Munster Team Talk Thread - Beirne After Reading

phog

EOS is one of the most negative analysts on TV, he's talking about Munster not putting the foot on the throat. We didn't need to, we played smart rugby, took our scores, made subs early to manage the squad for next week

JOB DONE

50HX

He's always captain misery, along with the beige Heaslip it's a tough pairing

At least you'll get some bit of life out of o callaghan every now & again

Neil3030

So Irish TV viewers had to suffer through Cahill, and then the EOS-JH dream team as pundits?

Yikes.

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122232558#Comment_122232558

They really sell the product 🤣

phog

Munster played a different game tonight, we played in the right areas, we took kicks at goal that we'd normally go for trys, we kicked behind Ospreys tonight more than we usually do since Prendergast arrived.

Ok, we coughed up ball a few times a few meters from the try line but bar the early Ospreys try they didn't threaten much so going two scores up allowed us dictate the position on the field and rest a few players.

theVersatile

We'd want to be better next week and in the final (if it comes to it), but we'll take that. Smothered the game in the second half with good game management, taking points, territorial kicking. Pack were busy without being exceptional - 9, 10 and back three got through their work in a very workmanlike fashion.

Hollie had a great game on the whistle - from live at the ground

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122232581#Comment_122232581

The type of game management we showed 2nite is exactly the type of thing we were criticised for not doing back in December / January, when we had a spate of injuries.

Since then we’ve won 11 consecutive URC games.

We’ll need a better performance next Saturday but then I expect a better performance next Saturday.

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122232624#Comment_122232624

Totally agree, Hollie's one of the better refs around, I'm not sure I've ever seen her have a bad game.

Cookiemunster

Just in from the game. Better attendance than I was expecting and a decent atmosphere.

It was workmanlike, but outside of the early try they didn't threaten. Munster played cup rugby, kicked their pens and took the game away from Ospreys. The fact that I was surprised when Crowley tapped and kicked out at the end instead of going for the corner or kicking as we'd normally do says everything about the game.

Obviously a step up in performance will be needed against Glasgow/Stormers, but I think we'll get it.

Also agree completely about Hollie. One of, if not the best ref in the league

Podge_irl

One thing I'd be slightly worried about from a Munster perspective - Snyman is just not an 80 minute player. Not sure replacing two backrows and leaving the locks on for the whole match is a great strategy.

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122232842#Comment_122232842

All of Kleyn, Edogbo and Ahern are injured tho. If any of those were available, I don’t expect he’d have gone 80.

The one upside of the Friday night slot is we now have an extra day til the SF.

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122232883#Comment_122232883

None of them will be back for the SF though will they?

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122232885#Comment_122232885

Correct, but it goes some way towards showing how limited are options are thru injury.

Akrasia

The difference in work rate between Snyman and Beirne is huge. Beirne gets through an unbelievable amount of work in every game. Snyman makes some headlines but Beirne has a much bigger impact on the game

Akrasia

Zebo was great, he has a very different dynamic to Haley. All of his kicking put Ospreys under huge pressure. He'll be sorely missed

Neil3030

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122233000#Comment_122233000

I keep forgetting that we've Kleyn returning from injury next season to soften the blow of Snyman departing. Will be light enough until Edogbo gets back. Wonder if we see more of Coombes in the second row early in the season, to accommodate Gleeson.

Neil3030

Things looked a lot better on a second viewing of the game.

Ospreys were aggressive in defense, and forced a lot of what might have looked like sloppy handling from Munster. Tipuric really is some player. I still think Munster are getting closer and closer to their best performance of the season, and just at the right time too.

On defense, Ospreys scored a worldy and never really threatened again. The % territory (in terms of sections of the pitch) will be very interesting. Most of the second half was played in Osprey's half.

Did Frisch go off injured or was that maybe managing his minutes?

Neil3030

Also, I'm not an alcoholic, I just drink any time John Hodnett makes ground carrying in the 15-metre channel.

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122232842#Comment_122232842

Hard to know what the thought process is here, Munster knew from around half-time the match was theirs to lose, they made the changes early enough but left RGS on, he hasn't a huge pile of rugby played and we only need him for (hopefully) two more matches. Maybe in a closer game, he's taken off and Coombes goes into the row.

It's really hard to question Munster's strategy when you look back on our run of wins, especially last night's win after losing 3 from our 23 last week.

leakyboots

The talk on the terrace around me was how as good as RGS is for highlight reel moments, Kleyn spends most of the game with his face about 2 inches from the ground. He gets through trojan dirty work. That'll free up Beirne and Coombes a lot. Such a shame Edogbo got injured.

Would echo what was said above, good performance with a decent crowd and atmosphere, ref did very well and I think we've more in us for what's to come.

Nice to be able to sit back today and see what happens others around us.

Jump_In_Jack

Thinking ahead to next week, interesting that we beat both teams away last season in the playoffs.
If it’s Stormers, I’d assume they won’t travel back and would just stay around for the week. They will feel they owe us some payback for last season, so could be a very spicy.

Likewise Glasgow will want payback, so it really won’t matter which team we get.

Glasgow at home this round, and would perhaps have a more settled environment to prepare for next week means I think I’d probably prefer to be facing Stormers.

