Champions Cup - Pool 1, Round 4 (Clermont, Munster, Sale, Saracens)

[Big Ewis]

Sunday 14th December 2014, KO 16:15 (local)
Stade Marcel-Michelin, Clermont-Ferrand
Referee: Nigel Owens

Saturday 13th December 2014, KO 17:15 (local)
Allianz Park, Barnet
Referee: Jerome Garces
​

 

[munstermuffin]

Sink or swim for us. Could be Everest with Kilcoyne out and Cronin very doubtful. Hooker off form and well we are down to the bare with our backs against the ropes. Pride is what needs to be restored, we won't win tournament this year but we need to just come out of this with respect more than a result.

 

[Big Ewis]

here's a little bit of intimidation, just in case it's required...

ze yellow arrrmy is rrready. Ze volcano is rrready to errrrupt.

 

[Big Ewis]

I just saw a segment earlier taken from French national TV showing the before and after of the Clermont win in Munster, and in the pre-match footage you see French fans in the streets saying how festive it was and how the atmosphere was unique and they'd never seen anything like it, and how great the people around were and showed no aggressiveness and it was all just welcoming and smiles, one guy interviewed even he said "those Irishmen are quite something"...
yeah so anyways, I hope you receive the absolute opposite treatment here and are put in concentration camps, no worries just the game-time couple of hours, nothing too bad but just you know to put all the chances on our side.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Yes, because treating a Munsterman badly has never backfired!

 

[Big Ewis]

Yes, because treating a Munsterman badly has never backfired!

no no but nothing too bad like I said you got it all wrong, just the infrastructure won't be exactly vintage Renaissance architecture, and they get full complimentary meals like club sandwich plus choice of dessert with a 25CL can of Heineken, and maybe a screen that shows a game from the 2003 RWC you know so nothing prehistoric but just, far enough from the game but not disconcerting enough to make a diplomatic incident out of it, and even ASM Clermont stickers for their cars back home at the end.

 

[Big Ewis]

changes, changes. Lapandry finally finds his way back to the starting lineup, the flanker hasn't missed a single tackle since the season started ! (talking Top 14 as well) Superb activity. So that's a nice pack with Chouly captaining and big Davit back in the starting lineup too. Guildford back on the wing, no Nalaga. And then, guess who's back, ze petit général. Hope he doesn't screw this one up for the ASM, he's been out a long time...
a nice backup front row with notably French hopes Chaume+Ric.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Munster: Felix Jones; Andrew Conway, Andrew Smith, JJ Hanrahan, Simon Zebo; Ian Keatley, Conor Murray; John Ryan, Duncan Casey, BJ Botha; Dave Foley, Paul O'Connell; Peter O'Mahony Capt., Tommy O'Donnell, CJ Stander.

Replacements: Kevin O'Byrne, Eusebio Guinazu, Stephen Archer, Billy Holland, Robin Copeland, Duncan Williams, Denis Hurley, Johne Murphy.

JJ? REJOICE!!!! Foley is such a spineless coach.

 

[Big Ewis]

yes I heard Moonster had changed their fidmield. So be it. This could be a disturbingly intense fight, but I reckon Clermont should come away with victories (I predict...mmm... one) as this Azéma-coached side seems too prepared and intelligent. They studied Munster up perfectly before last game, and that last lineout steal play is just testament to that.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Munster don't have the team to beat Clermont or a coach capable of outsmarting Jono Gibbs, Les Juanards by 8+.

 

[big ginger 8]

Hanrahan = good
Ryan + hooker subbing as a prop = bad

 

[Big Ewis]

Munster don't have the team to beat Clermont or a coach capable of outsmarting Jono Gibbs, Les Juanards by 8+.

aaaaahhh, tryin to butter us up there heeein ?! Tryin to make the yellow pink on the inside hmmm ahh, I see I see, well it ain't workin !!! It's club sandwich for everyone and Samoa USA RWC 2003 on the TV and that's final !!!
But tbh, it's too early in the season for Clermont to choke, so they've got that goin' for them, which is nice.

 

[munstermuffin]

Hanrahan = good
Ryan + hooker subbing as a prop = bad

Hanrahan has been ripping up guys the last week.
Ryan was our only choice and Guinzou has played LH for Argentina.

But this could be our greatest ever achievement in Europe dwarfing our 2 wins if we do it and I'm strangely confident.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Sale Team:
Mike Haley, Tom Brady, Will Addison, Mark Jennings, Mark Cueto, Nick Macleod, Will Cliff,
Ross Harrison, Shalva Mamukashvili, Vadim Cobilas, Nathan Hines, Andrei Ostrikov, Mark Easter, Dan Braid, Josh Beaumont

Replacements
Cameron Neild, Eifion Lewis Roberts, James Flynn, Jonathan Mills, Andrew Hughes, Nathan Fowles, Joe Ford, Andy Forsyth


Stronger side than I expected to be honest - I would've expected to see Cobilas rested, but with Fearn getting injured in training, and Di Marchi against Falcons, we only have four fit props (one of them Flynn, the academy tighthead), and I think Lewis-Roberts is feeling the effects of the game time more than Vadim.

Great to see Hines back! Basically like a new signing at this point,
Addison also making his full return from, essentially, two years out (played a game or two here and there but also re-injured instantly).

Would've preferred Ford to start, but considering how pick n mix our backs are it makes sense to have Wilf/Macleod as they've played together for donkey's years.

 

[TheSaffycen]

Saracens v Sale: 15 Alex Goode; 14 Chris Ashton, 13 Chris Wyles, 12 Duncan Taylor, 11 David Strettle; 10 Owen Farrell, 9 Richard Wigglesworth; 1 Mako Vunipola, 2 Jamie George, 3 Petrus du Plessis, 4 George Kruis, 5 Alistair Hargreaves (capt), 6 Kelly Brown, 7 Jacques Burger, 8 Billy Vunipola
Replacements: 16 Brett Sharman, 17 Richard Barrington, 18 James Johnston, 19 Jim Hamilton, 20 Jackson Wray, 21 Neil de Kock, 22 Charlie Hodgson, 23 Ben Ransom

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Hahaha, you don't often see that!
Kickoff delayed by a few minutes because the smoke from Sarrie's pyrotechnics refused to clear from the stadium and just sat as thick fog a few metres off the ground :lol:

 

[Draggs]

Hahaha, you don't often see that!
Kickoff delayed by a few minutes because the smoke from Sarrie's pyrotechnics refused to clear from the stadium and just sat as thick fog a few metres off the ground :lol:

That happens all the time at MS. There is usually a fog lingering around until half time on days when the roof is closed.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Hines is some man.

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

Hines is some man.

he sure is, he sure is

 

[munstermuffin]

Where's all the Sarries fans? Stadium seems empty