Heineken Cup 2013

[Hugh Jarse]

Thought this might interest some of you, it is the itinerary of one of the Munster fans travelling down to Montpellier. He refuses to fly so his trips are the stuff of legend, God help him if the HEC champions ever wind up playing the super rugby champs in Aus, NZ and SA!?!

I am leaving this afternoon and will arrive in Montpellier at 19.34 tomorow evening.

1. Train depart Limerick 16.45 arrive Limerick Junction 17.11

2. Train depart Limerick Junction 17.19 arrive Dublin Heuston 19.05

3. Luas depart Dublin Heuston 19.21 arrive Busarus 19.46

4. Bus depart Busarus 20.00 arrive Dublin Port 20.15

5. Superferry depart Dublin Port 20.55 arrive Holyhead 00.20

6. Train depart Holyhead 04.48 arrive London Euston 08.33

7. Walk 10 minutes to St. Pancras International

8. Train Eurostar depart St. Pancras 11.31 arrive Paris Nord 14.56

9. Train RER depart Paris Nord 15.10 arrive Gare de Lyon 15.21

10 Train TGV depart Gare de Lyon 16.07 arrive Montpellier 19.34

Tell your mate to thank his lucky stars that he wasn't born here.

He could jump on the Train and travel for 5 days to get to Perth from Sydney via the Indian Pacific to watch the Tahs play the Force in what was promoted as a local derby.

I admire his dedication.

 

[JSRF10]

Leinster 24-9 up at half time. Heaslip, BOD, Sexton and Kearney all having big games from what I can tell from the radio. Although Sexton had a shocking miss from a peno early on.

 

[JSRF10]

34-9 to Leinster now, Nacewa try sounds like some serious Leinstertainment at the moment

 

[Bardon]

I'd add Madigan to the list of guys having a very good game too. He's made some excellent breaks. Necewa's try was a thing of beauty really well work especially the 1-2 with Sexton before he went over. Heaslip has had his best game in a very long time.

Biarritz were close in the first half when it was 10-9 on 37 minutes, but those 2 tries in 2 minutes meant their grind it out tactics weren't going to work in this 2nd half. Leinster have put plenty of pace on the ball and Biarritz just can't cope with their passing speed and accuracy. Leinster are in a different class today.

 

[qwerty51]

Watching the Clermont/Munster game side by side with the Tahs one.. this Clermont side is seriously impressive. Unbelievable skill and power.

 

[Bardon]

They really dominated the first half. However if Munster had scored there right at the end of the half it could have been a different story. Clermont still big favourites to make the final. Munster will need every ounce of POC's inspirational leadership.

 

[Bardon]

Munster really made a game of the 2nd half but Clermont deserved the win and their place in the final. The bulk of the Munster team today are young guys and they'll get another shot in the next few years.

 

[JSRF10]

Reports in Ireland are emerging today that ROG has played his last game for Munster.

 

[the plastic paddy]

Reports in Ireland are emerging today that ROG has played his last game for Munster.

ROG might have played his last game for Munster but I will believe it when the man says it himself because he is too honest to leak stuff to arseholes like the arch spoofer Conor George. The way ROG has turned around his form from the nadir of the crossfield abortion against England and subsequent dropping, to the way he played on saturday, demonstrates that the man has mental strength that is super human. After Sexton it was the best performance seen out of a potential lions out half over the weekend. Farrell was appalling and there were times when I thought they would need a longer pitch Wilkinson was stood so fecking deep.

That said I hope Wilkinson goes on the Lions tour; the press will pleasure themselves into a frenzy calling for him to start ahead of Sextoid although he is not a tenth of the player and team morale will be undermined beautifully. Factor in the captain not being able to justify his starting place and, hopefully, Robshaw being left out and you have the beginnings of a debacle, possibly the last Lions debacle!!!!

 

[KevinO]

Thought this might interest some of you, it is the itinerary of one of the Munster fans travelling down to Montpellier. He refuses to fly so his trips are the stuff of legend, God help him if the HEC champions ever wind up playing the super rugby champs in Aus, NZ and SA!?!

I am leaving this afternoon and will arrive in Montpellier at 19.34 tomorow evening.

