Munster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread IV

Wang King

phog wrote: »

You don't replace the likes of POC

That unfortunately is very true, but as we have seen with Leinster, and their attempt at filling the number 13 shirt. You need to have a plan in place when you lose a great, if you don't the team suffers and results in turn suffer

phog

hendo12 wrote: »

Ok smart arse who would you put in the team at no5

Its not being smart, no matter who we try there they will never bring what POC brought.

We have Foley, Holland, DOC, Ryan all available next year and we should see Madigan and McCarthy coming through next season.

I reckon if Madigan hadn't picked up the injury we'd have seen as much of him in the Pro12 as we did of JOD.

SaveOurLyric

"It probably is the last time I play for Munster here." P O'C.

Is O'Connell expected to confirm that he is going to France ?
Seems to imply it is possible that he might play for someone else in Thomond Park and so yesterday wasnt absolutely his final day there.

phog

SaveOurLyric wrote: »

"It probably is the last time I play for Munster here." P O'C.

Is O'Connell expected to confirm that he is going to France ?
Seems to imply it is possible that he might play for someone else in Thomond Park and so yesterday was absolutely his final day there.

We he's almost certainly going to play for Munster next week in Ravenhill so he might have meant that.

Rightwing

Looking forward to going to Ravenhill next week. Never there before. I'd expect us to win it by 10+ points, if we play reasonably well.

thomond2006

I hope the Toulon move happens for him. He deserves as big a retirement kitty as he can get and a two year stint in Toulon will surely add another title to his achievements. At the same time I hope Mourad sorts us out with a nice transfer fee.

I don't think Munster will do anything reactionary to replace POC. Provided everyone stays fit we have a first choice trio of Foley, Ryan and Holland. Ryan has maybe three years left and that's when academy players like Madigan or McCarthy will be needed to step up.

hendo12

Mourand won't pay jack **** to anyone. Anyway if anyone was to get a fee it would be the IRFU

thomond2006

hendo12 wrote: »

Mourand won't pay jack **** to anyone. Anyway if anyone was to get a fee it would be the IRFU

Well Mourad can feck off then! While POC deserves to be released for his immense credit in the bank, that doesn't mean the IRFU should be expected to let him go for nothing.

alias no.9

hendo12 wrote: »

Ok smart arse who would you put in the team at no5

The best available 5 plain and simple. POC the leader won't necessarily be replaced by a second row and obsessing with finding a fully formed single replacement is futile. Play the best available second row combination and give the new leaders the space to emerge from whatever position they're playing.

POM for example is part of the leadership answer, but I don't think he's the full answer, however there's no reason it has to be just one person filling the void.

.ak

Why would there be a transfer fee? Is he not out of contract?

hendo12

Ah no, POC's contract with IRFU finishes 2016

total former

.ak wrote: »

Why would there be a transfer fee? Is he not out of contract?

Another year. But the IRFU wouldn't insist on him being bought out, if he really wanted to go.

The Lost Sheep

phog wrote: »

Its not being smart, no matter who we try there they will never bring what POC brought.

We have Foley, Holland, DOC, Ryan all available next year and we should see Madigan and McCarthy coming through next season.

I reckon if Madigan hadn't picked up the injury we'd have seen as much of him in the Pro12 as we did of JOD.

But saying "we wont replace POC" is stupid. We can and will produce someone maybe not to level but ...

Madigan wouldn't have got game time in pro12 as JackO did as he hasn't even played a huge amount of A rugby so is a good bit away. from pro12 and certainly far away from getting the game time JOD got this season.
Madigan will be looking to just play regularly in the AIL, the As in early part of next season and possibly getting pro12 time at end of next season

phog

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

We can and will produce someone maybe not to level but ...

So you agree, no one replaces the likes of POC.

