Heineken Cup 2008 Thread

Gloucester-Munster tomorrow.

Munster: Denis Hurley; D Howlett, R Tipoki, L Mafi, I Dowling; R O'Gara, T O'Leary; M Horan, J Flannery, J Hayes, D O'Callaghan, P O'Connell (capt), A Quinlan, D Wallace, D Leamy.
Replacements: F Sheahan, T Buckley, M O'Driscoll, A Foley, P Stringer, P Warwick, K Lewis.

Gloucester Rugby: O Morgan; C Paterson, J Simpson-Daniel, A Allen, L Vainikolo; R Lamb, R Lawson; N Wood, A Titterrell, C Nieto, M Bortolami (capt), A Brown, P Buxton, A Hazell, L Narraway.
Replacements: J Paul, A Dickinson, W James, G Delve, G Cooper, W Walker, M Tindall.

Big game for Hurley, Surprised to see O'Leary & Quinlan in for Stringer & Foley but possibly a tactical decision? Munsters bench has improved a lot this season & offers some options especially in the pack.

very nervous about this game, i wish the game was on now!

surprised at the selection of hurley and o leary but i have every faith in kidney its gonna be tough

nervous about the game myself,i'm in san fran at the moment so i'll be up bright and early for it

lim are you still over there i thought you said you had come home!

some session in san fran for you if they win.....

Is it on tele?

Originally Posted by micls

Is it on tele?

Sky Sports 2 ko 5.30

Originally Posted by pete

Sky Sports 2 ko 5.30

Thanks Pete

Really shocked (though not necessarily disappointed) to see O'Leary start. I thought Stringer looked pretty sharp last week, but Kidney knows more than me, so I won't worry about it. I think Hurley will do fine, he looks nippy enough and has a good step so might add a bit more dynamism than Payne would. And maybe given it's probably a nice day there (it is where I am anyway) that's no bad thing. Big test for the two of them, but being insulated with such experienced heads should help. For me, that's a big difference between the sides; Munster, individually and collectively, know how to win and perform in the big games. In less x-factor terms, I think Munster also have the better players in crucial areas like hooker, back row and out half.

Being away from home is a huge disadvantage, but in fairness Munster are great away from home so I'm mildly confident ahead of this fascinating, sure-to-be-highly charged encounter. Hup Munster!

Any stream of the game online?

<EDIT>

nevermind, got one

London Irish closing out their win. They must have had easiest run to semi final ever? Toulouse will probably best Cardiff & crush Irish.

I would nearly like Glocester to win just to sut up those people from Clare who have jumped on the Munster bandwagon after the Ger Loughnane bandwagon collapsed but could never shout against an Irish team.

Mafi gives away a blatant & unnecessary penalty under posts within secons of the kick off. Patterson misses. Bizarre.

Edit: Patterson misses another penalty from the 22 metre line.

Half time Gloucester 0 Munster 8

O'Gara kicked a penalty in front of the posts.
Patterson the missed a long range kick (0 from 3)
Some huge defensive tackles from Munster turning over the ball several times. Tipoki has been really strong.
Munster scored from counter attack under their own posts started by Howlett with Dowling going in the right corner. Went through 15+ phases of play.

Edit: 3-16 fulltime
Munster wore Gloucester down with Howlett getting nice try after kick from Hurley.
O'Leary had a great game & Stringer won't get his place back. Hurley also justified his inclusion.
Saracens or Ospreys up next.

brilliant yet again, completely bossed the game, could be our year again!!

Outstanding performance. Gloucester didn't know what hit em - turnover after turnover. Ryan Lamb isn't smiling any longer haha.

I've gotten to know enough about rugby through the various media efforts and while I wouldn't sit down for a match between any 2 teams I love watching Munster. This was a superb result. They have it all to do still though. Hope they can get to the final.

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

lim are you still over there i thought you said you had come home!

some session in san fran for you if they win.....

i'm only here on holidays for a few weeks then its back to sunny limerick for me.will have a few to celebrate tonight though

I'd bet on Muster to go all the way now.

Thats the first time i ever went into a game thinking munster wouldn't win but I'm delighted they proved me wrong,great win.

London Irish v Toulouse/Cardiff
Saracens v Munster.

Have to fancy Munster to make the final now as Saracens probably played their own final today.