Heineken Cup Semi Final- Toulon v Munster

[munstermuffin]

Munster Team rumoured:
Kilcoyne
Varley
Botha
Foley
POC
D. Ryan
Dougall
Coughlan
Murray
Keatley
Zebo
Downey
Laulala
Earls
Jones

Casey
Cronin
Archer
Stander
TOD
Williams
JJ
GVDH

 

[lynam1104]

I know it might sound weird, but I fear Munster more than Leinster. Leinster are Ireland as we know, so, full to burst with current test level internationals, a fluid game, powerful up front, well coached. They've got sparkle, they've got the Kearneys and the O'Driscolls and all, but at the end of the day this Munster side is so fundamentally sound you can only respect them tremendously. They don't have a ton of superstars, and they still crushed Toulouse at home. And I don't care that Toulouse didn't play well, that in no way takes away from the fact Munster still dominated their star-filled opponents with great intensity, tremendous heart, and precision and grind in unison.
Oh God, I still have the footage of Zebo scoring that try on the left wing over two Toulousains after being stationary for about 2 seconds, how WEIRD was that ?! fkn hell...

I wasn't all that confident Toulon would beat Leinster, but as it happened it made sense and wasn't a huge surprise. I know Toulon have that in them, and they squandered a ton of good ball early...really should've had a third try that game...

Anyways: big respect out to the Munster men, and hopefully Toulon come out enraged and furious like last time but with a little bit more precision.

Dying to check out the damn XV's !!!...

You're thinking of Leinster of Joe, this years vintage only managed that against Northampton and have been pretty average since.

 

[Groundhog]

So are Ryan and JJ likely to be fit Muffin? Would be one slap in the face not to start Stander.

 

[TheSaffycen]

I know it might sound weird, but I fear Munster more than Leinster. Leinster are Ireland as we know, so, full to burst with current test level internationals, a fluid game, powerful up front, well coached. They've got sparkle, they've got the Kearneys and the O'Driscolls and all, but at the end of the day this Munster side is so fundamentally sound you can only respect them tremendously. They don't have a ton of superstars, and they still crushed Toulouse at home.

I agree entirely with this. Munster are terrifying in the Hcup, passion is the only word you can describe them with. You feel that everytime they concede points, miss a tackle that it actually hurts them and it just turns them into this frenzy of Brutality and Heart, if this was at Thomond Toulon would have no chance. 6,000 Munster Fans are going to make this into a concoction of noise and passion, I just cant wait.

If I was a betting man I would go for Toulon, obviously in France, but this is going to damn close. Toulon embarrassed Leinster physically and creatively but I feel this might have been the wrong time to put out that performance, let me explain. It was like showing your great hand in poker, Toulon looked pretty poor in the group stages and where not the team of last year, a lot of people thought that Leinster where actually going to go down there and get a result. Then the beast that is Toulon came out and just mauled Leinster from the first Juan Smith charge to the Mitchell try- it was the most complete performance you might ever see. But this showed Munster that Toulon are at their best and they will need to bring everything to them, they will also have seen all the mistakes Leinster made and Toulon's.
If Munster are to win this they have to defend like madmen and not let Toulon control the breakdown, if they do this the Scrum and Lineout will put Toulon under pressure. It is amazing after all of the players Toulon have signed that they haven't purchased a decent hooker, I still think that Toulon will win but only by 3.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

I agree entirely with this. Munster are terrifying in the Hcup, passion is the only word you can describe them with. You feel that everytime they concede points, miss a tackle that it actually hurts them and it just turns them into this frenzy of Brutality and Heart, if this was at Thomond Toulon would have no chance. 6,000 Munster Fans are going to make this into a concoction of noise and passion, I just cant wait.

If I was a betting man I would go for Toulon, obviously in France, but this is going to damn close. Toulon embarrassed Leinster physically and creatively but I feel this might have been the wrong time to put out that performance, let me explain. It was like showing your great hand in poker, Toulon looked pretty poor in the group stages and where not the team of last year, a lot of people thought that Leinster where actually going to go down there and get a result. Then the beast that is Toulon came out and just mauled Leinster from the first Juan Smith charge to the Mitchell try- it was the most complete performance you might ever see. But this showed Munster that Toulon are at their best and they will need to bring everything to them, they will also have seen all the mistakes Leinster made and Toulon's.
If Munster are to win this they have to defend like madmen and not let Toulon control the breakdown, if they do this the Scrum and Lineout will put Toulon under pressure. It is amazing after all of the players Toulon have signed that they haven't purchased a decent hooker, I still think that Toulon will win but only by 3.

Leinster were **** though?! Munster were more impressive vs Toulouse than Toulon were against Leinster, they just capitalized on some ridiculous mistakes by Leinster and relied on Armitage getting his belly on the ball at ruck time. Munster will be better than Leinster were that day and Toulon will probably need to be better than they were to win.

 

[TheSaffycen]

Leinster were **** though?! Munster were more impressive vs Toulouse than Toulon were against Leinster, they just capitalized on some ridiculous mistakes by Leinster and relied on Armitage getting his belly on the ball at ruck time. Munster will be better than Leinster were that day and Toulon will probably need to be better than they were to win.

