Munster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread IV

The Lost Sheep

phog wrote: »

You said clubs don't want or see a need for change, that to me implies they're happy with the status quo.

As for the piece in bold, how do you know unless you try it?

We've seen the provinces support drop significantly by clashing with 6Ns games, why couldn't the same be said for clubs clashing with provincial games or with other club games in the same city.

Because ive seen similar ideas tried in various places around the province and at different grades. A social supporter will not go to a game in Dooradoyle at 2 and then go across the city to Coonagh for a game at 4.
Your proposal about club games clashing is impossible to solve. The clubs play 18 games a season in AIL, minimum of 3 competitive cup games.
Do you want all Munster Senior Cup, most at least, not to clash as well. Clubs can request changes if they want to have a game under lights etc but in most cases that doesn't happen

phog

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

Because ive seen similar ideas tried in various places around the province and at different grades. A social supporter will not go to a game in Dooradoyle at 2 and then go across the city to Coonagh for a game at 4.
Your proposal about club games clashing is impossible to solve. The clubs play 18 games a season in AIL, minimum of 3 competitive cup games.
Do you want all Munster Senior Cup, most at least, not to clash as well. Clubs can request changes if they want to have a game under lights etc but in most cases that doesn't happen

Nothing is impossible, fwiw, I'm not saying all games can't clash but there are too many clashes, I think we've had two Friday night games in Limerick clashing, now that's crazy stuff.

If it doesn't change then clubs will have to be happy with their current support base.

The Lost Sheep

phog wrote: »

Nothing is impossible, fwiw, I'm not saying all games can't clash but there are too many clashes, I think we've had two Friday night games in Limerick clashing, now that's crazy stuff.

If it doesn't change then clubs will have to be happy with their current support base.

Have you any experience of dealing with/organising fixtures fwiw?
The clubs prefer Friday night games as it boosts attendances and would do so regardless of another Friday night game in a city.
Do you want the same about games clashing in Cork/Dublin/Belfast? Their is many other changes that could and need to be made before looking at games clashing in a city.
Should all junior games not clash.

phog

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

Have you any experience of dealing with/organising fixtures fwiw?
The clubs prefer Friday night games as it boosts attendances and would do so regardless of another Friday night game in a city.
Do you want the same about games clashing in Cork/Dublin/Belfast? Their is many other changes that could and need to be made before looking at games clashing in a city.
Should all junior games not clash.

Yes
My point about the two Friday night games was why wasn't one a week earlier/later and allow neutral fans that like Friday night games go to both.
Yes
Let's see those changes so.
Junior games were never great at attracting crowds bar maybe a few town clubs where they're only competing with themselves for rugby followers.

The Lost Sheep

phog wrote: »

Yes
My point about the two Friday night games was why wasn't one a week earlier/later and allow neutral fans that like Friday night games go to both.
Yes
Let's see those changes so.
Junior games were never great at attracting crowds bar maybe a few town clubs where they're only competing with themselves for rugby followers.

There is no desire and never has been for those changes and armchair supporters with no direct influence in clubs or the provincial committees that make up the branch will have a role in changing.
These changes are not needed. Look at changing and improving the facilities and food/drink deals etc for those who attend games and junior games were always good for getting crowds especially when Richmond were going strong and the top junior division was full of the Tipperary clubs going well

irishbucsfan

I can't really see how those games clashing would be reducing attendance by a large amount. There must be a very small subsection of AIL fans who would be interested in attending more than one club game per weekend.

The Lost Sheep

irishbucsfan wrote: »

I can't really see how those games clashing would be reducing attendance by a large amount. There must be a very small subsection of AIL fans who would be interested in attending more than one club game per weekend.

+1.
I go to several club(not AIL) games a weekend. I would attend more if I wasn't refereeing or if I was based in Limerick/Cork/Dublin where there would always be a few clubs very close by to watch but then again ive been to 80+ games of rugby this season

There is many other reasons why attendances are down and other things to look at to get people in the gate

phog

irishbucsfan wrote: »

I can't really see how those games clashing would be reducing attendance by a large amount. There must be a very small subsection of AIL fans who would be interested in attending more than one club game per weekend.

You ignore the AIL clashing with provincial games.

