Munster 21
Racing 21
IT FELT AS if it was going to be one of those unforgettable nights at Thomond Park once again as JJ Hanrahan dropped into the pocket and the Limerick crowd held its breath, willing the drop-goal to bisect the posts.
A late Andrew Conway try and Hanrahan’s excellent conversion had given Munster a chance at the death but, ultimately, it was disappointment as the out-half’s effort slipped narrowly wide and the visiting Racing 92 were able to celebrate an impressive away draw in the fortress that is Thomond Park.
While Munster did avoid slipping to just their sixth home defeat in the Heineken Cup, losing a fixture in Limerick could prove costly if Saracens can cause them problems in their back-to-back European ties next month.
Having opened with a bonus-point win last weekend away to the Ospreys, Munster will have deep frustrations with failing to secure a victory back on home soil, though Racing deserve major credit for efforts.
Classy out-half Finn Russell was at the heart of most of Racing’s best moments, with a brilliant solo score in the first-half the highlight as he nutmegged a Munster defender with a grubber kick before regathering to dot down.
He also teed up left wing Juan Imhoff’s second-half try with a superb break, while right wing Teddy Thomas scored a stunning first-half try after collecting his own chip kick.
Familiar faces returned to Thomond Park with Racing in the shape of Donnacha Ryan, who was strong in the second row, and Simon Zebo, who managed to prevent a Hanrahan try in the opening half, but perhaps former Munster scrum-half Mike Prendergast was most impressive of all as his Racing attack shone.
Munster scored an excellent try through Keith Earls on the stroke of half time to keep themselves in the mix, but Racing will rue a missed penalty shot in the second period that would have left them 24-14 in front.
Johann van Graan’s men managed to rally for an impressive late Conway score but the winning drop goal didn’t materialise. A home draw leaves Munster with plenty still to do in this Heineken Cup pool.
Munster enjoyed more than 60% of the possession and territory in the opening half but found themselves trailing 14-11 at the break, albeit boosted by Earls’ excellent score in the left corner in the 40th minute.
Van Graan’s side had been first off the mark with a Harahan penalty after Racing number eight Antonie Claassen blatantly held Conor Murray off the ball as he approached a ruck, with Munster showing plenty of attacking ambition early in the game.
That threat included fullback Mike Haley making a scything 17th-minute break on kick return but that was immediately followed up by Murray’s pass rebounding off the head of Niall Scannell, with Racing pinning Munster into their 22 with a kick on the turnover.
Munster botched that lineout in their 22, Scannell hammering his low throw at Peter O’Mahony for a knock-on, and Racing scored off the resulting scrum as they earned an advantage after Camille Chat’s explosive carry. Using that advantage cleverly, the skillful Russell clipped a short grubber kick in between Rory Scannell’s legs and regathered himself to dive over to the left of the posts for a beautiful score that was converted by influential scrum-half Teddy Iribaren.
Munster missed a chance to swiftly hit back as Hanrahan’s clever break in midfield was followed up by Rory Scannell dropping Jack O’Donoghue’s slightly wayward pass forward inside the Racing 22.
But the home side did narrow the margin when Zebo passed forward on a Racing counter-attack, with Munster’s pack turning the scrum into a penalty and Hanrahan taking his chance off the tee.
Racing’s response was lethal, however, as Zebo made a dangerous run before Iribaren darted down the shortside and threw a clever skip pass to Thomas down the touchline. The exuberant France international sprinted outside Murray and then dinked a perfect chip over the head of Haley, collecting on the bounce and scoring under the sticks.
Iribaren’s straightforward conversion had Racing 14-6 to the good but, typically, Munster mustered a response in the ‘championship minutes’ before the break, even if it took a few efforts to finally get over.
First, Munster were held up over the tryline after some direct carrying from the likes of Chris Farrell. Referee Matthew Carley went back for an advantage, which Munster tapped and Hanrahan very nearly scored, only for Zebo to knock the ball loose just as the out-half was stretching out to ground it.
