URC 24/25: Quarter finals

[saulan]

 

[saulan]

DHL Stormers: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Ben Loader, 13 Suleiman Hartzenberg, 12 Dan du Plessis, 11 Seabelo Senatla, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Stefan Ungerer, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Marcel Theunissen, 6 Paul de Villiers, 5 Ruben van Heerden, 4 Salmaan Moerat (captain), 3 Neethling Fouche, 2 Andre-Hugo Venter, 1 Ali Vermaak.
Replacements: 16 Joseph Dweba, 17 Vernon Matongo, 18 Sazi Sandi, 19 JD Schickerling, 20 Connor Evans, 21 Louw Nel, 22 Herschel Jantjies, 23 Manie Libbok

Think its strongest we have in lock. Props we are a bit weaker here, but basically what we have been playing with throughout the season (no Kitshoff, Malherbe and Harris) - but we feel it in the drop down to the bench. Loose forward looks decent, Paul de Villiers has played well whenever he has been on the pitch, but still a bit lighter without BJD and Deon Fourie. In the backline there are a couple of missing players, but most of these have been out long term (Nel specifically, not sure where Roche is). A bit of a shame with Willemse being out, but we have almost consistently been without one of Gelant/Willemse/Libbok and SFM and we have the most important of those four playing (SFM). A bit surprised Zas isn't in the team tbh.

That being said, every team is going to be missing key players from injury at this point in the season, and overall the team looks good. Feel more confident with this team in the QF vs the same quarter final a year ago, but the weather forecast doesn't bode well for our running focused game.

 

[Groundhog]

Bonus territory for us, we did our job for this year by salvaging a terrible season and qualifying for Europe. That said I expect us to give this a decent rattle. The squad is as fit as it has been this year, and the Sharks while outstanding on paper and being pretty good in the URC this year are gettable. We've been poor v SA sides this year though in contrast to previous years. I expect we will fall short, but excited for this.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

We've lost in finals, we've lost in semi-finals, only one more thing to do men.

 

[General Melchett]

We've lost in finals, we've lost in semi-finals, only one more thing to do men.

That would be the choke slam which actually sounds like a wrestling move.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

That would be the choke slam which actually sounds like a wrestling move.

It would be impressive but I fear we're at the "Beat [insert mid-table team] convincingly and get overly optimistic" stage of the Leinster cycle. The next is of course "Lose knockout game and discuss what is broken within the system rather than looking at Leo Cullen's job".

 

[General Melchett]

It would be impressive but I fear we're at the "Beat [insert mid-table team] convincingly and get overly optimistic" stage of the Leinster cycle. The next is of course "Lose knockout game and discuss what is broken within the system rather than looking at Leo Cullen's job".

It's funny how the narrative can change so quickly. After nilling Quins and Glasgow all the talk was about how the fruits of Nienaber's D labour were finally being seen. I still wonder about the rumour that Faz wanted to check on Henshaw's form before finalising his Lions squad. If Jordie starts that game against Saints then it could all have been so different.

 

[The Seeker]

Glasgow over Stormers

 

[Groundhog]

Munster Rugby: Thaakir Abrahams; Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Alex Nankivell, Diarmuid Kilgallen; Jack Crowley, Craig Casey; Michael Milne, Niall Scannell, Stephen Archer; Jean Kleyn, Tadhg Beirne (C); Peter O'Mahony, John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes.

Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, Josh Wycherley, John Ryan, Tom Ahern, Alex Kendellen, Conor Murray, Rory Scannell, Mike Haley.

I have lost any misplaced optimism I had. The Sharks team is ridiculous on paper. For us Niall Scannell starting is baffling, especially when Barron steadied the ship in a major way against Benneton. I harp on this a lot, but its not even like we can make the set piece solidity argument for Scannell anymore. Rory Scannell on the bench indicates two things, that Crowley is not 100% and that Tony Butler is not trusted to play 10 ahead of a pretty limited centre. I am very thankful we have a complete outsider coming in next year to hopefully take a different stance on selection.

 

[saulan]

Oh no not Brace. Definitely my least favorite of the URC refs.

 

[Ddanno]

Not going to call either of the knock ons at that breakdown?

 

[saulan]

We have been absolutely terrible

 

[Ddanno]

We have been absolutely terrible

Glasgow haven't been much better. You've got them on toast at the scrum

 

[saulan]

Glasgow haven't been much better. You've got them on toast at the scrum

Yea, definitely have them in the scrums, but are completely clueless with the ball. It's weird, it's not been our normal attacking pattern. It's usually looking to get an offload just before or during contact and getting our backs running. There's been a huge amount of one off bash running and then when our backs are getting the ball they are looking lost and knocking on.

And our defense is a sieve.

 

[Ddanno]

Yeah defence has been pretty shocking - both teams again though. And the game has not been helped by Brace sticking the whistle in his maw every minute, the man needs to buy a dummy

 

[Ddanno]

That was tasty

 

[ChicagoKid]

How Moerat ever played meaningful minutes in a meaningful game?

That is at least 3 concussions I've seen him get in the last 2 years. Horrible, horrible technique.

 

[ChicagoKid]

And what the hell is Mannie doing? Clear your lines. That is the second horrible exit that cost them a try. The Stormers have some of the dumbest rugby IQ players in the world.

 

[Gavin]

Tom Jordan is cracker

 

[Ddanno]

Tom Jordan is cracker

Yeah he's having a wild time. Think this is the first time I've seen him play