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URC 2022/2023 SF

I didn't think this last year lads. Next week, I guarantee a win.

Bet: I will hange my username to whatever the first person to reply to this message with a SFW username suggests if we don't win next week.
 
If the Stormers fluke a URC ***le twice in a row..

I'm going to have to catch up and watch that upset. Hoping for our boys that was Munster's final. I feel like we have a gear to go up too still and should have a full strength side for the final.
 
I didn't think this last year lads. Next week, I guarantee a win.

Bet: I will hange my username to whatever the first person to reply to this message with a SFW username suggests if we don't win next week.
I'll leave it to someone with a little more imagination..
 
I didn't think this last year lads. Next week, I guarantee a win.

Bet: I will hange my username to whatever the first person to reply to this message with a SFW username suggests if we don't win next week.
I can't wait for la Rochelle to win 5-3 next week finishing the game with 13 players
 
A pretty engaging game at the Aviva. As a Leinster fan I'm not exactly sure why we seemed to have offered this up to the gods pre game. I had a feeling we would come apart and we did. Hoping for better next week.

On a wider note something struck me watching the games. It was the referees. Now I'll lay out my cards. I thought Frank Murphy made some very poor and inconsistent decisions that hurt Leinster. Not least missing what was an obvious Munster hand regaining possession on the floor for the drop goal but had Frawley converted the last try it would have been irrelevant.

Anyhow more to my point. Mike Adamson and Frank Murphy. Both have been deemed by World Rugby unfit to carry a flag in France yet they are given the whistle in a URC semi. Neither are regarded as top officials even in the URC. Andy Brace was on the line and he is by selection an Elite World Rugby Referee who will be in the middle in France. Chris Busby was on the other line. He has been selected on the line for France. Why were higher calibre officials not picked?
It was the same last year. Piardi and Adamson. Both panned by all 4vsets of fans for their performances. Both had long debriefs post game(I know a little birdy).
So why are the URC appointing referees who are by Elite selection not good enough? Remember Adamson refereed tests in the Autumn and in the 6N and now is not even going to the RWC as an AR. That shows how World Rugby rate his season. Its all just extremely odd. Frank Murphys rise in Ireland was a puzzler to a lot of people in the AIL as he was never known as a good referee at that level.

So....why were they out there today. Do the organisers not respect the integrity of the competition?
 
Having rewatched game must say I don't get all criticism of Murphy in terms of performance. Yes I understand issues with he played with Munster in past but he is no fan of us.

But few key bits:
1. For Connors injury. It was a pen and barely a pen no more. By letter of law and he got it right. The injury was very unfortunate but it was lear the impact with ground was where damage was done.
2. On Tadhg Beirne try alot saying he never went to TMO. But why if he could see and what was more telling is not 1 Leinster player argued at going to TMO.
3. Joe McCarthy try he never went TMO either and Earls was sxreaming at him to go but apart from Earls no one argued.
4. On Coombes rip at end. Alot said he played on ground but slow it down he is on feet when ball ripped.
5. Luke McGrath blatant knock on. Alot argued for yellow and minority for pen try. Correct call was just pen as there was sufficient cover and a try was 100% not definite.
5. For Baird try alot of Leinster in Stadium booing but not sure why as it was blatantly clear knock on.

Overall the game was fast and flowed and Frank was up with the play.

@Curls the arguments for Frank getting game are fair enough but the way RWC appointments go has nothing to do with just performance. The AR selection is linked to how they will pair as an AR with proper ref. Same goes for TMO so for example Joy Neville you will see is in as TMO for work with say Brace and not jer as a TMO on its own.

I would have loved someone like Holly Davidson yesterday.
 
I would have loved someone like Holly Davidson yesterday.

Can't we have her for the final? She was AR for Stormers game but would have much preferred her running it. In general high tackle laws just weren't really a thing and rucks had their own interpretation. It was consistently poor, so when I adjusted in the first 20 minutes that made the game more enjoyable to watch, but I could fully see why groups of fans on both ends were getting frustrated.

