Blues v Munster

Munster: F Jones; D Howlett (capt), K Earls, J Downey, DHurley; R O'Gara, C Murray; D Kilcoyne, M Sherry, S Archer; D Foley, D Ryan; T O'Donnell, S Dougall, J Coughlan.

Replacements: S Henry, W du Preez, BJ Botha, B Holland, CJ Stander, D Williams, I Keatley, C Laulala.

Blues: Jason Tovey; Owen Williams, Richard Smith, Jamie Roberts, Harry Robinson; Rhys Patchell, Lewis Jones; Sam Hobbs, Rhys Williams, Benoit Bourrust, Bradley Davies, Lou Reed, Josh Navidi (capt), Sam Warburton, Robin Copeland.

Replacements: Kritian Dacey, Paetru Tamba, Scott Andrews, James Down, Luke Hamilton, Alex Walker, Ceri Sweeney, Leigh Halfpenny.

Live on S4C and RTE.

Roberts back for the Blues, be nice to see him play well for the us as he is normally lacklustre. Would be interesting to see the Romanian prop Tamba off the bench, a lot of Blues fans have been asking for a gnarly Eastern European Tighthead (I think hes a Tighthead).

Rog's first pointless kick on 2 minutes.

Earls got handed off badly in first minute there, hope he is ok, his neck moved weirdly, looks like he is running fine. Just made a tackle there must be ok

Jesus, Sam Hobbs getting destroyed in the scrum. Still can't believe that we haven’t let him go. He’s not up to the standard.

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:Earls got handed off badly in first minute there, hope he is ok, his neck moved weirdly, looks like he is running fine. Just made a tackle there must be ok

He's fine. Stupid penalty to give away by Ryan followed up by a stupid penalty by Roberts and then Rog shows he can be stupider than everyone else.

Jesus Patch is fast. Think he should have just dived on that then. Bit too cute with the little toe tap.

Stop kicking the f**king ball Rog you gobsh*te. Ryan = hero.

Good nudge from Patch there. 3-0 Blues!

I think he got to try to pick that up, would have been tough but got to try IMO. Think it drifted slightly to his right just as he got to it which might have made it harder. Great speed

Ryan is a legend. Best player in Ireland with Healy, Sexton and Zebo.

Patchell must be the fastest FH playing at the moment. Unlucky not to score a try with the bounce of the ball going against him.

kingjohn7 wrote:I think he got to try to pick that up, would have been tough but got to try IMO. Think it drifted slightly to his right just as he got to it which might have made it harder. Great speed

If he had slowed to pick it up, he would have been caught, from first look the kick seemed to work, retaining blues possession at least

Cardiff ain't bad on the counter attack

Fairly sloppy game at the moment.

Copland has to be the blues starting 8, 2line breaks in 15 minutes

Yikes nasty clash of heads.

Copeland running like he has something to prove. Hes really impressed me, good signing there (We don't get many). Nice to see us running turn over ball. Instead of just kicking it.

Evening lads.

Looks like Murray might've lost a tooth or two there.

Just a quick score update for the lurkers 0-3 after 14 minutes.

It was miles better then the first scrum. Would be nice for us not to get smashed about the park.

I still don't think Archer will make it but he has been so much better the last few games to be fair to him.

Rog is kicking pretty much everything.

Munster simply have to get their forwards off the wing, so much lost possession to the touch line it is beyond stupid

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:Munster simply have to get their forwards off the wing, so much lost possession to the touch line it is beyond stupid

Disagree Pete, there younger players are capable of playing that type of game, there have few occasions where they have managed to generate quick ball through having the forwards clearing out on the wings.

Blues defence is holding well atm. It certainly seem to have improved, but I fear that 1 try could still open floodgates when confidence in the defence goes down.

Little possession for the Blues, but a decent first 20 from a team in such poor form

Here it comes, 5m munster scrum :/

I like Archer, he did a great job when Munster played against us at the CAP. You never know with props, they take so long to develop. ROG needs to relax with the chip kicks.

wales606 wrote:Blues defence is holding well atm. It certainly seem to have improved, but I fear that 1 try could still open floodgates when confidence in the defence goes down.

Little possession for the Blues, but a decent first 20 from a team in such poor form

Here it comes, 5m munster scrum :/

Munster's attack isn't exactly razor sharp.

Blues need a good LHP, at least Munster are not going for a penalty try.

3 - 3

Massive scrum from Munster, that ripple when the scrum went down was insane.

