Rugby videos of tackles, tries, funny incidents and more: Munster convincing against Perpignan in the South of France

Monday, December 21, 2009

Munster convincing against Perpignan in the South of France

Munster recorded a brilliant away win in the Heineken Cup as they beat Perpignan 37-14 at the Stade Aime Giral, picking up a bonus point in the process.

The French champions had a run of 16 successive European wins, with 23 unbeaten in all competitions. The last time they lost at home in a European competition was to Wasps, in 2004.

Munster changed all that though as they took control of the group, scoring tries through Denis Fogarty, Denis Hurley, Jean De Villiers, and Doug Howlett.

Perpignan prop Jerome Schuster was yellow carded for what looked like a charge into a ruck with the head, to put it mildly. Ronan O’Gara was then sin-binned a minute later for an early tackle as the Catalan side looked to counter-attack.

Guilhem Guirado scored for the home side with a nice move at the front of the lineout, but then Jean De Villiers showed his class by breaking through the Perpignan midfield with a nice step and handoff to score a quality try.

Doug Howlett then scored with a minute left in the match after a neat kick through by O’Gara, who was back on the field to show that he still has all the tricks.

It was a highly enjoyable game of rugby that had the intensity that one would expect to see from two of the top teams in the tournament.

"It's a great day for us. We put a lot of hard work into the game and we had a big work ethic, especially at the breakdown,” said Munster captain Paul O’Connell.

"We were patient and, once we transferred what we'd been doing on the training ground onto the pitch, then we knew we'd play well."

Time: 03:04

No matter what, Munster produce the ugliest kind or rugby in the world. It is not good news that they start winning again.
Leinster >>> Munster in terms of style

By BillBoc, at December 21, 2009 5:00 pm
Why do you have do go out your way to criticise, BillBoc?
Good luck in life with an attitude like that.

They actually scored some good tries here. Give credit where credit is due. But yeah sure, Leinster have scored some nice team tries, but saying its the ugliest kind of rugby is a bit harsh imo.

By Dave, at December 21, 2009 5:03 pm
That was one of the most inspirational matches I've seen. Nobody gave them a chance going into it, Perpignan had a fantastic home record, Munster were not on form, everyone was saying they're past their best, they're on the way down, and then bam, 4 points and a bonus as well with the last play of the game. Brilliant!

And Billboc you can suck my balls.

By Kearney for tests, at December 21, 2009 5:26 pm
BillBoc would you ever fuck off. If the ugliest kind of rugby for you is committed ferocious defense, domminance at the breakdown, courage to keep looking for the final try, solid set pieces and turning over the French Champions in their fortress home ground with clinical precision, then you're following the wrong game mate..

By Darren, at December 21, 2009 5:32 pm
What I love as well is the way Stuart Barnes moans with pleasure after Munster score the 4th try. I felt the same way.

By Kearney for tests, at December 21, 2009 5:33 pm
I smell bullshit. That was one of the best matches I've watched in a while. Munster are everyone's second favourite team, full of characters and they always play with maximum effort and intensity.

By HM, at December 21, 2009 5:50 pm
Why was O'Gara sin binned?

By Juggernauter, at December 21, 2009 5:52 pm
I'm not a fan of the Munster style of play, but i must admit they were brilliant in that game, very very clinical, the backs were on fire, the frontrow was physical to say the least, they had everything to win. And Perpignan was disapointing that day, i was expecting much more...

Cheers from a sad Catalan

By rodofle, at December 21, 2009 5:53 pm
Juggernauster, it's mentioned in the right up. He made an early tackle basically, when the guy didn't have the ball.

By Greiffel, at December 21, 2009 5:54 pm
Incredible performance by Munster:

De Villers' 2 arms around the ball to nullify the double tackle was textbook (Armitage could have learned that one in the Lions tour). good to see him do well.

yellow for the prop was v lucky - could have been red: u could tell by his complete lack of protest!

Serious return to form for Munster.

By Mise, at December 21, 2009 6:10 pm
and billboc- u are miles off mate, miles. 4 tries in the south of France?!? You're a joker!

