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Forget Munster : What about Leinster !!

hallelujajordan

If Munster had finished first seeds and not dropped a single point everyone would be raving.

Let's give Leinster their dues . . . they have been the class act in Ireland this year.

Victor Costello is a giant in Irish rugby !

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bucks73

Lets not get carried away. Leinster had an easier group than Munster. Had there been a Welsh team in Munsters group instead of either Gloucester or Perpignan then they would have qualified pretty straightforward.

The fact that there were three decent teams and one Italian team meant it was always going to be difficult because when all three are tied on points the results against the Italians didnt matter one iota.

Leinster had a poor Welsh team, average English team and a French team who only managed 4 points from 2 wins over Swansea in their group.

Also if Toulouse had actually wanted to be top seed they couldnt have beaten London Irish. They just didnt want to face the French League leaders Biarritz.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/european/2677533.stm

hallelujajordan

Granted !

But winning three away games on the trot is still something of an achievement in Heineken Cup rugby !

Don't write off Leinster too quickly . . . only three games away from the cup, and all of them likely to be in Ireland !

PH01

Leinster are good and there is no question about that. But Leinster is lacking in one area which Munster has in abundance and that's passion. This is what is so great about Munster rugby, which we see very little of in Leinster.
Leinster were great on Sunday - not champagne rugby, but 'Total' rugby. And great to watch.

bucks73

Its an open draw for the semis and I wouldnt fancy any teams chances away to Toulouse or Leicester. Assuming Leicester are still there.

Wouldnt it be great if Munster and Leinster won their quarter finals and got home draws in the semis. Two semis in Dublin over the one weekend setting up a great final.

Getting waaaaaay ahead of myself.

hallelujajordan

Leinster-Munster final in Landsdowne Road . . . now there is a mouthwatering proposition !

bucks73

Well we will know one way or another next week it seems.

http://www.munsterrugby.ie/newspage/33807.html

kingconor

Oh, that would be superb!!! Ireland should definately, have at least one team in the final!! I hope Munster can go all the way, if Leinster were to get to the semis that would be an achievement in itself!!Did anyone here get tickets a few weeks ago for the final??

bucks73

Yep. Bought them for myself and the mates. We will go anyway for the weekend but hopefully Munster will be there.

Lennoxschips

I hope Munster beat Leicester by fouling the ball in the scrum with one minute to go, without the referee noticing.

Yavvy

that PH01 fella has some nerve.

Leinster are good and there is no question about that. But Leinster is lacking in one area which Munster has in abundance and that's passion.

Shockin !!!!

Friday nights at fortress donnybrook

Victor costello, Brian O Driscoll, shane byrne, Girvan Dempsey,
Denis Hickie, Shane Horgan, Eric Miller, Malcolm O'Kelly and the rest.

You have to be jokin me .................Passion !
that team drips passion in their sweat..

Question PH...are you from cork ???
cause you would want to be with a big thick red neck statment like that

PH01

Originally posted by Alany
that PH01 fella has some nerve.

Shockin !!!!

Friday nights at fortress donnybrook

Victor costello, Brian O Driscoll, shane byrne, Girvan Dempsey,
Denis Hickie, Shane Horgan, Eric Miller, Malcolm O'Kelly and the rest.

You have to be jokin me .................Passion !
that team drips passion in their sweat..

Question PH...are you from cork ???
cause you would want to be with a big thick red neck statment like that

Half Cork Half Sligo.
I'm not saying there is anything wrong with Leinster rugby, but you just get the feeling that their game lacks passion.
Maybe it's the Leinster crowd? The best they can manage is 'Go Leinster, raa-raa'! I mean what's that?
And no way do they 'drip passion'. They drip discipline alright adn tons of it, but not passion.

Yavvy

Ack...I would love you to say that do Brian O Driscoll !

Munster have Passion in abundance this is true.
But so do leinster....

I think your maybe put off by the D4's that attend their matches
this true that some are less than vocal in their support but the team .....passion abounding !!

