Champions Cup - Pool 1, Round 5 (Clermont, Munster, Sale, Saracens)

[TRF_Olyy]

13:00
BT Sport/BeIN

17:30
Sky Sports/BeIN​

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Sale Team:
Mike Haley, Will Addison, Jonny Leota, Sammy Tuitupou, Mark Cueto, Danny Cipriani, Chris Cusiter, Ross Harrison, Marc Jones, Vadim Cobilas, Jonathan Mills, Nathan Hines, Dan Braid (Captain), David Seymour, Josh Beaumont
Replacements Tommy Taylor, Eifion Lewis-Roberts, Ciarian Parker, Mark Easter, Magnus Lund, Will Cliff, Nick Macleod, Tom Arscott

 

[psychic duck]

Sale Team:
Mike Haley, Will Addison, Jonny Leota, Sammy Tuitupou, Mark Cueto, Danny Cipriani, Chris Cusiter, Ross Harrison, Marc Jones, Vadim Cobilas, Jonathan Mills, Nathan Hines, Dan Braid (Captain), David Seymour, Josh Beaumont
Replacements Tommy Taylor, Eifion Lewis-Roberts, Ciarian Parker, Mark Easter, Magnus Lund, Will Cliff, Nick Macleod, Tom Arscott

McLean not even getting a look in recent weeks. Haley really cemented himself as first choice.

 

[Groundhog]

Munster's Team. Murray's injured

Strong pack, bad backs. Except we don't even have Murray this time to make up for that and snipe the fringes. I expect Munster to rise to the occasion like they normally to in these do or die situations though. A monsterous performance from the pack, and a solid defensive and kick chase game should be enough tommorrow. Expect Goode to have his hands full. Can't see us having the players to cut them open in the backs out wide though, especialy with the omission of Hanrahan.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Munster's entire backline out for the Saracens clash... It's actually just Conor Murray but if I was a Munster fan I'd rather 10-15 being injured with Murray fit!

 

[Groundhog]

Just realised we have no sub scrummy. That's some job security for Williams right there. Presume we don't have another registered.

 

[munstermuffin]

Young Cronin registered but O'Mahony and JJ trained there this week. We will win this game. I don't doubt us. Duncan has played very well this season but will be protected by the rest. Howard will be ready to step it up and as I said I don't doubt it that we will win. Murray battled hard but call had to be made especially as it's a neck but have no fears and dare I say it we are in perfect position. Also groundhog we do have serious threats out wide and a lovely bench. Backs are all of ability to influence game and Dave O C is the form guy lately.

 

[Groundhog]

Young Cronin registered but O'Mahony and JJ trained there this week. We will win this game. I don't doubt us. Duncan has played very well this season but will be protected by the rest. Howard will be ready to step it up and as I said I don't doubt it that we will win. Murray battled hard but call had to be made especially as it's a neck but have no fears and dare I say it we are in perfect position. Also groundhog we do have serious threats out wide and a lovely bench. Backs are all of ability to influence game and Dave O C is the form guy lately.

I think we'll win too for the record. On the backs though, I think Earls is a real gamechanger, but apart from that, they're solid, but unspectacular. A while back I would have included Zebo as a gamechanger, but he's settled into a position of taking the ball up a lot in tight situations in the midfield instead of backing himself out wide like he used to. Certainly a useful role, but I'd love to see him attack space again. I think starting Hurley over Hanrahan is a statement on the backs' roles for tommorrow. Hurley is a guy who trucks it up, and is a direct opposite to the 'two playmakers at 10 and 12' which has been tried before. I'm not bemoaning his selection, as he's not been bad, but with him you play a certain game plan. Howard is still something of an unknown quantity at this level, but I'd love to see him pull out a good performance. He's playing for a future here I suppose. I think the kick chase will be our main weapon in the backs, as all of our back three have been outstanding in the air all year, but at the same time, Williams certainly doesn't have Murray's boxkicking game. Then again, very few do. I think Williams will have a fine game if he's given the protection he needs. There's certainly no doubting DOC2's talent. Further proof of how ridiculously well stocked we are in the backrow.

 

[TheSaffycen]

Saracens: 15 Alex Goode; 14 Chris Ashton, 13 Marcelo Bosch, 12 Brad Barritt, 11 David Strettle; 10 Owen Farrell, 9 Richard Wigglesworth; 1 Mako Vunipola, 2 Jamie George, 3 Petrus Du Plessis; 4 Jim Hamilton, 5 Alistair Hargreaves ©; 6 Kelly Brown, 7 Jacques Burger, 8 Billy Vunipola.
Replacements: 16 Brett Sharman, 17 Richard Barrington, 18 James Johnston, 19 Maro Itoje, 20 Ernst Joubert, 21 Neil de Kock, 22 Charlie Hodgson, 23 Chris Wyles.

 

[Every Time Ref]

Sarries-Munster looks like a good old-fashioned muddy day rugby match in the making. On a 4G pitch...

 

[munstermuffin]

I think we'll win too for the record. On the backs though, I think Earls is a real gamechanger, but apart from that, they're solid, but unspectacular. A while back I would have included Zebo as a gamechanger, but he's settled into a position of taking the ball up a lot in tight situations in the midfield instead of backing himself out wide like he used to. Certainly a useful role, but I'd love to see him attack space again. I think starting Hurley over Hanrahan is a statement on the backs' roles for tommorrow. Hurley is a guy who trucks it up, and is a direct opposite to the 'two playmakers at 10 and 12' which has been tried before. I'm not bemoaning his selection, as he's not been bad, but with him you play a certain game plan. Howard is still something of an unknown quantity at this level, but I'd love to see him pull out a good performance. He's playing for a future here I suppose. I think the kick chase will be our main weapon in the backs, as all of our back three have been outstanding in the air all year, but at the same time, Williams certainly doesn't have Murray's boxkicking game. Then again, very few do. I think Williams will have a fine game if he's given the protection he needs. There's certainly no doubting DOC2's talent. Further proof of how ridiculously well stocked we are in the backrow.

Hurley can do great offloads and we need to be solid defensively and play smart. People need to realise it'll be impact off bench that will play huge part. But we will be ready and this is the correct team.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

How did Ashton not get a yellow for that?
Zebo landed on his arse, sure, but Ashton made no attempt to pullout or avoid and just ran straight through him.

 

[Tony Manx]

Who is a lucky Oik then..............seen yellow cards for less than that!!

Munster scrum under real pressure at the set piece....

 

[TRF_Olyy]

4G pitch has claimed another victim!

 

[Tony Manx]

This will take one of Munster's best comebacks ever......they have to start to win some real possession and learn how to keep hold of it before they can even start to score the necessary points! Dare i say game over.................

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

Super rampage from Billy Vunipola there - beat about 5 defenders. That's the sort of thing England need from him but to do that we need to get him the loose.

 

[Aristodemus]

Sarries really dominant, and I agree about Binny, great to see.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Really didn't expect Wyles to have an English accent.
I thought he was American born and raised, didn't realised he'd lived here most of his life.

 

[Groundhog]

Absolutely cowardly performance. Well lose and it's fully deserved. Creators of our own downfall giving away unforced penalties, which the spell casting magical finger crew are well able to take.

 

[TommiG88]

Saracens have so little creativity with ball in hand as per usual. Should have had try this half however munster's defence has been good.