Heineken Cup Final 2008

[shazbooger]

The thing about the pick and go. You want the ball, concede the penalty, otherwise Munster have proven they can do it all day. Was it 30+ phases against the Scarlets in the ******* rain earlier this year.

 

[danny]

The thing about the pick and go. You want the ball, concede the penalty, otherwise Munster have proven they can do it all day. Was it 30+ phases against the Scarlets in the ******* rain earlier this year.
[/b]

Thats right it was a very impressive peice of forward play.
O`Connell coming back has made a huge difference. Looking forward to him playing for the Lions next year and really cementing himself as a true legend of the game.

 

[elgringoborracho]

Come on guys you can't be serious! "Very impressive piece of forwar play", as in "I find it exciting when nothing happens and when the ball stays at the same place for 25 minutes" ?
I think Doug must feel really depressed there.

 

[O'Rothlain]

Come on guys you can't be serious! "Very impressive piece of forwar play", as in "I find it exciting when nothing happens and when the ball stays at the same place for 25 minutes" ?
I think Doug must feel really depressed there. [/b]

Yes. Exactly. It was very impressive.
It's not like Dougie hasn't seen the ball. Munster won the European championship because they've utilized all aspects of the game this season. They changed gears during the second half and beat the **** out of Toulouse. I definitely find that impressive and it's one of Munster's most dangerous pieces of arsenal.

 

[Prestwick]

<div class='quotemain'> <div class='quotemain'>
Congratulations to the Munster fans on here. I turned the game off after 20 minutes because i found it frustrating, Tolouse at that time showed nothing with ball in hand. I think Munster have deserved the ***le more this season, they had an incredibly tough group to start then two away games in the quarters and semis.
[/b]

I gave the game atleast 10 mins more than you. We're too spoiled to watch games like these [/b][/quote]
Please don't tell me this is a SH>NH comment... <_<
[/b][/quote]

shh, just let it be. The guy still thinks that only five people turned up for the game and rugby matches in general....

 

[Bullitt]

I suspect a lot of the reason Munster have the poorest brand of rugby they can has more to do with O'Garas 'Wilkinson-esq' flat-out refusal to do anything except hoof the ball as far downfield as possible rather then any suggested tatic.

If they got a decent 10, I bet they'd play better rugby and win a fair bit more.

 

[Sir Speedy]

<div class='quotemain'> <div class='quotemain'> <div class='quotemain'>
Congratulations to the Munster fans on here. I turned the game off after 20 minutes because i found it frustrating, Tolouse at that time showed nothing with ball in hand. I think Munster have deserved the ***le more this season, they had an incredibly tough group to start then two away games in the quarters and semis.
[/b]

I gave the game atleast 10 mins more than you. We're too spoiled to watch games like these [/b][/quote]
Please don't tell me this is a SH>NH comment... <_<
[/b][/quote]

shh, just let it be. The guy still thinks that only five people turned up for the game and rugby matches in general....
[/b][/quote]
He's been watching too much of the Magners League. :wacko:

 

[Bullitt]

:lol:

 

[Steve-o]

<div class='quotemain'> <div class='quotemain'> <div class='quotemain'>
Congratulations to the Munster fans on here. I turned the game off after 20 minutes because i found it frustrating, Tolouse at that time showed nothing with ball in hand. I think Munster have deserved the ***le more this season, they had an incredibly tough group to start then two away games in the quarters and semis.
[/b]

I gave the game atleast 10 mins more than you. We're too spoiled to watch games like these [/b][/quote]
Please don't tell me this is a SH>NH comment... <_<
[/b][/quote]

shh, just let it be. The guy still thinks that only five people turned up for the game and rugby matches in general....
[/b][/quote]

Oh I see, you can't dispute the quality of the performance (or lack there of) so you take a dig at the decline in stadium attendences experienced in Oz and to a lesser extent in NZ. You should watch more Saffa games, or should I bring stats into this? This was the worst rugby match I've watched this year, and apparently it got worse, so I called it like it is. Deal with it.

 

[Jer1cho]

Oh I see, you can't dispute the quality of the performance (or lack there of) so you take a dig at the decline in stadium attendences experienced in Oz and to a lesser extent in NZ. You should watch more Saffa games, or should I bring stats into this? This was the worst rugby match I've watched this year, and apparently it got worse, so I called it like it is. Deal with it.


[/b]

* Hears a faint yet distinct sound of a group of cats sounding like they are about to have some sort of territorial dispute *

RRRRRRREEEEEEEMMMMMMRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGRRRRRRRREOW

 

[O'Rothlain]

I suspect a lot of the reason Munster have the poorest brand of rugby they can has more to do with O'Garas 'Wilkinson-esq' flat-out refusal to do anything except hoof the ball as far downfield as possible rather then any suggested tatic.