Racing then had a big break off a maul through flanker Wenceslas Lauret right up the Munster 22, where Iribaren lost control of the ball and Munster hacked ahead for Niall Scannell to win a determined penalty chasing down Racing captain Henry Chavancy, who failed to released the ball.
Munster went up the right touchline, Murray had a sniping dart from the lineout play, before clinical catch-and-pass skills from Hanrahan and Haley in a 3-on-2 gave Earls a sniff down the left touchline, where he fended off his old mate Zebo and dived into the corner for a rousing score.
Hanrahan was just wide with his conversion effort but Munster were back within three points heading into the second half.
Donnacha Ryan uncharacteristically knocked the restart on and Iribaren soon kicked out on the full in a poor opening few minutes to the second half from Racing, the latter error resulting in Munster producing an inventive lineout attack that allowed Haley to break, drawing a penalty from Lauret for not rolling away.
Hanrahan equalised but the level scoreline lasted just two minutes as Racing produced a third try in the blink of an eye.
Russell was the key figure as he dummied and broke between O’Mahony and loosehead prop Jeremy Loughman before drawing up Haley from the backfield and feeding left wing Juan Imhoff on his inside.
Conway almost tracked back to scrag him but Imhoff just skipped clear to finish under the posts, Iribaren slotting his third conversion.
The left-footed Racing scrum-half had a chance to make it a two-score margin in the 54th minute with a penalty from out on the right after Haley was caught trying to counter out of his 22, but the shot at goal was just wide.
Racing continued to threaten with their daring skill, Thomas a constant danger out on the right, where his interplay with Iribaren nearly resulted in a fourth try heading into the final quarter, only for Thomas’ grubber ahead to have too much on it.
Centre Virimi Vakatawa then knocked-on as Russell continued to probe, with Munster desperate for any moments that could build momentum.
One such appeared in the 67th minute after van Graan had virtually emptied his bench, the replacement front row winning a penalty that allowed Rory Scannell to kick for touch down on the Racing 22.
Munster battered at Racing until space opened wide on the right, Scannell firing a long pass out to Conway who threatened for a moment before a superb covering tackle from Iribaren resulted in the Ireland international wing knocking on.
The southern province were back knocking on the door with 10 minutes remaining, a penalty allowing them to kick into the left corner, from where they hammered at the Racing tryline until a knock-on from the visitors as they tackled with desperation.
The five-metre scrum provided a prime chance for van Graan’s side and they battered for inches with their initial carries, before a double skip pass from Hanrahan on penalty advantage floated wide right for Conway to dive into the corner for a superb score.
Hanrahan’s brilliant conversion was met by a deafening Thomond Park roar, the Munster support urging their side to find a winner with four minutes remaining.
Munster hammered a kick deep into the Racing 22 off the restart and then disrupted the French side’s lineout to earn their own throw and a late chance to build towards that possible winning score.
They powered through phase after phase once again until Hanrahan dropped into the pocket and sub scrum-half Alby Mathewson, making his final appearance for the province, delivered the pass back to him.
The Munster out-half connected to another roar that rapidly turned into a collective groan as Hanrahan’s drop kick slipped wide to the left.
Munster scorers:
Tries: Keith Earls, Andrew Conway
Conversions: JJ Hanrahan [1 from 2]
Penalties: JJ Hanrahan [3 from 3]
Racing 92 scorers:
Tries: Finn Russell, Teddy Thomas, Juan Imhoff
Conversions: Teddy Iribaren [3 from 3]
Penalties: Teddy Iribaren [0 from 1]
MUNSTER: Mike Haley; Andrew Conway, Chris Farrell, Rory Scannell, Keith Earls; JJ Hanrahan, Conor Murray (Alby Mathewson ’62); Jeremy Loughman (James Cronin ’50), Niall Scannell (Kevin O’Byrne ’65), John Ryan (Stephen Archer ’54); Jean Kleyn (Fineen Wycherley ’54), Tadhg Beirne (Billy Holland ’62); Peter O’Mahony (captain), Jack O’Donoghue (Arno Botha ’54), CJ Stander.
Replacements: Dan Goggin.
