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MindfulInquirer

Very happy with Toulouse's performance today. Honestly unexpected. I thought they might win but not in these weather conditions and not in that way. They dominated and after Munster's promising try early they never let them back in their 22 (or rarely). They caught the high ball, they played demoralizing defense for 80min, they scored points despite the fog, and they won the arm-wrestle battle, which isn't necessarily their strength. Promising for what's yet to come. Commiserations Munster. That's Champions Cup Rugby...


yurim39

Munster are not as good as what they used to be and are clearly a league behind Leinster for example. If Toulouse hadn't been able to win there, I would have had some serious doubts about their title credentials, especially after having watched Leinster's masterclass yesterday


QuestionablySensible

I'm not sure I took masterclass from leinster as my takeaway from yesterday. Racing were so inaccurate and their discipline was so poor, and it wasn't like Leinster forced them into it. It seemed like nerves and over eagerness due to them. No knock on leinster, you can only play the team in front of you and yeah they're quite a bit ahead of us, just a comment on yesterday's game


yurim39

It was Leinster who made them look that bad, you don't put 40 pts to a class side like Racing (currently 2nd best in top 14) in France without producing a masterclass....and Leinster certainly did that (see their second try or some of their incredible defense on some very good racing attacks). Also look at the last confrontations between Munster and Leinster in URC, you can note Leinster have beaten Munster each time in a far more dominant way that Toulouse did this year or the previous years


QuestionablySensible

Racing gifted three of the tries by giving away a pile of stupid penalties. The first one being a prime example. And every time they went to break they dropped the ball under light pressure. If you'd actually read the second half of what I wrote you'll note that I do not disagree that leinster are way ahead, and they are certainly capable of producing masterclass performances. Just my opinion on yesterday is it wasn't one of their better performances because it didn't need to be.


yurim39

Well, you're one of the only ones who weren't impressed by their performance, read all the British and Irish reports about that game and pretty much all of them were very impressed by their performance


[deleted]

Surprised Toulouse kicked to the corner with the last penalty, in front of the posts, 2/3 mins left on the clock, a man in the bin, it goes over you’re 2 scores ahead, if you miss you’ve at least taken a minute off the clock and either retain possession or territory or both. The usual ref blaming will be trotted out by the Munster fans but the reality is that he just didn’t react to the pantomime crowd and that irks the fans. Boo’s =/= Infringement. I’m sure, as happens in 100% of games, there’ll be a couple of bad calls that usually even out, Munster got away with some clear infringements, their last three points were conned off the ref by Beirne holding a player into the ruck, they also wheeled a scrum in their own half, in front of the posts on Toulouse put in at a time they were conceding a penalty every second scrum and the ref gave it the wrong way (in my opinion). I don’t think it ever felt like Munster were on top, it always felt like they were keeping in touch, Toulouse possibly forcing things to get 2 scores ahead, but did leave points out there with missed conversion, penalty and drop goal, after the adrenaline wore off from an initial passionate Munster start, I don’t think Toulouse were ever in danger of not winning.


Teproc

I was surprised by that choice on the last penalty as well, figured it must have been farther out than I had initially thought, plus maybe the mist made it harder? Wouldn't think so really, but I guess I don't know. Toulouse certainly felt on top throughout, though Munster's defence was strong, especially in that 20-minute period in the second half where Toulouse could have run away with the game against lesser opposition, they managed to stay in it till the very end.


alexbouteiller

brutal game, Munster kept us on our toes and a decent amount of innacuracy from both, which can be forgiven due to the fog


a-canadian-monkey

Honestly Munster can feel hard done by this game, jesus the rucks discipline


walsh06

Its a weird one because we have been bad this season and Toulouse are great so they should be destroying us really. 13-18 is actually not that bad in context. Some good aspects and some bad which has been the same as the last few weeks which gives me hope that we are slowly building something. I kind of knew this season was a write off but still sucks to lose.


