Munster vs Wasps - Sunday 3.15pm

[Puja]

Munster: Haley; Conway, Farrell, Scannell, Earls; Healy, Murray; Kilcoyne, Barron, Archer; Kleyn, Beirne; O'Mahony (capt), O'Donoghue, Coombes.

Replacements: Buckley, Loughman, Ryan, F Wycherley, Hodnett, Casey, Crowley, Zebo.

Wasps: Crossdale; Watson, Odogwu, Mills, Bassett; Atkinson, Robson; West, Cruse, Millar-Mills; Stooke, Gaskell; Shields (capt), Young, Carr.

Replacements: Oghre, Martinez, Scholtz, Cardall, Morris, Porter, Miller, Spink

[Puja]

Wasps have 6 points in the table, which was, until today, possibly enough to see them through into the knock-outs. Unfortunately, Toulouse have just forfeited their game against Cardiff, which puts Cardiff on 7 points and Wasps out of the picture unless they can pick up at least a bonus point against Munster away.

I don't fancy their chances, but stranger things have been known to happen. No Barbeary this week though.

Puja

[Peej]

It's not a vintage Munster team, but it's probably enough to beat that Wasps selection. We're a bit short of carriers this week to make enough dents. Let's see if we can finish a Euro game with 15 players on the pitch though.

Amazingly Cardiff will be going through without winning a game. The tournament is a complete lottery.

[fivepointer]

Wasps will do remarkably well to make it 3 wins on the bounce. A losing BP may not be beyond them.

They do look to be getting some players back. Odogwu continues, Robson, Mills, Millar-Mills and West start. Pity there's no Barbeary or T Willis.

[Banquo]

It's not a vintage Munster team, but it's probably enough to beat that Wasps selection. We're a bit short of carriers this week to make enough dents. Let's see if we can finish a Euro game with 15 players on the pitch though.

Amazingly Cardiff will be going through without winning a game. The tournament is a complete lottery.

That's truly ridiculous

[Raggs]

So are we all hoping for a passage of play roughly on the lines of:

Mills passes to Miller-Mills who offloads to Miller, Mills loops around to take the pass from Millers. Great clearout by Miller-Mills.

[Raggs]

This is on Sunday btw... Didn't notice the mistake before.

[Raggs]

MLB is in for Mills, who's ill (maybe Covid I guess). That's a bugger.

[Mikey Brown]

thought Shields was right there, surely that's off Robson then forwards off Beirne.

[Raggs]

Didn't see a double knock on myself. Thought I saw a ton of Munster players diving off feet in the ruck, and being allowed to use hands in what would be a ruck. But then that's almost certainly mostly my one eyedness. Good from Munster, but I'm not too upset with Wasps there, it was a lot of decent defence to be honest.

[Banquo]

Didn't see a double knock on myself. Thought I saw a ton of Munster players diving off feet in the ruck, and being allowed to use hands in what would be a ruck. But then that's almost certainly mostly my one eyedness. Good from Munster, but I'm not too upset with Wasps there, it was a lot of decent defence to be honest.

Munster playing well, but the choke tackle that won the srum was a clear neck lasso.

Wasps not helping themselves tho- Thomand effect. Could get ugly

[Raggs]

Didn't see a double knock on myself. Thought I saw a ton of Munster players diving off feet in the ruck, and being allowed to use hands in what would be a ruck. But then that's almost certainly mostly my one eyedness. Good from Munster, but I'm not too upset with Wasps there, it was a lot of decent defence to be honest.

Munster playing well, but the choke tackle that won the srum was a clear neck lasso.

Wasps not helping themselves tho- Thomand effect

First box kick from Murray seemed to have a lot of players still within 10m too. Meh. Not expecting a win, and crazy passes like that won't help.

[Banquo]

Munster so sharp.

[Raggs]

That was a superb play, straight off the training pitch, fantastic and well earned.

[Mikey Brown]

Yep their offloading and handling skills have been great to watch, which feels weird to say but I haven’t seen them much recently.

[Banquo]

Tough game for Robson to return to and its showing. Atkinson looks a bit overawed

[Raggs]

Tough game for Robson to return to and its showing. Atkinson looks a bit overawed

MLB is a big step down at 12 from Gopps/Mills. Odogwu is only just back and not match sharp either. All looking a bit messy.

[Raggs]

Looking like Shields has managed to get in the refs ear a bit on the breakdown, will hopefully help a bit.

[Banquo]

Tough game for Robson to return to and its showing. Atkinson looks a bit overawed

MLB is a big step down at 12 from Gopps/Mills. Odogwu is only just back and not match sharp either. All looking a bit messy.

yeah Gopperth would be handy. Good try from Robson. Need to match the physcality somehow

[Banquo]

soft as. Poor Atkinson.

[fivepointer]

Even allowing for the changes that was a pretty poor effort from Wasps, who showed nothing like the tenacity and commitment of the previous 2 weeks.
Tough when you have to bring players back from several weeks out and keep having to change the team even on game day.

[Banquo]

Even allowing for the changes that was a pretty poor effort from Wasps, who showed nothing like the tenacity and commitment of the previous 2 weeks.
Tough when you have to bring players back from several weeks out and keep having to change the team even on game day.

They were poor, but I thought sort of understandably; the occasion (Thomand) got to a few, but its got to a lot better players and teams. Munster looked unstoppable from time to time, but that was chicken meet egg tbh. I think your second sentence mitigates the first, when you factor in how Munster operate on and off the park- theres a thread of young talent continually coming through, who love and covet the shirt in a visceral way. Its one of the huge differences we see between what's become our tier below international level and say Ireland/NZ/South Africa as quick examples.

[Spiffy]

Great first half then it became a total bore fest with complete crud from both teams. Two late, soft tries by Munster put a bit of superficial gloss on it, but turgid stuff.

[Beasties]

Atkinson looked like he was dragging his leg around the whole match, he’s not moving well at all. He was rapid before his injury problems. Tough game for Wasps, Munster great to watch at times.