HEC: Munster vs Scarlets, Sunday 18 December 12:45pm; Sky Sports

onlyrocknroll

Scarlets

wixfjord wrote: »

Except last week and Castres is it?!

Don't have time to look through the threads now but each time somebody did say something like that.

Just to be clear I'm not talking about somebody saying "I think Munster will lose", a perfectly reasonable opinion in each of the three games, I'm talking about somebody saying that "Munster definitely can't win", which is patently (and demonstrably) quite stupid.

PhatPiggins

Scarlets

Otacon wrote: »

Team I'd like to see:

I'm hoping we put Scarlets away in this game. We need a big result, to take pressure off the trip to Franklin's Gardens.

Good news friend, its not on in Franklins Gardens.

Otacon

Scarlets

PhatPiggins wrote: »

Good news friend, its not on in Franklins Gardens.

Oops... Milton Keynes, of course.

Actually that will make it easier for me to get to. Now, to get tickets...

wixfjord

onlyrocknroll wrote: »

Don't have time to look through the threads now but each time somebody did say something like that.

Just to be clear I'm not talking about somebody saying "I think Munster will lose", a perfectly reasonable opinion in each of the three games, I'm talking about somebody saying that "Munster definitely can't win", which is patently (and demonstrably) quite stupid.

I'd be very surprised if someone did say that about Castres or Scarlets tbh. Very surprised.

PhatPiggins

Scarlets

Benny Cake wrote: »

Not really...

Would Murray have gone to the world cup if Mcgahan had't shown faith in him?
Kidney started DOC all through the world cup even though he hadn't been playing well, Mcgahan dropped him immediately when he came home.
Leamy has been ever present under Kidney yet Mcgahan favours Coughlan.

My point is Mcgahan has many faults but he's his own man and pays little heed to reputation, if you're good enough you're old enough! He clearly feels Nagle isn't ready.

O'leary was injured so the choice was Murray or Stringer
Leamy was always injured, Coughlan wasn't (and still isn't) competing against him
Donnacha Ryan maybe

I don't know the inner workings of the Munster camp but after 3 years of McGahan picking the same old same and then suddenly basing selection on form and reputation! I'd have my doubts that it was all McGahan's doing especially as the 9 months of a new selection policy coincides with Foleys arrival as forward coach.

Foley was quoted at the time of his appointment as saying he was taking the job on the condition that more of the A team would be given a fair shot in the senior team.

PhatPiggins

Scarlets

Otacon wrote: »

Oops... Milton Keynes, of course.

Actually that will make it easier for me to get to. Now, to get tickets...

Good from a Munster point of view that it makes the fixture easier but horrible from our point of view as Milton Keynes is an awful area.

onlyrocknroll

Scarlets

wixfjord wrote: »

I'd be very surprised if someone did say that about Castres or Scarlets tbh. Very surprised.

Here's the Scarlets one.

Quint2010 wrote: »

Worried for Munster. A BP loss is the best they can hope for.

You may be right about Castres, I can't find it now, maybe I mis-remembered. If so, apologies.

However given the wording of your post "Castres or Scarlets" rather than 'Castres and Scarlets' I only have to get one of them to be right. :;)

wixfjord

onlyrocknroll wrote: »

Here's the Scarlets one.



You may be right about Castres, I can't find it now, maybe I mis-remembered. If so, apologies.

However given the wording of your post "Castres or Scarlets" rather than 'Castres and Scarlets' I only have to get one of them to be right. :;)

"Munster definitely can't win" was your quote!

Anyway, what does it matter?
This thing of having to be underdogs irks me. Munster were rightly favourites for the three games in most people's mind.
I'll leave that there.

onlyrocknroll

Scarlets

wixfjord wrote: »

"Munster definitely can't win" was your quote!

Anyway, what does it matter?
This thing of having to be underdogs irks me. Munster were rightly favourites for the three games in most people's mind.
I'll leave that there.

That Munster aren't underdogs was my point.

Anyway, I didn't mean to antagonise anybody. I'll leave it there too.

irishbucsfan

wixfjord wrote: »

onlyrocknroll wrote: »

Don't have time to look through the threads now but each time somebody did say something like that.

Just to be clear I'm not talking about somebody saying "I think Munster will lose", a perfectly reasonable opinion in each of the three games, I'm talking about somebody saying that "Munster definitely can't win", which is patently (and demonstrably) quite stupid.