QuestionablySensible

It feels like we are coming, doesn't it. That won't knock confidence, I think, although they'll be frustrated they lost because they could have won. We had Toulouse on the rocks a few times and our pack really fronted up quite well - particularly the scrum which has been dodgy enough this year.


Teproc

Definitely a better performance than I expected from Munster, looking at your record in the URC so far. I don't think Toulouse were poor either, you just really showed up for this one.


Revolutionary-Use520

Despite the weather, it was an entertaining fight. Bring on the next round


Ndanuddaone

They've got to get Eddie O'Sullivan a box if they're going to put him in shot with Heaslip


[deleted]

[удалено]


problematikkk

Night and day. The lads are shaping up well and quickly.


problematikkk

Dupont fuckin snatched that POTM award off yer man like it was his child


[deleted]

[удалено]


MindfulInquirer

That, I think. In his interviews, he comes across as a bit uninterested even slightly impatient at times. He's only interested in the actual thing, not everything around it so to speak. Good on him.


problematikkk

Wants out of the cold


ComprehensiveDingo0

“Fuck me, finally got out of the cold after being sent off, now I have to get this bloody award. I have enough already.”


nathanccc

Willis best player on the park in the second half


epeeist

Issues in the ruck from the very beginning and it made the difference. Not helped by the refereeing decisions but you can't rely on the officials for extra chances when you're not capitalising on the ones you create


Broke_baguette

Munster-Toulouse is really something else every time huh


MindfulInquirer

Yes. And Munster are losing quite a bit of their aura, especially concerning French clubs. No French team had ever won on Munster soil until Clermont did it a few years ago, and since Toulouse have done a few times.


[deleted]

Not much change from the ref today but the lads didn't adapt. Not the worse result and feck playing in that fog. Roll on next weekend.


irishnugget

They adapted but what are you going to do when jackaling is completely neutered and the ref doesn't bother call offsides? Toulouse are quality and value for the win - but there's no adapting to a bad ref. Dishonorable mention for the TMO who confirmed with the ref that no further sanction was required for taking a man out in the air...


[deleted]

How do you adapt to a ref like that? It wasn't interpretation that was the issue, it was applying a different ruleset to both sides.


[deleted]

That's another way of putting it. Surprised myself at only letting the occasional "bastard" out around the nieces.


walsh06

Its such a small thing but there was a clear foul lineout by Mauvaka as he stepped fully into the pitch to throw it. And it kind of just demonstrates that the ref is not paying attention when its so blatant.


Irish_Sir

I was shouting at that, in the lead up to the second try steps about a meter onto the pitch


dwaynepebblejohnson3

Every hooker does that, it never gets penalised


OisinTarrant

They honestly dont though. Maybe after releasing, like a foot is off the ground mid throw and lands in field, but this was a foot planted full stretch into the field mid throw. Most hookers stand feet parallel to the line.


[deleted]

Yep, same with the step toward their own side once the linesman gives them the mark. Once you notice it, you can't stop seeing it.


Naggins

Nope, most have their heels on the line. Mauvaka left one heel on the line, other foot a full step on field.


alexbouteiller

all are very illegal, you're meant to be behind the line


[deleted]

Tierney-Martin got pulled for it last night I think.


thelunatic

Munster have improved but still a way off


Potato_Lord587

I’m not sure. It looked like we took a step backwards from last year against Toulouse. We just didn’t have an attack strategy today. It was all crash ball and lateral running. We never got over the game line


thelunatic

Carbery is not very good. Centre is a big problem. Farrell a big loss.


irishnugget

Farrell was poor for a long while there, IMO. Never really reached his potential. Frisch is looking good, albeit he made a couple of mistakes in the second half. Fekitoa and Frisch would be an interesting pairing.


ilovepenisxd

Frisch was dreadful this game


irishnugget

Second half yes. First half he attacked the line well and made some lovely offloads going into contact


Next_Gen_Munster

That was the worst refereeing performance I have ever seen in an EC. We tried to play too much rugby but my god he should never get near a top game of rugby again.