Madigan wouldn't have got game time in pro12 as JackO did as he hasn't even played a huge amount of A rugby so is a good bit away. from pro12 and certainly far away from getting the game time JOD got this season.
Madigan will be looking to just play regularly in the AIL, the As in early part of next season and possibly getting pro12 time at end of next season

But if Madigan wasn't injured he'd have got A games and IMHO I think he'd have got Pro12 gametime too.

thomond2006

I think we mean replace numerically, as opposed to replacing the level of player.

hendo12

I see people writing posts where Munster won't add a 2nd row that there's enough within - I totally disagree look at the hooker situation where we have lost a few hookers over the years and Mike Sherry isn't guaranteed to come through. Munster have to make a statement and will have to bring in a WORLD CLASS LOCK

phog

thomond2006 wrote: »

I think we mean replace numerically, as opposed to replacing the level of player.

But it's not that simple. You can name any lock you like to play at No5, getting anything close to what POC brings to a team is going to be nigh on impossible.

phog

hendo12 wrote: »

I see people writing posts where Munster won't add a 2nd row that there's enough within - I totally disagree look at the hooker situation where we have lost a few hookers over the years and Mike Sherry isn't guaranteed to come through. Munster have to make a statement and will have to bring in a WORLD CLASS LOCK

What NIQ player/position would you drop or manage without to try and bring in a world class lock? Would the IRFU allow us considering we have Foley, Ryan and Holland on the books?

Risteard

Dave O'Callaghan too potentially as well as Donncha.

Obviously not to POC's level but who is?

thomond2006

phog wrote: »

But it's not that simple. You can name any lock you like to play at No5, getting anything close to what POC brings to a team is going to be nigh on impossible.

That's why I said replace numerically. Someone will step in as starter and they'll go from there. The only difference is it's happened a year earlier than expected.

hendo12

I did hear what is going on in terms of what you asked (which NIQ would be dropped) while sitting in the East Stand yesterday but will not say what is going on

phog

thomond2006 wrote: »

That's why I said replace numerically. Someone will step in as starter and they'll go from there. The only difference is it's happened a year earlier than expected.

And that's why I said it's not as simple as that.

Losing POC is not just losing a guy who plays at lock.

phog

hendo12 wrote: »

I did hear what is going on in terms of what you asked (which NIQ would be dropped) while sitting in the East Stand yesterday but will not say what is going on

:eek:

and you called me a smart arse earlier :rolleyes:

thomond2006

hendo12 wrote: »

I did hear what is going on in terms of what you asked (which NIQ would be dropped) while sitting in the East Stand yesterday but will not say what is going on

Go on, say it.

thomond2006

phog wrote: »

And that's why I said it's not as simple as that.

Losing POC is not just losing a guy who plays at lock.

I'm not disagreeing. I don't think you can adequately replace POC like for like. Someone will come in for him and Munster will go from there. Nothing else they can do.

Wang King

thomond2006 wrote: »

Go on, say it.

Cough, cough, cough, GVDH, cough, cough, cough !

Mahatma Geansai

If the IRFU are allowing POC to be released from the contract a year early so he can play in France, I would hope that Munster are suitably covered. Munster will essentially be losing an asset to the value of ~€400k a year.

While I have no qualms with Paulie heading to France for a year or two, the situation might expose a major flaw with the central-contract structure.

athtrasna

Mrsc Dublin are hoping to run a bus next Saturday to the final. Info on their facebook page

tommycahir

Andrew Smith confirms he is leaving Munster at the end of the season to Murray Kinsella of the42.ie, no word yet on where he will go though.

http://www.the42.ie/andrew-smith-munster-australian-centre-2128408-May2015

CONSI

I would hope we have someone lined up to come in outside of our already announced signing..Smith would have been a good signing for another year especially with World Cup commitments for so many

phog

CONSI wrote: »

I would hope we have someone lined up to come in outside of our already announced signing..Smith would have been a good signing for another year especially with World Cup commitments for so many

Have we a spare NIQ spot?

Cookiemunster

phog wrote: »

Have we a spare NIQ spot?

We do. For next season we've only got Saili, GVDH and Botha. And Botha is only contracted until Christmas.
EDIT: Forgot about TB, but still reckon Botha doesn't count any more as it's a short term contract.

thomond2006

Botha
Bleyendaal
Saili
Van Den Heever

So no?

I'm not sure we need another signing, unless it's at hooker or TH.

