Champions Cup QF. 4 - Munster Rugby v Toulouse

[Leonormous Boozer]

Saturday
Local Time: 17:45
Thomund Park

I was eight years old and running with a dime in my hand
Into the bus stop to pick up a paper for my old man
I'd sit on his lap in that big old Buick and steer as we drove through town
He'd tousle my hair and say son take a good look around this is your hometown
This is your hometown
This is your hometown
This is your hometown

In '65 tension was running high at my high school
There was a lot of fights between the black and white
There was nothing you could do
Two cars at a light on a Saturday night in the back seat there was a gun
Words were passed in a shotgun blast
Troubled times had come to my hometown
My hometown
My hometown
My hometown

Now Main Street's whitewashed windows and vacant stores
Seems like there ain't nobody wants to come down here no more
They're closing down the textile mill across the railroad tracks
Foreman says these jobs are going boys and they ain't coming back to your hometown
Your hometown
Your hometown
Your hometown

Last night me and Kate we laid in bed
talking about getting out
Packing up our bags maybe heading south
I'm thirty-five we got a boy of our own now
Last night I sat him up behind the wheel and said son take a good look around
This is your hometown


If only this game could be as happy as that song...


​

 

[mosfeldt]

Feeling preeetty confident about this.

 

[Groundhog]

What do Tolouse and the man who wrote that depressing song Alpha put in the OP have in common? They're both washed up and don't deserve to be where they are.
I joke, I joke (about Tolouse, not Springsteen), this is cup rugby and anything can happen. Murray could go down in the second minute, Darren Sweetnam could be recalled to the mothership, O'Mahony and Ryan could be sent off for fulfilling their long term goal of shooting lasers from their angry eyes, CJ Stander could be done for manslaughter if he runs at McAllister, anything could happen.
The only guarentee is a Sky Sports build up where they suck Munster's collective tatty-bo-jangles and that I'll get mean drunk and cal the ref a thieving **** regardless of his performance.

 

[JJFlash]

9 times out of 10, we'd expect Munster to win by a country mile, but tomorrow, only by a few furlongs.
There's only one result, isn't there? Since the passing on of Anthony Foley, Munster have rediscovered their form of old and should sweep away a vastly underperforming Toulouse side.

 

[Groundhog]

McCalister has been in the media playing mind games by being respectful and complimentary about Munster, saying "intimidating", "awesome", "great experience" "favourite stadium"........ The prick. Making me nervous.

 

[Groundhog]

Really good interview with Flannery. He's a great speaker, and you can tell what this season has meant for him.
http://www.skysports.com/watch/vide...r8217s-season-jerry-flannery-the-extended-cut

 

[JJFlash]

McCalister has been in the media playing mind games by being respectful and complimentary about Munster, saying "intimidating", "awesome", "great experience" "favourite stadium"........ The prick. Making me nervous.

Don't take any notice of this "has-been" cos he's not likely to bother you on the day!

 

[munstermuffin]

Toulouse are fired up. We won't expect anything easy. They arrived today did a session in Shannon town in closed off pitch and are in Thomond tomorrow as well as 2nd session in Shannon town

 

[JJFlash]

Come off it muff. Toulouse are f****ed up alright!

 

[munstermuffin]

Come off it muff. Toulouse are f****ed up alright!

The beauty of cup rugby is form is out window it's on the day

 

[JJFlash]

The beauty of cup rugby is form is out window it's on the day

You're right, and I'll of course be rooting for the Toulousains (with or without McAllister!)

 

[Groundhog]

Oh me oh my you make me cry What a gooood looking teaammmmm. Some soft spots on the bench but that starting team is one of the best in Europe at the moment I truly believe. We've been blessed with injuries.

And for Tolouse
15: Medard 14: Huget 13: Fritz: 12: Fickou 11erez 10: Doussain 9: Bezy 8: Cros 7:Camara 6: Dusautoir 5: Masteri 4: Gray 3: Johnston 2: Ghiraldini 1: Baille


Bench


Marchand Steenkampt Aldegheri Gray Faasalele Tekori Mcalister Bonneval

Again a very nice starting 15 on paper with some holes on the bench.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Munster team looks strong. Great to have impact replacements like Francis Saili and Andrew Conway too.

 

[TheSaffycen]

Doussain at 10....Flood and McAlister are both better 10s.
I think Munster will boss the breakdown, Toulouse can normally be targeted there. I'm going for Munster by about 13. I think at first Toulouse may have the upper hand when the forwards are fresh, but i don't think they will have the fitness or will against Munster. Munster to be leading by 3 at the break.

 

[JJFlash]

Doussain at 10....Flood and McAlister are both better 10s.
I think Munster will boss the breakdown, Toulouse can normally be targeted there. I'm going for Munster by about 13. I think at first Toulouse may have the upper hand when the forwards are fresh, but i don't think they will have the fitness or will against Munster. Munster to be leading by 3 at the break.

Even the Toulouse fans can't believe that Doussain is at 10. Flood, the best 10 in the club is out of favour - maybe after his red card against Brive for a bit of "enthusiastic rucking", and McAllister is way past his best.
Apart from that, it ain't a bad team - on paper, but they'll not have enough clout to knock over Munster.

 

[FrenchFan]

If this is going to be our last game in Europe for a while I hope we do ourselves justice.

We started the season well and after wins over Clermont and SF in January our momentum stalled with the 6N. Just like the season before. But the generation gap and lack of leadership are now clearly showing. Nothing like the prospect of no Europe next season to get the spring cleaning underway!

I'm not going to fall for the doom and gloom in the media. The usual BS about Toulouse is reaching stratospheric levels. Hilarious reading. To think these people get paid to write their ***** makes it even more funny.McAlister is feeding into the media circus as opposed to doing his talking on the pitch. He's been useless for many seasons. Off to non rugby Lyon as a deluxe sub. Good luck to him. He's a lesson to the staff about holding on to players or their reputation.

I hope Hugo Mola keeps his job for next season. He's not at fault. He's a young manager who was coaching in ProD2 only 2 seasons ago. He needs time to start the rebuilding. They can't expect him to turn things around in 2 years when the Board has done nothing to prepare for the post-Noves era and the team is now paying the price.

Next we need to let go of the dross who are clearly not up to it i.e. Flood, Steenkamp, Kakovin won't be kept.

We need to focus on ourselves in the seasons to come - bring in the young talent we have. If no Europe next season, it'll be a blessing in disguise. Let the Top 14 high rollers run into their wall, while we regroup.
Alongside Baille Marchand Aldegheri Fickou Bonneval Cros Marques - We have some great youngsters like Florian Verhaeghe (19) on his first pro contract + a solid staff with a young head coach who needs time and support. We'll have a new president as well. ***i Dusautoir, Pato Albacete and Greg Lamboley are retiring and they have been magnificent.

On game. They've picked experienced players like Ghiraldini but he's 3rd choice hooker I would have gone for Marchand - Tolofua is injured and a loss as he's been our best forward with Cyril Baille. Doussain is struggling at 10 but at least JM will front up and is the better defender.

 

[FrenchFan]

Just heard JP Doyle the ref for this game is apparently related to THE Mrs Doyle - we're going to get mugged

 

[Groundhog]

JP Doyle, an Irishman who refs for the RFU and voluntarily played rugby for the Gick? No thank you.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

JP Doyle has made the worst life choices.

 

[munstermuffin]

Murray is out.