HEC: Munster - Northampton Saints (12-11-2011)

[munstermuffin]

Don't care about that. Owens had a clear view of the knock on the 21st phase before the DG and ignored it. He ignored the clear knock on before the half-time try. He ignored the off the ball antics prior to the Howlett try. He repeatedly pinged Saints scrum when Munster were smelling their own farts (Bullshit did Munster have parity, they went backwards 5m more then a couple of times and spent the afternoon with their flanker ahead of their prop). Apparently laying all over the ball is not illegal in a red shirt but not releasing within 0.002 seconds is a penalty offence when wearing green.

The bloke is an absolute disgrace to the game. Time and time again it happens when that corrupt gibbon is given the whistle.

I don't care if it sounds like sour grapes. Owens ruined that game because he'd decided the winner before the teams had even arrived at the stadium.

Mite absolute rubbish their.
Both teams had off ball antics. At a lineout when Varley was down and a colleague was attending him both the physio and Varley got a knee off the same Saints player. And oh yeah so if Owens was perfect he'd have pulled Munster knock on for the DG the Munster are -3 and if Saints knock on was callled too that -7 for them. Is that true or are my maths bad??

And Owens was consistent with pens and Saints had more pens than us. Look ye can moan and ***** and be sour but look ye had chance to finish it regardless of Owens or not and ye didn't take it. That is the fine margin between winning and loosing. If ye had won nobody could deny ye as ye deserved it. But if you go knit picking it not all a 1 way argument.

 

[Teh Mite]

Mite absolute rubbish their.
Both teams had off ball antics. At a lineout when Varley was down and a colleague was attending him both the physio and Varley got a knee off the same Saints player. And oh yeah so if Owens was perfect he'd have pulled Munster knock on for the DG the Munster are -3 and if Saints knock on was callled too that -7 for them. Is that true or are my maths bad??

And Owens was consistent with pens and Saints had more pens than us. Look ye can moan and ***** and be sour but look ye had chance to finish it regardless of Owens or not and ye didn't take it. That is the fine margin between winning and loosing. If ye had won nobody could deny ye as ye deserved it. But if you go knit picking it not all a 1 way argument.

Yes it is. Owens gave Munster a 10 point headstart.

And Lambs pass was flat.

 

[munstermuffin]

Yes it is. Owens gave Munster a 10 point headstart.

And Lambs pass was flat.

Watch again it not flat it forward have watched it from numerous angles it forward. But you entitled to opinion and well I'll just disagree and be glad I was in Thomond Park for a classic. Not arguing over it and well done to both teams.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I presume Mallinder will be making an official complaint about Owens if he influenced the game so much?

 

[munstermuffin]

I presume Mallinder will be making an official complaint about Owens if he influenced the game so much?

If he was that bad I hope they do. It's 1 or the other - If Saints think he was that bad then pursue it and have him answer for his actions or simply is this Mallinder trying to pass the blame on that the Saints just didn't finish the game off?

 

[duncanb]

IMHO Lamb pass was marginally forward from postion of Owens could not make call but remember at this level AR's should be making vast majority of those calls so blame him not Owens they are a Team of 3.
If you want to have a go at Owens then look at usual fault getting in the way at ruck/maul time by standing in wrong place you will note both sides SH had to change pass direction owing to where he stands,this is an ongoing problem with Owens.
If I was being picky scrum last 3 mins clear saints pen as front row breaks up only a reset and POC illegally going around maul when not bound to ball carrier both pens would have most likely been kicked to touch and if line won no doubt time would expire ruck/maul senario.
However great game and probably no one deserved to lose.

 

[Gavin]

Always going to be biased supporters

 

[gingergenius]

A game/ day that proves the Heineken Cup is the best competition in any mainstream professional sport. How many others provide high class play and intensity in every single game, during the group stages?

Northampton will be kicking themselves there. They were the better team over 80 minutes - better scrum, better lineout, fiercer pack, and far more threatening in the backs. So, they'll be trying to work out how they lost that -and the answer is probably that they should've made Munster work a little harder for their tries, and Artemyev's clanger. But that's it. Munster showed outstanding discipline and patience to win that game, and in particular outstanding defence, but should know how lucky they are.