By Mise, at December 21, 2009 6:10 pm
Those French commentators were dicks. I remember at one point, they openly mocked Dave Pearson for his attempt to speak French to the USAP players. How fucking stupid, when half the complaints against the referees are for not explaining things well enough to French sides - I've never once heard a commentator mock Christophe Berdos for his less-than-perfect English.

Aside from that, Munster really have some dedicated fans, huh? A large section of the stadium was filled with red and I remember at one point "the Fields of Athenry" was actually audible from the pitch. It was great to hear the USAP fans retaliate and cheer even louder for their side...too bad the game was pretty stale.

Both yellow cards were a bit soft. I get giving a penalty against Schuster for the way he rammed into a player not involved in the ruck, but not a yellow. And they never showed O'Gara's on replay, but from that angle, no matter how many times I watched it, he looked to be making a tackle on a player who was attempting to touch (and possibly touching) the ball; no way is that illegal.

Anyways, Mélé really needs to get his kicking sorted out...USAP would've had some 12 more points if he could use his boot correctly.

By Jules, at December 21, 2009 6:14 pm
"Munster produce the ugliest kind or rugby in the world."

Last week, it was "Munster couldn't even score tries" - well, they did this week. What's your complaint for this time?

What has Leinster got to do with anything?

Here's something equally obscure:

1973 Barbarians >>> Leinster

Or even more ridiculous:

1972 Miami Dolphins >>> Leinster

In other words, you're an idiot.

By Jules, at December 21, 2009 6:21 pm
This match was brilliant. As a Munster fan it was great to see them actually play the kind of rugby they're capable of. I was starting to get really depressed with this season, but that was a wonderful Christmas present.

Credit has to be given to the forwards for the huge number of turnovers they produced in this match, they completely dominated the ruck.

By WacoKid, at December 21, 2009 6:38 pm
i'm gutted george hook didn't actually eat his tie!:(

hopefully munster will be able to keep this up,it's a long time since i've seen the pack play so well.the locks and back row were immense!a lot of people seem to give out about paul o'connell these days,but i don't think i've ever seen a lock turn over so much ball,both on the ground and on the lineouts

By Mark, at December 21, 2009 7:09 pm
what is it with french and dirty tactics? seriously, they fight like girls! I'm sure the other week it was hair pulling and eye gouging!

By Chris Boy, at December 21, 2009 7:20 pm
Dont know how a head butt is only a yellow! Watched this match yesterday and munster were bloody brilliant and im not their biggest fan lol they strangled the life out of perpignan, i havent seen a team ruck so well, the idiots who were writing them off were made to look a bit stupid

By KAPOW!, at December 21, 2009 7:28 pm
Very proud of munster,hard luck USAP...billboc get a life

By Anonymous, at December 21, 2009 7:41 pm
BillBoc, you clearly didn't see the game, and these highlights don't do justice to what Munster did to Perpignan. Each try probably deserved a minute's buildup to show how powerful Munster actually were.

If Leamy can stay injury free (unlikely considering his physicality) he is still one of the best back rows in the game and has a lot to offer Ireland, at 6 though, not 8.

O'Gara's yellow was harsh, but Munster were giving a couple of pens away around then, so the card was probably a result of collective tackles, though the crowd did react to every tackle as if someone's head had been lumped off. I think the tackle in the back on Fogarty by Vivaldi in the first half was worse than the head butt on Leamy.

I'd prefer Leiecster and Ospreys to progress to the quarters ahead of Cleremont, who will be much more dangerous. Also, English media seem to think London Irish are certainties for the 1/4s, but realistically, they'll struggle at Scarlets and Leinster will open them up in Reading.

Northampton couldn't get the 4 try bonus against Treviso and actually should've lost it, no one in their right mind should think they'll get anything out of Thomond.

The fact that they barely beat Munster in R1 when Munster were shockingly poor and they threw everything at them just goes to show the gulf in class that exists.

It'll be a French team (even though Stade aren't playing well they have a great incentive) or Irish team to win it.

By Huh!! the 3rd, at December 21, 2009 7:43 pm
urgh - *write-up.

