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DonBilly
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Guys I am a bit surprised by the absence of threads about tomorow's match in Cardiff. What's happening?
Heineken Cup final: Team news
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Heineken Cup final, Millennium Stadium, Saturday May 20th, KO 15.00, live on Sky Sports 1
Munster rugby director Declan Kidney has made one change from the side that crushed Leinster in last month's Heineken Cup semi-final for Saturday's Millennium Stadium showdown against Biarritz.
Kidney has recalled fit-again prop Marcus Horan instead of Federico Pucciariello.
The Irish province have been given a clean bill of health regarding slight fitness concerns Paul O'Connell and John Kelly, while fly-half Ronan O'Gara has recovered from the stomach bug that forced him to miss training earlier this week.
"It has all the makings of a great game, and all we can do is focus on ourselves," said Kidney.
"It is a pretty daunting task coming up against a side like Biarritz, and you never really know how it is going to pan out - it is just a brilliant opportunity for everyone involved."
Munster have reached the knock-out stages every season since 1998, and will be spurred on by the painful memories of failed final attempts against Northampton in 2000 and Leicester two years later.
Foley and company return to the scene of that Leicester defeat while the French champions are contesting their first European showpiece after experiencing semi-final heartache during the past two seasons.
Biarritz welcome back captain Thomas Lievremont following injury in the back row, so Thierry Dusautoir drops out.
The teams have met twice before in Heineken Cup combat, each winning a quarter-final tie
Tournament organisers will make a decision on whether or not to close the roof on Saturday morning, but it is likely to be shut, given a forecast of wet and windy weather.
Biarritz: 15-N Brusque; 14-J-B Gobelet, 13-P Bidabe, 12-D Traille, 11-S Bobo; 10-J Peyrelongue, 9-D Yachvili; 1-P Balan, 2-B August, 3-C Johnson, 4-J Thion, 5-D Couzinet, 6-S Betsen, 7-I Harinordoquy, 8-T Lievremont (captain).
Replacements: B Noirot, B Lecouls, O Olibeau, T Dusautoir, M Carizza, J Dupuy, F Martin Arramburu
Munster: 15-S Payne; 14-A Horgan, 13-J Kelly, 12-T Halstead, 11-I Dowling; 10-R O'Gara, 9-P Stringer; 1-M Horan, 2-J Flannery, 3-J Hayes, 4-D O'Callaghan, 5-P O'Connell, 6-D Leamy, 7-D Wallace, 8-A Foley (captain).
Replacements: D Fogarty, F Pucciariello, M O'Driscoll, A Quinlan, T O'Leary, J Manning, R Henderson. [/b]
:bravo:Originally posted by The TRUTH!!@May 20 2006, 05:02 PM
Great game!!
The atmosphere was better than any game of rugby i can remember.
That final puts the Super 14 to shame.
Next saturday the Super 14 final will be played in NZ infront of 30,000 ferals in wet and windy conditions in a **** poor stadium with no atmosphere............. no wonder SH players go north.
Well done Munster :bravo:
Originally posted by falconsfan@May 21 2006, 02:01 AM
The truth what a typical comment from an aussie whos teams aren't good enough for the super 14 final :bleh!:
Watch and learn next saturday how to play proper southern hemisphere rugby
This is what will stomp all over you in the tri nations once again this year :cheers:
You seem like a really bad loser as the crusaders and canes deserve to be there on merit
Yeah, I have to agree with you on that... The Heinaken cup final absolutely KILLLS the Super 12/14 final in terms of being a spectacle. Mostly because the kiwi's dominate it all the time and all their stadiums are second rate (then when the ACT hosted the final it was at that shitty Camberra stadium), if NSW ever or QLD pull their act together and get to host a final then the atmosphere at Telstra or Suncorp will be unreal, but untill then we'll just have to deal with these uneventful looking matches.Originally posted by The TRUTH!!@May 21 2006, 03:02 AM
Great game!!
The atmosphere was better than any game of rugby i can remember.
That final puts the Super 14 to shame.
Next saturday the Super 14 final will be played in NZ infront of 30,000 ferals in wet and windy conditions in a **** poor stadium with no atmosphere............. no wonder SH players go north.
Well done Munster :bravo:
Once again, Why blame us for Australia being crap?Originally posted by sanzar+May 21 2006, 11:20 AM--><!--QuoteBegin-The TRUTH!!Yeah, I have to agree with you on that... The Heinaken cup final absolutely KILLLS the Super 12/14 final in terms of being a spectacle. Mostly because the kiwi's dominate it all the time and all their stadiums are second rate (then when the ACT hosted the final it was at that shitty Camberra stadium), if NSW ever or QLD pull their act together and get to host a final then the atmosphere at Telstra or Suncorp will be unreal, but untill then we'll just have to deal with these uneventful looking matches. [/b]@May 21 2006, 03:02 AM
Great game!!
The atmosphere was better than any game of rugby i can remember.
That final puts the Super 14 to shame.
Next saturday the Super 14 final will be played in NZ infront of 30,000 ferals in wet and windy conditions in a **** poor stadium with no atmosphere............. no wonder SH players go north.
Well done Munster :bravo: