Munster v Wasps (scores)

zAbbo

Anyone watching this, great game

What a 2nd half

32-22 Munster - 10mins left

On par with England - Ireland game

zAbbo

32-25 now

mike65

Oh dear so near and yet so far yet again...the lack of dissipline very poor stuff. I thought MUnster had blwon it much earlier mind you and the recovery with 2 quick tries gave real hope but then the sin bin came into play.

Mike.

vorbis

thats the second competition in 3 weeks he's knocked us out of. Is he working for a bookies or what? If we'd stayed at 15 players, then I'd think we would have hung on. It might be worth getting rid of O Callaghan. He's becoming a total liability.

sound_wave

what about henderson getting binned? Yes the discipline was poor by both teams at crucial moments but in the heat of the moment when you can see the ball its just so so very tempting...

jonno

I think the criticism of DOC is unjust as he had a very good game apart from his lack of discipline. However I would agree that he really should be much more disciplined than he is of late. He is 26 or 27 now and he should be one of the leaders of the team, not showing his lack of discipline. Some players learn from their mistakes but he doesn't seem to be one of them.

Thought Munster had it wrapped up when they scored 14 in the space of two minutes but it obviously just gave Wasps the kick in the arse that they needed. They looked as though they had lost fifth gear. But the lack of discipline on DOC and Hendo's part handed the game to the Wasps. It was clear that they were starting to be overwhelmed in the line-out and DOC's absence showed that.

I think they deserved it in the end as they seemed to be in control whenever they were defending (unless it was deep inside their own 22) and they looked good going forward especially with Howleys brilliant distribution and that man Voyce in their ranks. MvG, Abbot and Dallaglio were all brilliant as well.

As for Munster, losing ROG was a major blow especially with Holland's fu<k up just after he had given them the lead. However Williams, Cullen and Foley were very good. Oh and I think George Hook had his point validated that Stringer seems to play under par when faced with top class scrum halves.

Disappointing end for Munster, really thought that if they beat Wasps that it would be their year finally.

bribren2001

Is it ever going to be Munsters year, i was gutted after the game yesterday.I thought it was in the bag when they went 10 points clear but i think hendersons sin bin was more crucial than the sin bin of o'callaghan because as soon as hendo went off, wasps exploited munster's lack of numbers on the wing and caused munster all sorts of trouble.
ogara's injury was a huge blow- i wonder did wasps deliberately take him out but i could see no real malice or intent to hurt him while he was on!
holland done alright just for the kick that was blocked down and in for the try.

what can we say- keep the heads up high-it will be our year sometime!-no other team in europe deserves it more!!!!

ravenhead

Originally posted by bribren2001
Is it ever going to be Munsters year, i was gutted after the game yesterday.I thought it was in the bag when they went 10 points clear but i think hendersons sin bin was more crucial than the sin bin of o'callaghan because as soon as hendo went off, wasps exploited munster's lack of numbers on the wing and caused munster all sorts of trouble.
ogara's injury was a huge blow- i wonder did wasps deliberately take him out but i could see no real malice or intent to hurt him while he was on!
holland done alright just for the kick that was blocked down and in for the try.

what can we say- keep the heads up high-it will be our year sometime!-no other team in europe deserves it more!!!!

But you would have to start thinking do we really deserve it!!! After coming so close over the past number of years & still not have anything to show for it!! This was our best chance to win it..... But we were out pased, out played & out shown but a much better team. It must be very disheartening for the team but they really only have themselves to blame, yesterday's defeat doesn't just fall at the feet of DOC and Hend, the whole team should be asking alot of questions of themselves today!!!

vorbis

ugh, I hate this "the winner always deserves it" punditry. Munster definetly deserve to win the ERC given that they have been the most consistent team in it. Arguably, no one else has reached the latter stages as frequently as Munster.

As for the match ... Its quite reasonable to assume that Henderson wouldn't have been binned were it not for DOC. He plain and simple cost us the match. We were 10 up with wasps bogged down outside our 22. Bang, we're down to 14 and they have the chance to set up an attack near the line. It eventually gains them a penalty and later due to Holland's poor kick, they get a try. That entire train of events was sparked by DOC's yellow. Look, we gifted wasps the match. They got at least 14 points off us for nothing. (first two tries). I thought Munster definetly deserved to win the match.

But you would have to start thinking do we really deserve it!!! After coming so close over the past number of years & still not have anything to show for it!! This was our best chance to win it..... But we were out pased, out played & out shown but a much better team. It must be very disheartening for the team but they really only have themselves to blame, yesterday's defeat doesn't just fall at the feet of DOC and Hend, the whole team should be asking alot of questions of themselves today!!!

did you watch the match ?????
Were are you getting this superior team lark from? The game flowed from one side attacking to another. They'd attack, get something. We'd attack and get something. Also Munster went 10 up with 15 to play. Hardly outplayed and they were hardly a much better team. They I thought got a fair bit of luck. (block down try, not getting more players sinbinned)

ravenhead

Did I watch the match??? I was at it......... I'm a munster fan through & through.
Munster are a fantastic team and have given us all great pleasure and joy for the the last 7 years since the inception of the HC Cup. But, and there always has to be a but...

