leinster v munster

[cully]

should be a cracking game. personally don't think the leinster pack are as outmatched as the munster backline are. weather is for sun over the weekend which will suit the leinster game. would actually like to see the munster players achieve some success because they have been the nearly men for so long, it's just that i can't stand their fans. so going for a leinster win.

[bandage]

From Keith Duggan in The Times a week or two back. Sums up brilliantly this Munster myth and first media person I've seen to do so. I would actually love it if Leinster battered them.

Grass is always greener on Munster side
Keith Duggan

Sideline Cut: On weekends like this, it is always tempting to dream of what it must be like to be a Munster man. Irish by Birth, Munster By the Grace of God: isn't that how the famous Thomond Park banner reads? These heroic and monumental rugby weekends (and they are all heroic) are Munster's gift to civilisation. Although the forecast may be overcast and damp across the other three godforsaken green fields of Ireland, the gorgeous vales and mountains of magnificent Munster must be bathed in golden sunshine on the great and mighty weekends when the red shirts prepare to do battle on a rugby field for the honour and general betterment of Ireland as a whole.

Nearly all Munster men of my acquaintance - and I have friends in all the Munster boroughs other than Tipperary, Cork and Waterford - are loyal and unflinching in their devotion to Munster rugby. On tremulous days like this, they like to rise early and stare for a long a time at the framed photograph of the 1978 team that beat the All-Blacks. They smile at the memory and enjoy a delicious cooked breakfast featuring the finest meat and dairy produce that Charleville and Roscrea has to offer. Then they iron their famous Munster shirts.


The Clare lad, a thoughtful, organised kind of fellow, wears a replica O'Gara jersey. The Kerry boy possesses an old Peter Clohessy shirt which he swears is an original, won after he engaged the fearsome Limerick prop in an arm wrestling contest late into the night when the entire province was celebrating some Munster rugby miracle or other. The Claw, of course, won the contest arms down but it all ended happily, with several thousand Munster fans linking arms and singing a rousing version of Seán South from Garryowen before diving buck naked into the Shannon to catch salmon bare handed, which they fried on the leafy banks as another perfect dawn broke over God's own province.

The mornings of Munster rugby days are sacred. Some times Munster rugby men like to stroll along the Shannon, stopping on O'Connell Bridge to hum a few heartfelt bars of Limerick, You're A Lady. Other times they might climb Carrantuohill or retreat into the mists of the Burren for an hour of solitude to consider if it truly is, as Wardy suggested, "a day for up-the-jumper stuff". Eventually they will meet up with the legions of other Munster rugby fans. They are easily recognisable by their handsome features, upright bearing, generous spirit and outstanding singing voices, which they employ to operatic effect as they await the opening of the gates of paradise.

Thomond Park holds 14,000 Munster people but it is not uncommon for several million to turn up at the park in the hope of getting in. It does not matter if they fail: being from Munster is a state of mind as much as anything else and they will happily make their way to one of Munster's bountiful hostelries to talk about the many great days gone and yet to come for Munster rugby. They are considerate and convivial hosts and like nothing better than to extend a warm Munster welcome to the poor visitors from Sale, from Gloucester, from Castres or from whatever helpless rugby town is in store for the Thomond experience.

Shortly after lunch, a dark cloud will descend over the revered rugby stadium, for Munster rugby weather must be dramatic and Biblical. Often, minutes before the Munster team takes the field, there will be a thunderous downpour but Munster rain is different, it is fresh and pure and revivifying. It is somehow manly. By this time, energy waves emanating from Thomond Park will have cast a spell across that unlucky corner of Ireland that is not Munster. Those of us who are not from Munster can but watch on in wonder. We try to replicate the experience, drinking p**s water in some lonesome bar that does not possess a signed photograph of Gaillimh rising through the rain to claim an incredible lineout ball which set off another rumbling and inevitable Munster miracle.

We pretend we are drinking a fine Munster stout and that we are not trapped in some impoverished town outside the fabled land. We fall quiet when RTÉ's three wise men, George Hook, Brent Pope and Tom McGurk, appear on our television screens. Tom will be sporting his It's-Paris-circa-1975-and-I-have-just-stepped-out-of-a-John-Forsythe blockbuster rugby look, all raging pink ties and collegiate scarves and flowing trench coats.

