First try of the night: Doug Howlett
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Munster claimed the Magners League title at Thomond Park on Saturday, denying Irish rivals Leinster a trophy double thanks to a 19-9 scoreline.
Tries by wings Doug Howlett and Keith Earls, plus a penalty try, took them to a deserved win which was just reward for dominating the regular term.
Fly-half Jonathan Sexton scored all Leinster's points, but fatigue from last week's Heineken Cup battle with Northampton seemed to affect them in the latter stages, which the home side controlled.
Traditionally, Munster have had the edge over their rivals, but it is the Irish underachievers who have taken over the mantle as the country's dominant side in recent times.
Although the hosts snapped a five game losing run against the Dublin outfit in April, with a 24-23 home victory, the newly crowned European champions were still favourites for this encounter.
However, Munster ran away with the league title and comfortably disposed of the Ospreys in the semi-final. And in the 13th minute, former All Black Howlett went over for the first score, fly-half O'Gara converting from out wide.
As the half wore on, Leinster managed to gain more of a foothold and regularly threatened, but numerous mistakes curtailed their progress. In fact, in a frenetic and end-to-end opening period, both sides looked to keep ball in hand, but it was the away side who were eventually rewarded for their endeavours with a penalty from Sexton.
7-3 to the hosts at half-time was then reduced to one point from powerful Leinster play.
Donncha O'Callaghan then succumbed to the visitors' pressure and was subsequently sin-binned. Sexton converted the resultant penalty and then added another on the hour mark to help Leinster into the lead for the first time in the match.
With just under a quarter-of-an-hour to go, Munster regained the advantage through a piece of magic from O'Gara. The Limerick outfit already had a penalty advantage but with most people expecting him to go for the drop-goal, he produced a deftly weighted cross-field kick for Earls to score. O'Gara missed the extras but a late penalty try sealed the win.
The scorers:
For Munster:
Tries: Howlett, Earls, Penalty
Con: O'Gara 2
For Leinster:
Pen: Sexton 3
Munster: 15 Felix Jones, 14 Doug Howlett, 13 Danny Barnes, 12 Lifeimi Mafi, 11 Keith Earls, 10 Ronan O'Gara, 9 Conor Murray, 8 James Coughlan, 7 David Wallace, 6 Donncha Ryan, 5 Paul O'Connell (capt), 4 Donncha O'Callaghan, 3 John Hayes, 2 Damien Varley, 1 Marcus Horan.
Replacements: 16 Mike Sherry, 17 Wian du Preez, 18 Stephen Archer, 19 Denis Leamy, 20 Niall Ronan, 21 Peter Stringer, 22 Paul Warwick, 23 Johne Murphy.
Leinster: 15 Isa Nacewa, 14 Shane Horgan, 13 Brian O'Driscoll, 12 Fergus McFadden, 11 Luke Fitzgerald, 10 Jonathan Sexton, 9 Eoin Reddan, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 Shane Jennings, 6 Sean O'Brien, 5 Nathan Hines, 4 Leo Cullen (capt), 3 Mike Ross, 2 Richardt Strauss, 1 Heinke van der Merwe.
Replacements: 16 Aaron Dundon, 17 Cian Healy, 18 Stan Wright, 19 Devin Toner, 20 Kevin McLaughlin, 21 Paul O'Donohoe, 22 Ian Madigan, 23 Eoin O'Malley.
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant referees: Tim Hayes (Wales), David Jones (Wales)
Television match official: Nigel Whitehouse (Wales)
Timekeeper: Andrew Baird
Comments
crunchfit says...
I wasn't actually responding to you. Some comment down below. But I do agree with what you said.
Posted 12:28 01st June 2011
blametheref says...
@crunchfit
In general I do mean the "Irish flaw" as relating to the Ireland team. But as alluded to in an earlier post I was disappointed to see Leinster seemingly suffering from a touch of the "Irish Flaw" by not being hungry or ruthless enough to go and beat Munster.
Posted 19:23 31st May 2011
crunchfit says...
The Irish team have a problem with stringing good performances together. Leinster don't. They've managed to win ~70%of their league games and ~90% of their Heineken Cup games. Not only did they win 8 / 9 HC games, they won them against the toughest competition. They have beaten Racing Metro, Clermont, Toulouse, Leicester, Saracens, Northampton, Munster, Ospreys and Ulster - the biggest teams in Europe - this season. Not to mention they won the HC for the 2nd time in 3 years.
You can't really say they have the same problem as the Irish team. The Irish team has a problem, and it isn't the players.
Posted 18:36 31st May 2011
blametheref says...