RACING 92: Simon Zebo; Teddy Thomas (Brice Dulin ’64), Virimi Vakatawa, Henry Chavancy (captain), Juan Imhoff; Finn Russell, Teddy Iribaren (Antonie Gibert); Eddy Ben Arous (Hassane Kolingar ’55), Camille Chat (Teddy Baubigny ’55), Cedate Gomes Sa (Ali Oz ’55); Donnacha Ryan, Dominic Bird (Fabien Sanconnie ’58); Wenceslas Lauret, Boris Palu, Antoine Claassen (Yoan Tanga Mangene ’80).
Replacements: Ben Volavola.
Referee: Matthew Carley [England].
Munster Tonight they showed they aren’t one of best teams in Europe regardless of this new “world class coaching staff” or Munsters daunting stadium and home form. Munster will be caught out soon enough. Soft tonight and a lot of players bouncing off so many tackles. They Need to be winning home group games to get out of that group. Respect for getting back in the game but I though racing looked wrecked and had poor game management towards the last quarter.
On another note- Zebo is overweight, slow and can’t pass off his bad hand. To the many who were saying that he should be playing for Ireland and complaining why IRFU let him go. Wake up
@Axel Beckett: Do you just down a shot of Mercury and then type everything out in one long stream of consciousness post?
@Axel Beckett: lad take a day off ,close the blinds in your bedroom and turn on pornh%b for yourself.
@Teadore Hungwell: I think it’s class that the Munster articles always get the most comments. This guy clearly is more interested in Munster than his own team. It’s a bit like in the past when the loudest homophobes were gay themselves
@Teadore Hungwell: sure the lads participating in No Nut November, he can’t go there.
@Axel Beckett: Munster were not at bad as you say. Racing have a star-studded team with tons of internationals. They played a fabulous game. Munster’s defence was definitely too loose but nothing they can’t fix.
They’ll improve plenty from that game and there were positives too.
@Rollander: he’s not wrong though
@Bill Clay: few valid points ,but the rest is bollix talk
@B Collins: Munster are also a star studded team full of internationals.
@Axel Beckett: lads just block him complete troll
@Mark walsh: What don’t you agree with mark? Munster hate hearing the truth, must be a mentality thing.
@Axel Beckett: Utter bollox spouted by a faceless twitter troll.
@Axel Beckett: I’ve seen inferiority complexes before but this lad takes the absolute bickie!
@Cormac Ó Braonáin: Cheers, Cormac
@Axel Beckett: Unfortunately, you’re right. Just not up to top level. Mathewson better than Murray too.
@Cormac Ó Braonáin: or jealousy?
@Timmy O’Toole: could be onto something there Timmy
@Timmy O’Toole: One (1) comment on a Leinster article below this one and 70 odd on this Munster article says it all !
@Walter Obrien: same everyday, people love talking about Munster
@Timmy O’Toole: Yes the Leinster people do love commenting on Munster because I’m sure they don’t watch Leinster so can’t comment on their games.
@Axel Beckett: Did you write Ulysses by any chance or are you just pretending to be Neil Francis?
Look you have to be realistic about things and see that this is a very good racing team. A lot to improve on still but once we got into their half I felt we’d the measure of him. To anyone who’d like to slate JJ for his missed drop kick remember he secured us the draw with a brilliant conversion two minutes earlier. I think we’ll have the better of sarries at home and then really need to get a victory away in London which should realistically after that see us through in at least second place. On a side note, a great thanks to Alby Mathewson who has played very well for us this past year and deserves all his plaudits, wish him well in his future endeavours.
@WillKeepTheW: Are people slating him for missing it? Honestly one of the hardest things to do on a rugby pitch in my opinion. Takes skill, balls and still comes down to luck most of the time.
@Eddie Hekenui: it was right in front of the posts any professional out half should get those, he missed an open goal
@Eddie Hekenui: rog was scoring them from for fun mate ,that was easy in terms, I think he would be disappointed
@Wheresmyjumper: It’s way more difficult than you’d think. That’s why teams do it so rarely.
