Munster Team Talk Thread - Beirne After Reading

Cookiemunster

First team of the season. Roll on tomorrow!

Munster: Shane Daly; Andrew Conway, Antoine Frisch, Rory Scannell, Calvin Nash; Joey Carbery, Ethan Coughlan; Josh Wycherley, Diarmuid Barron, Stephen Archer; Edwin Edogbo, Fineen Wycherley; Jack O’Donoghue (C), Alex Kendellen, Gavin Coombes.

Replacements: Scott Buckley, Kieran Ryan, John Ryan, Tom Ahern, Brian Gleeson, Neil Cronin, Alex Nankivell, Shay McCarthy.

Thats a decent lineup minus the internationals. Surprised Scannell isn't on the bench though.

Cookiemunster

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121261296#Comment_121261296

As Phog said above, it's just a rename. We no longer have the 10000 post per thread limit on the new board.ie, so new team threads don't need to be created anymore. The Larkham title was a bit outdated at this stage, so it was time to change.

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121262407#Comment_121262407

Great to see new signing Nankivell named on the bench, I thought this game might be a week too soon for him.

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121262407#Comment_121262407

Strong team, the one standout from that probably Coughlan, big game for him, first start too I think, off the top of my head.

Maybe slightly surprising getting the nod ahead of Cronin.

Jump_In_Jack

Wonder which of Frisch or Scannell would be backup to Carbery in case of injury. Assuming Nankivell would come in at centre and probably Scannell to 10?

letowski

Good to see the two young second rows back fit.

Mr Tickle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121262407#Comment_121262407

I'm curious to see where Kendellen ends up in the long term. He's not the biggest guy in the world so presumably he's either going to be a very dynamic 8 or get more game time at open side where mobility is a bigger strength. Or he'll just be a total freak and be known as the guy who runs through men twice his size.

Then you look at who's around him. Hodnett, Combes and JOD with Gleeson coming through. There's some interesting choices to make there.

Dubinusa

The Gleeson Era is upon us! Big hopes for this moose! Fantastic prospect.

A good Munster selection and Conway returns. I fancy Munster in this one.

thehairygrape

Is it too early for Ruadhan Quinn or is he injured?

Cookiemunster

He's playing for Young Munster in the AIL this weekend.

Yeah_Right

Wheres Paddy Fookin Patterson? Is he injured?

munsterfan2

Was Kendellan ever tried at hooker when he was coming through ?

Cookiemunster

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121263541#Comment_121263541

Did his ACL last season. Due back around December/January.

onlyrocknroll

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121262541#Comment_121262541

I think that the bigger size of a future Munster pack is good news for small but powerful players like him. In a generally lighter pack there's a bit of a premium on bulk. We'd feel a need to favour a bigger player over another lighter but perhaps better player, to balance out our size disadvantage. In a pack with Edogbo, Aherne, Coombes Gleeson, Salanoa etc, a player like Kendellen doesn't have this disadvantage. Perhaps I'm looking at it wrong but that's how I see it.

Blackheath

Is a 2nd row of Edogbo and Fineen a good line out pairing.

Akrasia

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121263664#Comment_121263664

Munster are going for the La Rochelle build. Big heavy pack who can play on ball rugby, in contrast with Leinster who kick the ball away and pressure the opposition when they try to counter attack

To do this we need size because we need to be able to keep the ball without having to commit too many forwards to the breakdown.

I this build, small forwards like Kendellan, Hodnett and POM, Jack O Donoghue etc are really important at covering space and we also need to use size in the centre and wing as auxiliary forwards.

Munster want to play with the ball but not just crash it like the old Munster. We want to move it quickly to break down the opposition defense through multiple phases. This requires fitness, size and the ability to offload and pass, and scramble to retain possession if there's a handling error.

