MUNSTER WERE 28-13 winners over Leinster this evening. Read our match report here.
Scoreboard tells a tale
Leinster were well beaten at Thomond Park, with Matt O’Connor admitting as much in the immediate aftermath of the clash. Munster’s three tries were hard-earned, but Anthony Foley would have had thoughts of a bonus point late on.
The fourth try didn’t arrive, but there is utter satisfaction to be taken from the performance. As with all their biggest displays this season, the game plan was strikingly clear. Leinster knew exactly what was coming their way; stopping it was a different matter.
On the flip side, it was another evening of disappointment for Leinster fans. Whatever about issues at the breakdown, in defence and scoring points, the fact that Munster were apparently much hungrier and more focused will have hurt.
Munster’s kick chase
Munster’s success in the air was particularly important in the first half, as Foley’s side repeatedly lofted contestable kicks down the touchlines. Andrew Conway and Ronan O’Mahony chased energetically, while Felix Jones was as willing as ever.
In contrast, Leinster were hesitant and nervous in the aerial battles, as Darragh Fanning and Dave Kearney were beaten in one-on-one situations after getting off the ground. An early mix-up between Ian Madigan and Kearney said much about what was to come.
Munster are so effective with this type of game plan, even in the absence of the intelligent Conor Murray. In his stead, Duncan Williams and Ian Keatley allowed their teammates to get in the air and win important territory all evening.
Leinster blunt in attack
Leinster struggled for scores until Shane Jennings’ late consolation try, with just two Madigan penalties coming outside of that score and the conversion of it. Elsewhere, there was a bluntness to Leinster when they had the ball.
A windy, greasy, cold night in Limerick was never going to be ideal for running rugby, but there are other ways to accrue scores then dancing past defenders on long, wide passes. Leinster’s kicking game shaded in comparison to their opponents, while their attack when they kept the ball was limited.
There was some success with inside passes, but Munster grew comfortable in defending those mini-plays. Much credit goes to the home side’s defence, aggressive as it was, but Leinster simply needed to create more scoring opportunities.
Keatley the more prominent 10
Ian Madigan’s move into out-half provided a pre-match talking point, with Jimmy Gopperth benched. The Ireland international had several impressive early contributions with the boot, notably firing the ball into touch 60 metres downfield inside the first quarter.
Thereafter, the game flowed away from Madigan, with Keatley featuring far more prominently. The 27-year-old Munster out-half kicked maturely and passed as sharply as ever.
His linebreak from deep in the first half was a highlight too, with Keatley identifying tighthead prop Tadhg Furlong in an exposed situation in the defensive line and calmly taking advantage.
Leinster struggle at the fringes
There was a sense of déjà vu at times in Thomond Park this evening, but a quick think back to this fixture at the Aviva Stadum earlier this season suggests that the feeling was based on reality.
Munster made vital gains around the fringes of rucks with their pick and jams or simple short ball carries this evening, similarly to what happened back in October. Foley’s men are superb at getting length in their rucks, rucking beyond the ball and therefore opening slight spaces for the next ball carrier to drive into.
Losing individual collisions was part of the issue for Leinster, and they will look to bring more aggression to those zones next time out against Ulster.
Talk point #6: Who will be Leinster coach next season?
#oconnorsagonner
It’s not soccer, he’ll be there for his 3 season contract
Not a chance in hell that he’ll be here next season
You’ve a short memory Peter, Mark Anscombe was fired by Ulster prematurely a few short months ago.
http://tinyurl.com/ngblvq6
The Score’s passionate affair with Madigan continues. Keatley the better 10 and Madigan was outplayed. For the entire game.
Hard for a ten to look good when his pack is going backwards
Madigan at 10 has never played well against Munster. His inability to manage a game (yet) has always been exposed. Might have been different for Leinster had he started at 12. He was so off the pace tonight he turned the National selection into a competition between Keatley and the Ulster Lip – sync Kid!