Hank the DJ

Glasgow it is

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122235632#Comment_122235632

Complete reversal of last year's QF

Neil3030

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122235661#Comment_122235661

Including the result, hopefully!

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122235672#Comment_122235672

Why would we want to result to change unless you mean the home team to win this year

Neil3030

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122235675#Comment_122235675

That's what I meant, indeed.

Eod100

If Munster win the semi, the final will be in Thomond Park at 5pm on Saturday 22nd June. https://www.unitedrugby.com/latest/final-series/2024-urc-semi-finals

50HX

SEmi final tickets on general sale at 10am

Jump_In_Jack

interesting to see two former Munster players involved in the Pro D2 playoffs, John Madigan for Béziers who did well in the league but lost out on promotion in the playoffs, they went down in the semi-final to Vannes, both he and Darren O’Shea for Vannes played tight-head lock, with Vannes winning it out and gained promotion to Top 14 next year. Madigan played a big part of Béziers’ season with 26 starts, while Darren O’Shea had 16 starts for Vannes.

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122239380#Comment_122239380

Who is that John Madigan? Did his dad (John ) play too

leakyboots

Darren O'Shea was a big unit, just seemed to lack a bit of niggle… for a fella his size I thought he should be blowing lads out of the way. Wonder if the spell in France has changed that a bit

RichieRich_89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122240017#Comment_122240017

It's hard to do that when his centre of gravity is higher than nearly everyone else's. It's easier for others to get into an effective, low driving position. I feel people had unrealistic expectations of him.

Lost Ormond

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122239509#Comment_122239509

He was in academy with Munster but totally injury plagued his entire time with Munster. His dad also John played for bohs and Munster in 70s including games against all Blacks in 73/74

phog

Thats the guy I was thinking about

Jump_In_Jack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122239509#Comment_122239509

https://all.rugby/player/john-madigan
He was a very big prospect but couldn't stay injury-free, bit like Tadhg Beirne when he left Leinster.
We've had Frank Bradshaw-Ryan getting a stint in Ulster recently too played a good bit this season for Montauban (along with Dan Goggin), getting decent time with 16 starts out of 19 appearances up to round 25, then didn't play after that so may have picked up an injury. Strange coincidence to have 3 big former Munster locks playing in Pro D2 all at the same time.

aloooof

Some good news on Nankivell in the injury update, hopefully he'll make it in time.

There is good news for Alex Nankivell ahead of the game as he is increasing his training load. A decision on his availability will be made later in the week.

Expecting a game with a fair bit of niggle; in the QF last year, we shipped 4 injuries (and fairly early in the game) so hopefully can avoid that this time round.

Cookiemunster

The better news was that there were no new injury worries after Fridays game.

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122241549#Comment_122241549

I'd forgotten those early injuries last year in the QF, now that I think about it, some of the injured players were out for the SF too.

Jump_In_Jack

https://www.munsterrugby.ie/2024/06/10/squad-update-munster-prepare-for-glasgow-warriors-semi-final/

No new injuries, Scannell, Ahern and Carbery gone from previous match.

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122241661#Comment_122241661

I'd go as far as saying, I think those injury impacted Cullen's selection for the SF.

50HX

Examiner reporting Nankivell will be back for Sat which would be super.

Fingers & toes crossed Crowley goes the 80 injury free

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122244970#Comment_122244970

Glasgow won't be shy about targetting him

phog

The officials for Saturday's game

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122246348#Comment_122246348

Pretty happy with that, generally like Piardi.

Is Nika Amashukeli a URC ref or is he located within a certain league, or does he just referee in the Georgian domestic game?

Jump_In_Jack

The dates of the Emerging Ireland matches are being reported as Wed 2nd Oct, Sun 6th Oct, and Wed 9th Oct, which means it will affect the weekends before and after too.
Given the dates, it means the EI players won't be available to play Zebre in Round 2 on Sat 28th Sep, Ospreys in Round 3 on 5th Oct, or Leinster in Round 4 on Sat 12th Oct.
The question arises then should some of the EI players stay in SA for the 10 days between the end of the EI tour and the Munster match away to the Stormers and the week after against the Sharks.
That'll be a long tour for those lads, at least a month away. At least those EI players will be young enough and probably won't mind that.
It makes it interesting from the Ireland team's point of view, will the Irish players be allowed to tour South Africa or not, with New Zealand on Friday the 8th of November, at least there's a down week on the 2nd of November.

Number 137

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122246405#Comment_122246405

I'm pretty sure he referees in the Georgian domestic league, which (I think) is professional, but obviously nothing close to elite level rugby. He may have done games in the Top 14 in the past, so it's quite remarkable that he has reached the level he has. He actually did a few AIL games in the past, as part of his development. So did other Georgian referees.

Podge_irl

From minor stalking he appears to be directly employed by WR and also by the Georgian Rugby Union. Probably "loaned" out to the various leagues/Europe when needed.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122246759#Comment_122246759

Would have thought this weekend was a prime opportunity when you couldn't have Irish refs involved.

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122246978#Comment_122246978

Well I think Piardi is a good ref so that works out well. Wrt the Leinster game I really don't know the ref so couldn't comment. I know we have done "swaps" with the Prem in the past too and the likes of Pearce have reffed games. It's maddeningly inconsistent how they approach it.