Coleman wrote:I like Archer, he did a great job when Munster played against us at the CAP. You never know with props, they take so long to develop. ROG needs to relax with the chip kicks.

He is doing alright but Kilcoyne is the one doing the real damage, he is destroying the Cardiff tighthead.

ROG kicks his first penalty to equalize at 22 minutes.

I know I am being pedantic about this and I was all for Howlett being captain and still believe it is the right call but it drives me nuts that ref's take suggestions from other players (senior or junior) about penalty decisions. So often I see Peter O'Mahony (main one) or Ryan coming in as pack leaders to make a decision.

No. The captain makes the decision. He is less than 10 seconds away. Wait.



Apologies, I'm done now

Yeah Beniot is getting a hammering, strange that i want Scott Andrews to come on. I used to be one of his bigger detractors but he’s come on leaps and bounds in 8 months.

ROG sticking to his guns, good kick down field.

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:I know I am being pedantic about this and I was all for Howlett being captain and still believe it is the right call but it drives me nuts that ref's take suggestions from other players (senior or junior) about penalty decisions. So often I see Peter O'Mahony (main one) or Ryan coming in as pack leaders to make a decision.

No. The captain makes the decision. He is less than 10 seconds away. Wait.



Apologies, I'm done now

Pete the captain makes the decision but the pack leader will always have a say in the decision. Look at Ireland any decision Bod makes will always go through Poc first and they will decide what is the best decision. The ref will talk to the pack leader. There is no point him just saying to Howlett what is happening in the pack, when its easier and more effective to talk to the pack leader.

valjester wrote:

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:Munster simply have to get their forwards off the wing, so much lost possession to the touch line it is beyond stupid

Disagree Pete, there younger players are capable of playing that type of game, there have few occasions where they have managed to generate quick ball through having the forwards clearing out on the wings.

Clearing out is fine. No issue with that. But until they learn to hold their depth so the ball isn't passed (badly) into touch or they don't end up running/getting pushed in to touch. The ball has died on the right wing 3 times in 20minutes

Oh Jamie :/

valjester wrote:

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:I know I am being pedantic about this and I was all for Howlett being captain and still believe it is the right call but it drives me nuts that ref's take suggestions from other players (senior or junior) about penalty decisions. So often I see Peter O'Mahony (main one) or Ryan coming in as pack leaders to make a decision.

No. The captain makes the decision. He is less than 10 seconds away. Wait.



Apologies, I'm done now

Pete the captain makes the decision but the pack leader will always have a say in the decision. Look at Ireland any decision Bod makes will always go through Poc first and they will decide what is the best decision. The ref will talk to the pack leader. There is no point him just saying to Howlett what is happening in the pack, when its easier and more effective to talk to the pack leader.

No way absolutely everything goes through POC for Ireland. Also if the pack leader makes a call surely it must go through the captain too?

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:

valjester wrote:

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:Munster simply have to get their forwards off the wing, so much lost possession to the touch line it is beyond stupid

Disagree Pete, there younger players are capable of playing that type of game, there have few occasions where they have managed to generate quick ball through having the forwards clearing out on the wings.

Clearing out is fine. No issue with that. But until they learn to hold their depth so the ball isn't passed (badly) into touch or they don't end up running/getting pushed in to touch. The ball has died on the right wing 3 times in 20minutes

You are calling for them to take their fowards of the wing. They won't, Penney has his system and he is going to implement it, it might just take a while for him to get through to some of the players.

Coleman wrote:Yeah Beniot is getting a hammering, strange that i want Scott Andrews to come on. I used to be one of his bigger detractors but he’s come on leaps and bounds in 8 months.

ROG sticking to his guns, good kick down field.

I think Hobbs is the trouble (and a poor scrummaging hooker), Bourrust is fairly solid.

What a bloody mess. Crowd playing their part right there.

Blues line out jumpers are doing a good job, hooker seems to be under a bit of pressure at times though.

Dire pass for an attempted DG, he still had a decent go at it though. Right idea, wrong execution.

valjester wrote:

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:

valjester wrote:

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:Munster simply have to get their forwards off the wing, so much lost possession to the touch line it is beyond stupid

Disagree Pete, there younger players are capable of playing that type of game, there have few occasions where they have managed to generate quick ball through having the forwards clearing out on the wings.

Clearing out is fine. No issue with that. But until they learn to hold their depth so the ball isn't passed (badly) into touch or they don't end up running/getting pushed in to touch. The ball has died on the right wing 3 times in 20minutes

You are calling for them to take their fowards of the wing. They won't, Penney has his system and he is going to implement it, it might just take a while for him to get through to some of the players.