The club game from a fan point of view is dying, something needs to be tried to get fans back to the grassroots rugby.

phog

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

+1.
I go to several club(not AIL) games a weekend. I would attend more if I wasn't refereeing or if I was based in Limerick/Cork/Dublin where there would always be a few clubs very close by to watch but then again ive been to 80+ games of rugby this season

There is many other reasons why attendances are down and other things to look at to get people in the gate

How would you manage to go to more than one AIL game if they clashed, you make my point for me.

irishbucsfan

phog wrote: »

How would you manage to go to more than one AIL game if they clashed, you make my point for me.

Junior rugby games are often scheduled so they don't clash, he said NOT AIL games.

The Lost Sheep

phog wrote: »

How would you manage to go to more than one AIL game if they clashed, you make my point for me.

I didn't say AIL games. I said club games and by that I mean games ranging from u13 to senior. I went to 4 games over this weekend. 2 j1, an u14 and an u20

You will not see AIL games being staggered. If there was games being televised or streamed then you would have an argument but you don't. None of the clubs want it. See a need for it

irishbucsfan

You also have to keep in mind that there are a lot of amateurs involved at this level and it's better to keep these games at fairly regular times where amateurs are playing. It's a massive pain trying to organise non-regular fixtures and trying to find out which players are available etc, we had enough pain I remember one year when we switched from all Sunday games to all Saturday games.

phog

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Junior rugby games are often scheduled so they don't clash, he said NOT AIL games.

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

I didn't say AIL games. I said club games and by that I mean games ranging from u13 to senior. I went to 4 games over this weekend. 2 j1, an u14 and an u20

You will not see AIL games being staggered. If there was games being televised or streamed then you would have an argument but you don't. None of the clubs want it. See a need for it

Yes and my point is if you or any other person wanted to take in two or more AIL games on the same weekend, the current scheduling generally prevents that.

phog

irishbucsfan wrote: »

You also have to keep in mind that there are a lot of amateurs involved at this level and it's better to keep these games at fairly regular times where amateurs are playing. It's a massive pain trying to organise non-regular fixtures and trying to find out which players are available etc, we had enough pain I remember one year when we switched from all Sunday games to all Saturday games.

We have Friday night games so all we need is a tiny bit more planning.

The Lost Sheep

irishbucsfan wrote: »

You also have to keep in mind that there are a lot of amateurs involved at this level and it's better to keep these games at fairly regular times where amateurs are playing. It's a massive pain trying to organise non-regular fixtures and trying to find out which players are available etc, we had enough pain I remember one year when we switched from all Sunday games to all Saturday games.

Its overwhelmingly amateur players so keeping kick-off times the same is best. Always easier to keep times the same on an organisational basis and helping promote the game

phog wrote: »

We have Friday night games so all we need is a tiny bit more planning.

Have you any experience of trying to arrange fixtures, referees, pitches etc etc for several teams on a regular basis as you make it sound so easy to make these changes.

irishbucsfan

phog wrote: »

We have Friday night games so all we need is a tiny bit more planning.

It's a lot more than a tiny bit more planning, in my own experience (and I was just trying to keep players organised, let along anything else). We played Friday nights regularly one season and that wasn't too difficult to do because people are generally free Friday nights (honestly I preferred Friday nights because you could more easilly get lads out for a few drinks afterwards). It was always either Friday night or the regular spot on the Sunday though that season, it would have been a lot more difficult if kickoff times were moving around though.

phog

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

Its overwhelmingly amateur players so keeping kick-off times the same is best. Always easier to keep times the same on an organisational basis and helping promote the game
Have you any experience of trying to arrange fixtures, referees, pitches etc etc for several teams on a regular basis as you make it sound so easy to make these changes.

I have already confirmed that I have experience in organising fixtures and that includes notifying teams, refs, booking fields, etc, etc and yes I know it's dufficult but I don't accept that a further change can't be made to prevent some of the clashes I mentioned earlier in order to try and increase attendance.

Anyway, neither of us seem to accept each others view and this is probably not even the correct thread for this discussion so I'm done with it unless you want to take it to a PM or maybe in TP on Tuesday.