Neil3030

I heard erecently that the only two teams to ever go through on 100% records since 1997 were Bath and Wasps and they both lost in the quarters. Bad news for Leinster if this is true however i think i have also heard that no team has ever lost a home quarter final. Could someone please inform me as to which, if either, of these statements are fact as they would not add up if they were to be both true.

On the subject of home support not being all it could be at Donnybrook, I would have to say that the person who made these comments either a) has not been to Donnybrook for a match recently or b) does not understand the meaning of the word passion. Friday nights in Donnybrook are soon becomming one of the most popular recurring sporting events in Ireland. As a frequent and dare i say it regular visitor to Leinster's home ties I can say without a shadow of a doubt that the statement that Leinster "lacks passion" in either pitch side support or on pitch performances is completely unfounded. Also 600+ fans travelling fans to see a match that didn't really mean anything in terms of the overall statistical outcome would strike me as being passionate.

Bounty Hunter

unfortunatley the opinion on the crowd and the lack of passion i believe are linked to the "D4" "Rugger-Bugger" image rugby in leinster has been associated with.

This is a stark contrast to Munster where everone plays rugby and where thomend park has become famous for its fanatical support from all munster men.

hallelujajordan

Just heard the semi-final draw . . . . If Leinster beat Biarritz they will play the winner of Llanelli / Perpignan in Landsdowne Rd . . .

Munster, if they beat Leicester will get an away draw against Toulouse or Northampton . . .

I'm really starting to fancy Leinster for the cup now !

PH01

Looks like it's set up for a Munster V. Leinster final?

Anyway, back to Leinster 'passion'. I've been to a couple Leinster matches in Donnybrook and in Lansdowne. And I've seen Munster on the rare occasion they're up in Dublin and I have to say Munster get my vote everytime. And this is coming from a neutral.
Why is this? I'm not sure. It could be a number of things. That 'D4' and the 'rugger - bugger' thing have something to do with it. And we may as well add that 'West Stand' (Lansdowne Rd) thing - you know the crowd who always a bit reluctant to take part in the 'wave' at half time. But there is also a strong elitist element to rugby in Dublin, sorry I mean Leinster, that is devoid of any emotion. People are into rugby in Dublin because of the company it keeps and it is less about the game.
And finally, to prove a point when was the last time you nearly cried like a girl watching Leinster play?

bucks73

Heres something I found on the Munster Rugby message board.

Having looked at the semi final draws over the past 3 years its quite incredible the way things have panned out for the ERC.

In the year 2000 the four semi finalists were

Toulouse Munster

Northampton Llanelli

The year 2001

Yet again the two british clubs pitted against each other

Leicester Gloucester

Yet again the largest travelling support away in the furthest reaches

Stade Francais Munster

Yet again we see the repeat in 2002

The two british based clubs pitted

Leicester Llanelli

Yet again the bigest travelling support fly off to the furthest reaches

Castres Munster

Here we are again 2003 different format in that the draw has been made before the quarters

But again we have the same repeat

Toulouse\Northampton Leicester\Munster

Possible outcome

Yet again possiblity of two British clubs pitted in the semis

Or again The largest traveling support away to France or England

The other side of the draw

closest proximity British side Llanelli to Dublin

which have a reasonable travelling support

My forecast for the semis

Toulouse Munster/Leicester(game to close to call)

Leinster Llanelli

Its that the shape of the semi's over the past few years have made the HC a very attractive to sponsor's generate large revenue, and are a balanced product for the TV companies

One wonders!!!

kingconor

Yeah it seems odd!! Maybe the Irish set a good example when abroad!!!

bucks73

Originally posted by kingconor
Yeah it seems odd!! Maybe the Irish set a good example when abroad!!!

They most certainly do although it does seem a bit strange that Munsters last three semis were away in France and it could happen again this year. Not only does it make the tie a lot tougher but the venue is not always great. Lille two years ago was a disaster whereas Beziers last year was brilliant as we stayed in Montpellier.

Hopefully Toulouse will opt for Bordeaux again as they did three years ago.

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