I'm not saying that Leinster where at their best but I don't think they were aloud to be at their best because of Toulon. You said that Leinster choked but I think it was more shell shock, Leinster were just stunned by the Toulon performance after seeing how they played in the group stages.

 

[munstermuffin]

CJ starts TOD dropped. But Munster have nice bench must say. D. Ryan pulled up in training

 

[Big Ewis]

According to Planet Rugby:
Toulon: 15 Delon Armitage, 14 Drew Mitchell, 13 Mathieu Bastareaud, 12 Matt Giteau, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Jonny Wilkinson (c), 9 Sebastien Tillous-Borde, 8 Steffon Armitage, 7 Juan Fernandez Lobbe, 6 Juan Smith, 5 Jocelino Suta, 4 Danie Rossouw, 3 Carl Hayman, 2 Craig Burden, 1 Xavier Chiocci.
Replacements: 16 Jean-Charles Orioli, 17 Alexandre Menini, 18 Martin Castrogiovanni, 19 Virgile Bruni, 20 David Smith, 21 Maxime Mermoz, 22 Michael Claassens, 23 Konstantine Mikautadze

Btw, not all that packed with stars aye. Sides like Clermont or Leinster are a lot more loaded than this tbh. Anyways, hopefully Habana plays like Habana and not some shadow of a former player yet. He hasn't played in a while and is thrown into a European Cup 1/2F right off the bat, so...

Interesting to see Toulon have gone for Menini as replacement LH in stead of the other two options - they're looking for more experience and scrummaging from this pick rather than aggressiveness in the loose against Leinster.

Just 4 Frenchmen in the starting XV, and half the bench French. Good to see at least the 3 Var home-grown products in an H Cup 1/2F.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

I'm not saying that Leinster where at their best but I don't think they were aloud to be at their best because of Toulon. You said that Leinster choked but I think it was more shell shock, Leinster were just stunned by the Toulon performance after seeing how they played in the group stages.

Probably a bit of both, Toulon came out at 100mph and Leinster contained them at first. Leinster's mistakes lost them the game. Toulon were probably at their most intense but they can definitely be more clinical and if they are they won't be stopped. Anyway, Munster at 10/3 looks pretty decent!

 

[TheSaffycen]

According to Planet Rugby:
Toulon: 15 Delon Armitage, 14 Drew Mitchell, 13 Mathieu Bastareaud, 12 Matt Giteau, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Jonny Wilkinson (c), 9 Sebastien Tillous-Borde, 8 Steffon Armitage, 7 Juan Fernandez Lobbe, 6 Juan Smith, 5 Jocelino Suta, 4 Danie Rossouw, 3 Carl Hayman, 2 Craig Burden, 1 Xavier Chiocci.
Replacements: 16 Jean-Charles Orioli, 17 Alexandre Menini, 18 Martin Castrogiovanni, 19 Virgile Bruni, 20 David Smith, 21 Maxime Mermoz, 22 Michael Claassens, 23 Konstantine Mikautadze

Is that it ! Well I predict an easy win for the Munster men, just weaknesses all around the park.....Pffffff

 

[Big Ewis]

Is that it ! Well I predict an easy win for the Munster men, just weaknesses all around the park.....Pffffff

Okay, maybe a more 'visual' look at their 23 would be more convincing:

 

[TheSaffycen]

Bastareaud prepping for the game

 

[Big Ewis]

Bastareaud prepping for the game
View attachment 2812

I....I understand not.

 

[Jaguares]

I would like to win Munster, I hate the wallet's team but it's very very difficult

 

[munstermuffin]

Just to throw spanner in works. Here in Marseille and it's ****ty weather.

 

[Big Ewis]

Just to throw spanner in works. Here in Marseille and it's ****ty weather.

that's because of you and your "luck of the Irish". You brought your shhitty clouds with you, gtfo you dirty immigrant !

I would like to win Munster, I hate the wallet's team but it's very very difficult

no no...I can arrange that you win mustard if you want, but you can't just win Munster. Even if you beat Mario the Lost Levels, we can't just give it to you.

 

[munstermuffin]

that's because of you and your "luck of the Irish". You brought your shhitty clouds with you, gtfo you dirty immigrant !



no no...I can arrange that you win mustard if you want, but you can't just win Munster. Even if you beat Mario the Lost Levels, we can't just give it to you.

Only lookin out for the grass. It needs a drop of rain. Hey this my town for weekend.

 

[Big Ewis]

Only lookin out for the grass. It needs a drop of rain. Hey this my town for weekend.

well careful on the way back home then friend. You might have a few "dirty immigrants" ON YOU......and TRUST ME you don't want any of those in Ireland
if you don't understand this now, you will a little later after having spent some time around in Marseille...

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

well careful on the way back home then friend. You might have a few "dirty immigrants" ON YOU......and TRUST ME you don't want any of those in Ireland
if you don't understand this now, you will a little later after having spent some time around in Marseille...

I was in Marseille over the Summer, one of the strangest cities I've ever visited!

 

[Big Ewis]

I was in Marseille over the Summer, one of the strangest cities I've ever visited!

care to elaborate ?