn, 5. Billy Holland, 6. Tadhg Beirne, 7. Peter O'Mahony (c), 8. CJ Stander.
Replacements:
16. Kevin O'Byrne, 17. Liam O'Connor, 18. John Ryan, 19. Fineen Wycherley, 20. Jack O'Donoghue, 21. Nick McCarthy, 22. Sam Arnold, 23. Arno Botha,

SARACENS
15. Matt Gallagher, 14. Roti Segun, 13. Alex Lozowski, 12. Brad Barritt (c), 11. Alex Lewington, 10. Manu Vunipola, 9. Ben Spencer, 1. Richard Barrington, 2. Jack Singleton , 3. Titi Lamositele, 4. Will Skelton, 5. Maro Itoje, 6. Nick Isiekwe, 7. Ben Earl, 8. Jackson Wray.

Replacements:
16. Kapeli Pifeleti, 17. Rhys Carre, 18. Josh Ibuanokpe, 19. Joel Kpoku, 20. Sean Reffell, 21. Tom Whiteley, 22. Max Malins, 23. Nick Tompkins,

Munster once again opt for a 6-2 split on the bench but have made a surprising change to the starting lineup with the evergreen Billy Holland starting in the second row and Tadhg Beirne moving to his secondary position (in Munster colours at least) of blindside flanker. Munster's injury issues at 10 continue with Rory Scannell acting as the backup while also starting at centre. Ben Healy made a good debut last week in the Pro14 but isn't deemed ready to step up just yet. Sam Arnold's appearance on the bench is interesting, with no apparent injury to Dan Goggin.

Saracens have left many of their England stars at home but bring a strong looking forward pack. The backline is missing a number of starters with Brad Barritt, now 33 years old, the veteran in the side. The dearth in quality between both sides comes in the replacements with a number of academy players named for Saracens.

Saracens' starting pack have enough on paper to keep the game close. Whether Munster can get a TBP could depend on their decision making to kick three points from penalties. Out wide you'd expect Earls and Conway to dominate their opposite numbers.
I'm thinking Munster by 12 points with no try bonus.

Really looking forward to this game, think Munster by 10 and a motm for Beirne.

kuang1

Beirne will always be a 2nd rower fo me. Hope he does well today nonetheless. I imagine he'll step into the 2nd row when Botha comes on for Holland.

Kleyn is a guy who we need to step up today. Show us what he's really made of.

shootermacg

kuang1 wrote: »

Beirne will always be a 2nd rower fo me. Hope he does well today nonetheless. I imagine he'll step into the 2nd row when Botha comes on for Holland.

Kleyn is a guy who we need to step up today. Show us what he's really made of.

I don't see Beirne as a second row, I think he's a better six.

shootermacg

I don't like the back row myself. We have two guys who will be standing off looking to jackal, too much work for CJ. I would have dropped PoM and played ToD.

razorblunt

I hope they attack the lineout like racing did. Really put pressure on Singleton from the start.

ScrubsfanChris

We could have a massive downpour around half time, huge band of rain incoming

LuckyGent88

not Convinced we will be getting a bonus point victory here. Just get the job done and 4 points while denying Saracens anything would be satisfactory to me.

ScrubsfanChris

Sideline seating mostly empty.
Someone got gready and pulled the trigger too early thinking a sell out. Could end up being a financial loss.
Sh*t seeing empty seats close to the pitch too.

razorblunt

Bloody Jackson Wray, great player.

shootermacg

FFS go for another scrum!

budhabob

shootermacg wrote: »

FFS go for another scrum!

They had to come away with something!

razorblunt

The TMO initially waved that away?

budhabob

Ah feck, forward.

razorblunt

Forward alright. Shame.

Would have been lovely to come off the back of the Itoje penalty too.

leakyboots

ScrubsfanChris wrote: »

Sideline seating mostly empty.
Someone got gready and pulled the trigger too early thinking a sell out. Could end up being a financial loss.
Sh*t seeing empty seats close to the pitch too.

Are you mad? That's extra seating extending the capacity of the stadium. There's 26000 at this.

Edit: and that's just the south end where there's a lot of empty ones in th additional seating.

A loss me arse.

leakyboots

Good job POM wasn't on the bench there

leakyboots

Murray and Earls having great games

razorblunt

G’wan POM. Lovely pass from Scannell.

leakyboots

Two chargedowns on Farrell, cmon Chris wake up

budhabob

Shocking clearance attempt by Farrell, putting us in all kinds of pressure

razorblunt

Not sure where the one is coming from, thought Isiekwe was ahead of the ball carrier from the pick and go first.

Professor Genius

Fairly turgid stuff v Saracens B team.

ScrubsfanChris

Spencer's passing compared the Murray's is in a different league.

Professor Genius

ScrubsfanChris wrote: »

Spencer's passing compared the Murray's is in a different league.

Murray asleep there at thy scrum. Wake up ta fook !

LuckyGent88

Just why, just why do we always make things hard for ourselves. Terrible stuff at times. And then we just gift them points.

Now it’s going to be a complete arm wrestle and we will struggle to get the win.

ScrubsfanChris

leakyboots wrote: »

Are you mad? That's extra seating extending the capacity of the stadium. There's 26000 at this.

Edit: and that's just the south end where there's a lot of empty ones in th additional seating.

A loss me arse.

Know full well why its there.
South is completely empty bar 20 seats.

ScrubsfanChris

Anyway .....

JJ has looked lost a few times, not sure if its him or players aren't in the positions they are supposed to be.
Great conversion though in that wind.

kuang1

ScrubsfanChris wrote: »

Know full well why its there.
South is completely empty bar 20 seats.

I had 2 extra tickets for today, couldn't give them away. We're sitting here with 2 empty seats beside us.

budhabob

It's gonna be very difficult playing into that wind by the looks of it. Shuda made hay in the first half

razorblunt

Great double hit on Skelton.