GLASGOW 31- 13 MUNSTER
GLASGOW ARE PRO 12
CHAMPIONS
If this was to be Paul O Connels final day in a Munster
shirt then this would be a very disappointing one as Munster were basically
outclassed in this match from the start.
Glasgow struck first
after Munster got done for a crooked throw at a lineout. Off the scrum, the
marauding presence of the magnificent Leone Nakarawa got his hands on the ball
and blasted his way through the cover and fed Rob Harley on his shoulder. A
second-row and a blindside flanker and a try once Harley ran over the top of
Felix Jones to touch down under the posts.
With Russell's conversion, it was a seven-point game, a
beginning to this final that Townsend could hardly have imagined.
Glasgow unleashed their ball-carriers, the likes of Josh
Strauss, Dougie Hall and Nakarawa, with a relentlessness that Munster could not
live with.
The lead was cut to four points when Ian Keatley put over a
penalty early in the second quarter, but that was a mere prelude to Glasgow's
second devastating breakthrough.
Again, it was Nakarawa at the heart of it, the giant lock
fishing ball out of a breakdown, side-stepping the first Munster defender,
taking the hit from two more Munstermen while stretching out his telescopic arm
to drop a sumptuous pass into the hands of winger Van der Merwe, who ran in the
try.
Russell added the points and Glasgow were ahead 14-3. Their
stuff of fantasy carried on a while yet. A third try was scored six minutes
later when Glasgow fed off a Munster knock-on in midfield and attacked wide
through Stuart Hogg.
The full-back in full flow is a gorgeous sight. He went
through a gap and linked with Pyrgos who galloped away to score at the sticks.
A third Russell conversion stretched Glasgow's lead to a scarcely believable 18
points.
Munster found themselves at last just before the break,
battering the Glasgow defence and finding enough space for Smith to squeeze
over. Keatley made it a seven-pointer and the fly-half added another three
early in the new half for Paul O'Connell's team.
Their fourth try was the killer for Munster. When, after
incessant pounding, Russell saw the defence ajar, he ghosted in and then lobbed
over the conversion.
It was hard not to feel for O'Connell, a great player and a
great man playing his last game for Munster. If the endgame was all about a
stellar second-row forward, though, it was not about O'Connell, it was about
Kellock.
He entered the fray on 67 minutes as a replacement for
Nakarawa. His first contribution was a lineout steal, such a fitting way to end
a tumultuous career.
Before the end, Duncan Weir landed a penalty, a score that
got the blue flags waving once more.
In truth, they never stopped - the fans and the team. This
was the Warriors' greatest day. A long time coming, but all the sweeter because
of it.
MY OPINION
In my opinion Munster was simply outclassed and you would
have thought that they would have had home advantage as the final was in
Ireland. Munster do need to improve for nest season to be a force in European
Rugby and if they loose Paul O Connell they will be in trouble. I think that
Glasgow has been the best team in the league for parts of the season and they
have been the best team but the next level for them is Europe and a quarter or
semi-final in the Champions cup. I think that Gregor Townsend should be looked
at for Scotland manager.
The next time you will hear me talk rugby will be the 4 nations before the world cup. At the moment I am writing up the french open and after that I will do Wimbledon. other than that I am not completely sure. Watch this space
