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

Akrasia

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120072693#Comment_120072693

World rugby regulations require that clubs release players for the squad camp prior to the 6 nations

The International window for the 6 nations starts on 30th of Jan

but there is a squad session that starts the Monday before this window and ends Wednesday

Munster play Benneton on 28th, but Healy would need to be released to camp on 23rd, 24th and 25th (if he was called up)

I linked to this regulation above

Akrasia

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120072735#Comment_120072735

Carbery and Crowley will both be with Ireland (almost certainly)

Healy is our only other 10 apart from academy player Tony Butler

Scannell Could play at 10 at a pinch but that's not ideal

Akrasia

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120072931#Comment_120072931

Technically there is no clash with Benneton as players can come back from the squad session to play their game, but in practise, these players are unavailable most of the time

Quin_Dub

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120073533#Comment_120073533

And Butler has been out with a knee injury for the last 6/8 weeks and isn't yet back to full training as far as I know.

Akrasia

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120073157#Comment_120073157

I think he's played very well in his last 2 appearances. He seems to have worked on his biggest weakness which was his predictable distribution. The opposition could read him too easily and he rarely took the ball to the line and made breaks. Last week he scored a try and swiched up his distribution. He has plenty of motivation to perform tonight even if he's just trying to prove himself to Townsend

lawrencesummers

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120073377#Comment_120073377

There is a certain Irony in all of this.

Crowley has skipped healy in the Munster and Ireland pecking order because of his performances on the Frawley tour to SA, a tour designed with the primary objective of advancing the development of one of the primary players considered to be Sextons replacement, which in fact benefitted Crowley not Frawley and what it has done is give a good young talent increased impetus to emigrate thereby putting Munster and Ulster in a weakened position, and by extension Irish Rugby.

Neil3030

If you had "several pages of chat regarding Scottish rugby, and its depth at 10" on your 2023 bingo card you're certainly ahead of the game. 😂

I'm actually very intrigued about the game tonight. It can't have escaped the coaches how ineffective the more lateral attack was against Ulster, and how deep Crowley was receiving ball at 10. Add to that the over-reliance on Coombes for carrying in the tight channels and surely they've been working on mixing things up.

And interestingly, from 10-15, tonight's backline are all units. All 6"2 or more (bar Scannell) and most touching the 100kg mark. I'm looking for the likes of (L) Coombes and Daly to come in off the wing more, hitting the tight channels around the ruck hard with direct lines (either as decoys or otherwise). Take the pressure off (G) Coombes in this regard.

Lions are a tough side, they are fast and compete well at the breakdown, but they do lack the size of the other SA outfits. So tonight's game could be a good environment to try a few things out on the ground. Be a bit more direct. Work on the formation and organisation as you bring in big wings in as first receivers. Etc.

Or, with lads that size, you could see a lot more hoists, which will suit Healy. And height across the backline will also give Patterson a bit more margin for error as he develops his box kicking.

budhabob

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120073742#Comment_120073742

For some reason i always thought of liam coombes as having a slight frame, didnt realise he was that size.

Neil3030

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120073879#Comment_120073879

Do you know what, you might actually be right. Just looked him up and Wiki says he's 90kg.

Maybe my brain refuses to compute "Coombes" and "not unit" together.

Former Former Former

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120073377#Comment_120073377

People keep saying he's underrated by Ireland as though that's the reason he's leaving. It's not. He's leaving because he's not rated at Munster.

He was never, ever, and I mean never, close to Carbery for Munster. Never.

He was also behind JJH, then he left. JVG really didn't like Crowley, but it seems Rowntree does and that's curtains for Healy.

The guy has done absolutely nothing to warrant a national call up. He is a loss to Munster only if Crowley fails to progress and he's no loss to Ireland at all.

He didn't have a brilliant season last year. He stank the place out against Exeter and lost the game against Toulouse.

Munster will hammer the Lions tonight and everyone will be talking about how great Healy is, but he has never played well against a top team

phog

For those down the back, I'll repeat.

Healy is leaving Munster because he's looking play in international rugby, after giving it two seasons here he knows that won't happen under Farrell but may happen in Scotland so he has taken that option.