@Teadore Hungwell: ROG was brilliant at them especially in the big moments. Hanrahan will be raging he missed but it’s not something I’d slate a guy for
@Eddie Hekenui: she it is difficult but any professional out half should really be nailing those, people are way too keen to give JJ an excuse, he’s had loads of chances was good aged 20 but never kicked on, time to let him go Munster will never win anything with him playing
@Wheresmyjumper: Just curious? Who would you have played today instead of JJ?
@Eddie Hekenui: does anyone think he could have stood a bit deeper?
@Eddie Hekenui: not either mate, it happens but he would be disappointed there
@Snurt Burt: Definitely as it would’ve given him more time. Looked like he got caught swinging across the ball rather than through it too. Could’ve been the drop or the bounce though
@Snurt Burt: Yes that’s a very good point. I was thinking the same.
@Decko49: there was no one else today, but I do think they have put a lot of time and resources into a player who isn’t up to it, he’s a poor back up for Carbery. Hopefully Healy does kick on from an excellent young player to a good senior player like Hanrahan hasn’t done
@WillKeepTheW: Racing are bottom of the Top15, not that good.
@Diarmaid O’Riordáin: Most of their players were at the world cup. Judge them at the end of the season not just yet.
@Wheresmyjumper: If you had your way he would be gone. Then we would be relying on Ben Healy who is not tested at this level. A bad performance in such a big game could set him back big time. I thought JJ was good today. At least he had the balls to take on the drop goal
@Diarmaid O’Riordáin: they’re nowhere near bottom of the Top 14.
@Decko49: No Healy is not ready yet if they hadn’t taken him back from Northampton and cut their losses with Tyler (average player and too injury probe) they would have had someone better in his place today, Carbery was an excellent signing but the back ups are poor
@Decko49: also Johnson wasn’t given quarter of the chances that Hanrahan was given and now he’s on the bench with Ulster
@Snurt Burt: ya I thought the same
.
@Wheresmyjumper: Yeah he’s on the bench. He’s not proven either. I think JJ like Haley is much improved this year and I think will improve more. I think Larkhams style of play will improve him so let’s judge him at the end of the season. No one will be more disappointed than JJ for the miss. But as another poster said, it’s how he reacts to this is the key to how he will progress
@Decko49: he was never given a chance down here, Hanrahan has been given loads and gas never lived up to it
I’m sorry but JJ choked with that drop goal at the end, given the position and how far out it was that should have been a gimme. Also Matthewson is gonna be a huge loss for Munster, Murray spends half his game falling around looking for penalties and when he’s not he is painfully slow to get the ball away. Munster still look completely average so far this season. It will take something extraordinary for us to get out of this group.
@Brian Brian: Murray has slipped to 3rd choice in Irish standings.
@Paul Hogan: Cooney, Blade, Marmion, JGP, McGrath/Murray. Joint fifth best Irish qualified scrumhalf I’d say. Throw in Alby and he’s not in the top five in Ireland.
@Brian Brian: true, we were playing better before the internationals came back. Given these lads have only had 2-3 weeks working with Larkham and Rountree, its going to take some time. We were a bit too loose at times tonight and it cost us
@Paul Hogan: dead right so slow ,reckon he is having a massage between passes
Hanrahan’s overall game was excellent, he really brings players onto the ball and has the courage to make big passes.
Just a shame he couldn’t cinch that drop at the end. Glad to see he’s finally starting to show his talent consistently on the big stage.
He has to be kept in the backline somehow, at 12 or 15 maybe once Carbery gets back, if not 10.
@Rollander: Haley was superb tonight too. He got man of the match on French tv. Hanrahans was very good. Pity he missed the drop goal but it wasn’t to be
In anim an Iosa, who gave MOTM to anybody bar Russell?
@Michael Murray: BOD
Pressure too much for Hanrahan at the end.
Poor result for Munster. That’s dropped points more than two points gained there.
Alby brilliant when he came on. Crazy to start Murray ahead of him and worse again to ship him out the door.
Difficult to get out of this pool now.
@Johnny O’Hooligan: you mixed difficult with impossible
@Bill Clay: first time watching Munster in Europe Bill?