If they got a decent 10, I bet they'd play better rugby and win a fair bit more. [/b]

Can you please explain how a team with the "poorest brand of rugby" became the champions of Europe...

 

[Bullitt]

10 man, up-yer-jumper, hoof it away rugby. As famously employed by Munster, England, Leicester and Saracens.

Poor because, while effective at winning tight & high pressure games, is about an effective advert for the sport as a photo of Buck Shelfords free swinging bollock.

So therefore, a poor brand of rugby.

 

[O'Rothlain]

[It] is about an effective advert for the sport as a photo of Buck Shelfords free swinging bollock.[/b]

If you're trying to sell the sport to a bunch of Rugby Leaguers who don't appreciate things like rucks, mauls and scrums. For the rest of us who do appreciate those aspects of the game it is very effective advertising.

 

[elgringoborracho]

<div class='quotemain'> Come on guys you can't be serious! "Very impressive piece of forwar play", as in "I find it exciting when nothing happens and when the ball stays at the same place for 25 minutes" ?
I think Doug must feel really depressed there. [/b]

Yes. Exactly. It was very impressive.
It's not like Dougie hasn't seen the ball. Munster won the European championship because they've utilized all aspects of the game this season. They changed gears during the second half and beat the **** out of Toulouse. I definitely find that impressive and it's one of Munster's most dangerous pieces of arsenal.
[/b][/quote]

Effective and impressive are two different notions I believe. Now don't get me wrong, I know Munster can play another rugby, it's just not the one we saw on saturday.

 

[Bullitt]

<div class='quotemain'>[It] is about an effective advert for the sport as a photo of Buck Shelfords free swinging bollock.[/b]

If you're trying to sell the sport to a bunch of Rugby Leaguers who don't appreciate things like rucks, mauls and scrums. For the rest of us who do appreciate those aspects of the game it is very effective advertising.
[/b][/quote]

When you already know about the game. If a newby who'd never seen the game before turned that on and made forwards-based rugby as the foundation of his opinion, he would soon get very bored with the sport.

Nothing is more beautiful in the world of sport then a well organised rolling maul to somebody with a trained eye and there is indeed a place in our sport for it. However, to take a ball back into a ruck constantly for 15-20 minutes, not even looking to pass further then 10 once, is not only boring for the spectator, it's boring for the players, it's boring for the ref, it's boring for the fans and it's boring to the kid who's just decided not to watch the sport any more.

It killed the game and gave it a poor ending.

Still, those 2,000,000 Munstermen who have so far claimed they were there to see Cantillon and co. beat the ABs in 1978 will have enjoyed it. They turn out in numbers and cheer everything when they win.

 

[Prestwick]

Oh I see, you can't dispute the quality of the performance (or lack there of) so you take a dig at the decline in stadium attendences experienced in Oz and to a lesser extent in NZ. You should watch more Saffa games, or should I bring stats into this? This was the worst rugby match I've watched this year, and apparently it got worse, so I called it like it is. Deal with it.

[/b]

Oh, I don't disagree with the quality of the game, not at all, definitely not digressing from the fact that the last twenty minutes at least ruined the game, definitely not saying the game was great and that the only spectacular moment was (contrary to what Shalk said) a moment of genius by Toulouse and Cedric Heymans. In short, I say the game was actually, quite rubbish really. Serious. Honest. Hand on my heart.

What I am saying is that despite such games which are tighter than that of the snatch of a medieval virgin, game attendances in the NH are at record levels in all HEC nations. Deal with that my friend.

EDIT: as another note, we will have to accept that finals will be tight! Thus, they're rubbish examples to use in arguments over a variety of issues (hint hint, it begins with an E) Period. End of story.

Anyway, moments of the day for me were:

1. me completely buggering up how much the match and train tickets cost. Everyone costs £40 to me.
2. Jaffa Cakes.
3. Nice old ladies.
4. Brains SA.
5. Gay shirts.
6. Hilarious and blatant Irish hypocrisy over pick-and-go. Remember, if its pick and go done by guys in a white or Bok green jersey then its BORING! BOOOO!
7. Neither Saintsfanwebby nor IBleedBlack knowing the words to any songs by the Proclaimers.
8. Pretending to be Munster fans the next morning.
7.

 

[Cymro]

<div class='quotemain'> <div class='quotemain'>[It] is about an effective advert for the sport as a photo of Buck Shelfords free swinging bollock.[/b]

If you're trying to sell the sport to a bunch of Rugby Leaguers who don't appreciate things like rucks, mauls and scrums. For the rest of us who do appreciate those aspects of the game it is very effective advertising.
[/b][/quote]

When you already know about the game. If a newby who'd never seen the game before turned that on and made forwards-based rugby as the foundation of his opinion, he would soon get very bored with the sport.

