Champions Cup SF. 2 - Munster Rugby v Saracens

[JJFlash]

Can't see Munster winning this. They've not had any class opposition to play at home until now and I believe they'll be on the receiving end by at least 12 points.

 

[profitius]

Saracens are favourites but Munster have quality throughout the squad.

Not really. Toulouse have the biggest budget and we're 12th. La Rochelle are 1st with only the 12th budget (18M). Go figure (pun intended). Never mind.

I ment to say the teams are NOT as good as the money would suggest. Toulouse being the main example indeed.

 

[corny]

If Saracens win it'll be amongst their best wins. Munster will be ferocious...and i mean ****ing ferocious. Munster (with home advantage being key) by 2.

 

[TheSaffycen]

Saracens: Alex Goode; Chris Ashton, Marcelo Bosch, Brad Barritt (capt), Sean Maitland; Owen Farrell, Richard Wigglesworth; Mako Vunipola, Jamie George, Vincent Koch; Maro Itoje, George Kruis; Michael Rhodes, Jackson Wray, Billy Vunipola

Replacements: Schalk Brits, Titi Lamositele, Petrus Du Plessis, Jim Hamilton, Schalk Burger, Ben Spencer, Alex Lozowski, Chris Wyles



Do with that Burger and Brits were starting. Wrays been fine but doesn't have an x factor, and Brits has played his best rugby in about 2 years recently.
I look at the Munster team and on paper it doesn't scare me, but i know in Ireland that this will be one hell of a game.

 

[Reiser99]

Apparently Duncan Williams wasn't 100% during the week though. With Keatley covering, but not playing regularly I guess scrum half has to be targeted and put under pressure.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Almost certain try goes begging due to a poor pass and poor take.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Can't watch this but I hope Munster take this, a Munster v Leinster final would be great, in the making for 11 years at this stage!

Edit: Not saying Ster are going to win in Lyon. Pro12 need to win this year though, there's a sequence!

 

[TommiG88]

Good old Irish crowd

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Really?! He was 3 foot off the floor.

 

[HenryChinaski]

Jesus what the hell are you supposed to do as a tackler when the carrier literally falls into your arm

 

[TheSaffycen]

Player is about waist height, but you're the away team...

 

[Brabander]

Jesus what the hell are you supposed to do as a tackler when the carrier literally falls into your arm

His head wasn't that much lower from his normal height, imo.

 

[TommiG88]

Jesus what the hell are you supposed to do as a tackler when the carrier literally falls into your arm

He literally had to be on his knees to tackle there.

 

[HenryChinaski]

Should have been a penalty against Vunipola there for not releasing.

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As a wasps fan it hurts to admit just how much better Saracens are as a side right now.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

TBH I think these four semi finalists are prob the four best teams in Europe.

Leinster, Munster and Saracens are comfortably above everyone else.

 

[HenryChinaski]

TBH I think these four semi finalists are prob the four best teams in Europe.

Leinster, Munster and Saracens are comfortably above everyone else.

Agree with that. No premiership team is anywhere near, including Exeter though they are the closest I reckon.


Alex Goode is so weird. Who was it on here who first designated that 'thing' he does as "the treacle dance?".

 

[TheSaffycen]

Shame my WiFi has gone down at home so i cant watch the game now...

 

[TommiG88]

Awful decision!

 

[Jockstap]

On the evidence so far, Saracens will pull away from Munster in the second half. It just feels like a heavyweight fighting a light heavyweight, Munster will be out on their feet in the last 20.

 

[Cruz_del_Sur]

His head wasn't that much lower from his normal height, imo.

You can't be serious. There was a least a 30 cm difference between where his shoulders where at the time he got tackled and how he walks up straight. Pretty sure i'm being quite generous with the 30 cm.

 

[TommiG88]

This is why Maitland is not a lion, he's been cack.

 

[TheSaffycen]

Internet is back, not impressed by the performance. Luckily Munster played in a weak league and are undercooked

 

[TommiG88]

Saracens you butchers!!!

 

[TheSaffycen]

He went from the greatest player, to Willie Le Roux in seconds.....


You can see Munster winning this, we've given them nothing in the second half and now we will butcher every single chance. For a team that's so clinical we haven't been today

 

[TheSaffycen]

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great play all around, even with a biased ref you guys cant win! /s

 

[TommiG88]

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great play all around, even with a biased ref you guys cant win! /s

Yes! That try brought a cheer out of me.

 

[Gavin]

Game, set, match for Sarries. Their defence has been incredible, though Munster have looked blunt in attack.

Munster have achieved more than they would have anticipated at the start of the season. So even though it is a loss, to reach the semi-final is a fantastic achievement for the club, especially considering where Munster has been over the past few years.

 

[HenryChinaski]

Tough luck Munster, well played Saracens.

Munster experienced what a lot of teams go through against Saracens, which is that the things which usually work, just don't against them. Munster are an example of a strong outfit who play with intensity, physicality, exacting standards, accuracy and passion. It's not something that most teams in the pro 12 and Aviva premiership can live with most of the time. Problem is that when you come up against a side that doesn't have the usual weaknesses of average club sides and can basically do what you do but even better - you're a bit stuck. Against Saracens' "relentless, relentless" as you hear them shouting, you just need the odd bit of magic from nowhere to get you back in the game. For all Wasps faults and we have plenty, even though we were out muscled, thought, basically everything the other week, we were able to get back into the game almost from a try out of nowhere, even though we had no right to be in that game. I think at this stage in the comp to be able to beat teams as good as Saracens, you need to be able to come up with something from nothing to give yourself a lifeline, and I didn't really think Munster looked like doing that today.

 

[Groundhog]

We weren't up to it on the day, but I'm not too upset Young team in many positions and compared to last season it's a nice position to be in where you expect better of your team who reached the Semi Final. Can't see Sarries being stopped this year either. We approached that game in the wrong way, and were missing Murray who may have mad a bit of difference, but they can just strangle the absolute life out of a team. They were value for the scoreline today and did what we do well simply better than we can at the moment. Don't believe we left all that much on the field, we don't have the team. Really frustrated with some players, but the squad has made me very proud as a fan this year, and brought the roar back to Munster, so I won't criticise here.
Only thing left to do is get behind Leinster tomorrow and hope for the early return of Irish rugby dominance, which lets face it is an inevitability. **** yo mamma Sarries, we'll get you and your meddling wolf pack too.

 

[FrenchFan]

I ment to say the teams are NOT as good as the money would suggest. Toulouse being the main example indeed.

Yes it doesn't come down to money or else nobody would watch.

Munster were undone by their halfbacks who lost the plot. Great 1st half of rugby all the same.

 

[TheSaffycen]

Too physical for them today, it's​ what stops most teams. When a pick and drive is getting put back 2 yards everytime and your one out runner gets smashed back it's impossible to get go forward.
Great game by Sarries but I'm still scared of Leinster, Clermont might be a great team but they normally choke when it matters.