When Munster struggled last year, it was when we were down size in the 2nd row through injury. This year, unless we have another injury disaster I think we have a really really strong team

We have Edogbo, Ahern, Kleyn and Snyman to be fit and available as Primary Locks, ideally then we can play Fineen and Beirne in the back row for the knockouts and against the bigger packs, alongside a powerful 8 like Coombes or Gleeson, and we can have POM, Hodnett, Quinn, Kendellan, JOD covering 6 7 and 8 rotating in and out as needed

Edogbo and Ahern are hugely important for the start of the season when Snyman Kleyn and Beirne are recovering from the RWC. We need one of them on the pitch at all times.

Akrasia

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121265948#Comment_121265948

Edogbo is huge in the lineout and so is Ahern off the bench. Fineen is also a handy lineout operator

phog

An interview with Graham Rowntree in The42, well worth the read.

Cookiemunster

Read that this morning. Great read.

Brief_Lives

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121263603#Comment_121263603

we need PFP back, he was brilliant last year. who else is injured?

Haley?

ScissorPaperRock

Strange hearing Zombie again...

letowski

That’s a good try by Munster. Great to see Edogbo back and looking strong.

leakyboots

Think I'll go full-Clegg on Edogbo. He's going to be a mainstay of the Munster and Ireland team for the next decade. McCarthy could be handy from the bench

leakyboots

Daly looking very good at 15 today

budhabob

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121267822#Comment_121267822

Looking massive! Frisch too.

leakyboots

If their #8 wasn't too busy holding down one of ours he might have tackled Carbery and stopped that try

letowski

Joey has been really impressive so far. Nice to see, looks like he has had a new lease of life.

leakyboots

Edogbo just swatted him back into the ruck and took the ball. Really hope he can stay fit this year. Joey looking very sharp too

leakyboots

Conway looks like Ben Stiller in Dodgeball with the smig

Podge_irl

If Joey can use this as motivation to get back to his best he could put Crowley under pressure. Which can only be good for the both of them.

budhabob

Fantastic kick / chase / try by Frisch.

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121267899#Comment_121267899

Absolutely, but that was horrendous from the Sharks. What on earth were they thinking.

OldRio

Delighted for Carbery. Looks very sharp.

joedamuss

Frisch has got X factor for sure, he needs to bee in the squad for the six nations.

MaddChris

Two well worked and taken trys and another with a piece of luck but also shows what happens when you don't give up the chase.

A forward pass and a questionable cross field kick the only marks against Carbery in that first half, playing very well otherwise and 3/3 from the tee.

Daly looking very good in a bit of space and Conway hasn't put a foot wrong. Lovely hands from the pack too, start of last season those kind of balls (like that 2nd try) we're going to ground or being knocked on.

Shehal

What the F**k was Daly doing there just letting the ball go out for a 50/22...

MaddChris

Daly needs to hoof that into the stand, what was he thinking?

Neil3030

Logging in late here. I presume all the previous messages have been about how great Edogbo has been, so no need to read them.

OldRio

Great turnover by Baron.

letowski

Nice try assist for Nankivell.

MaddChris

The new man Alex with the try assist for Conway.

budhabob

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121268070#Comment_121268070

Great pass from him.

pickarooney

Why are they showing French flags on screen beside all the Sharks subs?

letowski

Frisch has been class since he has arrived in this province.

budhabob

What strength and confidence by Frisch there. Break through tackle freeing up space on the wing and get the offload away

Wegians89

Frisch is a class player, have my reservations he can transfer his form to test level but hope he gets called up to camp

MaddChris

My eyes must be deceiving me but that Sharks player was clearly infront of the kicker.

Hay ho, doesn't really matter.

MaddChris

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121268159#Comment_121268159

Attracted 3 Sharks players like a magnet 🧲

leakyboots

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121268153#Comment_121268153

Definitely worth a look internationally, packs a powerful punch for a fella his size, always looks for the offload, solid in defence. Think he's important for us because who plays when he's not there? The new lad?

leakyboots

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121268227#Comment_121268227

Also, does he play 10 and 12 in a pinch too?