Jump_In_Jack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120074220#Comment_120074220

I’d bet one of his goals is to play in a World Cup, and his best chance of that would be for Scotland next year.

snotboogie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120074159#Comment_120074159

He fell out of favour at Munster after the decision to move was made (which was likely weeks ago). He was number 2 at Munster right up to the November internationals. The fact that Harry Byrne (NZ tour), Frawley (SA dev Tour games+ Nov Int) and Crowley (SA dev Tour + Nov Int) all leapfrogged him internationally with far less provincial experience in the last 6 months was I imagine the deciding factor in his decision.

ulsteru20s

Munster seem to pick teams (not by choice usually or mostly forced) that are just weak enough to make the result questionable. That is a light pack, and no crowley even on the bench is a choice.

Neil3030

Oh keep an eye on Venter tonight too. Ferocious carrier.

Him and/or Tshituka as any time try scorers would be a fairly decent bet.

sprucemoose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120074159#Comment_120074159

absolute bs from start to finish

Lost Ormond

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120074666#Comment_120074666

Goes a bit OTT but overall point is spot on. I know Ben. Think he's a good player but should Munster broke the bank to keep him. no. And he hasnt been close to Carbery. Nothing wrong with that either.

sprucemoose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120074715#Comment_120074715

i think the comments regarding the exeter and toulouse games negates any sort of credibility the original post might have had. to blame healy for losing the QF is indefensible imo

and to be fair to him, healy has definitely pushed to be the starting 10 in the bigger games but carbery gets parachuted straight back in as soon as hes available without (imo) ever really deserving it

its too late now either way but i think this is a big loss for munster

Neil3030

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120074491#Comment_120074491

Wycherley (108), Barron (98), Salanoa (123), Coombes (110), Kleyn (121), JOD (109), Hodnett (105), Kendellen (105)

Smith (124), Botha (100), Ntlabakanye (138), Venter (118), Landsberg (111), Cairns (101), van Heerden (100), Tshituka (106)

879kg vs 898kg

Front row is really the only place I'd have any concern about a size mismatch. Will be a serious test at scrum time. Love how Lions practically play a 7s style of rugby but stay true to Saffer heritage by keeping two absolute brick sh*t houses at prop.

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120074715#Comment_120074715

That's nowhere near what FFF has said though and I'm not sure anyone advocated breaking a bank for Ben.

If you know Ben can you enlighten us with as to when and why he made the decision to leave Munster/Ireland

phog

Anyway, back to to tonight's game , just arrived in Cork, terrible weather here, wind and rain.

Neil3030

Musgrave Park is 4G, isn't it?

Lost Ormond

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120075223#Comment_120075223

Yes. all weather surface.

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120075223#Comment_120075223

Yes but that won't stop the wind nor the rain.

Currently blowing from behind the south goals

Former Former Former

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120074746#Comment_120074746

I get that Healy is a young local lad and people don't want to be hard on him, and it's unfortunate that he was put in the position in the QF but if you're looking for international recognition, then those are the situations in which you need to show your mettle.

He did not play well against Exeter, apologies if "stank the place out" was a bit inflammatory but again, it's a European knock-out match and he didn't perform. There was absolutely no question that Carbery wouldn't come straight back for the home leg.

So counter my argument, in what big games, against proper teams, has Healy shown us he's worthy of Ireland caps? Like, everyone got excited about the South Africa XV game but they were an absolute rabble.

Whatever way you slice it, it's only a loss for Munster if it ends up that Healy is in fact better than Crowley. If Rowntree and Prendergast are right, then it's reduced squad depth and no more.

Neil3030

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120075331#Comment_120075331

Will be interesting to see how much running Lions will be capable of.

A nice soggy grass pitch would have slowed them down completely. 4G gives them a slim chance to get some moves going.

Interested Observer

I can't believe this jersey clash. There's been a few in rugby over the years but this is definitely the worst.

Former Former Former

I can't believe the Lions tighthead is a professional athlete

OldRio

Did that go over the posts?

letowski

Nice for Buckley to get that try. I've been looking to see him get a good opportunity to play this season. We need more talent coming through at hooker.