I'd be very surprised if someone did say that about Castres or Scarlets tbh. Very surprised.

Welcome to boards.ie!

anonymous_joe

Given that Scarlets don't have a pack I don't see how they could beat Munster.

phog

I'm always a bit more confident about a Munster win at home than an away win but I cant see how playing in TP all of a sudden makes us out to win with a BP win or win at a canter as has been suggested. We won last week by 3 points and scored only one try. Is the magic of Thomond Park worth 3 more tires, I'd love if it was. Will Priestland be as poor again on Sunday, doubt it and North will surely bring something to the team.

We need to stop our own silly errors like gifting them their try and then 2 knockons from restarts after we scoring, just cant happen at this level.

I notice that Scarlets have never played in the "new" Thomond Park so hopefully they will awe struck by the crowd for a while and let Munster take a grip on the game.

Teg Veece

phog wrote: »

I'm always a bit more confident about a Munster win at home than an away win but I cant see how playing in TP all of a sudden makes us out to win with a BP win or win at a canter as has been suggested. We won last week by 3 points and scored only one try. Is the magic of Thomond Park worth 3 more tires, I'd love if it was. Will Priestland be as poor again on Sunday, doubt it and North will surely bring something to the team.

Come on, Phog. You've been on this forum long enough to know what's going on.

The only question for me in this game is will Munster get a try BP or not.

Munster will absolutely annihilate Scarlets this week.

Munster will win at a canter, should be looking for a 5 point haul out of this

Are these quotes from the most over-confident, one-eyed Munster supporters? Actually they're from posters who have spent a large amount of their time berating Munster players (some of whom have been banned for it) and, ironically, have argued that there's a pro-Munster bias in the media yet these posts have the highest pro-Munster bias I've seen anywhere this week.

It's a fairly poor attempt at setting things up so that unless Munster obliterate Scarlets on Sunday, they'll have failed and hence open the door for more chiding and talk about what a bad performance it was.

Podge_irl

One of Munster's two BP wins this season was against Scarlets, though it was during the RWC so you can't read too much into it.

Any win puts Munster firmly in control of the group and on course for a home QF. I don't expect them to get a BP cause they simply haven't looked even remotely like they could at any point in the HEC this year.

ormond lad

Scarlets

Earls Back In Munster Side
15 December 2011, 6:13 pm
By Cliona Quaid

Keith Earls returns to the Munster starting XV as one of three changes from the side that ran out last week in Parc Y Scarlets, for Sunday's re-match in Thomond Park Stadium (12.45).

He comes straight into the side as a replacement for Will Chambers, while Denis Leamy starts in place of the injured Peter O'Mahony (jaw) and Donncha O'Callaghan retains the number 4 shirt having come on in Llanelli as a 55th minute replacement for Donncha Ryan who is listed among the replacements.

Earls injured a knee in the opening minute of the game against Leinster in Dublin on November 4th and did his first full training spin late last week before coming through two sessions this week with flying colours. There just remains for him to get through the Captain's Run tomorrow unscathed and he'll line up alongside Lifeimi Mafi in the Munster midfield.
No surprise that Leamy gets the number 6 shirt after an impressive showing in the second half last weekend when he came on for O'Mahony and Tommy O'Donnell fills the gap on the bench created by Leamy's promotion while Stephen Archer is preferred as loose-head prop cover for BJ Botha.
Scarlets skipper Matthew Rees is confident his side can bounce back from that reversal last weekend. "Yes, I believe we can. Obviously it's going to be difficult. They're a good side with a proven European pedigree and playing in front of their own crowd. But we've just got to block all that out and play our own game. We did it in Northampton and need to draw on that."
And while Conor Murray is looking forward to playing in front of a packed Thomond Park Stadium he's not taking anything for granted. " Yeh, I love playing there, the atmosphere on days like this is brilliant. But as Tony (McGahan) said, this is just the second half. And the result will be decided by what happens between the touchlines.
"It's going to be every bit as close and tense as it was last weekend."
Munster: D Hurley; J Murphy, K Earls, L Mafi, S Zebo; R O'Gara, C Murray; W du Preez, D Varley, BJ Botha; D O'Callaghan, P O'Connell capt; D Leamy, N Ronan, J Coughlan; Replacements: D Fogarty, M Horan, S Archer, D Ryan, T O'Donnell, T O'Leary, I Keatley, D Barnes.
http://www.munsterrugby.ie/news/9815.php

cadaliac

Scarlets

Fireball07 wrote: »

...The fact that Munster have had problems scoring tries all year hasn't changed. I really think people are underestimating Llanelli. Unless they totally give up and collapse, I can't see us getting a bonus point.