Brent Pope will wear a sober, no nonsense suit but will shun the coat because he is a Kiwi and even though it is by now minus 10 and raining frogs across Thomond Park, Kiwis do not wear coats because they are hard as f***. And Hookie will be in a whole different place. Hookie will stare intensely into the dark Munster skies, drinking in the rain and shouting to make himself heard above the tempest of passion and expectation.

"THIS IS MAGGGGGNIFICENT," he will growl in a tone that, although canine and volcanic, is also authoritative and blessed with the sex appeal inherent to all Munster men. "THIS IS WHAT RRRRRUGBY FOOTBALL IS ALL ABOUT, TOM." And Tom will squint thoughtfully into the gale looking somewhat like Jerry Irons (the handsome film star who now lives in Munster) in The French Lieutenant's Woman.

"IT IS GRRREAT," he will agree. "NOTHING ON EARTH COMPARES TO THOMOND PARK." And we who are not from Munster will know that must be true. There are Roscommon men who have climbed Everest drunk, Fermanagh men who frolicked poolside with Marilyn Monroe and Longford men who managed to sweet talk their way onto the world's first Concorde flight who know that all their life's achievements are pointless because they are not and can not be from Munster. For the 80 minutes of the match, we watch on as the 15 warriors in red assert what Munster is all about. Sometimes they will need to win by eight tries or 15 drop goals or score a try which involves a couple of through-the-legs passes. Those handicaps are always overcome, however, and the match is duly won. Thomond, in case you weren't aware, is a Fortress.

That's what they say, anyhow. By five pm, Wardie is purring. On Radio One, Michael Corcoran is saying something that sounds like: AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Back in the RTÉ Thomond Box, George Hook looks a bit like Tony Soprano in one of his love-struck moments. He is so dishevelled, powerful and pulsing with energy and passion that he doesn't quite know how to manage. Sometimes you fear that in the heat of the moment he will take hold of Brent Pope and wrestle him to the ground DH Lawrence style. Tom McGurk looks solemn and beatific, like a man who has been given the job of anchoring the live television broadcast of Our Lady's Appearance at Knock rather than a rugby match.

The key moments of the game will be replayed with an appropriate soundtrack, something like Beethoven's Sixth Symphony. We will be assured that pride and passion are nurturing the rich soil of Munster as never before. We will be told there has never been a day, a match, a team or a place like this, like Munster. And we, the lame and the infirm and the great unwashed think to ourselves: "Lord, what is going to happen if they actually win the whole competition?"

[cully]

Tom McGurk, appear on our television screens. Tom will be sporting his It's-Paris-circa-1975-and-I-have-just-stepped-out-of-a-John-Forsythe blockbuster rugby look, all raging pink ties and collegiate scarves and flowing trench coats.

Quality description, hate that mcgurk chap.

[steamboatsam]

my prediction for the game is 15 - 10 in favour of leinster based on nothing other than my belief that irony will play a cruel part in exposing the mighty men of munster for what they really are - a bunch of cabbage throwing, turnip picking, deodorant starved, self eulogising farming nymphos - and the scoreline will reflect the number of players the respective teams actually use during the 80 mins (+ anything up to 20mins stoppage time - 2mins for each occasion the munster pack links arms and diddly idles in memory of the heroes of '78)

[whyohwhy]

steamboatsam said:

my prediction for the game is 15 - 10 in favour of leinster based on nothing other than my belief that irony will play a cruel part in exposing the mighty men of munster for what they really are - a bunch of cabbage throwing, turnip picking, deodorant starved, self eulogising farming nymphos - and the scoreline will reflect the number of players the respective teams actually use during the 80 mins (+ anything up to 20mins stoppage time - 2mins for each occasion the munster pack links arms and diddly idles in memory of the heroes of '78)

That really is a fine post. Highly intelligent and so informed.