@Timmy O’Toole: so true, the only thing missing from this being a classic Munster game was that drop goal
@Timmy O’Toole: Jesus Christ, cringe. Same old shit from the fans. Let’s do it the hard way and sing stand up and fight and get knocked out.
@Axel Beckett: not interested in doing it the hard way, disappointing result today, difficult to get out of the group but bill’s smart ass comment isn’t correct
@Johnny O’Hooligan: most interesting so far tho!
Surely that performance puts Hanrahan in strong contention for 6 nations
@Hm:
Don’t make me laugh
Oh my sides are splitting
He fluffed his lines
@Hm: ya i suppose his opposing number 10 didn’t completely run the show
@Mark Smith: Kind of comment someone who has never played would say, you know sfa about rugby.
@Hm: Billy Burns is a far more accomplished out half
@Rollander:
Read again what comment you have just supported and I think you will be disappointed.
JJ played well, yes he certainly did and I am pleased for him because two years ago he was an overweight show pony who’s career was going down the pan but he has improved no end and has to be applauded for that.
However he missed a sitter, a real absolute sitter and will not sleep tonight as a result. He will only remember that kick and not the successful ones.
Plus my friend, and I use that in a loose term, I am speaking from a position of strength knowing what it is like to give away a stupid penalty and lose a semi final as a result. At least he failed but got a draw.
Good as he was, he fluffed a sitter and I take no pleasure in saying it.
It was his moment and he froze
Pity but true
@Mark Smith: he’s probably putting it on the bar for fun, and then this! Get ‘em professional sport!
When it mattered most, Hanrahan didn’t deliver. And that’s going to haunt Munster now. Need to beat Sarries home and away now. Not impossible, but difficult
@John Peeters: the difficult conversion he got 2min before hand to level the game? I’d say he delivered that perfectly.
@Brendan Heery: And the pass for the try, and he was involved in almost all of Munster’s great attacking play.
Anyone who puts his game down to the (admittedly disappointing) missed drop goal is a fairweather fan.
@Rollander: it’s not being a fair weather fan. Yes, JJ converted brilliantly from the touch line, but rugby is today a results-based business. He didn’t get the DG, and 2 points dropped.
@John Peeters: yeah but a missed drop goal definitely doesn’t come close to canceling out his positive contributions. He had an undeniably good game.
Munster let that one slip with some sloppy play in key moments. Looked like a team still bedding into their new coaching systems. Transition defence in particular was bad at times and when you’ve got guys like Russell, Vakatawa, Zebo and Thomas they’ll see the mismatches and exploit them. Donnacha Ryan will be delighted with the job he and his unit did on the Munster lineout. Got after the the ball early which forced Munster to go for slower ball and then sacked a couple of mauls early. Himself and POM looked to be chatting back and forth too which was gas. Great to see him coaching the young front row subs after a few bad early scrums too. Farrell, Hanrahan and Haley were good for Munster when they got quick ball from the ruck but Racing did a great job of letting Munster play in the right areas of the pitch then shutting them down when they crossed the half way line. Whycherly looked good off the bench too. Munster will need to get a result away to Saracens or Racing now to be in the mix for the QF’s.
@Eddie Hekenui: a Casey pass and we’re off!
Very proud of that performance. Dominated for 95% of the game. Two moments of magic from Russell. I thought hanrahan put his hand up for an Ireland call up, shame about the drop goal at the end. Keith earls showed why he will be starting in the six nations. Larkham working wonders already. Racing are by far the best team in Europe and a point is a fine result
@Paddy: ‘Racing by far the best team in Europe ‘ he says deludedly. They are decent by not the best team in Europe far. Sarries, Leinster, Toulouse, Clermont all up there. Exeter too if they can get it together I m Europe. They’d a good win today.
@Paddy: he’ll be 3rd choice outhalf in Munster by the end of the year, Sexton, Carbery, Carty, Byrne, Burns etc are all ahead of him for Ireland
@Paddy: A weakened Ulster team managed to beat racing at home last season why can’t Munster. So deluded
@Paddy: “dominated 95% of the match” haha haha
@Paddy: …aw Jaysus, hould on!!! Were we watching the same game. Munster to my soul bu Holy Iosa…with a Jaysus, got out of jail even though we had a shout.