By Greiffel, at December 21, 2009 7:43 pm
I thought the ref did a good job to tell O'Connell to get his team to can it. I think one of the reasons O'Connell is captain is because out of all the bitching to the ref that Munster players do (which is a lot), O'Connell complains the most; if he wasn't captain, there'd be a lot more penalties for back-chat.

And yes, I am a Munster fan.

In a different note, is it just me, or has Quinlan been kicking a lot more these past couple weeks? He even tried a scrum-half-style box-kick at one point....he doesn't have a bad boot, either. Pretty surprising.

By Pio, at December 21, 2009 7:50 pm
The only Munster I like is cheese...Just kidding.
So yeah the commentator making fun only once for the accent is a no life called Galthié... someone who played a bit in France... nothing special ya know... just 9 here and there then as a coach for the SF... nothing special.

It is a known fact that english irish or scottish commentators never make fun of anything -_-
C'mon now... nothing dramatic (or should he get a 6 month ban from FR2 ?)

Anyway, good game for Munster, a victory well deserved.. then again it's not the most entertaining game of them all... but that's life.
As for the line up for Perpignan I still don't get it... Porical, Guillardo and Durand on the bench ?

By jay, at December 21, 2009 7:59 pm
Great victory. I am still deciding did Munster win that match out and out on the field or did the Catalans give it to them? Its nice to see a confident Munster display on the other hand.

By Nicky06, at December 21, 2009 8:02 pm
Bilboc??

Scoring 4 tries in the south of France and completely arse raping the French champions is boring rugby?? Hmmmmm I hope you were joking because if not, well then you might as well stop watching the the sport...

By themull, at December 21, 2009 8:09 pm
Pio- Quinny played football for tipp years back, the boot comes with the territory i'd say.

By btesco, at December 21, 2009 9:31 pm
I thought that Munster were pretty unadventurous last week but that's a stunning performance to bulldozer Perpignan like that.

One question to any frenchman though: where were all the first choice forwards? Is Bruel not targeting this competition? Where were Tuilagi, Chouly, Perez, Alvarez-Kairelis and Le Corvec? Perpignan's defence wasn't as sharp as last week. At least Clermont will probably get through to the QFs! I'd llike to see a french club other than Toulouse in the final stages!

By John F, at December 21, 2009 9:39 pm
JEAN DE VILLIERS!

By Anonymous, at December 21, 2009 11:52 pm
SEE WHAT YOU GUYS DO!!!! YOU BITCH AND BITCH AND BITCH ABOUT ROG TACKLING THEN IT WORKS HIM UP AND HE GOES IN FOR AN EARLY ONE!!!!

....albeit not much of a tackle.....

hmm also gotta agree with the 'how is a headbutt a yellow' comment, i dont know who it was, when it was etc think maybe a GP match years ago, when there was literally i nod of the head and the guy was red carded, perpignan player tried it off the ball and away from the ruck.... :-/

but i suppose thats frustration for you.

By No.7, at December 22, 2009 12:52 am
No.7:

Was it Azam in the Heineken Cup for Gloucester against Cardiff Blues?

I remember that as well, he didn't really lean back and deliver a full head butt but still got a straight red.

Anyway, delighted we won and in such a convincing manner. I've been wanting to see a JdV - Earls combo for a while and hope McGahan gives it some thought. I felt our backline was far more balanced and dangerous looking with those two in the centres.

By Richie, at December 22, 2009 1:06 am
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

By Anonymous, at December 22, 2009 2:02 am
soggy is unavoidable: (comes with not being a semi desert and thus maybe surviving global warming... good luck with that...)

slow: have u been watching the Leinster matches?

Or even Munster last year?

Or most decent French rugby most of the time?

Or how the Welsh fling it, win it or wooden spoon it: but all with speed, style and attitude.

Genralising about NH and SH is sooo boring and ...general/generic as to be fairly meaningless. Nuance it or don't bother, I'd say

By Mise, at December 22, 2009 2:04 am
stand in 10, who did ok with the kicks last weke I think. But man, he was baaad this time!

