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The theory of intelligence.
Well, you see, Norm, it’s like that. . . A herd of buffalo can only move as fast as the slowest buffalo; and when the herd is hunted, it is the slowest and weakest at the rear that die first. This natural selection is good for the pack as a whole, because the overall speed and health of the entire group continues to improve through the regular killing of weaker members.
“In the same way, the human brain can only function as fast as slower brain cells. Now, as we know, excessive alcohol intake kills brain cells. But naturally it attacks slower and weaker brain cells first. In this way, regular consumption of beer kills the weakest brain cells, making the brain a faster and more efficient machine. And because of that, Norm, you always feel smarter after a few beers. “
I looked at the England squad that was announced yesterday to look for weaknesses. All the selected players and even those who did not make the team reflect the strength of English rugby, with no apparent weakness anywhere.
On Saturday the best of the best in Irish rugby clashed and regardless of which players make the Irish team, the victory in this game came down to how well the weaker players played. Lots of audacity, but no imagination until Leinster showed something in the fourth quarter to take the game away from Munster. In a match of uncompromising savagery, the result always comes down to what each side is prepared to do to win and who is mentally stronger.
The battle between Johnny Sexton and JJ Hanrahan would always be fascinating. Sexton needed to make sure he could play a total of 80 and his powers of conductivity and generality began to take over in the second quarter.
Hanrahan is diametrically opposite in everything Sexton does and how Sexton plays. It seems like everything is out of place with Munster’s playmaker and while he performed brilliantly at Clermont, he just doesn’t seem to have the level of ruthlessness that some of his renowned predecessors had in spades.
Why when he had the opportunity to re-open a 10-point gap in the first half did his kick hit the post? Leinster survived and a Rhys Marshall tackle on Robbie Henshaw causes a penalty, another one of the silly penalties given up by both sides. Leinster, with no time on the clock, well, most sides would kick the ball to touch and have a hot cup of tea. It just shows how confident they are that they can win the lineout, go through the phases until Munster commits a penalty offense, and manage to cut the score to four points.
There is a huge difference in a match of this caliber, particularly when both sides are qualifying, between a 10-point lead and a four-point lead. That missed kick was the difference.
It was very obvious that every time Leinster approached the Munster line there would be a cold blooded offense in the collapse – willful malice – with O’Mahony the leader of the gang in this department. I’m not sure what he is like or why he gets away with it, but in these situations he is the type of person who would unplug his life support machine to recharge his phone.
Any movement carefully and beautifully choreographed by Leinster ended in a cold-blooded penalty to stop the movement in its tracks. Will there be a yellow card in the second half? Given the upside down nature of this game, it couldn’t be said for sure which team would get it.
The break would be interesting in the sense that the defense of the back three would have to be modified a bit. Larmour had hit three balls when he and Haley were offered much the same, but both sides seem confident in possession and, given the tough conditions, you would never know if it would be smarter to hold on to the ball or kick and chase it.
Any selection of six and two on his bench presupposes that there is certainty that all his backs will end the game. Ringrose, who had just returned from delicate jaw surgery, was never sure it would finish. Jimmy O’Brien left with a hamstring, but once again Sexton, when he was pulling strings, had his day interrupted by what looked like a pulled calf.
Now it is becoming a major problem for Leinster and for Ireland if Sexton cannot finish what he started. Ross Byrne was a very viable replacement and kept the ship afloat while Munster seemed happy to chew on the clock.
Again, if you’re still not sure who is the best team in the match, it should be obvious that Leinster had every chance of the red line and once again, this time legally, Tadhg Beirne landed another exceptional poaching under his wing. posts already one foot from the line. Yes, he’s exceptional in that area of the game, but Leinster really should have gotten two more attempts to complement the one they did in the 69th minute.
What Munster has to ask himself is what they were doing with an excess of possession that was presented to them. Sure they were 10-6 up, but that could go away in the blink of an eye and they played rugby on the railroad track between the middle line and Leinster’s 10-meter line and then kicked the ball.
As the game progressed, Leinster’s three defenders, with Jamison Gibson-Park occupying the left wing spot, handled everything that came their way with an increasing degree of certainty.
I think Leinster won’t get any further in the Heineken Cup if they don’t fix their line. Munster isn’t going anywhere either unless he gets a decent half who can control the game.
Byrne’s conversion from Larmour’s attempt was a beautiful thing. With 11 minutes to go and the score at 10-13, at no point did I suspect Munster had the courage, imagination or intelligence to work through a situation to get the game back.
Tadhg Berne and Damian De Allende called in the final minutes, giving you an idea that mentally Munster was shot and they had no idea how to get into goal position.
The pressure is back on Johann van Graan as his one-dimensional side has no idea how to beat Leinster, even when the game is there to take him. Perhaps the weakest link is in the coaches box.
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