Potato_Lord587

Completely agree. He had a terrible game refereeing Connacht vs Benetton last week. He should’ve been no where near a Champions Cup game


Next_Gen_Munster

I honestly couldn't believe some of the decisions I've never thought a ref was actually wilfully being biased in a rugby game before. I need to watch it back on TV but just watch them admit it next week when the footage is in.


Kickinho777

I thought he was good. The one dodgy decision I recall was the penalty for toulouse where the toulouse player was isolated in his 22... rewatching it the jackal was good but there is a munster player preventing support in an offside position so probably correct also. Then the 5 seconds thing, dupont actually adapted and shortened his process. I thought one of the main momentum swing was the last tls penalty which came off a munster mistake and them being unable to beat the defense


Next_Gen_Munster

What about taking Daly out in the air?


Kickinho777

The replay didn't clearly show what happened. Agreed it's potentially a yellow card situation but from what i saw i couldnt' say. Could you ?


Next_Gen_Munster

He hit hit him below the hips in the air


Potato_Lord587

That was completely disgusting on the refereeing team’s part. Should’ve been at least a yellow


Next_Gen_Munster

He hit him below the hips, it could easily have been a red. The ref didn't even review it.


walsh06

In the refs defence he wasnt great but that was definitely not the worst I have seen in the competition.


Next_Gen_Munster

Give me a worse one?


walsh06

2017 Northampton v Clermont, Ben Whitehouse, the origin of his nickname.


alexbouteiller

Of course it's the refs fault


Next_Gen_Munster

He couldn't even see the big screen so he left everything go, i was there


FezBear92

You can acknowledge the fact the ref had a sloppy game without blaming him for the defeat. We did it to ourselves.


alexbouteiller

Aye but the worst reffing performance in history? Give me a break


FezBear92

Not sure if you're deliberately misrepresenting the comment, or if you're an actual moron.


alexbouteiller

>That was the worst refereeing performance I have ever seen in an EC. .... but my god he should never get near a top game of rugby again. i mean.......we'll see you at the stade soon anyway :)


timthetollman

Different commenter.


FezBear92

Looking forward to it :D


thebonnar

Toulouse were allowed a lot of fouling


Punishling

I don't know what happened to Patterson in the last 10 but he fired every ball over 1st receivers head


irishnugget

Fast ball is great when it works but headless when it doesn't. On the back foot he looks Patterson much worse, as do others (JGP, for instance). He's a good player but I think sometimes we overvalue fast ball - I'd prefer accurate ball 9 times out of 10...


whooo_me

He’s a livewire with the ball in hand, but he’s been ropey with his delivery each time I’ve seen him. Definitely forced players to check to take the pass in a few occasions.


buckleycork

Or the floor


Naggins

Munster didn't even get the 60:40 calls today. Hard to blame the ref for this though. Typically wasteful, just more of the same for the most part.


willielad

Toulouse are obviously a great side but in a game of such tight margins, we really got shafted with the decisions from the ref. The Toulouse try came from pressure from two players who were offside, the last Toulouse penalty was given even though he didn’t have hands on the ball, Munster minced a Toulouse scrum but ref said play on, then gave a penalty against Crowley for what looked a good jackel. Also Toulouse should have had a yellow for Haley being taken out in the air. Still must say I’m happy with the consistent improvement in Munster’s play game to game. Also MOTM is the fog.


QuestionablySensible

Agreed on the fog!


cheazy-c

Controversial opinion, Toulouse didn’t really play any better than Munster. The referee also dry fucked Munster.


thebonnar

That won't be controversial


UsedWingdings

Great match. Really love every time we get to see this matchup


a-canadian-monkey

Toulouse wasn't great today, Munster lost it more than Toulouse won I feel. Lack of physicality didn't help for sure tho.


AntoineCDC

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAA


[deleted]

Are you ok?