This is hilarious some Munster fans thought last week that they could top the group!
@LP: well we have a pretty decent history of getting out of pools, in fact in the history of the competition nobody does it better
@Tim Magner: not at this rate they won’t be getting out
@LP: maybe not but we’re in a group with the champions and I’ve yet to see a better team than racing after 2 rounds. But we’re still in it
@Tim Magner: getting out of pools means nothing when you lose the most semi finals…
@Fuinneóig Ó’Fuigeann: in fairness in any competition you can only go as far as you can. In all the semi finals we lost I can’t honestly say we were beaten by a team inferior to us. That’s what should happen in any worthwhile competition & the one thing about Munster is we have often punched above our weight. There’s been very expensively assembled french & English clubs would kill for our record. Ulster who are on a level playing field to us have a very hit & miss record of qualifying. Every team in Europe would consider a win in thomond in the Heineken cup as a major achievement, that’s a record built up over a long time. The rds just doesn’t have the same history or prestige no matter how much we all love the aga Khan trophy
@Tim Magner: hmm ok, maybe winning the trophy is not for you then….
@Fuinneóig Ó’Fuigeann: that’s the aim, only one team can do it though, people complain when some of the french teams don’t even try. In our group we have a team like racing who would love to win this competition, like Toulouse & Clermont. These teams pump a lot of money in to try and win it. In leinsters group you have Lyon, they come from more the class of teams that include bourgoin & to a lesser extent castres, they don’t feel they belong, it doesn’t matter to them
@Tim Magner: you’re an expert in the bleedin obvious..
@Fuinneóig Ó’Fuigeann: just realistic and in fairness to Munster they look like they are showing serious ambition to win it by signing de allande & snyman
@Tim Magner: or trying to buy a trophy
Great resolve to draw level and that result sets up some the Saracens game nicely interesting to see will it mean with results so far only one getting out.
@mrbryanrussell: crucial to get 8 points out of them in December now.
@WillKeepTheW:
Jesus I am laughing again
Twice in the one night
F**k I got to go home to bed
@Mark Smith: you going home to bed is something we can probably all agree, is for the best.
@WillKeepTheW: they will do well to score 8 points I’m ddceimber
@Bill Clay: Maybe I’m stupid but what’s ddceimber?
Normally when it’s a draw you say that’s a fair result but in this instance it’s not true.
Much as I hate saying it as I wanted Minster to win but racing played the better rugby and then you add in where they were playing, you have to take your hat off to them.
Racing played with great intent and no end of skill and Munster are transition into a free flowing back attacking game plan but boy they looked really disjointed and still love to run over the player rather than into space.
Earls and Conway are a class act and great finishers and I look forward to the day that they just trust them and fling the ball to them one on one.
Take the draw and regroup and move forward and don’t let anyone out Munster you at home again.
Best game of the weekend for me as it had most things in it
@Mark Smith: Minster aren’t even team sham!
@Mark Smith: racing tries were top drawer
Great game.
Racing were absolutely lethal when Russell got running at Munster in midfield and their defence in both the lineout and general play was outstanding for the most part. Thomas is lightning quick. Zebo was better than I thought he’d be too and was solid for the most part, bar getting burned by Earls on the wing for the try.
Munster will be unhappy with the cheap turnovers but they did a great job to get back into the game with Hanrahan, Scannell and Haley all having very good games. The Munster backline is starting to look much sharper in general since Larkham’s arrived. The scrum surprised me too with Loughman and Ryan both holding up very well.
Neither team deserved to lose it in the end and hopefully two teams qualify from this pool now with Ospreys looking so poor.
@EK:
You thought the Munster scrum did well and the backs looked good. ???????!!!!!!
@Mark Smith:
If I was Munster I would be happy with the draw as racing played well and Munster appeared to be a bit off the mark.
