Munster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread IV

Wang King

ouncer wrote: »

Even if it did come to pass that Robbie were to leave Connacht at the end of the season, sorry but he won't be much use to anybody. If you take into account the rugby world cup, the six nations and player welfare then Robbie won't be seeing much pro12 rugby next year. So it would be daft for either Leinster or Munster to poach him for the upcoming season. All it would create is bad blood with no benefit to anybody

He'd see plenty of Champions Cup rugby though!

ouncer

Wang King wrote: »

He'd see plenty of Champions Cup rugby though!

There is that

stl.ire

the_blackstuff wrote: »

Had a look at Saili this morning with the blues. he's with a team that at getting beaten up everywhere they turn at the minute and he still looks decent. If anyone saw the game his range of passing was super. 2 in particular long passes one off each hand to find wingers, one resulting in a try after he made a break himself. He can only make things better!

Saili should be a very good signing for you. He's fast, powerful and has great hands. He's turning into a heck of a player at super rugby so should be pretty exceptional at pro12 and should make an impact in europe. As you say, his team the Blues are not doing great this year, although they're not a terrible team (basically their forwards and defence are below par - they gave up 17 turnovers yesterday!). His defence might need a bit of work as he hasn't been amazing, although maybe it looks worse because it's the Blues. He's not going to the World Cup which is a huge bonus for next year as he can hit the ground running without a rest period. It really is a top, top quality signing as you needed a guy just like him in that position.

You can check out a try he brilliantly set up yesterday in this:

Wang King

http://balls.ie/rugby/a-former-australian-coach-has-paid-paul-oconnell-the-highest-praise-of-all/

Wang King

A real incentive for Munster to win tomorrow, top of the league beckons! ......same for Ulster... But shag that!

Fireball07

Wang King wrote: »

A real incentive for Munster to win tomorrow, top of the league beckons! ......same for Ulster... But shag that!

It's a must-win, no other way about it.


If we lose, no home semi-final.

scurnane

Will this match be on terrestrial / free to view? Or is it only on sky sports?

kub

scurnane wrote: »

Will this match be on terrestrial / free to view? Or is it only on sky sports?

I thought i saw here somewhere that it is also on BBC NI

Cookiemunster

scurnane wrote: »

Will this match be on terrestrial / free to view? Or is it only on sky sports?

kub wrote: »

I thought i saw here somewhere that it is also on BBC NI

It's only on Sky.

lazybones32

the_blackstuff wrote: »

Had a look at Saili this morning with the blues. he's with a team that at getting beaten up everywhere they turn at the minute and he still looks decent. If anyone saw the game his range of passing was super. 2 in particular long passes one off each hand to find wingers, one resulting in a try after he made a break himself. He can only make things better!

Definitely! And they were long-range passes too (although the 2nd may have been a hint 'forward'...but I put that down to the Coriolis effect). My thought is that Axel is trying to recreate a S.H. centre-partnership from the time we had an effective 12/13 axis but I have doubts about the quality and speed of delivery from 10. Rugby in Ireland may not be as quick as would suit such a talented young man. No harm in hoping though...

Wang King

James Coughlan quoted as saying hes spoken to Paddy Butler about his move, but only after he signed ...so that clears that up, he's def off to Pau

Wang King

http://www.rugbyworld.com/news/rugby-statistics-who-is-the-most-prolific-try-scorer-in-europe-45209

Very interesting read here about try scoring proloficy. Zebo is the most prolific back in the Pro12...but all his scores are against the lower ranked sides.
Says more about our game plan, keeping the ball tight and letting the pack do the hard work (as seen by Stander's 8 trys also) against the better sides than Zebos ability against better sides imo

Anatidaephobia

Anyone putting up a match thread? It starts in an hour.

slingerz

Those Ulster fans are a classy bunch, said no one ever

DDC1990

What a fúck up to draw that from the position we were in.

Feels like a loss.

Still should be in pole position for Top spot if we are clinical against the Dragons.

letowski

DDC1990 wrote: »

What a fúck up to draw that from the position we were in.

Feels like a loss.

Still should be in pole position for Top spot if we are clinical against the Dragons.

Yes but to get a draw in Ravenhill is an excellent result. Home semi is practically guaranteed which is what we came here for. I'm really happy with the forwards today, they were excellent and took control of the game in the second half when Ulster came back. I think we have the best pack out of the 4 and with the home semi we have a great chance now of winning the league.

ouncer

Great to see earls back to his very best. Has to be a major contender for wing at world cup.

kub

We got what we needed but not convincingly.

Mahatma Geansai

slingerz wrote: »

Those Ulster fans are a classy bunch, said no one ever

Chants of "Cheat" directed at Nigel and booing Earls after his try.