Played fine, but the kicks were way off.

Shaun Berne is his name (formerly of Bath?)

By Mise, at December 22, 2009 2:17 am
sorry above post was meant for Leinster vid!

By mise, at December 22, 2009 2:19 am
BillBoc..

Stop making all us Leinster supporters look bad! Great performance by you guys was cheering you all the way. How great would it be if there was another Croke Park battle ahead for Irish sport.

On Leamy's form, he'll push Heaslip and Ferris all the way. Great to have 4 (worldclass in my opinion) backrows on form.

By RM, at December 22, 2009 2:39 am
"I'd llike to see a french club other than Toulouse in the final stages!"

...because Biarritz isn't French??? Only team undefeated so far, my boy. Ngwenya and Yachvili all the way!

By Clement, at December 22, 2009 2:50 am
Clement (my boy!),

Yes Biarritz are indeed French (and/or basque if you like) and they have already been to the H Cup final in 2006 (which I saw first hand amongst the sea of Munster fans at the Millenium Stadium) but the only regular visitor to the knockout rounds of the H Cup has been Toulouse of late.

I think they're quite a good side who have swept aside everyone in an unimpressive pool but their league form has been a bit mixed hasn't it?

By John F, at December 22, 2009 3:25 am
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

By No.7, at December 22, 2009 3:39 am
Greiffel - the sooner you make it so that comments can only be made by signed in contributors the better - should put a stop to people posing as others. No complaints about the site bru, just a thought.

As for the game it bodes well for Ireland that Munster have found form again. When Munster are good, Ireland are good; When the 'Spreys are good, Wales are good; when Leicester are good, England are good etc. etc...

By Ted, at December 22, 2009 4:37 am
Ohhhh, c'mon Ted - EVERYONE knows that Ireland's success is a direct result of Connacht...clearly. So, yeah, Connacht is at the top of Pool 2 in the Challenge Cup....must be why Ireland's looking good. Yeah!!!

By BeerMe, at December 22, 2009 5:16 am
Perpignan never had the keys of this game. i think they didn't have the potential in their backs to do the difference. Mermoz and marty are good but Mélé wasn't at his place.
Where was nicolas durand???

Munster did the job. Ok they didn't play the finest rugby of europe but their tactic works.
Make suffer in scrums and mauls and concretize the 3 or 4 spaces of the match

congrats for that

By Flooz, at December 22, 2009 11:22 am
Ah their style of play has changed immeasurably over the last 2 or 3 seasons.Howlett, Mafi, Earls, Tipoki, Warwick, Wallace ? All great pacey players with great passing and off-loading skill

Still a load of ****s though :P

Great win but perpignan were quite disappointing.

By Third Centre, at December 22, 2009 12:12 pm
JDV scored a wonderful try, yet hardly anyone mentions it. If BOD had scored anything near as good as that try you'd have 5-6 irish comments on here trying to tell the world how good Bod is, but he isn't.

By Lion Tanawaki, at December 22, 2009 12:23 pm
Lion T - This probably has a lot more irish fans commenting than SA ones - so yeah your right BOD would get more publicity.

If this was a Currie cup game or S14 im sure the SA lads would let us know about it.

By ---, at December 22, 2009 1:11 pm
Awesome try by JDV.

By I Bleed Blue (Bulls), at December 22, 2009 3:10 pm
Pretty pathetic that you're that offended by other peoples' personal lives that you take the time to post about it on a video that has nothing to do with said person.

This is about Munster v. Perpignan, buddy.

By Marcus, at December 22, 2009 8:39 pm
Great try by De Villiers as others have said, I hope he starts to show some form now - we can really do with a guy of his class playing to his potential.

By John, at December 23, 2009 1:36 pm
Funny how everyone now say it is great rugby, but when the Sprnigboks invented this rugby under the new rules they where branded as the most boring team in the world. And now that an Irish team is playing like that, they are suddenly playing an inspirational game with great defence.... Leave the flip-flopping sour grapes to the All Blacks, boys.

Great win, Munster.

By RugbyFan, at December 27, 2009 5:43 pm