Munster Team Talk Thread - New season title pending....

mahoney_j

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119750217#Comment_119750217

Fully agree ….I’d like to see him start and be given a proper test next weekend ….he’s been way over hyped here by some just based on Irish u 20s ,a few cameos with Munster and that emerging Ireland tour which I bet very few actually got to watch

delighted carbery showed a bit last night and despite wanting to throw Crowley in from start next weekend we need carbery starting and getting more confidence playing in something close to acswtteled back line

FrannoFan

How much forward planning is going into Munster recruitment?

Edogbo and ahern both look ready. I'd want them in the match 23 every week. (Not necessarily together but paired with experience for a while)

Klyn and bierne there already.

Why keep snyman on? I know the possibility of a world class player hard to pass on but it's clear as day Munster needed front rows and not second rows. Ulster pick up a lions and all black prop when they aren't even as stuck there.

Goes back to the "director of rugby" issue with someone looking further down the road. Can't blame coaches, they always have to be shorter term focused.

Akrasia

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119750749#Comment_119750749

We brought in Jenkins to cover Snymans injury (and then he instantly got injured)

We need 4 top class locks. Beirne is going to play in the back row when we have Klein Syman Ahern and Edogbo fit at the same time and we saw yesterday that works really well

We can't plan for Klein play 80 mins every game.

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119750749#Comment_119750749

Edwin is probably ready to go but at 19 is he ready for rugby week in week out, I doubt it and I hope we give him time for his body to develop for the rigors of professional rugby.

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119750794#Comment_119750794

In a sense, Jenkins was brought in to replace CJ, most likely with Beirne moving to 6 and Jenkins in the 2nd row.

Edogbo has already moved up the pecking order with Jenkins departure. He’s 19. He’s started his first ever game yesterday.

To get “how much forward planning is going into Munster recruitment” from there is a huge leap.

theVersatile

Even if Haley or Campbell become fit next week, I think Carbery 10 Crowley 15 is the shout.

Neil3030

"Munster looked good, with a pair of homegrown locks really shining...

...how do I use this as a stick to beat them"

hype101

Among others, I thought Salanoa had really good impact when he came on. Powerful in the carry and flushed some rucks. One scrum penalty I think but otherwise locked it out pretty well.

TRC10

Carbery had an improved game and looked a lot more confident, but he was nowhere near MOTM. He made a fair few mistakes and he's still catching the ball into his chest every time. Crowley was excellent, albeit at 15. He needs minutes at 10 this season.

Edogbo and Ahern were both absolute animals. They're unbelievable athletes and both need to be in the 23 next week.

Rowntree deserves a lot of credit for backing the young players this season.

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119750023#Comment_119750023

Munster starting to benefit from the EI tour! Happy days.

The flip side is that it demonstrated how much we missed them in their absence. I guess we'll just never agree on this, ersatz.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119754610#Comment_119754610

I definitely think Ahern and Crowley looked to be coming in on the back of the confidence they gained from playing well on the EI Tour.

I thought it was the best Munster's attacking shape has looked in a long time. First time in age Carbery looked to be playing with confidence, and didn't look tentative in his decisions. Crowley added a huge spark and really looks to have something about him.

I thought Kleyn had an excellent game, showed some handling he wouldn't have been known for, but was most impressed with Edogbo. He was everywhere and brought some great aggression into the Munster pack. Thought the style of play with quick ruck ball really shows Casey at his best and most effective too. Ahern off the bench was top class; showed repeatedly for carries and really brought energy.

Red Silurian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119754394#Comment_119754394

Who would you have picked as MOTM? As I was in the terraces I couldn't see much of the match but my picks would have been 2-try Coombes or our new kicker-try-scorer-forward Loughman but only because I had a great view of his try

I always find you see more on d'telly but nothing beats the experience of being there

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119754815#Comment_119754815

Beirne, Casey, Edogbo or Kleyn other contenders for my MotM, I thought Joey was very much improved but he still had a few too many errors for MotM considering his experience. If Ahern was on longer he would have been a serious contender for MotM too.

Red Silurian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119754847#Comment_119754847

All fair contenders

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119754798#Comment_119754798

and didn't look tentative in his decisions

He absolutely did - that and some of his passing was what made me think he wouldn't get MotM.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119754857#Comment_119754857

Funny that, because he did get MotM, and deservedly so.

He took the ball flat to the line repeatedly and the width on his passing really brought the wingers into play. Yeah, a handful of balls hit the deck in the first half, but that's going to happen when you're trying to push the play.

He also made a super hit on the Bulls lock just before the half when they were really threatening, and a Bulls try might have completed changed the complexion of the rest of the game.

