Wasps v Munster

[An Tarbh]

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Wasps v Munster

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So the clash of the weekend sees the last 2 champions clashing in Coventry.

Munster travel to Coventry without Paul O'Connell who is ruled out with a disc problem in his back, in his absence Munster will be led by Ronan O'Gara who saw a timely return to form last weekend in the win over Edinburgh at Musgrave Park.

Wasps have yet to name their squad for Saturday's game and Kidney will name his starting lineup on Friday afternoon.

 

[RC]

This should be a really interesting game to watch. I'd be leaning more towards Wasps coming away with the points in this one, but Munster ALWAYS seem to step it up for the European competitions.
Someone's gonna lose, but there's not gonna be much in it.

 

[stormmaster1]

for all their supposed poor form last season, Munster won at Welford road at the start of the HC. But Wasps showed great form and spirit v Glos last week. Could go either way.

 

[An Tarbh]

True you can never write off Munster at this level, think Wasps might have been better off keeping the game at Adams Park rather than moving it to Coventry where I'd imagine the Munster fans will outnumber their Wasps counterparts.

Anyway Judas has named the side, making 4 changes from the team which overcame Edinburgh last weekend. Shaun Payne comes in at full back in place of Denis Hurley, Kieran Lewis makes way in the centre for Rua Tipoki while his place on the bench is taken by Ian Dowling who drops out of the starting XV being replaced by Anthony Horgan, a slap in the face if ever there was one for Skinny. The only change in the pack sees Marcus Horan start at loosehead with Pucciarello missing out on the 22 altogether. Ronan O'Gara will skipper the side in the absence of Paul O'Connell, who ordinarily would be considered quite a loss but given his form during the world cup and his insistence that he was a centre, maybe it's not necessarily a bad thing.

Munster: 15. Payne, 14. Carney, 13. Tipoki, 12. Mafi, 11. Horgan, 10. O'Gara ©, 9. Stringer, 1. Horan, 2. Flannery, 3. Hayes, 4. O'Callaghan, 5. O'Driscoll, 6. Quinlan, 7. Wallace, 8. Leamy.
Replacements: 16. Sheahan, 17. Buckley, 18. Foley, 19. Paringatai, 20. O'Leary, 21. Warwick, 22. Dowling

 

[riders of the storm]

Wasps: 15 Mark van Gisbergen, 14 Paul Sackey, 13 Fraser Waters, 12 Riki Flutey, 11 Tom Voyce, 10 Danny Cipriani, 9 Eoin Reddan, 8 Lawrence Dallaglio &copy;, 7 Tom Rees, 6 James Haskell, 5 George Skivington, 4 Simon Shaw, 3 Nick Adams, 2 Raphaël Ibanez, 1 Tim Payne.
Replacements: 16 Joe Ward, 17 Michael Holford, 18 Richard Birkett, 19 John Hart, 20 Simon Amor, 21 Rob Hoadley, 22 Dan Leo.

I think Wasps may just edge this one by 3.

 

[Bullitt]

<strike>London</strike> <strike>Wycombe</strike> Coventry Wasps 0 - 3 Munster

O'Gara pen

5 mins

Looks like the Munster Men outnumber the strolling minstrels by 2:1 in the attendence.

<strike>London</strike> <strike>Wycombe</strike> Coventry Wasps 3 - 3 Munster

Cipriani pen

7 mins

 

[RC]

Lol. Why are they Coventry Wasps now?

 

[Cymrurugbyfan]

Because they're playing in Coventry.

Wasps 13 - 13 Munster.
It's been an entertaining game so far, but COME ON MUNSTER! LETS GET RID OF THE WASPS EARLY ON!!!

 

[RC]

Because they're playing in Coventry.
[/b]

Wow, really?! <_<

Why are they in coventry, i mean.

 

[Cymrurugbyfan]

Well I don't know, no need to get sarcastic mate, I just thought that's what you meant...

 

[shazbooger]

24-23 to Wasps.

A damn good game for the neutral. Not sure either team really deserved to lose it but thems the breaks. Wasps will be delighted to come away with the win, and while Munster will be dissapointed to lose, they got a bonus point and apart from a few stupid mistakes near the end they looked like coming back to some sort of form. Plenty of positives for both teams I'd say.