[therock67]

steamboatsam said:

my prediction for the game is 15 - 10 in favour of leinster based on nothing other than my belief that irony will play a cruel part in exposing the mighty men of munster for what they really are - a bunch of cabbage throwing, turnip picking, deodorant starved, self eulogising farming nymphos - and the scoreline will reflect the number of players the respective teams actually use during the 80 mins (+ anything up to 20mins stoppage time - 2mins for each occasion the munster pack links arms and diddly idles in memory of the heroes of '78)

funny stuff steamboat. I can remember the day I vowed to never support Leinster in another match, it was the day I opened the Sunday Tribune and saw an interview with D'Arce and the gobshite had his boots tied around his neck like a soccer player with "South" on one boot and "Side" on the other. Complete tosser and epitomises everything that is detestable about Leinster.

Munster to win 18-17 for me.

[bandage]

admin said:

steamboatsam said:

my prediction for the game is 15 - 10 in favour of leinster based on nothing other than my belief that irony will play a cruel part in exposing the mighty men of munster for what they really are - a bunch of cabbage throwing, turnip picking, deodorant starved, self eulogising farming nymphos - and the scoreline will reflect the number of players the respective teams actually use during the 80 mins (+ anything up to 20mins stoppage time - 2mins for each occasion the munster pack links arms and diddly idles in memory of the heroes of '78)

funny stuff steamboat. I can remember the day I vowed to never support Leinster in another match, it was the day I opened the Sunday Tribune and saw an interview with D'Arce and the gobnutse had his boots tied around his neck like a soccer player with "South" on one boot and "Side" on the other. Complete tosser and epitomises everything that is detestable about Leinster.

Munster to win 18-17 for me.

With all due respect Rock if you knew Wexford town and its environs you would recogise that D'arce, being from Clonard Great, is a Southsider as opposed to say someone from Crosstown or Ferrybank on the Dublin side of the river who would be classed as a Northsider. Have a look on that Google earth thing if you want.

Re the game: I admire the Munster team in absolutely making the most of their limited natural ability to extract everything possible from their bodies for the Munster cause. It's just a shame they play the most boring, conservative, insipid rugby football in the process. They're not helped either by their self-congratulatory hordes of bandwagon supporters who made a show of themselves in Bar 51 Haddington Road (best pub in the world) after the quarter final. Talk yourselves up all you like but you'll still see that Leinster have higher attendances in the Celtic League this season. Tell us about all the French trips you made - well done, you are supporters after all. I hope to Ghod that Leinster batter them back to whence they came and they can go back and jump on the GAA bandwagon for the summer. A victory for Leinster would be a victory for rugby football.

And a plea to any Munster supporters viewing: I know you're proud of your red colours. I know you'll wear the jersey in Copper's on Friday, I know you'll wear it in Flannery's on Saturday also. But do you have to wear it to the game and the pub on Sunday too? Munster supporters = smelly bandwagon boggers.

[whyohwhy]

bandage said:

admin said:

funny stuff steamboat. I can remember the day I vowed to never support Leinster in another match, it was the day I opened the Sunday Tribune and saw an interview with D'Arce and the gobnutse had his boots tied around his neck like a soccer player with "South" on one boot and "Side" on the other. Complete tosser and epitomises everything that is detestable about Leinster.

Munster to win 18-17 for me.

With all due respect Rock if you knew Wexford town and its environs you would recogise that D'arce, being from Clonard Great, is a Southsider as opposed to say someone from Crosstown or Ferrybank on the Dublin side of the river who would be classed as a Northsider. Have a look on that Google earth thing if you want.

Re the game: I admire the Munster team in absolutely making the most of their limited natural ability to extract everything possible from their bodies for the Munster cause. It's just a shame they play the most boring, conservative, insipid rugby football in the process. They're not helped either by their self-congratulatory hordes of bandwagon supporters who made a show of themselves in Bar 51 Haddington Road (best pub in the world) after the quarter final. Talk yourselves up all you like but you'll still see that Leinster have higher attendances in the Celtic League this season. Tell us about all the French trips you made - well done, you are supporters after all. I hope to Ghod that Leinster batter them back to whence they came and they can go back and jump on the GAA bandwagon for the summer. A victory for Leinster would be a victory for rugby football.

And a plea to any Munster supporters viewing: I know you're proud of your red colours. I know you'll wear the jersey in Copper's on Friday, I know you'll wear it in Flannery's on Saturday also. But do you have to wear it to the game and the pub on Sunday too? Munster supporters = smelly bandwagon boggers.