Carpelone, that's the worry about Ireland, we beat Australia and in the last pool match against Italy they beat us and Australia are pool winners. I do believe the Irish players themselves collectively have turned this "Irish Flaw" corner and know what it takes to win something now. 4 Heineken Cups in 6 years is no fluke and is a huge learning curve. Kidney is my worry, but as said before he's a shrewd operator, just hope he has learnt something this season and brings a changed mindset to the WC
Posted 14:21 31st May 2011
Carpelone says...
I am not against wishful thinking.
Do not forget to beat Italy, in the process.
Good luck.
Posted 11:10 31st May 2011
blametheref says...
Bonus points in the pools of the WC could be important and is why Ireland need to play a Leinster style and win their matches. But the the big prize is to take Australia and here's how it could possibly pan out. If we don't win our pool we will likely run into SA then if we beat them NZ in the semis:
Possible Pool winners + Runner Ups:
A. NZ + France
B. England + Scotland/Argentina
C. Ireland + Australia
D. South Africa + Wales
Quarter Finals:
1. Winner C v Runner Up D. Ireland V Wales = Ireland
2. Winner B v Runner Up A. England V France = France
3. Winner D v Runner Up C. South Africa V Australia = South Africa
4. Winner A v Runner Up B. New Zealand V Scotland = New Zealand
Semi Finals:
Qf 1 V Qf2. Ireland V France (or England) = Ireland
Qf 2 V Qf3. South Africa V New Zealand = New Zealand (Carter gets injured)
Final:
Ireland V New Zealand = (Ireland win their first match against New Zealand and the World Cup)!!
Bottom line here is that if Ireland can take Australia, win their pool we could face Wales, France/England and be in the final where anything could happen, is it doable? Absolutely in my opinion, if Kidney gets his act together!
Posted 10:40 31st May 2011
adamk says...
@bluelion Actually blametheref beat me too it. I think the issue on saturday was psychological rather than physical. They could've brought more of a dynamic bench to the game, so fitness was never a real issue. I don't think it was a PR thing when Schmidt talked about munster wanting it more. They did.
Also, I'm not sure, but what's the gap between the knockout stages in the RWC? Is it just one week?
Posted 21:24 30th May 2011
blametheref says...
@sebbb
Interesting team when you see it written down and not short on a bit of talent and strength too, maybe if we play our cards right at the WC we could do something special, and why not! I take it the 14 on your team is Shane Horgan....
@ Bluelion
I think in my posts I refer to Leinster's mindset rather than physical fatigue, and it was mindset that lost them this one, as both Munster and Leinster are superbly fit teams these days. But I agree with you that Leinster fell way short of their usual standard and in that respect I have to say I was dissappointed. As mentioned by Carpelone and in your post, stringing consecutive wins, finals together seems to be an "Irish" shortcoming that needs to be addressed if Ireland are to really compete at this WC...
Posted 18:07 30th May 2011
Carpelone says...
@ blametheref
I may agree with you. I would mention SA too as out of Ireland reach, and, in some way, France, who seem to have the right game to match Ireland.
The other teams seem at reach, actually.
England was a little bit pumped up, but they have to improve in many areas.
Have a nice week.
Posted 11:09 30th May 2011
blametheref says...
@Carpelone
Yes, Ireland are a little thin on depth in certain areas, especially at centre and full back where we haven't any real cover who is playing top flight rugby. There is Northampton's Downey and lately Felix Jones, but Kidney ignores them, but we'll see if that changes now. Where we do have strength is the back row and at out half. And out half is interesting as there are few teams with 2 top out halves in their squad. Even NZ would gasp should Dan Carter get injured and I feel if that were to happen they'd consider Ronan O' Gara (if they could) as his substitute and he is the Ireland No.2. At the top level out half is a big problem area for England and France. I agree that if Ireland could put two different teams, even styles, out for the lesser pool matches it might help enormously. I believe Ireland with the right game and team can beat any team in the World Cup on their day with the exception of the AB's, but if they were to squeeze it to the finals, who knows in a one off match against the All Blacks and if Carter was injured what the outcome could be...The two teams Ireland find hard to play are the AB's and actually France, we do not physcologically fear Australia or South Africa
Posted 09:45 30th May 2011
carpelone says...
@ blametheref
I think it is just a lack of depth in the Ireland squad. NZ can play the same style of play whoever they bring in. Ireland not, because the two building blocks are playing a different style. They can be well reconsiled at RWC time though (Munster style during the pool, firing Leinstersque style at the knock out stages.)
Let's see.
Posted 21:34 29th May 2011
crunchfit says...
Even as a Munster fan, it's nice to see the outright winner of the league to actually win it, particularly when it's an Irish side.