Lyaiera

O'Donnell was a big loss. He's an aggressive tackler and hits rucks early. I feel he could have pressured Ulster a lot, especially in the first half.

case885

POM really needed to step up at the breakdown when TOD went off injured, we need a good jackler to steal/slow down opposition ball. I can see why were mad to get creevy, hes a beast on the deck.

the_blackstuff

Those missed kicks against Edinburgh and the Ospreys early in the season in TP are going to prove very costly if we don't take 5 points from next weekend! The home semi is still up in the air after that result. better than a loss tho.

CatFromHue

Lyaiera wrote: »

O'Donnell was a big loss. He's an aggressive tackler and hits rucks early. I feel he could have pressured Ulster a lot, especially in the first half.

I didn't see the start of the game, what happened to him?

Lyaiera

CatFromHue wrote: »

I didn't see the start of the game, what happened to him?

I don't know. He pulled up very early, not even ten minutes in. I think he got up and played on until the game stopped a few seconds later but he was supported by the staff going off.

CatFromHue

That doesn't sound good so

Henry Ford III

ouncer wrote: »

Great to see earls back to his very best. Has to be a major contender for wing at world cup.

He's a fine player but she wasn't hectic defensively. Fell off several tackles today.

DDC1990

So looking at the table we sit 3rd, because despite having a higher points difference and try scoring difference, we have 1 less win then Ospreys and Glasgow.

Could be crucial if we can't pick up a bonus point next week, or the Ospreys get a BP away to Connacht.

thomond2006

I don't think both Ospreys and Glasgow will get BP wins so a BP win against Dragons would secure a home semi-final.

oneZeroOneZero

As for tomorrow it should be a great game. Ryan back fit and alongside POC makes your pack pretty fearsome. Normally I'd say you have the edge there but in truth the question really is how badly you expect to be Hendo'd.[/QUOTE]

Guess Ronan O'Mahony found out what it was to be Hendo'd !!

oneZeroOneZero

As for tomorrow it should be a great game. Ryan back fit and alongside POC makes your pack pretty fearsome. Normally I'd say you have the edge there but in truth the question really is how badly you expect to be Hendo'd.

Guess Ronan O'Mahony found out what it was to be Hendo'd !!

mfceiling

slingerz wrote: »

Those Ulster fans are a classy bunch, said no one ever

I wouldn't tar them all with the same brush tbh. I remember a lad in a Munster jersey saying at an Ireland match "that cnut Rory Best should fcuk off back to the north if he won't sing the national anthem". His mate nearly lifted the head off him for saying it. I took no offence - nor did I make any assumptions about any other Munster fan. Had some great days in the pub with Munster lads over the years!!

DDC1990

mfceiling wrote: »

I wouldn't tar them all with the same brush tbh. I remember a lad in a Munster jersey saying at an Ireland match "that cnut Rory Best should fcuk off back to the north if he won't sing the national anthem". His mate nearly lifted the head off him for saying it. I took no offence - nor did I make any assumptions about any other Munster fan. Had some great days in the pub with Munster lads over the years!!

Yeah, the whinging from the crowd was annoying, but absolutely no different to a home crowd in Thomond (except the place was full to the rafters )

No different to any home crowd with a game on the line anywhere in the world.

They shout for everything, boo every decision the referee calls against them etc.

There is a reason that none of the Home teams in the Semi-Finals have lost in 20 games.


EDIT: The cheat chants were a bit ridiculous however as was the booing of Earls.

slingerz

DDC1990 wrote: »

Yeah, the whinging from the crowd was annoying, but absolutely no different to a home crowd in Thomond (except the place was full to the rafters )

No different to any home crowd with a game on the line anywhere in the world.

They shout for everything, boo every decision the referee calls against them etc.

There is a reason that none of the Home teams in the Semi-Finals have lost in 20 games.


EDIT: The cheat chants were a bit ridiculous however as was the booing of Earls.

It was the cheat chants and booing of earls I was referring to.

Can't tar them all with the same brush but it was a sizeable portion of the 18,000

mfceiling

slingerz wrote: »

It was the cheat chants and booing of earls I was referring to.

Can't tar them all with the same brush but it was a sizeable portion of the 18,000

Did you take the time to count them?;)

Fireball07

Hard to know whether to be happy or not; I think our pack did play well. I still don't like Smith & Hurley in the centre.


Disappointing to concede the late try but I would still make us favourites to get a home semi-final and hopefully a place in the final. Keep Murray fit, he was excellent today.

Wang King

mfceiling wrote: »

Did you take the time to count them?;)

Took their names and addresses and all, he's feckin thorough, I'll give him that!

Micky Dolenz

Missed the game as I was at a poxy picnic. Was watching it via the ticket thing on th pro12 website. Was it as good as it appeared? Hard to stomach they getting in at the end, was it a fair result?