On the bright side for Saints, they should expect to beat Munster in the reverse. And if Lamb plays like that all the time, they have a 10 with far more ability than Myler. As for returning England players, every single one of them was outstanding.

 

[Teh Mite]

I presume Mallinder will be making an official complaint about Owens if he influenced the game so much?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/15628483.stm

Northampton coach Jim Mallinder:"The mood in the dressing room is low. The feeling is one of frustration.
"I think the game hinged on some crucial refereeing decisions - I felt the referee got quite a lot wrong.
"Sometimes you don't always get the rub of the green and I think we will look back and probably say we did not quite get it."

 

[monkeypigeon]

My favourite bit of Owens' biased corruption was in the Northampton 22 when NH got a penalty because they dropped their own jumper.

Not going to comment on the rest. New commenting mantra. 'If neutrals don't think the ref effected the game, then the ref didn't effect the game'.

 

[Saintjay]

Not getting involved in this ref stuff it can't be changed and at times it does not go your way, well done to Munster nicking at the death.

Saints looked O.K and should progress from the group but again well done to Munster looked like it was a great night.

 

[JW.]

My favourite bit of Owens' biased corruption was in the Northampton 22 when NH got a penalty because they dropped their own jumper.

Not going to comment on the rest. New commenting mantra. 'If neutrals don't think the ref effected the game, then the ref didn't effect the game'.

That was actually right as the munster prop took away the front lifter.

 

[big ginger 8]

Why should a scrum be penalised for going backwards? It is absolutly stupid that people think it should be it's not illegal. Once they start collapsing or other **** the nyes penalise it but penalising a scrum for going backwards is like penalising a winger who isn't fast enough.

 

[Groundhog]

I thought Nigel Owens was very good personally

 

[profitius]

Ah now lads it wasn't all one way traffic in terms of refereeing decisions and the contest. Munster were stronger in some areas, Saints in others. Munster had their periods of dominance. Both sides made mistakes, both were lucky and unlucky at times with some decisions. The home side got a small amount more decisions probably. Theres a shocker!

Munster had a try disallowed for a forward pass. The Northampton second try came from a forward pass and a lucky bounce of ROG. A few forward passes by Northampton were missed. A few Saints kicks got lucky bounces. The lineman misjudged a Johne Murphy clearance at one stage giving Northampton an extra 15m. The Artemyev miss came from a lucky bounce too.

I thought Ben Foden was outstanding. Shame for him that England don't get the best out of his talent.

 

[Saintjay]

Why should a scrum be penalised for going backwards? It is absolutly stupid that people think it should be it's not illegal. Once they start collapsing or other **** the nyes penalise it but penalising a scrum for going backwards is like penalising a winger who isn't fast enough.

I think the issue is that the scrum get's driven back and the team going backwards rotate the scrum and get the put in. I caught some of the RTE commentry last night and even they were saying that Munster should not be allowed to do it and then get the put in. The scrum laws are a mess and a joke at the moment and don't get me started on feeding at the scrum.

I hate watching a scrum half wait to see who wins the hit and then they look at the ref ball over there head saying "But I can't put it in now my teams been driven back".

I really don't think the laws help front rows like the Saints who tend to be better than most. As despite being better than the other team the laws are not allowing them to take quite rightly an advantage.

 

[j'nuh]

Is Lamb finally getting near enough to be an England potential? I really like the guy, and think his talent in engaging backs would play to England's strengths, and now he has a good boot as well, he should be on track to get a few caps...

 

[Gavin]

Is Lamb finally getting near enough to be an England potential? I really like the guy, and think his talent in engaging backs would play to England's strengths, and now he has a good boot as well, he should be on track to get a few caps...

Does one swallow make a summer?

 

[coonor]

Personally I believe Munster were deliberately wheeling the scrum as NH put on the pressure Munster would turn it 90 degrees but that was only on about to occasions, other then that Munster actually chased the feet for the most part. To be honest I think the reason why Munster won was because they wanted and needed it more and that gave them enough passion and sheer determination to get the result.

 

[munstermuffin]

Lads just hope regardless of being a fan of Munster, Saint or a neutral that it was a classic and well I agree with GG's comment that yesterday and all weekend starting with the Quins Connacht game that the Heineken Cup is the best competition for excitement, passion and entertainment.