Overall great result for the Stormers. Always felt like there was a chance of a try when we got the ball (apart from that first 15 minutes where everyone just forgot how to catch a ball). Should be a great, sold out final replaying the Stormers only loss at home in the past two years. Also great to see two 40k+ crowds in a row, with this game getting to 47k.
 
Still on a high from winning that game. Was obviously a hugely dogged performance, but I do think we have another level in us. We left so many points behind and had the ball ripped THREE times on their try line.

Glad to see Crowley really put his hand up. Huge mention goes to Rory Scannell who I thought was outstanding when he came on. Didn't think he played well but great for Earls to get a swansong win against Leinster. Think Hodnett may have been my MOTM. Kendellen wasn't on long, but he had some very big interventions.
 
@saulan it is very possible it would be her and if it is then great.

@Groundhog we have more than another level and with all injured lads back too it will be great too. Our lads are in for a recovery session this morning too and thankfully noone seems to be too bad
 
Having rewatched game must say I don't get all criticism of Murphy in terms of performance. Yes I understand issues with he played with Munster in past but he is no fan of us.

But few key bits:
1. For Connors injury. It was a pen and barely a pen no more. By letter of law and he got it right. The injury was very unfortunate but it was lear the impact with ground was where damage was done.
2. On Tadhg Beirne try alot saying he never went to TMO. But why if he could see and what was more telling is not 1 Leinster player argued at going to TMO.
3. Joe McCarthy try he never went TMO either and Earls was sxreaming at him to go but apart from Earls no one argued.
4. On Coombes rip at end. Alot said he played on ground but slow it down he is on feet when ball ripped.
5. Luke McGrath blatant knock on. Alot argued for yellow and minority for pen try. Correct call was just pen as there was sufficient cover and a try was 100% not definite.
5. For Baird try alot of Leinster in Stadium booing but not sure why as it was blatantly clear knock on.

Overall the game was fast and flowed and Frank was up with the game
He came to apologise to the Leinster staff after his review for missing the hand on the ground that kept possession for the drop goal. There is apperantly a Critical Incident Report filed by the review team. You have to give him Kudos for that as they were very unhappy.
He also messed up the call for the botched restart because while Charlie was ahead of the ball it was mis timed and he retreated immediately and was not material. Brace was frantically trying to tell him this and you see Murphy wince when he realises what he's done.
Regardless of what he did or didn't give his fingerprints were on thar last 5 mins and given his background that was never going to look good. His appointment was a bad idea from the start especially given Brace was there but that's the organisers fault.
Something tells me a Stormers win will he cheered more at URC HQ but that's another issue...
 
While
He came to apologise to the Leinster staff after his review for missing the hand on the ground that kept possession for the drop goal. There is apperantly a Critical Incident Report filed by the review team. You have to give him Kudos for that as they were very unhappy.
He also messed up the call for the botched restart because while Charlie was ahead of the ball it was mis timed and he retreated immediately and was not material. Brace was frantically trying to tell him this and you see Murphy wince when he realises what he's done.
Regardless of what he did or didn't give his fingerprints were on thar last 5 mins and given his background that was never going to look good. His appointment was a bad idea from the start especially given Brace was there but that's the organisers fault.
Something tells me a Stormers win will he cheered more at URC HQ but that's another issue...
I can safely say whoever gave you that information was telling big lies.
Firstly Leinster staff were in with us in Munster room. Great respect between them. And Googman even said kickoff was big error asthey got few fundamentals wrong on it.

Also refs weren't chatting to anyone much as they were rushing away for a function as Joy Neville told me before game.
Also no report is filed as we were in this morning and it would have been said.
But I am shocked at amount of sour grapes by alot of Leinster. Although being fair majority were complimentary to us. If Leinster let Byrne kick conversion or took 3 in last 10mins there would be no crying
 

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