Fairly ironic calling munster fans bandwagoners! since when have the ladyboys had 20,000 fans? answer since about two weeks ago

[bandage]

whyohwhy said:

bandage said:

With all due respect Rock if you knew Wexford town and its environs you would recogise that D'arce, being from Clonard Great, is a Southsider as opposed to say someone from Crosstown or Ferrybank on the Dublin side of the river who would be classed as a Northsider. Have a look on that Google earth thing if you want.

Re the game: I admire the Munster team in absolutely making the most of their limited natural ability to extract everything possible from their bodies for the Munster cause. It's just a shame they play the most boring, conservative, insipid rugby football in the process. They're not helped either by their self-congratulatory hordes of bandwagon supporters who made a show of themselves in Bar 51 Haddington Road (best pub in the world) after the quarter final. Talk yourselves up all you like but you'll still see that Leinster have higher attendances in the Celtic League this season. Tell us about all the French trips you made - well done, you are supporters after all. I hope to Ghod that Leinster batter them back to whence they came and they can go back and jump on the GAA bandwagon for the summer. A victory for Leinster would be a victory for rugby football.

And a plea to any Munster supporters viewing: I know you're proud of your red colours. I know you'll wear the jersey in Copper's on Friday, I know you'll wear it in Flannery's on Saturday also. But do you have to wear it to the game and the pub on Sunday too? Munster supporters = smelly bandwagon boggers.

Fairly ironic calling munster fans bandwagoners! since when have the ladyboys had 20,000 fans? answer since about two weeks ago

Sold out Landsdowne in latter stages against Biarritz and Perpignan in the last 2 or 3 years if I recall correctly.

[whyohwhy]

bandage said:

whyohwhy said:

Fairly ironic calling munster fans bandwagoners! since when have the ladyboys had 20,000 fans? answer since about two weeks ago

Sold out Landsdowne in latter stages against Biarritz and Perpignan in the last 2 or 3 years if I recall correctly.

And had an atmosphere like a Morgue, if I recall correctly

[bandage]

whyohwhy said:

bandage said:

Sold out Landsdowne in latter stages against Biarritz and Perpignan in the last 2 or 3 years if I recall correctly.

And had an atmosphere like a Morgue, if I recall correctly

Like the other week when you lot tried and failed to get the special Thomond Park roar going. All together now......'Low lie the Fields of Athenry'................Come on the Laigheans.

[therock67]

bandage said:

Sold out Landsdowne in latter stages against Biarritz and Perpignan in the last 2 or 3 years if I recall correctly.

I was at the Perpignan game - didn't seem sold out to me. My father was disgusted at me for cheering on the Catalonian outfit.

[whyohwhy]

bandage said:

whyohwhy said:

And had an atmosphere like a Morgue, if I recall correctly

Like the other week when you lot tried and failed to get the special Thomond Park roar going. All together now......'Low lie the Fields of Athenry'................Come on the Laigheans.

So we failed, eventhough Anthony Foley mentioned in the post match press reports that it was hard for the forwards to hear the lineout calls due to the noise bing made by the Munster fans!

[steamboatsam]

whyohwhy said:

bandage said:

Sold out Landsdowne in latter stages against Biarritz and Perpignan in the last 2 or 3 years if I recall correctly.

And had an atmosphere like a Morgue, if I recall correctly

i suspect the crowd were simply in awe of the fine rugby being played. if munster fans didn't shout and roar as though they were calling for prices at the local mart, then maybe the rest of the team could hear the backs calling for a pass.

[whyohwhy]

steamboatsam said:

whyohwhy said:

And had an atmosphere like a Morgue, if I recall correctly

i suspect the crowd were simply in awe of the fine rugby being played. if munster fans didn't shout and roar as though they were calling for prices at the local mart, then maybe the rest of the team could hear the backs calling for a pass.

;D ;D ;D

[eamo]

'personally don't think the leinster pack are as outmatched as the munster backline are'

That sums it up for me Cully. Munster have no backs whatsoever. They beat Sale thanks to Barry Murphy and he's injured. Leinster to win well

[stickywithoutjam]

Calling all Rugball fans, come and join us in the ROCCER ball arena!!

