Guinness Pro 12 2014/15: Semi-Finals

[Amiga500]

We lost because:

- once again, (very) experienced players made stupid mistakes at critical times.
- while the coaching team deserves much credit for how the team performed in the first half, they also deserve much criticism for how they didn't use our bench. Warwick, Herring, Diack and McCloskey should all have been introduced long before they were. If these guys had been coming on from about 50 mins onwards, the rush defence intensity could have been maintained. Furthermore, McCloskey would have asked different questions of the Glasgow defence and potentially unbalanced their half-time rejig.
- Glasgow hung on, desperately hung on at times, and lived off scraps for much of the game. They kept themselves within one score by their fingernails and it paid off. Fair dues to them.

 

[big ginger 8]

Paul 'Jackal' O'Connell.

 

[Amiga500]

Also, why was Nigel Owen not refereeing last night's game, and why was Marius Mitrea or Patterson or one of the other SRU refs in charge of today's game?

It just looks a bit amateurish.

 

[Bluemoon]

Good battle at the breakdown in this game!

 

[Amiga500]

Ooooh, good try.

Now a 2 score game. Ospreys need to get the first score of the 2nd half... otherwise they are in deep ****.

 

[Jbobo]

Nice try by Munster before half time.

 

[big ginger 8]

Good finish by Hurley but pretty poor defense from Walker.

 

[Jbobo]

Poor poor tackling from Walker, he's been average all season and isn't looking international standard at the moment. Needs to find old form and stay injury free.

- - - Updated - - -

Ospreys need to offload and stop kicking ball away.

Clever stuff by Webb.

 

[big ginger 8]

Munster have done everything possible to lose this.

Yet somehow have won.

 

[Amiga500]

Another great play-off game!


[Although if Keatley had his kicking boots on, it'd have been an easy win.]

 

[Jbobo]

Another great play-off game!


[Although if Keatley had his kicking boots on, it'd have been an easy win.]

Ha. Munster won by the skin of their teeth, could easily have gone Ospreys way if they had taken their chances too. Deserved win though, great second half of rugby from both sides.

 

[dullonien]

Thought for a sec that Owens was going to award the try at the death, and was prepared for it to all kick off, but it was an obvious knock on. Ultimately would have been better for the o's if the whistle had gone straight away, as there would have been time go restart the game and for the o's to pressure the Munster scrum.

Good game overall. Munster good money for their win.

Ospreys had their chances in that second half. A couple of poor decisions cost them, Evans turning the ball back inside to tips with players outside, and matavesi trying an offload that wasn't on instead of staying calm and going to ground and recycling.

Good luck to Munster in the final. I think they'll go on to win it personally.

 

[sigesige00]

I am against the current system of playoffs.
Why 1st v 4th and 2nd v 3rd?

It should be in this way:

1st game: 3rd v 4th (at 3rd's home, and draw means 3rd's win)
2nd game: 2nd v winners of the 1st game (at 2nd's home, and draw means 2nd's win)
Final: 1st v winners of the 2st game (at 1st's home, and draw means 1st's win)

(Although I do not understand the necessity of the playoffs...22 league games are enough.)

 

[dullonien]

Play offs adds excitement to the end of a season, where it could have potentially been over weeks ago if the top team were way out in front.

Whilst I understand the argument that the best side over the course of a season deserves to win, I still think the play offs add a lot.

It would be easy for people to use the same argument when it comes to all sport. Why does a side who doesn't top their pool in the HC, WC etc deserve to progress and still be in with a shot of winning the competition?

The play offs have been great for the Pro12. We've had some cracking semi finals and finals. It really does prolong the excitement to the very end of the season.

 

[Rich Taff]

Thought it was a great game, Owens showed his class by allowing the play to develop, yet calling for the TMO for the earlier knock-on. (Who was the eejit who pulled the ball back out of Webb's hands?)
Can't see Glasgow beating Munster in the final, but hope the game is as close as this one was. (Didn't see the Ulster game unfortunately)

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

Seem to be like Munster are favourites to win this now. Fair enough really would be a tight game.

But i think Glasgow can win it because Glasgow always have seemed to have a better second half then first and in the Munster vs Ospreys game it looked like Munster started to play poorly in the second apart from some parts off it. But this years results, Glasgow beaten Munster 21 - 18 at Scotstoun on the 20th. Then we lost to Munster away 22 - 10 (which was at a time when i'm sure most off Glasgow's players were out due to the six nations and injuries). But these scores will mean nothing in the final. But hopefully we get to see a Scottish team win something

 

[sigesige00]

Play offs adds excitement to the end of a season, where it could have potentially been over weeks ago if the top team were way out in front.

Whilst I understand the argument that the best side over the course of a season deserves to win, I still think the play offs add a lot.

It would be easy for people to use the same argument when it comes to all sport. Why does a side who doesn't top their pool in the HC, WC etc deserve to progress and still be in with a shot of winning the competition?

The play offs have been great for the Pro12. We've had some cracking semi finals and finals. It really does prolong the excitement to the very end of the season.

In Football, there are League and Cup competitions. Is Rugby's league-playoffs something like mixture of League and Cup?