The Lost Sheep

phog wrote: »

I have already confirmed that I have experience in organising fixtures and that includes notifying teams, refs, booking fields, etc, etc and yes I know it's dufficult but I don't accept that a further change can't be made to prevent some of the clashes I mentioned earlier in order to try and increase attendance.

Anyway, neither of us seem to accept each others view and this is probably not even the correct thread for this discussion so I'm done with it unless you want to take it to a PM or maybe in TP on Tuesday.

Im done and unless you want to give your thoughts to the Munster Branch and the competitions committee etc then nothing like you propose as "solutions" will occur as in my experience of making, creating fixtures what you propose isn't going to be better for the game.
You can continue this by PM if you want. Wont be in TP Tuesday

phog

Munster A v Ulster Ravens

Munster A: Johne Murphy; Andew Conway, Dan Goggin, Ivan Dineen, Luke O'Dea; Rory Scannell - capt., Neil Cronin; Peter McCabe, Kevin O'Byrne, Stephen Archer; Joe McSwiney, Donnacha Ryan; Shane Buckley, Sean Dougall, Paddy Butler.

Replacements: Niall Scannell, Liam O'Connor (Cork Constitution), John Ryan, Frank Bradshaw Ryan (Shannon), Ben Kilkenny (Young Munster), Jamie Glynn (Academy), Dave Johnston (Academy), Diarmuid McCarthy (Young Munster), Darren Sweetnam (Academy).

Munster 'A' v Ulster Ravens, Thursday March 19th 2015 at Nenagh Ormond RFC - KO 4:30pm.

Fireball07

Who's Joe McSwiney?

vienne86

phog wrote: »

Munster A v Ulster Ravens

Is that nugget's little brother at SH?

The Lost Sheep

Fireball07 wrote: »

Who's Joe McSwiney?

Former Cork Con player, now with Lansdowne. Think he is originally from Waterford or had played with Waterpark before.
Has been involved in A team a few times before

phog

vienne86 wrote: »

Is that nugget's little brother at SH?

Yes, he has been our reserve SH on a few occasions this season, featured in the last few minutes v Leinster in Thomond Park, couldn't play in the Cup games as he wasn't registered.

phog

For Thomond's list of contracts for next season


I saw over on MFs that Martin Kelly has had retire due to injury.

The Lost Sheep

phog wrote: »

Munster A v Ulster Ravens

Munster A: Johne Murphy; Andew Conway, Dan Goggin, Ivan Dineen, Luke O'Dea; Rory Scannell - capt., Neil Cronin; Peter McCabe, Kevin O'Byrne, Stephen Archer; Joe McSwiney, Donnacha Ryan; Shane Buckley, Sean Dougall, Paddy Butler.
Replacements: Niall Scannell, Liam O'Connor (Cork Constitution), John Ryan, Frank Bradshaw Ryan (Shannon), Ben Kilkenny (Young Munster), Jamie Glynn (Academy), Dave Johnston (Academy), Diarmuid McCarthy (Young Munster), Darren Sweetnam (Academy).

Good to see Donnacha Ryan back and Diarmuid McCarthy involved. Kilkenny, O Connor on bench shows good chance they'll be in academy next year

thomond2006

phog wrote: »

For Thomond's list of contracts for next season


I saw over on MFs that Martin Kelly has had retire due to injury.

That sucks for him. Suddenly Munster are short on squad props.

phog

thomond2006 wrote: »

That sucks for him. Suddenly Munster are short on squad props.

And BJ is only here until end of December.

irishbucsfan

Ah that's a shame about Martin Kelly, he had great potential when picked up.

Not sure it is an injury with Kelly.
He's actually Dr. Martin Kelly, and is probably looking to start that career sooner rather than later. Not much point him being an 'A' player at Munster instead.

vienne86

Deleted User wrote: »

Not sure it is an injury with Kelly.
He's actually Dr. Martin Kelly, and is probably looking to start that career sooner rather than later. Not much point him being an 'A' player at Munster instead.

Fair enough - I know which of those two careers I would be prioritising!

padser

vienne86 wrote: »

Fair enough - I know which of those two careers I would be prioritising!