Oh and commiserates to Fireball, best of luck with the modship. Good to see they lifted the Munster mod ban

slingerz

Hope the fans turn out in numbers in Cork next week and don't take Dragons for granted. Hopefully the team don't take them for granted either and a bonus point win can be secured

case885

So I'd imagine TOD will have a break next week even if it isn't a serious injury as he will be needed for the semi, will he keep POM JOD and Stander as the starting back row? Maybe dougall to start at 7.

case885

case885 wrote: »

So I'd imagine TOD will have a break next week even if it isn't a serious injury as he will be needed for the semi, will he keep POM JOD and Stander as the starting back row? Maybe dougall to start at 7.

I actually think POM looks like he could do with a break. Looks tired and / or carrying a knock. He was relatively poor by his standards for much of the 6N and since then has been up and down.

He's running the risk of falling behind Ruddock / Murphy for the starting 15 in the RWC if his form doesn't pick up.

Mahatma Geansai

Deleted User wrote: »

I actually think POM looks like he could do with a break. Looks tired and / or carrying a knock. He was relatively poor by his standards for much of the 6N and since then has been up and down.

He's running the risk of falling behind Ruddock / Murphy for the starting 15 in the RWC if his form doesn't pick up.

No chance. He was in most 6N teams of the tournament. He's the best 6 in the hemisphere.

case885

Deleted User wrote:

He's running the risk of falling behind Ruddock / Murphy for the starting 15 in the RWC if his form doesn't pick up.

He may have lost some of his form but there is no way Murphy/Ruddock will push ahead of him what are they doing at the moment?
You could make a serious case for Henderson though. I'm glad he's pushing O Mahoney as hopefully he will raise his game for Munster.

phog

Deleted User wrote: »

I actually think POM looks like he could do with a break. Looks tired and / or carrying a knock. He was relatively poor by his standards for much of the 6N and since then has been up and down.

He's running the risk of falling behind Ruddock / Murphy for the starting 15 in the RWC if his form doesn't pick up.

We're still in the hunt for silverware so he won't be rested and I'm not sure he's a poor as you seem to suggest but I've no idea where you're getting Ruddock or Murphy might be ahead of him.

phog

phog wrote: »

We're still in the hunt for silverware so he won't be rested and I'm not sure he's a poor as you seem to suggest but I've no idea where you're getting Ruddock or Murphy might be ahead of him.

Murphy outplayed him in the 6N when he started. As for Ruddock, his form when not injured and certainly his performances in the AI'S would have him there abouts.

Suggesting that POM is the best 6 in the NH is laughable.

Buer

Ruddock and Murphy won't be taking the jersey off POM. Henderson is the only one who could do that and it probably won't happen. He's an established member of the side and a top class player. He's probably not the best 6 in the hemisphere but he's definitely in the mix but I don't think there isn't a good crop of flankers in the NH at the moment.

total former

I think it's somewhere in the middle really. POM isn't at his best lately, and isn't the best 6 in the NH, but Murphy isn't really a threat and Ruddock will be doing well to even be in the RWC squad given his injuries. I'd be surprised if POM isn't the starting 6 at the world cup.

thomond2006

POM will be rested or benched if he needs to be. He'll (hopefully!) play 80 minutes in two playoff matches, that's when Munster will really need him at his best.

phog

Deleted User wrote: »

Murphy outplayed him in the 6N when he started. As for Ruddock, his form when not injured and certainly his performances in the AI'S would have him there abouts.

Suggesting that POM is the best 6 in the NH is laughable.

So you want Joe to drop POM for Murphy who was dropped by Joe when not needed and who hasnt really performed for Leinster in their recent pro12 games or drop Peter for a player who's out injured.

thomond2006

phog wrote: »

So you want Joe to drop POM for Murphy who was dropped by Joe when not needed and who hasnt really performed for Leinster in their recent pro12 games or drop Peter for a player who's out injured.

Murphy was one of the few performers against Treviso on Friday. He was also great against Glasgow and picked up a solo try.

thomond2006

thomond2006 wrote: »

Murphy was one of the few performers against Treviso on Friday. He was also great against Glasgow and picked up a solo try.

He was also absolutely outstanding against Toulon. But please leave this thread with your facts, it's much easier to make an argument when you can just blithely make things up.

Having said that, I seriously doubt POM is going to be dropped. The Irish pack has a fantastic balance to it at the moment and there's a settled side heading in the RWC. Murphy has been pretty excellent this season and I think he's probably nailed down his spot on the bench against France and Italy. Ruddock is out of the question, I don't think he'll travel, injury has ruined his season.

I guess I'll put it this way, if POM got injured (and hopefully he doesn't of course) and Murphy had to step in I wouldn't be a bit concerned.