I'll settle for not letting them get a LBP.

^^^This is very true.

However, Scarlets have a point to prove and will be traveling across the Irish sea with the same determination as Munster did last week making the opposite journey.

The roles have been reversed.

As a poster already mentioned, just because a team is "better on paper" doesn't mean that the team will win. There are a lot of different factors to think about.
No, TP is not worth 3 trys and yes the underdog does suit us.
Remember what is at stake on Sunday.....control of Pool 1. For both teams.

I for one am nervous, quite nervous but my hard earned is on Munster. Just.

thomond2006

Scarlets

Munster:
D Hurley; J Murphy, K Earls, L Mafi, S Zebo; R O'Gara, C Murray;
W du Preez, D Varley, BJ Botha; D O'Callaghan, P O'Connell capt; D Leamy, N Ronan, J Coughlan;

Replacements: D Fogarty, M Horan, S Archer, D Ryan, T O'Donnell, T O'Leary, I Keatley, D Barnes.

That will be Earls at 13 for Ireland then. Great to see him back albeit out of position, he'll bring some pace to the backline at the very least.

Ryan dropped for DOC is a joke. DOC was cack last week when he came on.

You'd sometimes wonder how much influence Kidney has here, Earls at 13 smacks of it.

ormond lad

Scarlets

thomond2006 wrote: »

Munster:
D Hurley; J Murphy, K Earls, L Mafi, S Zebo; R O'Gara, C Murray;
W du Preez, D Varley, BJ Botha; D O'Callaghan, P O'Connell capt; D Leamy, N Ronan, J Coughlan;

Replacements: D Fogarty, M Horan, S Archer, D Ryan, T O'Donnell, T O'Leary, I Keatley, D Barnes.

That will be Earls at 13 for Ireland then. Great to see him back albeit out of position, he'll bring some pace to the backline at the very least.

Ryan dropped for DOC is a joke. DOC was cack last week when he came on.

You'd sometimes wonder how much influence Kidney has here, Earls at 13 smacks of it.

Dont know how D Ryan isnt starting, what did DOC do to get the start ahead of him and wth Earls starting its 2 changes i wasnt expecting at all

danthefan

Earls in the centre. Blargh.

CatFromHue

Earls at 13 for Munster, O Malley at 13 for Leinster, both Leinster and Munster at home to teams they beat last week.....Screw you're ROG Sexton stuff, we've a new debate now!

ed7890

Couple of shockers in there. Would have preferred Ryan ahead of DOC again, maybe McGahan wants to rotate them a bit, help DOC's confidence and make sure Ryan knows he has to keep earning the jersey.

Earls in the center is a bad sign. Would have much preferred to have him replace Zebo on the wing, who's a bit of a liability defensively. Chambers is competent enough in defense and is a big lad. I can only hope this is a once off for some reason, and not a sign of things to come.

Cpt_Blackbeard

thomond2006 wrote: »

Munster:
D Hurley; J Murphy, K Earls, L Mafi, S Zebo; R O'Gara, C Murray;
W du Preez, D Varley, BJ Botha; D O'Callaghan, P O'Connell capt; D Leamy, N Ronan, J Coughlan;

Replacements: D Fogarty, M Horan, S Archer, D Ryan, T O'Donnell, T O'Leary, I Keatley, D Barnes.

That will be Earls at 13 for Ireland then. Great to see him back albeit out of position, he'll bring some pace to the backline at the very least.

Ryan dropped for DOC is a joke. DOC was cack last week when he came on.

You'd sometimes wonder how much influence Kidney has here, Earls at 13 smacks of it.

DOC at 4 is an odd decision but, he is probably being given the chance to redeem himself. If Schmidt can consistently drop Healy for a much poorer alternative without a whimper from fans, we have no reason to be outraged when a proven international and Lion is given a chance to make amends. Ryan may also be ahead of TOD for the backrow spot so, it would make sense to have him on the bench rather than having him move to the flank when he is already tired too.