He can probably double his salary if not more by moving to a junior doctor position...

slingerz

padser wrote: »

He can probably double his salary if not more by moving to a junior doctor position...

not a chance!

balbriggan100

He has an injury to the disks in his neck and has decided to concentrate on his medical career.

padser

slingerz wrote: »

not a chance!

What are development contracts worth in Munster?

Junior doctors start off on around €50k I think, I though development contracts were pretty low, like €20k. Could be way off

Buer

If you take into account the working hours, he's probably better paid with the rugby. But that won't give him a career and security that medicine will provide. He's 26 later this year and if it didn't start off really well for him at Munster, it was always likely he'd move on. Fair play to him for making the tough, sensible call.

Also, if he has a disc problem, he's right in forgetting about rugby. Absolutely poxy and he'd be looking at having vertebrae fused in later life if he continued to damage the area.

slingerz

At least Zebo will be back for Munster to face Connacht on 28th given Schmidt's team announcement today

Podge_irl

padser wrote: »

Junior doctors start off on around €50k I think

Nah, it's not that much at all. With overtime maybe, though that has a habit of not being paid.

The Lost Sheep

A game. Munster losing. Nearly half time 12-10
ROM with all points for Munster so far. Try, Con, Pen

leakyboots

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

A game. Munster losing. Nearly half time 12-10
ROM with all points for Munster so far. Try, Con, Pen

Interesting he's kicking, didn't know that was in his arsenal. Strikes me as fella who could lamp a penalty over from his own half

phog

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

A game. Munster losing. Nearly half time 12-10
ROM with all points for Munster so far. Try, Con, Pen

leakyboots wrote: »

Interesting he's kicking, didn't know that was in his arsenal. Strikes me as fella who could lamp a penalty over from his own half

He wasn't, I think the guy giving the updates on MFs confused him with Rory Scannell.

Munster won, both teams lost players to the bin and I think Ulster got two penalty trys.

Match Report from UR

irishbucsfan

phog wrote: »

He wasn't, I think the guy giving the updates on MFs confused him with Rory Scannell.

Munster won, both teams lost players to the bin and I think Ulster got two penalty trays.

Match Report from UR

A penalty tray is where a team commits a serious offense and so their opposition is rewarded with a nice cup of tea for each of their 15 players

Tox56

irishbucsfan wrote: »

A penalty tray is where a team commits a serious offense and so their opposition is rewarded with a nice cup of tea for each of their 15 players

I don't even want to imagine an offence so serious that it requires a punishment so barbaric

phog

Match Report from MR

phog

MRSC confirm renewal prices stay the same as last season. Happy enough with that.

Details here.

thomond2006

It's unfortunate they felt they had to go with Ticketmaster as their ticket provider. Robbing monopoly. I'll still renew the associate membership but the flat fee per transaction was great. Pity it's gone now.

phog

thomond2006 wrote: »

It's unfortunate they felt they had to go with Ticketmaster as their ticket provider. Robbing monopoly.

Yes but had they a real choice? Iirc, their original provider wasn't an option.

Who do the other provinces use?

I think Connacht rugby use tickets.ie, not sure about their supporters club. Tickets.ie have as hidden in built charge.

thomond2006

phog wrote: »

Yes but had they a real choice? Iirc, their original provider wasn't an option.

Who do the other provinces use?

I think Connacht rugby use tickets.ie, not sure about their supporters club. Tickets.ie have as hidden in built charge.

I'm not having a go at them. It's unfortunate there was no choice other than TM.

Leinster charge a ridiculous ticketmaster fee for season tickets. Mine was €274 of which €15 was a ticketmaster service charge.

Do Connacht use tickets.ie and avoid the service charge?

It's a huge bug bear of mine that teams use Ticketmaster (for season tickets) when cheaper options are available to fans.

Cookiemunster

thomond2006 wrote: »

I'm not having a go at them. It's unfortunate there was no choice other than TM.

Leinster charge a ridiculous ticketmaster fee for season tickets. Mine was €274 of which €15 was a ticketmaster service charge.

The MRSC published the details last week. Instead of €2.50 per transaction it's going to €1.50 per ticket and the fee on renewals will go from €3.50 to €5.

slingerz

What grates me is that people moan about the ticketmaster charges for buying match tickets yet had no problem with paying ticketmaster charges for any concerts or shows that they go to