1. Train depart Limerick 16.45 arrive Limerick Junction 17.11

2. Train depart Limerick Junction 17.19 arrive Dublin Heuston 19.05

3. Luas depart Dublin Heuston 19.21 arrive Busarus 19.46

4. Bus depart Busarus 20.00 arrive Dublin Port 20.15

5. Superferry depart Dublin Port 20.55 arrive Holyhead 00.20

6. Train depart Holyhead 04.48 arrive London Euston 08.33

7. Walk 10 minutes to St. Pancras International

8. Train Eurostar depart St. Pancras 11.31 arrive Paris Nord 14.56

9. Train RER depart Paris Nord 15.10 arrive Gare de Lyon 15.21

10 Train TGV depart Gare de Lyon 16.07 arrive Montpellier 19.34

Why does he not fly? Some effort to get to the game, I'm sure it's more costly to.

Worst thing would be the trip home really.

 

[JSRF10]

ROG might have played his last game for Munster but I will believe it when the man says it himself because he is too honest to leak stuff to arseholes like the arch spoofer Conor George

I didn't realize it was Conor George, just saw the link on the balls.ie facebook. Still I think this is the time to go, bringing his kids on at the end certainly gave the impression his mind is made up.

 

[KevinO]

Leinster rumored to be naming Australian Matt O'Connor as their new coach.

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rug...d-new-leinster-coach-by-the-weekend-1.1379145

 

[JSRF10]

Leinster rumored to be naming Australian Matt O'Connor as their new coach.

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rug...d-new-leinster-coach-by-the-weekend-1.1379145

Apparently he met the players a few weeks ago, and amongst other things his daughter tweeted that she was moving to Ireland! Don't know much about him, but then again knew next to nothing about Joe Schmidt. Leicester regularly top the try count in the AP so hopefully he'll keep us playing a good brand of rugby.

 

[JSRF10]

Not too sure where to put this but:

JOE SCHMIDT has made Les Kiss the first appointment to his international back-room team.
http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/sealed-with-a-kiss-29246577.html

Not sure how I feel about Kiss being retained, Irelands attack has got worse and worse under him. By the end of the 6 Nations our biggest threat was a box kick! Thankfully he has been given a less hands on role than what Kidney gave him, and one where he has been successful and innovative in the past.

Interesting that Nick Mallet is being considered for the forwards coach role, I think this would be an awesome appointment. Also looks like Schmidt is going for a far smaller coaching panel than Kidney who ruled by consensus, Schmidt is the main man now and I think that this approach is exactly what Ireland need right now. Too often under Kidney we've looked like all 6 coaches were giving out different game plans leading the players to look confused too often. Most of the games we won were due to a handful of great performances.

 

[Bairdy]

Not too sure where to put this but:

JOE SCHMIDT has made Les Kiss the first appointment to his international back-room team.
http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/sealed-with-a-kiss-29246577.html

Not sure how I feel about Kiss being retained, Irelands attack has got worse and worse under him. By the end of the 6 Nations our biggest threat was a box kick! Thankfully he has been given a less hands on role than what Kidney gave him, and one where he has been successful and innovative in the past.

Interesting that Nick Mallet is being considered for the forwards coach role, I think this would be an awesome appointment. Also looks like Schmidt is going for a far smaller coaching panel than Kidney who ruled by consensus, Schmidt is the main man now and I think that this approach is exactly what Ireland need right now. Too often under Kidney we've looked like all 6 coaches were giving out different game plans leading the players to look confused too often. Most of the games we won were due to a handful of great performances.

The article hints that Kiss will take over defensive duties, and Schmidt the attack coach role, unless you know something the reporter doesn't know

 

[JSRF10]

The article hints that Kiss will take over defensive duties, and Schmidt the attack coach role, unless you know something the reporter doesn't know

That's what I said (I think...), he's being re assigned to defense where he's been successful in the past. He took all the on field training under Kidney, now Schmidt will be doing that. Sorry wrote it in a hurry cause the boss was watching!

 

[Italophile]

Can't see Nick Mallett uprooting for a support role. One of the big factors for him when he was in the mix for the England job was uprooting the family yet again.

 

[KevinO]

Doug Howlett has retired from rugby today, sad that it's because of injury and not on his own terms. What a career though, finished as Munster's second highest try scorer of all time. Still is NZ and Auckland Blues all time highest try scorer.

 

[the plastic paddy]

Dougie is an absolute legend. The commitment and passion he displayed for Munster was incredible. Obviously the fella had talent to burn but not for one second did you ever get the impression he was complacent and content to phone in performances, he always gave it 100%. He is planning to stay in Cork in the short term, I hope he gets involved in a coaching capacity with Munster but he owes us nothing and must do what is best for him and his young family.

 

[KevinO]

Have met him a few times when I was living in Cork, actually and a really down to earth guy as well. Even called him a sheep shagger for calling me a dirty Aussie while serving him.

Hope he does hang around in Cork, Ireland young backs could learn a lot from him.