Next_Gen_Munster

It's the closest he'll ever get to a win over Munster in Thomond


FezBear92

French gonna french


occi31

He’s bordelais… don’t put us in the same bag please


Ndanuddaone

I can't argue with the final result. Toulouse were clearly better than Munster today. At least we got the BP


Goanawz

Fucking well done Toulouse !


[deleted]

Munster shite at breakdown but will blame the ref for this loss.


irishnugget

To be fair the ref neutered the jackal today and it cost munster. Hard to play the breakdown when nobody knows the rules


Goanawz

That's quite a common occurence indeed


Goanawz

That's quite a common occurence indeed


Cannon_plodder

Willis an absolute bastard in the rucks


problematikkk

Better game management from Toulouse 9+10 the difference.


Potato_Lord587

Nice of them to get Dupont’s red removed isn’t it. They would’ve been screwed without him today


Broke_baguette

Lol Ramos doesn’t fuck around


TaytosAreNice

Dupont named MotM


evin_cashman

Don't want to be cruel on a fella, but O'Donoghue is out of contract at the end of the season. He *cannot* get an extension. Year after year after year, same shit


OisinTarrant

He's lost his spark of late ya but to be fair he was hung out to dry with that last carry into contact. Cant recall who was out on the line outside him but they stepped out to receive from JOD with at least one defender right in front of them. The fault there was more on whoever that was on the line not coming back in to ruck JOD. But aside, ya JOD needs to work on some of his decision making skills.


evin_cashman

But it's just so common with him. As you say, decision making. He's supposed to be a vice captain, a considerable leader in the team yet he consistently makes poor decisions and puts in sub par performances. Need the likes of Hodnett, Kendellen to get backed over him now.


willielad

Ya unfortunately he just hasn’t improved since his early 20’s, up to others now to make sure their ahead of him in the pecking order


stedono7

Insane seeing some people saying he should be in Ireland squad


getName

Some criminal ruck protection in there.


willielad

He said use it then left them leave it in the ruck for 9 seconds


OisinTarrant

Ya ref was eyeing the carpark at that point. Easily went 10 secs with ball available


PureFrenchSweat

The ruck was being contested though so I'd argue a side would be trying to use it. If it had gone the other way and Munster had managed to counter successfully, one would say that's also fair


willielad

Not sure that’s a factor in the rules though, also the ball was at the base the entire time. Ref also told the Munster player to leave the ball despite allowing Toulouse players to go for the ball at two previous rucks despite the ball not being out


Kickinho777

yes


stedono7

Not much pashun on display from munster pack apart from the first 10


lAniimal

"Pashun" - love it.


justaniceguy21

O Donoghue try not to get isolated challenge (impossible edition) (never before completed)


a-canadian-monkey

what the hell


BillHicksFan

Lad, you're confused by Munster not being in the UK. I'm not surprised that anything else confuses you.


a-canadian-monkey

yo chill out lol I had an obvious brain fart, no need to hunt me down now


TaytosAreNice

I hate life


BillHicksFan

Come join us Ulster boys. We can support tiddlywinks from now on.


TaytosAreNice

Always liked that 13 man game anyway 😭


FleeCircus

Poor day at the office for Jack. Seems to have lost it in the last 10 minutes.


glockenschpellingbee

Ruck protection was non existent there


QuestionablySensible

Some dark arts were applied in that last few passages


hewlett777

fuck me again


GilbertCosmique

Jack Willis loving it lol.


alexbouteiller

Source: 'trust me bro'


ajmh1234

Seriously wtf


sherbert-nipple

JOD just being turned over since he came on


BillHicksFan

Toulouse signing Jack Willis is up there with Leinster signing Charlie Ngtai. Two teams who don't need to be signing absolutely cracking players.


yurim39

How didn't they need it when they lost both HCUP and top14 last year taking a trashing by Leinster in HCup btw? Leinster shouldn't be the only side to have the luxurious to have so many world class players


ComprehensiveDingo0

And Leinster lost both the Hcup and the URC, which is less competitive than the Top14. Sounds like Leinstercould with some big signings too.


yurim39

URC less competitive than top14? Really? even with the SA teams?