I wouldn't be too cynical about Earls' inclusion either. He may be a better winger than 13 but, he is still the best 13 in the squad. It is essentially a straight shootout between Zebo, Barnes and Chambers and the form player earned the starting spot.

Delighted to see Archer ahead of Hayes too. It would be nice to see the first player to 100HC caps one last time in the HC but, he was destroyed in his only scrum last week and sentimentality should have no place in sport. It's a huge showing of trust in Archer and it's great to see that he has earned the jersey.

bamboozle

Scarlets

they're doing no favours throwing Earls in at 13, he's far far better on the wing.

totallegend

Scarlets

bamboozle wrote: »

they're doing no favours throwing Earls in at 13, he's far far better on the wing.

Particularly with Mafi beside him. Where's the creativity in that centre partnership? You've two strong runners who will break the line if given the opportunity but who's going to open up the defence for them? I'd much rather have seen Earls on the wing instead of Murphy who has been poor IMO.

BoardsMember

CatFromHue wrote: »

Earls at 13 for Munster, O Malley at 13 for Leinster, both Leinster and Munster at home to teams they beat last week.....Screw you're ROG Sexton stuff, we've a new debate now!

There is no debate, Earls is a winger. Every time he plays 13 he shows that he's not a 13, but blind Deccie knows better and will persist with him there. I hope to be proved wrong buy I doubt I will be.

phog

ormond lad wrote: »

Munster: D Hurley; J Murphy, K Earls, L Mafi, S Zebo; R O'Gara, C Murray; W du Preez, D Varley, BJ Botha; D O'Callaghan, P O'Connell capt; D Leamy, N Ronan, J Coughlan;

Replacements: D Fogarty, M Horan, S Archer, D Ryan, T O'Donnell, T O'Leary, I Keatley, D Barnes.
http://www.munsterrugby.ie/news/9815.php

No H/Cup swansong for Hayes in TP, I wouldnt normally advocate sentiment when picking teams but in this case I'd nearly make an exception for such a loyal servant of Irish and Munster rugby.

phog

Just saw a tweet from Michael Corcoran that North is out for the game.

Scarlets without George North for trip to Thomond Park, Stephen Jones named at out-half

Probably means Priestland is FB, he seemed to add an attaching edge from their last week, hopefully, he wont this week.

ormond lad

Scarlets

phog wrote: »

Just saw a tweet from Michael Corcoran that North is out for the game.
Probably means Priestland is FB, he seemed to add an attaching edge from their last week, hopefully, he wont this week.

Scarlets v Munster Sunday 18th December 2011, Thomond Park:
15 Rhys Priestland 14 Liam Williams, 13 Scott Williams 12 Jon Davies, 11 Sean Lamont, 10 Stephen Jones, 9 Gareth Davies, 1 Rhodri Jones, 2 Matthew Rees (capt), 3 Rhys Thomas, 4 Lou Reed, 5 Damian Welch 6 Rob McCusker, 7 Johnathan Edwards, 8 Ben Morgan
Replacements: 16 Ken Owens, 17 Phil John, 18 Deacon Manu, 19 Sione Timani, 20 Kieran Murphy, 21 Tavis Knoyle, 22 Gareth Maule, 23 Viliame Iongi.

danthefan

Munster are going to win this easily imo. Scarlets have been overhyped to some extent this season, they still don't have the front 5 to be real contenders. I'd say there could be a BP on the cards for Munster.

leakyboots

danthefan wrote: »

Munster are going to win this easily imo. Scarlets have been overhyped to some extent this season, they still don't have the front 5 to be real contenders. I'd say there could be a BP on the cards for Munster.

Wouldn't agree, not with the BP part or 'easily'. I think we'll win but it'll be a bit of a slog. We've great impact off our bench, I think that'll be the difference. No more injuries please.

PhatPiggins

Scarlets

danthefan wrote: »

Munster are going to win this easily imo. Scarlets have been overhyped to some extent this season, they still don't have the front 5 to be real contenders. I'd say there could be a BP on the cards for Munster.

Couldn't agree more. How many times do people have to be shown the obvious before they accept the world isn't flat

Fireball07

Scarlets

Interesting selections...

DOC for Ryan is an interesting one...I thought Ryan had secured his place, his performances have been good so far. But DOC still has something to offer, and it's not going to really weaken the team.

Leamy in as expected, TOD on the bench.