As good as Munster were yesterday, I really hope this doesn't encourage Kidney to stick to a Munsteresque game plan.
Posted 14:38 29th May 2011
blametheref says...
Adamk, we totally disagree about Mc Fadden, I felt he put everything into the game ok from an effort POV, but as a 12 who was filling the boots of D'arcy I think he was at sea and all over the place and let Mafi who was the pivotal player yesteday run riot. Good a player as McFadden is I feel from watching him yesterday he was very green at 12.
@Carpelone
It's the Irish "flaw" putting 2 great consecutive matches together but I don't feel that's down to the style Ireland play, it's something else. It must have been difficult for the Leinster guys yesterday, mentally. I said on another board that a Munster win would be disasterous for the Irish team's style of rugby, only from the point of view of Declan Kidney, who in my opinion will now be convinced that his Munsteresque bias or style is still valid. I still hold that opinion. If Ireland play the style of play Munster did yesterday at the WC, they will be demolished by the good teams....Afterall, I feel everyone knows deep down that Leinster yesteday were only a shadow of the side we know them to be, and even with that factor yesterday, they could still have won the match.....
Posted 13:23 29th May 2011
usrugbyfan says...
I must say that I thought Hayes was impressive, in addition Jones' tackling was superb.
Posted 12:58 29th May 2011
blametheref says...
Leinster were "Munstered" yesterday, yet as unfocused as some Leinster players seemed to be, Leinster could still have won this...But the big factor was the Munster 15 wanted it more than the Leinster 12, as 3 Leinster players did not show up. ROG played very well and bravely, but so did Sexton. Reddan inside him and Mc Fadden outside him were highly dissapointing, so also was Luke Fitzgerald who, besides one great try saving tackle, missed 2 other tackles and got sucked in for the first Munster try. When it comes to wingers, Earls is streets ahead of Fitzgerald. I thought Nigel Owens should have penalized and warned Munster, even carded them, for constantly having a waste man finding himself on the wrong side of the breadown when it was Leinster ball, this was a deliberate and practiced tactic in my opinion and slowed Leinster ball for a split second at nearly every breakdown. Also, when O' Callaghan was carded should that not have been a penalty try? I felt at the time Leinster should have been positive and taken a scrum and gone for the try instead of taking the points. Also, I do not understand the decision to put Strauss at wing forward and Dundon at hooker when Hines who often plays at wing forward for Scotland could have switched, thereby bringing on Toner....But overall, and for sheer tenacity and hunger Munster deserved to beat Leinster on the day...Some great Munster performances from Mafi, O' Gara, Murray, Coughlin, O' Connell and especially Wallace who was outstanding...
Posted 12:49 29th May 2011
pantreac says...
What a disgraceful one sided performance by the ref. In the first 5 minutes both O'Callaghan and Varley should have been sent of, he didn't even penalise O'Callaghan and only gave a penalty against Varley, not even a warning! Later in the game Horan should have been sent of for a stupid and malicious hit on O'Driscoll, he was not even penalised never mind sent off! He later showed what a little coward his is by writhing all over the ground when Hynes legally pushed him when he was offside and interfering with a Leinster player. Its interesting how munster were muscled out of the game by Harlequins, soft Londoners, yet against their own countrymen they were so blatently trying to injure everyone of the Leinster side. I don't want to hear, its a mans game as an excuse for this thuggery. Not one of the blatent crooked throws into the lineout by Munster were penalised as with the illegal handling in the ruck, entering from the wrong side in the mauls and illegal scummaging. Also the penalty try was for what? Munster and Owen hang your heads in shame.
Posted 12:17 29th May 2011
adamk says...
Mental match, couldn't call it in the first half to be honest, we looked good coming out in the second, but Munster dominated a well deserved victory. Think McFadden deserved man of the match however.. Huge effort from him. Tackling was superb, and made some awesome line breaks. Think he was a little bit more match fit then the other 14 players unfortunately, and it showed. Funny when he was receiving care from the medics for quite some time, then quickly brushed them off to make huge tackle, all the while he only had one shoe on.. haha.
Posted 11:28 29th May 2011
curates_egg says...
Munster clear winners on the day and deservedly so after the season. Leinster looked knackered; Reddan was brutal.
@crunchfit - was never a penalty try though. Leamy breaks his bind and tackles Healy in the scrum! Still an impressive last two scrums though.
Posted 08:16 29th May 2011
Theshaw says...
Leinster supporter....but well done munster, really deserved to win with record throughout the year!!and it's all in the benefit of Irish rugby!! Where going tonwin the worldcup!!!!
Posted 00:08 29th May 2011
Center12 says...
Class at it's best......ROG!!!!!! Still king...
Posted 20:08 28th May 2011