Sunday, October 21, 2012

Ulster, Leinster, Connacht and Munster all in fine form


Ulster started the weekend for Ireland in impressive form with an away win at Glasgow. They have to be in the reckoning for another final of the Heineken Cup.

Leinster were away to the Scarlets, out to right the wrongs of their last trip to Wales, where they didn’t leave as happy campers at all. I was expecting a lot from the Scarlets, but this was a bit of a no show from this talented but erratic team. They have players like North and Liam Williams that have a lot of talent, but don’t seem to know how to get them into space. I’m not doing Leinster much justice by saying that though, because they cut down the Scarlets space, and had the control to make their own space when they needed to. The blue forwards rolled their sleeves up and stood up like they haven’t done so far this season.  Impressive stuff from players like Ross and Heaslip, and at the back Sexton, Nacewa and McFadden were always dangerous. Madigan gave me a bit of heart attack at the end, but job done.

Connacht lost to Quins, but it was no disgrace to be within 8 points of one of one of the biggest teams in Europe. I watched a bit of the Exeter/Clermont match, shouting for Exeter of course. Waste of time. If Leinster can beat Clermont – we will make it three in a row. I don’t know though…
Muster beat Edinburgh and got a bonus point. Nuff said. I’m not interested in how they did it, I know they are trying to play a bit more expansively and it’s not quite working. But when your forwards (and scrum half) can score four trys for you, who cares what you are trying to do.

Heineken Cup
Friday , October 19
Glasgow 8 - 19 Ulster 
Castres 21 - 16 Northampton
Heineken Cup
Benetton Treviso 21 - 33 Toulouse 
Scarlets 13 - 20 Leinster 
Saracens 30 - 13 Racing Metro 92 
Exeter 12 - 46 Clermont Auvergne 
Biarritz 38 - 17 Zebre 
Connacht 22 - 30 Harlequins
Munster 33 - 0 Edinburgh 
Cardiff Blues 14 - 22 Toulon

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