Exeter vs Munster 1st leg

There were so many penalties ignored there, offside, wrong side of ruck, attempting to play the ball on the deck. Munster should have done better but the ref let Exeter away with Murder.

Shehal

Again no attacking structure, way too easy to defend for any top champions cup side....

Truly awful from Munster. Send the coaches on the way now, let the players finish the season by themselves. Hard to overstate how bad that was.

degsie

Oh well, decent game but Exeter showed some class there. Should be an exciting 2nd leg.

PTH2009

Crucial stop there by earls

A-Train

What a try saving tackle from Earls

aloooof

I love Keith Earls.

Shehal

How Munster are somehow potentially getting out of this match with only a 5 point loss is honestly a miracle, at least gives them a good shot in the 2nd leg as surely Munster cant be this bad a 2nd week in a row?

AbusesToilets

phenomenal tackle from Earls.

AdamD

If running 40m, getting over the line and dropping the ball isn't advantage over, what is?

mr_edge_to_you

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118904137#Comment_118904137

Classic example of "form is temporary, class is permanent"

crisco10

Mad defense from both teams.

The amount of failed visits to the 22 by both teams

Bridge93

This is a cripple fight in attack both teams without a clue. Earls is some man that was savage

Shehal

Not even trying to be legal in that defensive maul, they have truly given up havent they....

Clegg

Decent fightback from Munster. They showed excellent discipline near their line to repel Exeter. The latters grinding, forwards based game, isn't as good as it was a few years ago, but it still took great effort from Munster to keep them out.

Unfortunately, solid defence near their line is the only thing Munster can take out of the game. They're lightyears behind the other Irish provinces with regards to their attacking alignment, handling and passing skills. They just don't have the ability to open up defences. They only looked like threatening to score a try when playing against 13 men. And even then their backline was so disorganised that they almost conceded an intercept.

Munster were poor in their phase defence and and were opened up on numerous occasions. Chris Farrell in particular had a stinker.

degsie

Exeter were class, even with two players down at one point.

aloooof

5 point deficit? Take that to the bank and back to Thomond.

A-Train

That’s a missed opportunity for Munster to win that match and take a lead back to Limerick next week.

Grand result for Munster, should go through comfortably enough.

budhabob

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118904149#Comment_118904149

Excellent description.

Shehal

Okay a 5 point loss is a victory as far as I'm concerned after that **** show.

stephen_n

Great defensive effort from Munster. Two massive moments from Murray and Earls could have a massive say in the outcome of this tie.

AdamD

So Exeter, who couldn't score in their 6000 visits to Munsters 22, decide to back their line out instead of increasing their advantage to 8?

Some seriously brain dead rugby played out there

PTH2009

Could of been worse

16th man/women needed next week now

AbusesToilets

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118904142#Comment_118904142

Really wish they would clarify this rule better. Like x number of meters or say 2 phases.

OldRio

Two very poor teams. Both have regressed badly.

blackcard

Shocking inaccuracy by Exeter in attack allows a brave but extremely limited Munster to stay in the tie

Bridge93

Any of the key absentees sure to be back next week?

ironingbored

How on earth Exeter only won by 5 is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma.

letowski

Have to take that 5 point deficit, on the balance of play Exeter should have won by more. In many respects, the game was reminiscent of a lot of Munster’s past European Cup away games. Under the cosh for most of the game but hanging in the for a losing bonus point. Just a different format this year.

Former Former Former

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118904215#Comment_118904215

They kept backing their lineout and maul, despite no evidence that either were effective.

If they'd just kicked their goals they'd have a much better cushion. Utterly headless

mun1

Stand up and fight until you hear the bell…

and they sure did fight til the end .

crisco10

Exeter were held up twice and knocked on over the line in the last 30. That's 3 visits to the in goal with no points. Shocking.

TRC10

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118904238#Comment_118904238

You can't question the effort and desire of the Munster players. But by god are they toothless, indisciplined and lacking any structure in attack.

If I was an Exeter fan I'd be furious.

Dave_The_Sheep

Both sides will be kicking themselves after that. Exeter should have been out of sight after 40 minutes, Munster should have gotten at least one more try against 13/14 men.

Munster by far the happier though, I suspect.

phily2002

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118904183#Comment_118904183

Yeah it's shocking. There should definitely be a meter and phase rule brought in. Going back to the 10 meter after they made it to the line was an awful call.

Exciting game all round though. Thought Munster should have taken 3 instead of Scannell tapping. Exeter left huge points out there as well. Going to be a good second leg

mun1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118904249#Comment_118904249

based on your comments in the thread , i thought you were both an Exeter fan and furious 😚

Will take that scoreline but that double penalty when Munster had all the momentum was infuriating.

Some big individual errors at times really hurt Munster and the bluntness of attack is just not good enough and it's down to coaching.

That said, that's a very disjointed team missing a heap of internationals and overall I think a very good performance in terms of effort and commitment.

TRC10

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118904262#Comment_118904262

what

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118904279#Comment_118904279

based on your comments in the thread , he thought you were both an Exeter fan and furious 😚

TRC10

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118904284#Comment_118904284

Not sure how he'd draw that conclusion. My one other post in this thread was...

"The only good thing about Munster is their defence. It's the only thing keeping them in this game. But it's only a matter of time."

That was just before HT. Seemed like a fair comment at the time? Not sure how that makes me an Exeter fan. I wanted Munster to win.

Must love hardship

Poor out of Casey going for the try with men over to his right and 2 men in the bin... that had to go through the hands.

mun1

Yeah thought it was greedy from Casey to go from glory rather than play it wide, not the first time he has tried that this season either .

just seen the earls tackle and missed the excellent busting his ass covering by Farrell and he knocked it out of the wingers hand

phog

Toon many errors from Munster, we've some great guys coming through but we really missed a few of the older guys today.

Our last penalty when they still had a man in the bin, I thought we should have kicked at goal and then try get down the field again from the re-start.

I also thought the ref left Exeter off with a fee infringements when defending their try line.

While it was infuriating that we coughed up a penalty 5m out and they down to 13, the next penalty was a harsh call on JOD, I've seen worse allowed go. They went 80m from those two pens and I think they got their DG from a clearance kick from their kick to the corner of JODs penalty.

Anyway, it's halftime and we trail by 5, still very much in this.

jimdemp

Munster should go through Exeter are a fairly poor team.