He’s no Sexton nor ROG.
Brian, Keatley hasn’t even got the Munster faithful behind him as many would like to see JJ in d red 10 shirt.
Madigan played behind a beaten team and done ok ( in the first half at least )
I’ll put it this way if madigan was playing for Munster last night you would have had your bonus point and a few more in the bag.
Not only against Munster he’s never played well against any big team at 10 unless it was coming off the bench. Any side with a decent analysis team nullifys his threat every time.
Sorry, Chris, I disagree. Madigan is a fine off-the-cuff player – great pace and eye for the break – but has not yet showed the capacity to control where the game is played nor how. Keatley is a better 10 on his day. JJ has the possibility to be better than either.TV
Really thought o donnell and stander fronted up absolute beasts poor old leinster looked like they were after too much turkey
Credit munster again the better team tonight, but Leinster on the field lack an edge or direction. When the big gun’s come back they will put the squad under pressure in key positions but still need to go up the gears in the new year or end up with nothing.
Sorry but I can’t help thinking Paul O’Connell would box the head offa Andy Lee handy enough?
- I know POC has height and weight advantage but then Andy has the training etc. (?)
Ye tell me please!
Leinster look lost and confused playing under Matt O’Connor , even attacking in munsters 22 they lacked urgency and looked like they were going backwards in contrast to munster who pick and drove very well and used their backline smartly. Some serious questions of leinsters gameplan or lack of.
When is Matt O’Connor leaving?
Soon I hope
So its the coaches fault.
Begs the question. Who would you replace him with?
Yes it’s the coaches fault.
And You can replace him with the left overs of my Christmas Turkey if you like, one Turkey for another only my one had some use.
Conor O’Shea
Cant imagine Conor O’Shea giving up his life in England for Leinster (or Munster). I reckon the only way we’ll see Conor back here is in charge of the national team when Joe goes back down under.
Well done Matt on breaking a well oiled machine.
For me the biggest talking point is the region of a dozen international players absent from a sell out match. Dont know about Leinster but on top of the injured lads Munster were without Zebo Foley Murray OConnell and OMahony. Leinster missing a similar number.
This is one of the reasons we won the 6N in 2014. You can’t have it every way, when you have such a small playing population & professional pool to pick from.
I can accept that guys need resting but why this particular game. We had Murray and OConnell a few days ago in Glasgow. I suspect it had more to do with fact that game was covered by SkySports and this was by TG4. Nothing to do with our 6Nations win
Sky Sports select the team now ? That’s a stretch.
No, it’s player management :
http://thescore.thejournal.ie/ireland-irfu-player-welfare-1853519-Dec2014/
They certainly dont pick the team but they would have a big say in terms of the dates and times of various fixtures. This was a massive game and both sides missing about 40 players between them (*according to Anthony Foley).
The biggest games of the season should not be coinciding with international rest periods.
This Christmas/New Year window has all of the country home teams play each other. Home derbies in Italy, Scotland, Wales & Ireland, to enable players avoid travel in this holiday period.
This also enables the provinces by agreement to field teams which are light of their key international players. It may not be to your/many spectators liking, but as I said above, this is an ingredient in the IRFU Player Management System which has brought 6N success, & we should understand & accept it..
It could always be changed as you suggest, but such change would not come without a cost.
As a game it was as dull as dishwater
You must have some pretty outstanding dishwasher
Outstanding it wasn’t
From a Munster point of view it was a great game
It’s been a long time since I seen a Leinster team with such a soft centre. Conditions in Thomond Park may have been a bit hard on them, they never warmed up. Madigan dissappointing. While not a Keatley fan he was far better than Madigan. Tommy O Donnell was outstanding but not on long enough to win motm. Munster hungrier tonight.
Tommy played whole match I think.
Sorry to say Tommy only lasted about 51 mins. Hope it’s not too serious.
Go’wan Munster!