Unlike at Ravenhill where the French didn’t turn up at all this French team came to play
@EK: Cracking game of rugby to watch. Racing’s backline outside 9 are like a knockout puncher in boxing. They let 1-9 do most the work, move them around the pitch and just wait for that heavy forward to get isolated in midfield or out wide. And the second they spot him in comes the haymaker and they’re in under to posts.
@Mark Smith: I said that Munster’s backline is starting to look much sharper and the scrum surprised me with how good it was. I don’t think that’s unreasonable to say.
On the backline, I think that Hanrahan’s been much improved this season and the passing was very crisp from the backline at times for the two tries they scored.
Sure, Farrell didn’t have the best game at 13, and Murray was slow at times, but otherwise I think Larkham is getting more out of Munster’s backs this season in attack than the season previous.
Racing had an international front-row starting today and Loughman in particular surprised me in getting a scrum penalty off Gomes Sa. I didn’t think his scrummaging was up to international standard until now but Munster were also 100% on their own scrums.
@Eddie Hekenui: Spot on, it was like a game of pick out the prop at times.
Russell is fantastic at straightening the line too in attack and never taking too much out of the ball when he does call it. Very economical.
@EK: When he’s going well he’s an absolute joy to watch. If there’s a prop in space or he gets a penalty advantage he’ll try anything. French rugby is so suited to his style of play too. He’s much better when there’s a petit general inside him to manage the game and let him play to his strengths. Greg Laidlaw probably owes his him about 30 caps.
Don’t know how to feel about that one! It was a cracking game & from what I’ve seen of the Heineken cup so far there is no slicker team than racing, their attack is lethal and yet we could have beaten them. Our lineout disappointed for most of the game but yet in the final minutes pom showed his class to disrupt two of theirs to nearly win us the game. A bit of a mixture of responses on here about jj, I don’t think he’ll make the national team but in fairness to him he had a really good game, some lovely passing and was a real threat of a break, kicked well too. Russell though was in the main class and teddy Thomas is a hell of a player. Haley had a big game, Rock solid again under the high ball & especially in the first half, broke the line at will. Interesting pool now
@Tim Magner: come on Tim. *French teams dont travel and racing have been crap this season and we still couldn’t beat them* POM was largely anonymous but hanrahan was superb and so was Haley. Hanrahan seems like he can actually control a game very well. Haley looks like a completely different player this season, some of his running lines are class and his kicking is probably best in the country right now. You really shouldn’t be taking a lot of positives from that game. Huge missed opportunity
@Axel Beckett: that’s the cliche and more often than not they seem disinterested when playing away. It’s hard to say that about racing today though, they were well up for the fight and fair dues to them. That backline of theirs is lethal, if the french think Thomas is surplus to requirements then fair dues. As for some positives, there’s always some, I actually thought we showed a bit of creativity today, scored two nice tries and made a lot of line breaks that frustratingly we managed to butcher. I wouldn’t worry about racings position in the french league cos most of their players were at the WC. Look at the league leaders today, as poor a french team in Europe since bourgoin in their hayday
@Tim Magner: I agree with league standings they are irrelevant but that was a huge factor during the week for a lot of people. Racing did come to play and was refreshing to see a team give it to Munster in Thomand especially a French one. Only positives I’d take from that are Hanrahan & Haley. Pack needs to up there game hugely. I though tommy O’Donnell was missed hugely. I think I was right about Jack Odonoughue. Was ineffective at breakdown and was bouncing off tackles many times. Needs to be winning collisions
@Axel Beckett: yea jack didn’t have a good game whereas wycherley did when he came on. Our back row needed to get to Russell and never did which was disappointing. Overall the pack were 2nd best and that’s not good enough at home. Makes getting out of the pool tough now but a loss would have been a disaster. Looks like racing are up for this comp though and as I said, they look the slickest team in it. Toulouse when they get back Dupont & kolbe would be my favourites. Leinster will be there or thereabouts but don’t look great at the moment. Saracens who knows, they’ve gone nowhere
@Tim Magner:
Fair assessment Tim and it’s a credit to you that you have given a balanced analysis of what you have just viewed, especially as a loyal Munster supporter.