Moment of Note: Buckley handing off Simon Shaw in the first half. Fecking idiot got caught under his posts but handed Shaw aside as if he was a scrum half. Made me laugh anyway.

Man of the Match: Quinlan. He was simply awesome in offense and defense.

 

[AllezWasps]

Lol. Why are they Coventry Wasps now?
[/b]

Wycombe played Swindon in FA Cup at home today. Adams Park was taken, we played at Coventry in the last semi final, so they chose there.

Oh jesus, I thought the RWC had killed me, this match had buried..Munster were very good, the 2 kiwis looked dangerous. But that was an epic match by Wasps, thats 2 in 2 matches now, we pushed hard, scored 2 very good tries, and would have been 3 if boot makers hadn't chosen to curse Sackey tonight.

Cipriani is growing into a bloody good player, 15 doesn't suit him, 10 does.

To sum up:


Edit- Can we play you every week Munster? Not because its easy, but because its bloody amazing when we do. I love you guys.

 

[shtove]

O Munster, never disappointing. We did better than I expected, but the team has yet to gell. A couple of stoooopid penalties (Delagllio, you Irish-Italian cnut), and a slightly harsh yellow made the difference.

The two lunatics in the centre: in defence they're like a pair of six year olds chasing a soccer ball, but in attack they cause a lot of pain. And I'm wondering if Carney is going to prove his potential - he'd have a field day playing for Leinster. Anthony "Me a Winger?" Horgan at #11? Thought that lesson was learned against the ABs four years ago - solid defender, except he have no speed.

ROG kept up his form after last week - not yet perfect - and the pack should have given him a drop goal platform in the last minute. The sidefoot grubber for the second try was pure skill.

Very good to see pressure on the Wasps lineout, and I hope O'Driscoll keeps O'Connell guessing about his place. Scrum was OK, given the injuries.

Cipriani at outhalf was very cool. How many #10s does England have at this stage?

Both teams will improve, so don't be surprised if they meet in the final.

Me loves the HEC.

 

[Incredible Schalk]

Yea was a great game. Munster did very well considering they only just edged it against a fairly average Edinburgh side last week. Wasps were impressive in the way they came back, behind most of the game but when it mattered the most they were able to take the points.

 

[Bullitt]

Cipriani at outhalf was very cool. How many #10s does England have at this stage?[/b]

The exact reason I keep saying all these people who want Wilkinson to stay in the England setup are dumb communists. Cipriani looked superb yesterday and Lamb on Friday night was nothing short of phenominal, then there are Flood and Geherety in the wings also .Still, the men of the match for me were Haskell and Reese, those two are continually developing into amazing backrow forwards.

When you consider all this outstanding young talent, it's incredible that England (*coughRobAndrewcough*) continually refuse to adapt an explosive running game to work in tandem alongside the already rocksolid forwards base they have.

 

[Gavin]

Munster for HEC glory once again? I could just be possible as we now have some sort of cutting edge in attack.

We lost the match because of Horan's yellow card.

Does anyone have any comments on the incident concerning Waters and Carney? Surely that was a professional foul and Waters had to be given a yellow card at the least, perhaps even Munster awarded a try?

 

[Bullitt]

In that were the case, Sackeys effort should also have been given as a try, thus cancelling out the two key mistakes towards both sides. Had the ref correctly asked "Is there any reason I cannot award the try?" instead of being a lazy ******** (like most refs these days) and asking "Was that a try?" thus dodging any improtant decisions, or for that matter had there been no TMO, it would have been given.

 

[AllezWasps]

Munster for HEC glory once again? I could just be possible as we now have some sort of cutting edge in attack.

We lost the match because of Horan's yellow card.

Does anyone have any comments on the incident concerning Waters and Carney? Surely that was a professional foul and Waters had to be given a yellow card at the least, perhaps even Munster awarded a try?
[/b]

From what I saw/remember, Waters jumped ontop of the ball, Carney slids in, knocks it on and then tries to walk over Waters. The ball was away from them, so nah, no try, no card.

 

[Incredible Schalk]

Yea it should have been a card, Carney was obstructed and their should have been a sin binning. Shouldnt detract from a great game though, as some of already mentioned i thought Cipriani played superbly; even although i dont like him. :toss:

 

[totoy]

great game !!
go wasp 1!!!!