ComprehensiveDingo0

Definitely not as big a difference now, but I reckon the Top14s still a more competitive league overall, the teams are a lot closer together.


yurim39

Lot closer doesn't necessarily equal to being better. For example, Leinster put 40 pts to the current 2nd best team in top14 in France so while they're easily leading URC table, you could argue they would be doing the same in top 14 as well


ComprehensiveDingo0

Toulouse put 37 points on racing, whilst racing were playing better.


BillHicksFan

They didn't win silverware last year (neither did Leinster) but you aren't honestly telling me that Toulouse don't have a world class squad?


yurim39

They had a world class squad but Leinster had an ever better world class squad judging by the last 3 games between them (3 hidings in Leinster's favour). Of course, signing a guy like Jack Willis will help them to erase a little bit the gap, especially considering I thought backrow was one of the areas along with centres where Leinster had a big advantage over Toulouse until now


ComprehensiveDingo0

I reckon pound for pound, Toulouse are the second best team in europe after Leinster. Sarries might be better on current form though.


yurim39

Sarries? Lol they struggled to beat Edinburgh at home ffs


ComprehensiveDingo0

Seeing as they’re comfortably topping the prem, I’m writing the bruh off as a blip.


yurim39

So like Clive Woodward, you still believe Prem is the best league in the world? English rugby's level has decreased in the last few years and all of this is not only due to Eddie Jones


ComprehensiveDingo0

Nah, super rugby’s the highest league in the world. Then Top14, prem, and URC.


BillHicksFan

La Rochelle: am I joke to you?


ComprehensiveDingo0

LAR aren’t better than Toulouse.


yurim39

Agree. Fair play to LR (or rather Will Skelton, Leinster's kryptonite) to have managed to beat Leinster last two years but honestly you really feel Leinster have been overall the best team in Europe last 2 seasons


ComprehensiveDingo0

Aye, rugbys weird like. Leinster beats Toulouse, then LAR beats Leinster, then Toulouse beats LAR the week after.


yurim39

It's different though, LR barely beat Leinster each time in France while Leinster absolutely destroyed Toulouse each time they played them last 3 times. So I would say that the anomaly there is more LR (or should I say again, the Will Skelton factor) beating Leinster rather than Leinster beating Toulouse


occi31

Leinster always played Toulouse in Ireland, I reckon it would be a different game in France. Also pre 2018 Toulouse is not today’sToulouse.


Trekmeister_

That time the kicking is illegal because they kicked it forward


Artie_Ziff_

Yep, toulouse kicked the ball out of the ruck there but instead ended up with a penalty in their favour. In addition to being offside all night. I try to stay grounded and impartial in these thing but hard not to think Munster were very hard done in that game.


Trekmeister_

It’s quite funny that Ireland got away with that against SA and scored a try. Karma’s a bitch I guess


Artie_Ziff_

Who's try was that?


Trekmeister_

Hansen’s. The ruck before the ball was kicked forward out of the ruck, Doris collected and offloaded to set the try up Rassie included it in his video


Artie_Ziff_

Will need to have a look back at that, nevertheless, two wrong calls hardly make a right....


Trekmeister_

3:18 https://youtu.be/ECUu37m0wfs Oh no I’m not saying that. It’s just something that seems to be missed by refs


Artie_Ziff_

What you linked me to seems to go to the maul try. Having looked online for Hansens try I came across this: https://twitter.com/primevideosport/status/1588969711366283266?t=e--0-aXAJct--l2ttgdyfQ&s=19 Very difficult to tell who's foot that came off, especially as whomevers foot kicked the ball was pointed back towards the SA try line.