The team we presently have will never win a Heinekan Cup for one simple reason...we're too nice. The fifteen players we put out on the pitch are lovely guys, they try and play rugby the way it should be played, they believe in the ethos of a fair game. Unfortunatly, this will never win us the Holy Grail.

What Munster need is a couple of c*nts, who are not afraid to get stuck in when the going gets tough, players who will be nasty when they have to be and won't let other teams walk all over them, players who will get sin binned for frounting up and not for technical offences.

Everybody loves use because of the way we play the game and the way we support the team....unfortunatly this style will win us sh*t all...

I'm sick of being told we have a great team and the best supporters in the land...unless we (the team and supporters) lose this bridesmaid image and get real about professional rugby the HC will remain what it is, The Holy Grail because we'll never win it...and rightly so...

vorbis

What Munster need is a couple of c*nts, who are not afraid to get stuck in when the going gets tough, players who will be nasty when they have to be and won't let other teams walk all over them, players who will get sin binned for frounting up and not for technical offences.

I'd disagree Ravenhead, we lost the match because of sinbinnings. I believe though that we need a couple more players for backup. At one stage this season, Henderson I believe was at out half! Also I know you were at the match and all but why are you forming such negative views about the team. This team has been the most consistent in Europe and frankly were within inches of winning the competition against Northampton. (Gara's kick). I still believe this team can do it. If they can sort the discipline and and get the drift defence moving across the field a bit faster then they'll be sorted.

[offtopic]
I really really hate the result always deciding the description of performance in a game. It happens in every sport. Had Munster held out yesterday, the papers would be full of descriptions of Munster outplaying Wasps. Also the winner does not always deserve to win.
[/offtopic]

bucks73

While the sin bins didnt help us yesterday it was the missed tackles in midfield that cost us. The defence simply wasnt good enough. Mullins and Hendo were the worst but Cullen and Stringer also missed vital tackles. The two tries in the first half were absolute gifts.

OGara was a huge loss also. Holland did very well with his place kicks but he was very poor with ball in hand and the second try is completely his fault.

If this team is going to win the EC then they need at least five good new players. Not only are a few of team almost past it the squad itself just hasnt enough quality in depth. The Celtic League performances have shown that.

As for blaming OCallaghan, thats a bit unfair as himself and OConnell have been brilliant this and last season.

vorbis

its harsh bucks73, but he has effectively knocked us out of 2 compeitions. Away to Neath I think 3 weeks ago, we needed to win. A win would have put us fourth in the Celtic League and in contention for the playoffs. Munster cruise to a 10 point lead. After some attacking by the other lot, we get a penalty to clear our lines. DOC however swings a punch and gets binned. Penalty reversed and they score a try a minute later and proceed to level with a penalty shortly afterwards. The match was nip and tuck from then on but they eventually won. The point is though that we gave them a huge physchological advantage by allowing them to get back into the match so easily.

Yestersday, Munster went 10 up. From the attack following the kickoff(I think), wasps get as far as the outside of the 22. They appear to be going nowhere. Their heads are bound to be going down given what had just transpired. Bang, DOC commits a stupid foul and gets binned. Wasps see a way out. They get a penalty from that attack and another attack WHILE Munster were at 14 (then 13) men leads to the try. Granted there was poor tacklying, Boyce set up a try by evading 3 tackles. Stringer also badly missed Howley. However, if we had stayed at 15 men, it was quite likely that Wasps would have petered out. The physcological boost from the sinbiinning saved them imo.

bucks73

I agree it was very stupid to get binned for a punch and it did put more pressure on the rest in defence but it wasnt just his error in judgement that lost us the game yesterday. Wasps were the better team. Their defence was excellent and ours was very very poor. After the Stade game two weeks everyone in town (Limerick) that night was saying that the defence was poor but it would get better. After all it was their first game together in a few months. The defence did not get better. Two new centres and a winger are needed.

What about Hollands fúck up with the charge down. That cost us 7 points. We only lost by five.

