Munster Heineken Cup Champions

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Irish by birth Munster by the grace of God

Munster, great Heineken Cup champions and terrific rugby club.

I am one of those people who were never much good at rugby, being far to thin to make any headway in this very physical sport. However having said that, I have always had a deep love of the game, no doubt from having been to boarding school where this was the main winter game. Moreover it was compulsory to play up until form four, thereafter one could make their own choice of what they wanted to play. Needless to say the 1st.XV were treated like superstars and what with the school war cries and the hype this generated an excellent school spirit.

Of course this fed off to supporting your provincial sides and then onto National level. When I was at school winning at all costs was never heard of. Rather it was more important that one played within the spirit of the game and if you so happened to win then that was an added bonus. Sadly this is no longer the case.

On coming to live in Ireland I happened to choose a place in County Cork and it was not to long before I heard about and started supporting Munster rugby. One of the reasons for this was that the players and supporters reminded me about the spirit of things when I was young. It was so refreshing.

They are a great rugby side and they got better and better, culminating in winning the Heineken Cup in 2006 and again in 2008. The question remains, can they hold onto the title this year?

As it turned out they didn't. No worries we will win in 2010 instead.Well we missed out in 2010 as well. No worries, we'll get it again in 2011/12? Scroll down and make your prediction for this. Whatever side you fancy.

Munster Rugby Song

The fields of Athenry

This is the song that Munster rugby supporters start singing when their team needs a lift up to give them some extra spirit or when the supporters think the game is won. Works very well, so I'm putting it here so that you can listen whilst reading the lens.

A brainchild of a very talented lens master here at Squidoo and you can find out more about him here
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A brief review of Munster

Fierce pride

The Southern Counties of,
Clare,
Cork,
Kerry,
Limerick,
Tipperary,
Waterford.

Make up Munster, sometimes known as rebel country.

The Munster Flag

Beautiful and patriotic

I visited

Munster's home ground

My son graduated from Limerick University a couple of months ago. We stayed in a hotel very close to Munster's home ground there. So I decided the next morning to visit it and take some photo's. I had no luck as they were working on the ground and wouldn't allow any visitors in. I tried every trick in the book. Although I have lived in Ireland for the last nine years I knew my accent still sounds very foreign. So I tried, " but I have come all the way from Zimbabwe, especially to see this great ground."

We are not allowed to let anybody in today, " but I'm deaf man and find you hard to follow as I have to lipread and I have come all this way. Come on man I promise I'll be good and it will only take ten minutes."

OK I got some sympathy, come back at two o' clock and we will let you in. " But my flight back home leaves Cork airport at three, if I wait till then I will miss my flight, please man just ten minutes." Whilst saying this I was pointing at above sign. To their everlasting credit I had them laughing, but they wouldn't budge. So please look at all these photo's in the following light. I just couldn't get in but I tried to get some snaps.

From outside the stadium

The Munster coat of arms

Great atmosphere

Here in these pubs

The Munster rugby jersey

Emblazoned on the outside wall

I sneaked a peak

Inside the ground

Make a prediction!

C'mon and have a say

Well it is now 2011. Now worries, go on and have your say for this year instead. All welcome.

Spook predicts:

Munster win

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whitemoss predicts:

Husband says his team, Northants, beat Mighty Munster the other day, so reckons they're worth an outside bet.

 
 
 

So I was wrong

We didn't make it

As it turns out my prediction was wrong, we didn't make it. ( sobs )

That in the end is the great thing about sport, one can never be sure. Well Munster got to the semi-final anyway and as it turns out they were playing another Irish team who they had already beaten three times at different times in the season. We were confident that we were home and dry. We were comprehensively thrashed by Leinster and when all is said and done, they played by far the better game and were deserving winners. Hats off to them.

The game was played at Croke Park, the home ground for the all amateur Gaelic games association. For centuries they only allowed Gaelic sports but amidst much controversy over the past few years they have allowed rugby and soccer games to be played at International level while their home grounds are being rebuilt. As it turns out the Munster, Leinster game two weeks ago attracted a world record breaking crowd for a club rugby game, close to 83000 people. Something, really something and still we lost. Never mind we will it win again next year.

We still have the newly appointed British Lions rugby captain and Munster captain Paul O Connel who will lead the lions tour to South Africa in summer, amongst many other Lions picks but sadly one of the players chosen will miss the tour having been found guilty of eye gouging, and has received a twelve week ban.

OK I was one game short in this prediction, but it doesn't matter as only two men and a dog visited the lens anyway and at least we still have an Irish team in tomorrow's final who will win of course. And win they did, congratulations Leinster.

Adios Amigos.

A small blog

Get some rugby views here

Often blog about rugby games and have a habit of calling them right.
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Have your say and prediction

For this years Heineken cup 2011

Nobody came and nobody saw but don't worry there is still next year when I will revamp this again.

That time is now so get ready with your predictions.

  • JaguarJulie Mar 14, 2012 @ 7:00 am | delete
    Ah, me lad, another fine sporting page you have crafted. I feel your pride!
  • Spook Mar 15, 2012 @ 1:20 pm | delete
    Thank you lassie and so glad you enjoyed.
  • vbright105 Jan 21, 2012 @ 6:27 am | delete
    Lovely glimpse of the area, and your pride. Blessed by an angel.
  • Spook Jan 21, 2012 @ 3:17 pm | delete
    Thank you very much and happy to announce Munster just slipped into overdrive and are now top of the log. Bring on the quarter finals.
  • sousababy Aug 16, 2011 @ 2:51 am | delete
    A very spirited lens Spook . . your choice of photos made me feel like I was there.
  • Spook Nov 19, 2011 @ 1:02 pm | delete
    Thank you.
  • annmackiemiller May 28, 2011 @ 3:35 pm | delete
    good lens even if I know nothing about rugby except that Scotland has cool uniforms.
  • Spook May 28, 2011 @ 4:32 pm | delete
    Yes a great side with a great spirit.
  • whitemoss Nov 13, 2009 @ 10:07 am | delete
    Hey- I'm #1 visitor! Husband tips his team, Saints ( Northants) for an outside bet- they beat Munster the other day!
  • Spook Nov 13, 2009 @ 11:06 am | delete
    Ja, we were only playing with them and thanks for the visit. Much appreciated.

Having terrific fun

Writing short stories on Squidoo

All welcome to read, browse and comment. I've actually led a varied life.
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P.S. Go make your own prediction, Bub



Got something else to predict? Do you see the future, too? Go predict it. The world is waiting to hear from you.Wizard hat sold separately.

by

Spook

I'm a man with wide interests who firmly believes in sport of all kinds. My motto in life is " It's not how many times you fall down that counts, it'... more »

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