CONSI

Leaves us a bit light in the centre now though I think..Saili, Hurley, Dineen....then we are down the route of Earls but he will be at RWC....or looks like we will be playing Bleyendaal at 12 or Keatley

Buer

Scannell and Bohane also. No problem filling the gap there for a few weeks, I would think and IK or TB will more than likely pop up there at some point, as you say.

granty1987

Anyone know if the public are able to buy these training tracksuits that the Munster backs seem to wear a bit in training?

They seem to be fairly skinny fitting around the ankles which I like and you can run in them. The two that Lifestyle have on their website aren't it.

It doesn't even have to be the branded gear, I just like the look of them

tommycahir

thomond2006 wrote: »

Botha
Bleyendaal
Saili
Van Den Heever

So no?

I'm not sure we need another signing, unless it's at hooker or TH.

Well if we have a spare slot (think we do as isn't Bleyendaal a project and iirc its 4+1) we could always help ulster out and take Piutau for the season seeing as he has been told by NZRU he will not play super rugby next year and Ulster don't have any NIQ spots available.

(but in reality we don;t need to strengthen the back-row with the younger talent coming through)

CatFromHue

The Times are going with POC signing on for 2 years with Toulon

errlloyd

I wonder will he retire from international rugby or not. Whatever the case I think POC is probably less keen on a media career than BOD was, it's not his style. So I think he should cash in, he's definitely getting more money than he would, possibly the highest paid in the world. Great man.

I just really hope it doesn't open floodgates.

total former

errlloyd wrote: »

I wonder will he retire from international rugby or not. Whatever the case I think POC is probably less keen on a media career than BOD was, it's not his style. So I think he should cash in, he's definitely getting more money than he would, possibly the highest paid in the world. Great man.

I just really hope it doesn't open floodgates.

I honestly don't think it will. The numbers of players who are in serious demand from France is very low and most of them will want to stay in Ireland so long as the IRFU can at least give them a competitive offer.

POC is going now because he has nothing more to achieve with Munster and, once the world cup is over, he'll have nothing left to work towards with Ireland.

The contract structure here makes it impossible to retire from internationals and play on for your province, so who knows, maybe that's something to do with it too, maybe he'd play on with Munster if he could give up internationals, but it's probably mostly about the money.

Fair play to him anyway, he's earned the right to do whatever he wants at this point.

aimee1

CatFromHue wrote: »

The Times are going with POC signing on for 2 years with Toulon

http://www.balls.ie/rugby/the-end-of-an-era-details-emerge-about-paul-oconnells-departure/294805

Buer

Shame he's leaving when he clearly could contribute significantly for another year or two but I don't blame him, I'd do the exact same.

Shocked by this. I really thought he'd be one of those players who would never leave Munster.

Hyperbullet

Deleted User wrote: »

Shocked by this. I really thought he'd be one of those players who would never leave Munster.

He owes us nothing and I hope he's successful there. I think he'll be adored by the Toulon supporters and he'll benefit hugely financially too I'm sure, he deserves it. Here's hoping for a f*cking great win tomorrow to give him the send off he deserves from Munster.

RobbieRuns

I actually think that POC just wants to experience a new culture with his family. He is looking after his finances for sure and their security, but he likes France and the chance to give the family a second language and new opportunities would be his biggest thing. He will have talked to ROG and the guys at Pau to see how they have gone. He does not owe anybody anything.

Enjoy the weather and the retirement fund Paulie. You've earned both.

Micky Dolenz

Fair play to him not many 36 year olds can "retire" to a club like Toulon.

ROG must be delighted having a mate down the road.

Before you go Paulie, any chance of a Pro 12 and an ould world cup trophy please?

DDC1990

Micky Dolenz wrote: »

Fair play to him not many 36 year olds can "retire" to a club like Toulon.

ROG must be delighted having a mate down the road.

Before you go Paulie, any chance of a Pro 12 and an ould world cup trophy please?

It's a fair bit down the road, he's nearly as close to Limerick as he is to Toulon :P

phog

Great to see some tweets wishing Munster luck in the final from the likes of Paul Warwick, Rob Penney and the incoming Francis Saili.

Nice touch.

budhabob

Lads, what time is kick off? Munster web site says 18.30, but looking at sky coverage doesn't start til 7? Out foreign so dunno if the that's having an effect.