What is the goal though?
To create mismatches having forwards running at backs? Is it really a mismatch if the back is George North or Alex Cuthbert, Matt Banahan, Allesandro Tuilagi?
They should upskill the forwards prior to putting them out there.

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:

valjester wrote:

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:I know I am being pedantic about this and I was all for Howlett being captain and still believe it is the right call but it drives me nuts that ref's take suggestions from other players (senior or junior) about penalty decisions. So often I see Peter O'Mahony (main one) or Ryan coming in as pack leaders to make a decision.

No. The captain makes the decision. He is less than 10 seconds away. Wait.



Apologies, I'm done now

Pete the captain makes the decision but the pack leader will always have a say in the decision. Look at Ireland any decision Bod makes will always go through Poc first and they will decide what is the best decision. The ref will talk to the pack leader. There is no point him just saying to Howlett what is happening in the pack, when its easier and more effective to talk to the pack leader.

No way absolutely everything goes through POC for Ireland. Also if the pack leader makes a call surely it must go through the captain too?

Well obviously it depends on the decision, such as if its a kick to goal Bod will ask the kicker if its in their range, but when they are deciding whether to go for touch, take a scrum etc, Bod nearly always consults Poc. Yes the capt will make the final call but there is no harm with the ref having a dialogue with the players once it doesn't go overboard with them questioning every decision he makes.

Good Munster defence to force the drop goal attempt

valjester wrote:

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:

valjester wrote:

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:I know I am being pedantic about this and I was all for Howlett being captain and still believe it is the right call but it drives me nuts that ref's take suggestions from other players (senior or junior) about penalty decisions. So often I see Peter O'Mahony (main one) or Ryan coming in as pack leaders to make a decision.

No. The captain makes the decision. He is less than 10 seconds away. Wait.



Apologies, I'm done now

Pete the captain makes the decision but the pack leader will always have a say in the decision. Look at Ireland any decision Bod makes will always go through Poc first and they will decide what is the best decision. The ref will talk to the pack leader. There is no point him just saying to Howlett what is happening in the pack, when its easier and more effective to talk to the pack leader.

No way absolutely everything goes through POC for Ireland. Also if the pack leader makes a call surely it must go through the captain too?

Well obviously it depends on the decision, such as if its a kick to goal Bod will ask the kicker if its in their range, but when they are deciding whether to go for touch, take a scrum etc, Bod nearly always consults Poc. Yes the capt will make the final call but there is no harm with the ref having a dialogue with the players once it doesn't go overboard with them questioning every decision he makes.

Like I said maybe it is pedantic I just don't think it is right. Maybe I'm old fashioned!

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:

valjester wrote:

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:

valjester wrote:

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:Munster simply have to get their forwards off the wing, so much lost possession to the touch line it is beyond stupid

Disagree Pete, there younger players are capable of playing that type of game, there have few occasions where they have managed to generate quick ball through having the forwards clearing out on the wings.

Clearing out is fine. No issue with that. But until they learn to hold their depth so the ball isn't passed (badly) into touch or they don't end up running/getting pushed in to touch. The ball has died on the right wing 3 times in 20minutes

You are calling for them to take their fowards of the wing. They won't, Penney has his system and he is going to implement it, it might just take a while for him to get through to some of the players.

What is the goal though?
To create mismatches having forwards running at backs? Is it really a mismatch if the back is George North or Alex Cuthbert, Matt Banahan, Allesandro Tuilagi?
They should upskill the forwards prior to putting them out there.

They are upskilling them, many of the younger forwards are already capable of playing that type of game. Its not about creating a mismatch, its about generating quick, clean ball for the team.

Lewis Jones not giving Patch the greatest service. He’s had to stretch for a few of those now.

Coleman wrote:Lewis Jones not giving Patch the greatest service. He’s had to stretch for a few of those now.

Still twice as good as Lloyd Williams. I think we should have given rob lewis a run before loaning him back to welsh.

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:

Like I said maybe it is pedantic I just don't think it is right. Maybe I'm old fashioned!

I wouldn't call it pedantic, just a different viewpoint.

Rog, Hurley are playing poorly.

Controversial decision.

wales606 wrote:

Coleman wrote:Lewis Jones not giving Patch the greatest service. He’s had to stretch for a few of those now.

Still twice as good as Lloyd Williams. I think we should have given rob lewis a run before loaning him back to welsh.

Agree 100%