Earls for Chambers though...I don't know if Chambers to be dropped completely. Earls is a better winger but if the pack get on top, he can be dangerous from 13. He does offer a potent threat at a line-break.


On a side note, I watched the Ospreys quarter-final from 2009 there and Mafi was so so good, I wonder if he's capable of hitting that kind of form again. Earls got 2 tries from 13 that day.

CatFromHue

March 2007 is the last time Lanelli beat Munster, the HEC quarter final, and that was in Wales.

In the Pro 12 it's Nov 2005 since Lanelli beat Munster in that comp. Again that was in Wales.

September 2003 is from what I can see the only time Lanelli beaten Munster in Ireland.

Considering these teams play twice a year since 02/03 that's a fairly rubbish record that Lanelli have.

They'll have Jones and Priestland on the field on Sunday but neither of them are as good a goal kicker as ROG. There was a period last week when Jones was at outhalf and Lanelli had a number of phases in the Munster 22, I think the scrore was 11-17 or 14-17 I can't remember, but they were couldn't have been in a better position to take a drop goal. They didn't even try and eventually Munster forced them out. I think if Lanelli are to win they're going to have to score a lot of trys. Munster have conceded the fewest trys in the Pro 12 but last week it didn't look like Lanelli were going to score a try, except through a major Munster mistake.

Benny Cake

Scarlets

ormond lad wrote: »

Scarlets v Munster Sunday 18th December 2011, Thomond Park:
15 Rhys Priestland 14 Liam Williams, 13 Scott Williams 12 Jon Davies, 11 Sean Lamont, 10 Stephen Jones, 9 Gareth Davies, 1 Rhodri Jones, 2 Matthew Rees (capt), 3 Rhys Thomas, 4 Lou Reed, 5 Damian Welch 6 Rob McCusker, 7 Johnathan Edwards, 8 Ben Morgan
Replacements: 16 Ken Owens, 17 Phil John, 18 Deacon Manu, 19 Sione Timani, 20 Kieran Murphy, 21 Tavis Knoyle, 22 Gareth Maule, 23 Viliame Iongi.

Has Priestland played much rugby at fullback?

thomond2006

Scarlets

Benny Cake wrote: »

Has Priestland played much rugby at fullback?

He's played a good bit there, at times he was first choice 15 when Jones played 10.

phog

Tweeted by MC

Mick O'Driscoll added to squad as cover for James Coughlan who has a leg injury, Coughlan is expected 2 b passed fit 4 game tho #rterugby

Hopefully, Coughlan will be ok.

thomond2006

Scarlets

Coughlan would be a big loss, I wouldn't fancy Ryan at 6.

Fireball07

Scarlets

thomond2006 wrote: »

Coughlan would be a big loss, I wouldn't fancy Ryan at 6.

Especially after his performance last week.

boynesider

Hopefully Zebo will get a chance to open his legs and show what he can do. I like the cut of his jib

Fireball07

Scarlets

boynesider wrote: »

Hopefully Zebo will get a chance to open his legs and show what he can do. I like the cut of his jib

:eek:

boynesider

Fireball07 wrote: »

:eek:

Hah!! I only realised what I wrote after posting!

I was wondering would anyone have a sufficiently perverted mindset to notice. Well done:p

ps. hes not a bad looking chap anyway

leakyboots

boynesider wrote: »

Hah!! I only realised what I wrote after posting!

I was wondering would anyone have a sufficiently perverted mindset to notice. Well done:p

ps. hes not a bad looking chap anyway

Id have reservations over anyone anyone in life sporting hiphop gear, bit too much of a disco boy!

chupacabra

leakyboots wrote: »

Id have reservations over anyone anyone in life sporting hiphop gear, bit too much of a disco boy!

Johne Murphy checkin out the bulls sexy arse there.

thomond2006

Scarlets

Got a ticket at the 11th hour! Can't wait!

durkadurka

chupacabra wrote: »

Johne Murphy checkin out the bulls sexy arse there.

Good job yiz didn't sign Henson last year!

chupacabra

Great kick from Murray there

Burgo

chupacabra wrote: »

Great kick from Murray there

Yeah great kick from Conor Murray, the full back. Stay classy sky.

Higher

Scarlets

Earls left a massive gap there!

Higher

Scarlets

Brilliant turn over by Munster!

pappyodaniel

Scarlets

Higher wrote: »

Earls left a massive gap there!

Just wait til' Zebo opens his legs.