Pretty much got it spot on, I would say.
The one point I would highlight and raise which has been overlooked is murrays substitution which could be the first time he has been removed in a tight game.
Could do him, Munster and Ireland good in the long term.
@Mark Smith: have huge 42 respect for Tim. Views are always balanced and his analysis is usually spot on at the best times. Impressive rugby knowledge too.
@Mark Smith: I worry about losing Alby. For most of the second half we were under pressure and just sucked the tempo out of our game. I’d say larkham will be furious and it was only when Alby came on that we showed the urgency required. We are still a work in progress, and I like the way we’re going in fairness, but Murray needs to loosen up a bit. After him we now have greenhorns in McCarthy, who’s hardly played, and Casey who needs to be fast tracked as soon as possible. I watched Cooney do last night what Murray used do at his best, dominate a game
@Tim Magner: if he kicks it straight, he best’s Russell, who’s playing great in that set-up, unlike other times … the initial side angel on the tv looked on too, then snapped to ‘banana’ vision, cruel game.
@thesaltyurchin: just for jj’s career how big would that have been for him. He has started this season great though so hopefully he keeps it going, is looking like a proper flyhalf, is confident and looks great attacking the line
@Tim Magner:
Without doubt it the best I have seen him perform for a long time but how he responds to this setback will determine how he moves forward in general.
Tonight was a massive blow to his confidence that he could have done without
Munster a very poor lads!
Not good signs in munster when an average enough Racing team can almost beat munster at home, supposedly the place they never lose in… They’d badly want to sign De Allende & Snyman now. Kleyn, 2x Scannells, Farrell, O’Donoghue, O’Mahony are average. I’d love if they gave Goggin some more game time. Much smarter & physical player than Scannell. Delighted to see Hanrahan having a good game tonight.
@Harry O’Callaghan: Clueless Harry you’re clueless!
@Harry O’Callaghan: racing would be one of my favourites for the title. In what way do you think they’re average? They have some of the best players in europe
@Tim Magner: They’re really getting good now too.
@thesaltyurchin: they’ve so many threats that everytime they got the ball they narrowed up our defence. I felt they could score everytime, a class team and if you’re a neutral probably the best to watch in europe
@Tim Magner: Endless supply of giants too!
@Tim Magner: Its pretty easy to attack when the opposite team has no defence.
@Walter Obrien: Interesting insight and logical reasoning. Well done.
@Harry O’Callaghan: you better look up that Munster teams defensive record over the last few years. Other than Toulouse, who else has attacking weapons like Russell, vakatawa, imhoff, Thomas & zebo? Saracens have Williams at that level in attack, a player like Farrell is a super passer and kicker but not the running threat or maverick that is Russell. Leinster have ringrose and Lowe, the rest are just solid lads, more defensive. Clermont on their day can be deadly or play half backs like Laidlaw & McIntyre and just concede the game
@Tim Magner: the last few years isn’t this year though.
@Harry O’Callaghan: we conceded the same amount of tries to racing that leinster conceded to a Treviso team missing their two top wingers. Imagine the Carnage at the rds if Treviso had Russell,. Vakatawa, Thomas & imhoff?
@Tim Magner: They still wouldn’t make an impact. You better go look back to two seasons ago when those players were playing for racing against Leinster in the final.
WC disaster almost forgotten about
@And_Helipad: he’s back again. A bigger troll than myself.
@Axel Beckett: your not that big yet kid!
@thesaltyurchin: you are warming to me
Great game, drop goes over and it’s a completely different comments section, JJ choked, no two ways about it. He kicks it over and Farrell has to consider him, he’ll be looking at that for a while. Great statement taking Murray off, Good to see Wycherley was excellent when he came on, need to back these lads more, also Cronin finding his way back to some form, tough call on the line, no one dropped and the french clearly popped up. Prendie must have had a say in the Racing subs, why take off the most dangerous player on the filed in the last 20? The way Europe plays out that one decision could cost everything.
Munster not out of it but that s why o gara is a legend . you could rely on him