Munster Away, Saturday Dec 28, 18:00, Eir Sports 1

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I don't know if has been mentioned here (I can't be arsed wading through a bunch of grown adults arguing about their schools), but a couple of the media pieces have mentioned it and its a good point, about how - especially into the wind when you want to punch the ball lower and harder than usual - Devin Toner attempting to get the blockdown meant that McCarthy had to elevate his kicks to a level where they were subject to the wind. Great tactical play from Leinster and great discipline from Dev to make sure he was in position every time to make an already difficult kick even harder. Poor recognition of this by Munster and they kind of left their scrumhalf swinging in the wind, as it were.

I think Toland mentioned it too. Toland can wind me up at times but he does come up with the odd nugget.

Dev was great but there were loads of other elements too. The weather made it difficult to kick and when you've got the likes of Josh Murphy and Connors getting off the line and dominating collisions then it's impossible to get some territory. I really like Nick (think his all round game is strong) but would be the first to say that he has had a poor start to his Munster career and should have done better on Saturday. The coaches really didn't help him though, they should have had plays ready to go that would give them a few rucks close to the touchline that would make it easier for him and take Dev out of the equation. Pretty basic stuff really.

I also thought Porter was outstanding in defence. He dropped two balls which was pretty poor but they were during those really long passages of play so would cut him some slack. The scrums were a bit of a lottery so I'd let him away with them too and his workrate was really impressive. For one of those dropped balls near the Munster 22 he was able to get across to the far touchline and help stop the counter attack.

[ronk]

Finally got to see a replay. It didn’t look as windy on TV as in the ground.

Connors also carried really well. Lots of Leinster mistakes and dropped balls. We shouldn’t have needed to do so much defending.

I still think Murphy was a huge homer, a maul would be called quickly and blown immediately if we brought it it. We also had some harsh calls in the scrum.

[Ruckedtobits]

I don't know if has been mentioned here (I can't be arsed wading through a bunch of grown adults arguing about their schools), but a couple of the media pieces have mentioned it and its a good point, about how - especially into the wind when you want to punch the ball lower and harder than usual - Devin Toner attempting to get the blockdown meant that McCarthy had to elevate his kicks to a level where they were subject to the wind. Great tactical play from Leinster and great discipline from Dev to make sure he was in position every time to make an already difficult kick even harder. Poor recognition of this by Munster and they kind of left their scrumhalf swinging in the wind, as it were.

I think Toland mentioned it too. Toland can wind me up at times but he does come up with the odd nugget.

Dev was great but there were loads of other elements too. The weather made it difficult to kick and when you've got the likes of Josh Murphy and Connors getting off the line and dominating collisions then it's impossible to get some territory. I really like Nick (think his all round game is strong) but would be the first to say that he has had a poor start to his Munster career and should have done better on Saturday. The coaches really didn't help him though, they should have had plays ready to go that would give them a few rucks close to the touchline that would make it easier for him and take Dev out of the equation. Pretty basic stuff really.

I also thought Porter was outstanding in defence. He dropped two balls which was pretty poor but they were during those really long passages of play so would cut him some slack. The scrums were a bit of a lottery so I'd let him away with them too and his workrate was really impressive. For one of those dropped balls near the Munster 22 he was able to get across to the far touchline and help stop the counter attack.

+1 to each of those points and I'd add our pressure on their line-out throws to the front. Our ability to put somebody up at 1, 2 or 3 contributed to their uncertainty on their own throw throughout the game and ultimately Ross Molony's steal in the last minute deprived them of the opportunity to steal a draw in a game in which they were comprehensively out-played and out-thought in fundamental rugby tactics.

The more one watches and analyses this game, the more evident it becomes that the week in, week out, coaching of our players, young and experienced alike, has ingrained skills and tactical nous that will serve us well in every competitive game to come.

Exeter and Sarries demonstrated comparable tactical and team skills in their game and these two, along with Toulouse and Clermont and perhaps Racing 92, appear to be the teams with whom we will dispute European supremacy over the next 5 months.

[Blueberry]

+1 on the silly school nonsense - seriously......who cares............

Anyway having watched the game back just wanted to mention Dev - he is such a vital cog in our success - of course his lineout, but endless distraction at lineout time too, his maul work is exceptional and serious clearing out. He was exceptional.

Still baffled as to exclusion from Japan, totally baffled..........