Red Silurian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119754882#Comment_119754882

Hopefully he will get a boost from being MOTM and silence the critics next weekend against Leinster...

There are big calls to be made at OH and FB next weekend for us

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119754882#Comment_119754882

Look you said Joey "didn't look tentative in his decisions" and that's simply untrue. Now you can build up the rest of his game to make his MotM award valid but your point about his decision making was incorrect.

realhorrorshow

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119754939#Comment_119754939

He has had some big moments since his return from injury and has never kicked on really, not sure that this time will be any different unfortunately. I thought that coming on to seal the NZ win last Autumn, including kicking a massive penalty, would be that impetus for him but it never materialised.

Red Silurian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119755066#Comment_119755066

I'm speaking in hope than anything else

phog

I see Gerry Thornley is laying blame on Munster fans for a not so full Aviva as we're not buying tickets for a Leinster home game. He doesn't once mention the cost of travel or staying in Dublin after an evening match. He also claims that Jenkins has started more games for Leinster than Munster without ever mentioning that Jenkins came in as injury cover to Munster and then he himself picked up an injury. Poor journalism at best.

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119754882#Comment_119754882

Tbh, his MOTM award reminded me of the one he picked up vs Argentina last November; an encouraging performance, but it really should have went to one of the forwards.

We do seem to be trying longer passes to the wingers more often this season. I'd be more lenient on those, and it was improved on last week where much shorter passes hit the deck. Last week too, once or twice he was winding up for that longer pass but didn't get it off in time, so improvement there as well.

Kleyn seemed to have a huge game (I'd like to watch it back as was at the match) and his handling has improved considerably in the last 12 months or so. He's down for 25 tackles, huge workrate.

Hodnett, impressively, is down for 15 tackles in his 18 minutes on the pitch. Part of that is down to the defensive set near the end but that's still quality numbers.

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119755148#Comment_119755148

I made the mistake of reading that (and I normally like Thornley) but that article was entirely wide of the mark. The Ed Sheeran stuff too was just entirely inaccurate; the concert had been booked before the QF weekends were confirmed.

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119755442#Comment_119755442

Hodnett, impressively, is down for 15 tackles in his 18 minutes on the pitch. Part of that is down to the defensive set near the end but that's still quality numbers.

Coming out of the game I said to my mates he wasn't as prominent as he usually is but having watched it on TV he had a far better game than I gave him credit for and as you especially those last 10 mins defending.

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119754394#Comment_119754394

Rowntree deserves a lot of credit for backing the young players this season.

Well holy god. ;)

Edogbo and Ahern as a unit seem to like a pretty complementary pair of locks as well, so really encouraging stuff there. At the moment, you'd have to say both look to have a far higher ceiling than Fineen Wycherly, who seems to be lacking a bit of size. You'd wonder should be look to concentrate on 6.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119755046#Comment_119755046

Based on what? Your opinion that his decision making was tentative?

I'm providing examples of why I'm saying he wasn't, but you're just giving your opinion without backing it up (which is hardly a first).

His decision making in attack was more often than not the right option. There were numerous extensive passages in the second half where he was repeatedly changing the angle of the play and stretching the Bulls defence around, making it impossible for the Bulls to accurately read and resource rucks; this was the major factor in why the Munster forwards had a relatively easy time of it generating quick ruck ball.

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119755522#Comment_119755522

Ya, he normally makes at least one big carry / break, but we just didn't have as much of the ball in his time on the pitch.

Interesting now to see what backrow we go with at the weekend. And at this rate, Gav Coombes is gonna trounce Zebo's try scoring record.

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119755533#Comment_119755533

Based on what?

Based on what I saw at the match and again on TV on what he did when he had the ball, he hesitated numerous time before making the decision to kick, pass, run, whatever. Just because it worked out doesn't actually mean he wasn't hesitant.

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119755533#Comment_119755533

I think this is underselling how much better Munster's attacking ruck platform was, tbh. At a minimum these things go hand-in-hand i.e. Carbery is able to vary the attack because he has quick ruck ball. And vice-versa.

In that aspect, it was easily our best performance of the season.

jcon1913

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119755581#Comment_119755581

Agreed. I think it was more hesitation than timing. Outhalf is like full forward in soccer- gotta have a good game every game and a great game when your back is to the wall. OGara was better the more pressure he was under.

I wish Carbery was better but he has been inconsistent to say the least. That game was possibly his best in a long time.

ok the long passes didn’t go to hand and a few other things didn’t work out for him.

but in fairness Healy is a stronger defender, out of hand kicks are very long when needed. He does miss the step that Carbery has - but saying that Carbery hasn’t shown that ability to ghost through defenses too much lately.