Following on from here
New Munster chat thread folks. warning deserved there. https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=109477571#post109477571
Refs lost the plot
Munster needs to be very careful now. They've made two maul infringements in succession. Could be getting a third card soon.
Jesus is there anyone better in the world in a 5 metre defensive lineout? Like clockwork
Hard to know what to take from this. Munster defence in one respect is excellent, but a stronger ref would have a number of Munster players in the bin at this stage. Suppose you play as they ref and they're getting away with it (in the sense of cards at least).
Munster have completely downed their tools this 2nd half, the only reason this is game is because Munster's discipline is atrocious.
That defense is immense! At some stage it has to craic.
Saints are atrocious. Need to have a serious inquest into this. Should be an easy 5 pointer for Munster.
Contrary to Munster's discipline their defence has been remarkable. Granted Northampton attack has been as limited as it gets.
Northampton's ruck speed is slow as piss, its no wonder Munster have had such a field day defending.
We're a bit spoiled in Ireland by the overall quality in coaching imo. Northampton could have played 80 minutes against 14 men and wouldn't have scored a try. That's down to the quality of Munsters defence and the lack of it in Northampton's attack.
I do think Munster were very ill disciplined today though. Another referee would have penalised them harsher.
I mean, their discipline has been atrocious almost consistently while in defence. They are lucky that the ref is weak and NH attack is appalling.
Fair play Munster, despite all efforts by the ref to spoil the day!
What a defence by Munster. Superb.
Wasn't pretty but a win is a win. Hopefully beat Saints at home and a lbp against Toulouse away will get us to round of 16.
Ah....barring the fight, Munster were reffed very generously. Should have had a PT and few more yellows cards
I'd say beating Saints at home with a BP would be enough to quality for R16. Wouldn't want to be relying on the LBP away after seeing what they did to Sale.
Last year 8 points was sufficient in one pool and 7 in the other.
I'm sure 9 or 10 points will be sufficient to qualify this year.
Strange game, second half felt like a defense training exercise for munster, think they knew Northampton couldn't hurt them too much.
Thought the ref was generally poor. For the fight I thought I seen fingers around the eye area, there was also the forearm choke on the ground and then the flying shoulder on Earls. Yet it ends up as a yellow each.
I really enjoyed that. Very physical and a decent scrap.
I think JJ made a good point on commentating (he made many BTW) That it was standard practice in France for something like that to be refereed in that way. Crazy when you think of it. But 'cest la vie'
Ya seems mad but I guess it gets the game restarted quicker.
Agree on JJ, definitely has a pundit career ahead of him
Even if my Duvet was that long, I swear I'd still wake up with my feet outside it when it's cold.
Agree JJ was good today.
was a real addition to the game.
unlike most of BT Coverage
Thoughts on that:
What is the deal with our 2nd rows.... Edogbo, Aherne and the SouthAfrican Viking, are they out long term still?
on the game, I only saw the second half and that was an utter pile of donkey manure...
Snyman latest was he’ll be back in Feb but that was a few months ago.
Ahern is out for a few months and I don’t think they give injury updates on academy players for Edogbo.
We’re also missing Fineen Wycherly too, so we’re fairly stretched there at the moment.
Winning away to any English side, managing so many injuries in key power positions, is a huge result. The ref, the shmozzle, the possibe penalty try, yeah, there's definitely a lot for the coaches to analyze. But dammit that turned into a proper scrap, and coming out on top will be a great lift to the camp, and confidence in the defensive system. You could see how much it mattered to Rowntree at the end. Played some lovely stuff in attack in the first half too. Onwards and upwards.
Kiran McDonald's short term cover contract included a term that he was URC only. He didn't want to become cup tied apparently.
Fineen Wycherly was mentioned as not to far off 3 weeks ago.
Edogbo was 6-7 weeks last week.
Ahern was reported as 4 months at the start of November.
Synman was reported as not this year in October. I don't know if not this year means just after this year (in January) or who knows.
I'm not allowing myself to think of a back 5 of Edogbo, Snyman, Beirne, O'Mahony, Coombes. I can't do that to myself.
Watching back here.
Opening 15 mins were actually great. Try was on if Murray had gone to Joey instead of Coombes with the pass before Joey gave away the breakdown penalty. Crowley looking to take it into contact like Scrappy Doo, but his lines are very clever. A slightly higher pass before his knock-on (before the scrum that led to Coombes's first try) might have seen him slip through. No question about power up front either, which, considering the lack of locks, is very encouraging. Ball was definitely down in the phase before Coombes's registered the first try. Joey having a very tidy game too, great overall decision making. Also, Earls looks like he hasn't missed a step. Such an asset on the wing, just makes yards, secures possession. Every time.