Conor O’Shea would be worth a call at the very least
Everyone is having a cut off O Connor. Cullen ( Coady lookalike) is responsible for the pack. He’s as useless as a coach as he was a player. Jobs for the boys bites back.
I suspect what we are witnessing is two old foes who previously dined at the top table arguing over bragging rights in Division 3 of European rugby.
The sad thing is rugby has moved on its no more about pride and where you came from its now about how much you offer in my short prolonged career!
The inevitability of professionalism, I’m afraid
BOTH Munster & Leinster (& Ulster) need to sign new players : big Islander winger/centres, Georgian props & flankers. Overseas player policies have to be reviewed / relaxed, otherwise we can forget about the Champions Cup.
So, which is more important then – developing and nurturing home-grown players within each of the 4 Provinces who will then eventually form the back-bone of the National team? Or do what France and the clubs are doing in terms of mass-importation of foreign players in the Clubs which will almost certainly erode the strength of the National team? Depends on priorities I guess?
We need to do both.
Current structures are too restrictive. Our talent will come through in key positions – if they’re good enough, they’ll earn their place. Ad interim, the game has moved on, & we cannot compete physically with Clermont, Toulon etc, & even the likes of a team like Harlequins who Leinster should put away comfortably, but struggle to.
A new paradigm has arrived in rugby, & the Irish provinces are stuck 3 years behind the leaders, & we need to move up a gear..
I don’t think you’re system is sustainable for a small country like ours , it’s a race to the bottom with 16 stone wingers and centres
Fair play to Felix Jones, had questioned if he could ever realise his potential but he has really been fantastic this season. Looks like he should make the RWC squad in this form after having missed out so cruelly last time.
I agree, of all players I am happiest for Felix Jones. Also happy to see Luke Fitzgerald back after a similarly heartbreaking run of injuries. My heart was in my mouth every time he got the ball..
So, all the Leinster fans clamouring for Madigan – what now?
He played behind a totally beaten pack with an over the hill 9 feeding him slow ball and a player outside him who’s totally off form too.
I’ll say one thing their are some bad winners on here.
There’s a lot of unrealistic expectations of him from Leinster fans imo. Madigans game management is well off the pace, always has been though in his defence it’ll never get to the required level if he never gets backed as the first choice 10 for a team. Keatley was backed and however slow his progress has been you can see now when they face off how much of a better game manager he’s become than Madigan in the space of 18 months when he was his inferior before that.
Gopperth is the better 10 for the short term and not much point backing Madigan now with Sexton returning. Ian needs to move if he wants to ever be seen as an international standard 10, would love to see him at Connacht for the sake of Irish rugby.
Are you club before country? If Ireland are now 3rd in the world then the end product is fairly good. The provinces should each compliment each other in styles of rugby not all be four copies. London Irish should be used more effectively in potential Irish player development (if it is to have a future).
The London Irish team that play in the English league is a professionally run club with about as much Irish heritage as a “kiss me I’m Oirish” hat.
There is a London Irish amateur club which is a completely different beast.
London Irish “should be used”? Why, because it has “Irish” in the name? Should Notre Dame be “used” as well? There’s no development to be gained from sending players to foreign teams under the umbrella of rival unions.
Have we forgotten that the IRFUs player management policy was designed not only to deliver 6N success but also to deliver Heineken Cup success for the provinces.
The game has moved on since the HC successes of Leinster & Munster (as I describe above), & what delivered us success in the noughties clearly won’t now, & all provinces are way off the pace, & indeed I’m not sure if any will get out of their groups this year, which is a shambolic return for the investment in player management etc., especially for Leinster who have been on the face of it, sitting in the easiest group of all.
Change is needed now.
We’re only talking about one or two extra players to keep up – look at the difference a player like Nalaga makes for Clermont. He can play winger, centre or even flanker. But he gives them an edge we don’t have with the likes of, with respect, Fanning, Hurley, Conway or Kearney.