Nothing is more beautiful in the world of sport then a well organised rolling maul to somebody with a trained eye and there is indeed a place in our sport for it. However, to take a ball back into a ruck constantly for 15-20 minutes, not even looking to pass further then 10 once, is not only boring for the spectator, it's boring for the players, it's boring for the ref, it's boring for the fans and it's boring to the kid who's just decided not to watch the sport any more.

It killed the game and gave it a poor ending.

Still, those 2,000,000 Munstermen who have so far claimed they were there to see Cantillon and co. beat the ABs in 1978 will have enjoyed it. They turn out in numbers and cheer everything when they win. [/b][/quote]

I agree with your post, it was not a attractive game and Ellisade was right in his comments found here:

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12321_3612511,00.html

"It's getting like basketball where the only option is to make a technical error and take the points. That's not rugby, it's nothing."[/b]

and

"You had one guy diving alone on to the ground, another on top. At the end, I told him there were only blues (Munster) on the ground, no reds (Toulouse), no tackler and tackled, so I was not breaking the rules. But my English isn't super."[/b]

His first comment is very true, what Tolouse should have done was infringe, and I remember watching him screaming at Nigel about the rucking situation he is outlying in his second quote. Munster were diving over the top of the rucks and once or twice I felt a penalty could have been given.

I can understnad showing young forwards how to control the ball like Munster, and saying this is how its done, but it's not helping the game in the long run. It does ruin the viewing of the game and the Munster fans will just say its only because you did not want them to win, which is utter ******** in my book. I was hoping to see Howlett scoring and running through the Tolouse defense and watch an attrative game, the roof was closed so that the chance of rain turning into the game into a forwards one was quashed.

But the moral of the story is, you do anything to win and Munster did that!

 

[Prestwick]

I can understnad showing young forwards how to control the ball like Munster, and saying this is how its done, but it's not helping the game in the long run. It does ruin the viewing of the game and the Munster fans will just say its only because you did not want them to win, which is utter ******** in my book. I was hoping to see Howlett scoring and running through the Tolouse defense and watch an attrative game, the roof was closed so that the chance of rain turning into the game into a forwards one was quashed.

But the moral of the story is, you do anything to win and Munster did that!
[/b]

I was totally wanting to see Howlett score as well. It isn't helping the game that teams like England, Munster, Wasps and South Africa are doing the bare minimum to get by, grinding out results and tightening games with a vice like grip.

Forward play can be so much more positive. Look at what Sheridan and Shaw did against Australia in the World Cup, taking the ball forward, making hard yards, keeping the momentum going. This is how it should be done.

And for this BOTH hemispheres need to play their part. Remember that it took two to tango in order to make the World Cup Final such a cagey 80 minutes. South Africa were just as much to blame as England were. Everyone needs to come together to foster better practice and a much more positive vision for forwards in Rugby Union.

 

[Steve-o]

What I am saying is that despite such games which are tighter than that of the snatch of a medieval virgin, game attendances in the NH are at record levels in all HEC nations. Deal with that my friend.

[/b]

Ok so Prestwick wants to run his mouth again.

Super 14 2008

Average attendence (before semi finals): 21 978



H-Cup 2007-08

Average attendence (before semi finals): 10 003



So as you can see the growth of the H-Cup is relative. Nigeria's economy might be growing faster than the United States, but it does mean it's bigger. Rugby has been the no.1 sport in AUS, NZ and SA for awhile so growth we have to stop sometime. In Europe rugby is gaining popularity (which is really good for rugby as a whole, very good news. I like. I like-a-alot. Hand on my heart) so growth will be bigger.

Let's not get into this Prestwick, growth of rugby is good, just don't act all high and mighty just because rugby growth is booming up there, you still got a long way to go.

Everyone needs to come together to foster better practice and a much more positive vision for forwards in Rugby Union.
[/b]

ELV's???

 

[Cymro]

<div class='quotemain'>


What I am saying is that despite such games which are tighter than that of the snatch of a medieval virgin, game attendances in the NH are at record levels in all HEC nations. Deal with that my friend.

[/b]

Ok so Prestwick wants to run his mouth again.

Super 14 2008

Average attendence (before semi finals): 21 978



H-Cup 2007-08

Average attendence (before semi finals): 10 003



So as you can see the growth of the H-Cup is relative. Nigeria's economy might be growing faster than the United States, but it does mean it's bigger. Rugby has been the no.1 sport in AUS, NZ and SA for awhile so growth we have to stop sometime. In Europe rugby is gaining popularity (which is really good for rugby as a whole, very good news. I like. I like-a-alot. Hand on my heart) so growth will be bigger.

Let's not get into this Prestwick, growth of rugby is good, just don't act all high and mighty just because rugby growth is booming up there, you still got a long way to go.

[/b][/quote]

When quoting facts please state where you got them from?

Also rugby in the NH is growing, attendances are on the rise and as much as I hate to say it a bit of its down to England's 2003 rugby world cup success!