As for the Celtic League, DOC can not be blamed for their overall standing after a sin bin in one game. He didnt play in most games. What about the poor performances in the other games when the first team players were not available. After all they got hammered only last week in Cork by Edinburgh.

vorbis

there would have been a much stronger team put out against Edinburgh had we still been in the competition> The point is that the match against Neath was a crunch match. Win it and the losses in the CL could be forgotten. We didn't mainly because of him. He as I repeatedly have said had a large negative impact on yesterday's match. Holland's mistake was atrocious but in his defence Stringer should have probably taken the kick as Howley was up very quick. Also again can we stop with the "winner is brilliant philosophy"? Wasps defence yesterday was as poor as ours at times. They conceded two tries in two minutes !! With a stronger ref, their style of defence would have cost them about 4 yellows. Wasps have a decent defence that is better than ours. However its not excellent and ours is not very poor.

bucks73

I am not saying Wasps were brilliant yesterday. But they were better than Munster. Theres been too many glorious defeats over the past five years. They lost to the better team yesterday,last year in Toulouse and the year before in the final.

What I am saying is that if Munster want to win the EC they need a better defence for when they get to the knock-out stages. They also need one or two players with the street-wise tactics like Dallaglio, Back or Johnson. So what if people dont like them, they are winners through and through.

As a famous Clare man once said "Nice guys dont win All-Irelands".

In yesterdays game and the quarter final a total of 69 points have been conceded including 9 tries. Just not good enough.

Hugh_C

Originally posted by sound_wave
what about henderson getting binned? Yes the discipline was poor by both teams at crucial moments but in the heat of the moment when you can see the ball its just so so very tempting...

I was watching it on the box, & I thought Henderson was reacting to Josh Lewsey who was busy stamping on one of the Munster players. Could be wrong though...

hc

Hairy Homer

Munster are just one of those teams that are meant to break their fans' hearts. They have the most passion of any rugby fans in the country, they produce some of the best players - well the best forwards anyway - and have a fantastic history but for now, they are underachievers that come so close but will never win the really big ones.

A bit like Newcastle United in soccer. Nobody loves their football more than the Geordies; the region has produced some of England's greatest ever players (Charlton, Robson, Beardsley, Shearer, Gascoigne etc) their team inspires huge affection and everybody thinks it would be great if they could just win the big one once, nobody deserves it more blah blah.

I believe the Boston Red Sox have a similar position in baseball. Haven't won the World Series in about 80 years but have come so close so often.

Munster are the same. They just exist to make you cry.

GreenHell

Bah, Munster were disappointing on Sunday, was at the game and the crowd was fantastic. Our tacticalling was brutal I'd honestly say we played good to our standard for about 20 mins in the second half. What was going on in midfield we where cut to pieces, I don't understand why two men weren't waiting for Lawerance he broke off the base of the scrum most of the time and ran straight at ROG just like in the 6 nations. We under performed and were beaten the match was there for the taking and we through it away with poor disipline and poor defense. Gutted.

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

spanner

what a shame, missing wallace and quilian, the defence was terrible, holland did well under the circumstances, considering he hasnt really got any match practice in that position, great kicking game,

bucks73

Originally posted by daveirl
Agreed he had a good game, just like he had a good game against Cetlic Warriors in the Celtic league, but in both matches, his sin binning led to the other team winning the match. He needs to be smacked on the head by Gaffney and told to cop on. It's not acceptable.

Looking at the game again this week IMO Hendos sin binning was much more damaging. Wasps had only scored 3 points while DOC was in the bin but when Hendo got sent also they scored a try immediately.

DOC was sent for slowing the ball which Wasps were doing all day. Wasps are more than happy to concede 3 points rather than allowing a try to be scored. DOC was doing the same. 10 points ahead, let them have their 3 points which they took.

Hendos actions for the sin bin are more cause for a smack on the head. And when he was off Wasps ran through midfield for the try. DOC was back on seconds later.

Daveirl I think you are being too harsh on DOC blaming him for two trophies lost. They just werent good enough on Sunday and the squad isnt strong enough to compete for the CL while the international players are away. The CL wasnt lost against the Warriors, they have a total of 11 losses so far. One mistake in one game doesnt lose 11 games.

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

vorbis

bucks73, celtic warriors were in 4th place in the CL when we played them. If we had won the match, we would have gone into fourth spot instead. Afaik, the top fours teams play each other in that competition. In such a case, we would have qualified for that as we ould have been able to field full teams for the rest of the competition. Also you could very easily say that Henderson's yellow was a direct result of DOC's one. Also we got the ball back in that phase but Holland's kick to touch was to say the least a bit wayward.

spanner

Originally posted by bucks73
I think you are being too harsh on DOC blaming him for two trophies lost. They just werent good enough on Sunday and the squad isnt strong enough to compete for the CL while the international players are away. The CL wasnt lost against the Warriors, they have a total of 11 losses so far. One mistake in one game doesnt lose 11 games.

unfortunately the squad is good enough to win the whole thing, they are the only consistant team europe (save toulose) things never seem to go their way, ronan misses vital kicks, neil backs enfrigement in the scrum during the final with liesester, the try that should of been given againist stage francis,

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

daosulli

If anyone wants to see a few pics from the game click here

Then goto Munster V's Wasps