[therock67]

eamo said:

'personally don't think the leinster pack are as outmatched as the munster backline are'

That sums it up for me Cully. Munster have no backs whatsoever. They beat Sale thanks to Barry Murphy and he's injured. Leinster to win well

Isn't there some truth in the old adage that the forwards win the game and the backs decide by how much? Munster beat Sale thanks to much more than Barry Murphy - they beat them by a bonus point thanks to Barry Murphy.
I think Munster will beat them because they'll bully them up front. Leinster's pack are closer to Munster's pack than the respective backs but I still think the Munster forwards will grind out a win.

[bandage]

admin said:

eamo said:

'personally don't think the leinster pack are as outmatched as the munster backline are'

That sums it up for me Cully. Munster have no backs whatsoever. They beat Sale thanks to Barry Murphy and he's injured. Leinster to win well

Isn't there some truth in the old adage that the forwards win the game and the backs decide by how much? Munster beat Sale thanks to much more than Barry Murphy - they beat them by a bonus point thanks to Barry Murphy.
I think Munster will beat them because they'll bully them up front. Leinster's pack are closer to Munster's pack than the respective backs but I still think the Munster forwards will grind out a win.

As we saw from the first try against Toulouse Leinster can score a try from nothing on first phase possession. Our backs are that good that any one on one is a potential try scoring opportunity. As a result even 40/60 possession will be enough for us to win it imo. Plus I was a little disappointed in Darce against the French side - I'm expecting a big game from him to make all us Southside Wexicans proud.

[whyohwhy]

Squads named:

Munster from 30 due to some injury worries

Leinster (from):
Guy Easterby, Brian O'Riordan, Felipe Contepomi, Girvan Dempsey, Brian O'Driscoll, Kieran Lewis, Shane Horgan, Denis Hickie, Gordon D'Arcy, Rob Kearney, Will Green, Reggie Corrigan, Ronan McCormack, Emmett Byrne, David Blaney, Brian Blaney, Malcolm O'Kelly, Bryce Williams, Cameron Jowitt, Niall Ronan, Keith Gleeson, Jamie Heaslip, Eric Miller.

Munster (from): Paul Burke, Christian Cullen, Ian Dowling, Jerry Flannery, Denis Fogarty, Anthony Foley, Trevor Halstead, John Hayes, Rob Henderson, Trevor Hogan, Marcus Horan, Anthony Horgan, John Kelly, Stephen Keogh, Denis Leamy, Jeremy Manning, Eugene McGovern, Mike Mullins, Donncha O'Callaghan, Paul O'Connell, Mick O'Driscoll, Ronan O'Gara, Tomas O'Leary, John O'Sullivan, Shaun Payne, Federico Pucciariello, Frank Roche, Peter Stringer, David Wallace

[whyohwhy]

great photo!!!

[whyohwhy]

Munster: S Payne; A Horgan, J Kelly, T Halstead, I Dowling; R O'Gara, P Stringer; F Pucciariello, J Flannery, J Hayes; D O'Callaghan, P O'Connell; D Leamy, D Wallace, A Foley capt.

Leinster: Girvan Dempsey, Shane Horgan, Brian O'Driscoll (cpt), Gordon D'Arcy, Denis Hickie, Felipe Contepomi, Guy Easterby, Reggie Corrigan, Brian Blaney, Will Green, Bryce Williams, Malcolm O'Kelly, Cameron Jowitt, Keith Gleeson, Jamie Heaslip.

Munster f*cked: A. Horgan on wing, even Corrigan would outpace him!! No Cullen on bench: F*cked

[therock67]

Marcus Horan is a big loss as well. They'll really struggle to play anything other than a ten man game now.

[whyohwhy]

admin said:

Marcus Horan is a big loss as well. They'll really struggle to play anything other than a ten man game now.

Well, Freddie is a better scrummager, whereas Horan is better around the pitch so it evens itself out a bit!

Think Munster were always gonna play the ten man game anyway.

Must start praying for wind and rain now..........

[bandage]

admin said:

Marcus Horan is a big loss as well. They'll really struggle to play anything other than a ten man game now.

10 is the most they use anyway rock.