The TMO: Return of the H Cup
Back to life, back to reality last weekend after a trip to New York the week before. The lure of Macy’s proved too much and the TMO and his accomplice missed out on viewing the opening round of the Heineken Cup. Got the results by text as we skated around Central Park!
I settled in yesterday for the Munster game against Clermont Auvergne. I found it too hard to watch Ulster on Friday night, I hope they turn their season around with a new coach.
Now for the rant. Regular readers (well there have only been two previous TMO columns so I don’t know if that counts as a regular yet) will know that the TMO has a certain resistance to paying for his rugby on TV. I relented during the RWC and got Setanta, but apart from a brief fling with SKY a few years ago, I have remained resolute in my conservative, ‘when I were a lad’ boots!
It isn’t really even ideological any more, I fully accept that pay TV is here to stay. I just have a pathological dislike of all the fancy swooshing noises SKY use in their coverage. I’m also not keen on the whole ‘Clash of the Titans’ approach to promoting a game. I mean let’s face it Glasgow Warriors against Viadana is not a marquee game. The score line suggests a pretty open game but I just don’t like seeing a product over sold.
It was great to see Munster put Clermont away on Sunday afternoon. Okay so they had made 14 changes, okay Jon Smit looked like he had been introduced to his props and locks about five minutes before the game, but! Munster did what good teams should do – they put them away. Bonus point win, job done.
Reports from behind the goal line in Thomond Park suggested that absence from the hallowed turf has not dulled the fans attitude. Apparently some fans could spot a forward pass by the opposition at the other end of the pitch and with their own team in the way.
The commentary team of some bloke and Reggie Corrigan was interesting! At least Reggie knows the game. Half time saw Noddy Lynagh, Eoin Reddan and Scott Quinnell (just like his father according to Bill McClaren) ponder the game. Looking back the game was all over, it was just left for Munster to do the job, so they really didn’t have much to say. There were still a few swooshing noises during the highlights and I noticed that they have picked up on the whole first receiver rubbish that surfaced during the RWC.
I was watching the game with a die hard Munster fan – my mother! In her eyes the fellas behind the goal line were right. Munster can do no wrong for her, so on the basis that she may read this (at least I know one person does) I won’t pick on the errors too much. Some wrong options here and there, some forced passes out of the tackle. That was it mum.
P.S.
Did Clermont’s video analyst not watch ROG’s cross kick in Croke Park? What a beauty!
P.P.S.
I was heartily touched by the footage from Ray Gravell’s funeral service from Stradey Park last week. A true rugby man. RIP.