Will we know our six playoff teams after this week? Probably Five... Guinness Pro 14 - R.17

[MikeTheNative]

Cardiff Blues: Matthew Morgan; Aled Summerhill, Garyn Smith, Willis Halaholo, Owen Lane; Jarrod Evans, Lloyd Williams; Gethin Jenkins (capt), Kirby Myhill, Taufa'ao Filise, George Earle, Josh Turnbull, Macauley Cook, Olly Robinson, Nick Williams.

Replacements: Kristian Dacey, Rhys Gill, Scott Andrews, Seb Davies, Ellis Jenkins, Tomos Williams, Steven Shingler, Rey Lee-Lo.

Benneton Rugby: Luca Sperandio; Michael Tagicakibau, Tommaso Iannone, Luca Morisi, Monty Ioane; Marty Banks, Giorgio Bronzini; Federico Zani, Hame Faiva, Matteo Zanusso, Marco Fuser, Irne Hebst, Francesco Minto, Marco Barbini (C), Nasi Manu.

Replacements: Tomas Baravalle, Riccardo Brugnara, Cherif Traore, Marco Lazzaroni, Engjel Makelara, Ian McKinley, Alberto Sgarbi, Andrea Bronzini.


A Number of exciting runners in the backs for the Blues. Lots of impact off the bench as well with, Davies, Jenkins, Dacy and Lee-Loo.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

All thing considered Munster are putting out a really strong side for tonight.

Munster

15. Simon Zebo
14. Darren Sweetnam
13. Sammy Arnold
12. Rory Scannell
11. Alex Wootton
10. JJ Hanrahan
9. James Hart

1. James Cronin
2. Mike Sherry
3. Stephen Archer
4. Jean Kleyn
5. Billy Holland (captain)
6. Jack O'Donoghue
7. Conor Oliver
8. Robin Copeland.

Replacements:

16. Kevin O'Byrne
17. Dave Kilcoyne
18. Brian Scott
19. Darren O'Shea
20. Tommy O'Donnell
21. Jack Stafford
22. Bill Johnston
23. Dan Goggin.

Great centres, great back, top notch back three. Half backs are two men playing for a rare shot with this side. Hart played well last time he started and should really look to overtake Williams or he'll be passed over quickly for Stafford or Poland. Hanrahan has just been abject, but with a pack that should give him time and hopefully a more consistently passing nine he might be able to turn it around a bit.

Edinburgh putting out a comparatively strong side for them too given that it is internationals time. Against all odds this might be essential viewing.

 

[munstermuffin]

Duncan is out injured Groundhog and not looking promising.

Snoop there isn't usually games the same weekend on the original fixture list there only 1 weekend of games in 6Nations and Pro14. And it not all that bad as it gives opportunities out. It's Baltic here in Edinburgh

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

I'm aware of that muff. I'm looking at it from a marketability point of view. There's virtually no interest in games during the 6 Nations and November series when teams are denuded of their stars. Does nothing for the marketability of the competition.

In my view, fewer games means smaller squads. Could see teams cut middle tier, relatively high earning players and instead promote young players with big futures. Would mean, for example, when somebody like Jack O'Sullivan gets a shot for Munster, he's surrounded by Jean Kleyn, Tadhg Beirne, CJ Stander, Peter O'Mahony and Conor Murray rather than (no offense meant) Darren O'Shea, Billy Holland, Conor Oliver, Robin Copeland and Duncan Williams.

I love seeing young players get a shot. A cup competition ensures a similar number of games per season as now but allows the league to thrive more than is now the case. Put the cup on terrestrial TV and everyone wins!

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Big Mata!!!!

BOOOOOOOOOOOO

Rigged

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Pro14 games during the 6 Nations are a damp squib. During the final weekend of the 6 Nations is even worse.

Would cutting the league by another 5 games to a 16 game season hurt? For Irish provinces, play each other home and away (6 games) and everyone else home or away (10 games). Helps with player welfare, decreases costs due to smaller squad sizes, boosts the strength of teams on every matchday due to less rotation and boost the domestic All Ireland League, Welsh Premiership etc too. Perhaps have a cup competition during the November and 6 Nations test windows to give fringe squad members a shot since the B&I Cup is dead in the water.

Change might be easier with there being more consolidated TV coverage next year. But I doubt Premier Sports will want less games (probably the contrary). I can't see any changes coming and with the continuation of the EOYT and 6N windows set in stone for another decade there are big arguments against effectively splitting the season into thirds.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Big Mata!!!!

BOOOOOOOOOOOO

Rigged

Come now, this isn't a Glasgow match you know.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Bring back Scarlets vs Leinster, all is forgiven! I'm developing a talent for applying the kiss of death to a match.

Benetton making a good fist of it in Cardiff after a complete howler by the Blues.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Much more like it!

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

fife is electric

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

That could have been a red for me with intentionally leading with the shoulder to the head area (although I've never tackled anyone in my life).

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Ben Shitehouse

 

[munstermuffin]

First time I've said this but WOW I got bad luck. Gave up a ticket tomorrow as I had to work this game and well it has been utter crap. I mean both teams have been worse than 7 years olds and we even shitter than them tonighy

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Duncan Weir is the lovechild of the commentator Hugh Dan. Apparently, Weir is "the one man who can manage a game" and his missed penalty "had everything in that kick but the direction". God I love Colemanballs.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

First time I've said this but WOW I got bad luck. Gave up a ticket tomorrow as I had to work this game and well it has been utter crap. I mean both teams have been worse than 7 years olds and we even shitter than them tonighy

Take that back Edinburgh playing at least U13 level dammit.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

First time I've said this but WOW I got bad luck. Gave up a ticket tomorrow as I had to work this game and well it has been utter crap. I mean both teams have been worse than 7 years olds and we even shitter than them tonighy

Ouch. 56 point thriller in Cardiff. Respectable losing BP for the Benetton reserves.

 

[munstermuffin]

Take that back Edinburgh playing at least U13 level dammit.

I wouldn't insult a 13 year old with that. The best rugby played was the minis at half time.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

I wouldn't insult a 13 year old with that. The best rugby played was the minis at half time.

Please cockers only promotes great rugby.

 

[munstermuffin]

Please cockers only promotes great rugby.

Winning rugby. Big difference between that and good. And it not knocking him. This was crap you can't even coach. We got a losing BP and that is like a win seeing how bad we were. Murrayfield is like a he'l zone over years to us

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

The best news is we'll probably have to sit through all that again come the quarter finals.