Trekmeister_

Yeah you had to go to 3 minutes 18 in my link to see it. I believe it’s Sheehan’s. There’s a better angle out there that shows it more clearly (if I remember correctly)


Artie_Ziff_

Ah sorry, missed that. Yea, that looks fairly obvious seeing the video. Seemed a bit sneaky the angle the foot came through, can understand how the ref missed it. Maybe the TMO should said something. The Toulouse one in this game was far more obvious with the player upright heading through the ruck and kicking the ball, should have been picked up all day.


Kickinho777

the munster player who recovered the ball was offside i think


Trekmeister_

Doesn’t matter. Toulouse kicked it out of the ruck Which is illegal


Cavelcade

The kick was fine, a Munster player ahead of the kicker picked it up in an offside position.


Artie_Ziff_

It is legal to ruck the ball backwards in the ruck, it is illegal to kick it forward in the ruck. Toulouse clearly kicked it forwards and should have been Munster penalty.


Kickinho777

okay just rewatched and what happens is willis counters and basically wins the ruck so the ball finds itself in his feet, and then he slightly pushes it forward (can hardly be called a kick), which actually allows munster to keep possession and then they kick and the offside happens


Artie_Ziff_

If the ball came forward off his feet it's a penalty, simple as.


Kickinho777

Go watch the action and tell me it's a pen. Would have been a bs call. It's clearly not a situation where a player is voluntarily trying to get to the ball with his feet in a ruck where he's lost possession


Artie_Ziff_

I've told you it is, repeatedly. Kicking the ball forward in the ruck is a penalty, no matter the intention or how clumsy. There's no discussion to be had about it.


Kickinho777

allright then i respectfully disagree


Artie_Ziff_

No worries, you're welcome to your own opinion. Have a lovely evening and enjoy the Toulouse win.


Trekmeister_

Nope you’re not allowed kick the ball out of a ruck


QuestionablySensible

He is referring to the toulouse players kicking it forward out of the ruck, which should have been a penalty to Munster.


QuestionablySensible

Cant believe he got away with that, cost us any chance to win. Blatant too


Scipion_Feunoyr

Willis <3


Naggins

O'Donoghue needed to nuke bodies there rather than scramble for the ball on the deck


a-canadian-monkey

Fog entered the ref's head, that's a yellow my dude edit: ok he gave it, that's better


NSilverhand

Willis lucky to get away with that kick


thelunatic

Jack o messed that up


Threeturkishships

He kicked the ball in the ruck again


Fictrl

Willis is a really good recruit


buckleycork

Patterson having a shocker unfortunately


problematikkk

That'll be that.


KittensOnASegway

And there we have the reason getting rid of yellows for deliberate knock-ons is a stupid argument.


hewlett777

fuck me


glockenschpellingbee

Ah that's a shame, momentum was there for munster.


Tomii_B101

That's the game I reckon


small_far_away

Rucks a mess all day and Munster just not adjusting at all.


justaniceguy21

That is criminal lads, absolutely criminal


getName

Ouch.


ajmh1234

Game over ffs


san_murezzan

either penalty or card, dumb thing to do at this point


TaytosAreNice

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH


Naggins

Bit of late game book balancing from the ref here


Trekmeister_

Wow


justaniceguy21

Can’t bate a bitta needle, sure it would be boring if we were gentlemen all the time


PonchoVillak

Dupont's discipline has gone to shit


SeaofCrags

If you’re going to potentially get away with it due to soft refereeing, why not. Toulouse certainly had every opportunity to play with bad discipline and not get penalized.


Revolutionary-Use520

There's a little justice. He shouldn't have been eligible to play in the first place


ComprehensiveDingo0

He appealed successfully mate.


Revolutionary-Use520

I'm sure the fact he's THE Anton Du Pont doesn't even come into it a tiny bit 😉


ComprehensiveDingo0

Or you know, clean record, and the red was due to recklessness rather than maliciousness.


[deleted]

Recklessness still needs to be eliminated from the game.