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

Podge_irl

Only one way to find out and that's to make the final, which if SA do and we don't will raise questions depending on how key Jean Kleyn would be to SA's success

If we don't it will probably be because we had to play either France or NZ in the QF. The selection of the 4th or 5th choice lock is fairly unlikely to be a large impact either way.

Anyway, I'm sure Craig Casey, Jack Crowley, Keith Earls, Conor Murray, Calvin Nash, Tadhg Beirne, Gavin Coombes, Dave Kilcoyne and Peter O'Mahoney appreciate your commitment to Munster players.

lawrencesummers

Presumably the eprc will announce a date soon on which their fixtures wont actually be released.

irelandrover

So, if Ireland got to the world cup final, then it's likely only the Glasgow game the players are back for? Allowing for a rest period and reintegrating with the squad.

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120835308#Comment_120835308

I don't really see why they would need that much rest. They'll have done their pre-season, sitting on their ass too long is likely to be detrimental rather than anything else I would have thought.

TRC10

In my opinion, Irish people who even consider supporting another country against Ireland are muppets.

Ban me

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120835496#Comment_120835496

This is not a new thing, we had it during the Kidney reign too.

Something I'll never understand though.

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120835374#Comment_120835374

I think he means the international players getting a rest period after we win the RWC

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120835648#Comment_120835648

Sure, but the Glasgow game is 5 weeks after the final. Its not like they need to do pre-season again (Which is what normally delays their return). I'm probably wrong, but it seems like an excessive period of rest that would just cause them fitness problems...

Cookiemunster

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120835713#Comment_120835713

Yeah, it'll be similar to the post AI/6N break. They might get an extra week due to the length of the world cup camp.

Podge_irl

Its not a fair comparison as the HEC was starting, but every player was back 4 weeks after the last world cup QF and some players were back after 3 weeks.

irelandrover

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120835713#Comment_120835713

Its 4 weeks to the Leinster game, I could see the internationals "rested" for that game as an agreement with the IRFU to allow the players a proper down period after the world cup. If it wasn't an inter-provincial game, then I'd have expected then back that week.

Eod100

Great to have all the URC fixtures so early. That run of matches with Ulster, Stormers, Leinster and Glasgow week after week could be tough.

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120834742#Comment_120834742

Makes a change from the SA trips at the end of the season.

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120835496#Comment_120835496

Mod: Obliged. Threadbanned for 2 weeks.

Cookiemunster

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120836125#Comment_120836125

Yeah, lucky for us it's only R14 & R15 this year. Inbetween the HC Last 16 and Q Final.

Red Silurian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120836253#Comment_120836253

I wonder will we make it to the CC QF (or preferably further) this year. If we do, would we send an academy or U20s team down and effectively throw the games? It's a good time of year for any supporters that wanted a trip to SA and get some rugby in while there

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120835211#Comment_120835211

We have beaten both of those teams in competitive games in the last 12 months. If we can't beat them in a World Cup using a team loaded with Leinster players I would be surprised. I think Ireland's chances of getting out of the group are after getting much stronger with the recent retirement of the Scottish FB

If any of your listed Munster players actually gets given a chance I will eat my words

Red Silurian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120835308#Comment_120835308

My guess is they will be allowed to return for the EPCR weekends over christmas and two other games, one before and one after. In 2019 I believe that is what happened with all players who were part of the WC squad and the 1st weekend after Christmas they all had to go to an IRFU training camp

easymoneysnipa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120835026#Comment_120835026

Thanks for the feedback calling me a coward. Very brave on your part imo.

sydthebeat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120837356#Comment_120837356

youre welcome, i dont hide behind a new account.

ulsteru20s

I definitely care more about how my province does than ireland. I doubt i would ever extend that to actively cheering against ireland. That seems extreme.

I can see why a subset or supporters in Munster could be losing interest in the national team. They have lost one good player and are probably losing another because of national selection. Even if that selection is justified, it still affected munster negatively. People aren’t (and can’t be expected to be) hyper rational in their fandom.

I’d say there is a clear line. Cheering for la rochelle against leinster is fine. People who think there should be some national unity that deep are saps. Actively cheering against your country is too far though. If you feel like that just follow preseason and stuff rather than the world cup.

sprucemoose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120835072#Comment_120835072

stop making perfect sense, this place is just for hyperbole and nonsense!

sprucemoose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120837821#Comment_120837821

i would also think that part of the growing apathy is that in certain cases first choice munster players who are playing well (kleyn, hodnett etc),are being overlooked for second or third choice leinster players, which rightly or wrongly is giving the impression that leinster players are being favoured. the fact that despite being the only province with a trophy, the only bolter from munster in the current squad is nash, probably doesnt help this perception either. im sure supporters from other provinces have similar feelings but may have less of an argument without silverware.

on the flip side to this, it could be argued that players like earls and kilcoyne are very lucky to be involved

and having said that, kidney had a bias for munster players, at least at the start of his tenure anyway and you could argue munster werent as dominant a team then as leinster are now (even allowing for lack of trophies in the last two seasons)

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120836253#Comment_120836253

Ah....

easymoneysnipa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120837451#Comment_120837451

Thank you for using an old account to support someone calling people muppets. No new accounts allowed on boards if they don’t agree with the guy calling people muppets and his friend calling people cowards.

snotboogie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120838356#Comment_120838356

Kidney started 5 Leinster players and 8 Munster players in the Grand Slam decider against Wales in 2009. Farrell started 1 Munster player and 12 Leinster players in the Grand Slam decider against England in 2023. Rightly or wrongly the reliance on one team is completely incomparable.

Former Former Former

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120838356#Comment_120838356

i would also think that part of the growing apathy is that in certain cases first choice munster players who are playing well (kleyn, hodnett etc),are being overlooked for second or third choice leinster players, which rightly or wrongly is giving the impression that leinster players are being favoured

The major problem here is that it's a false impression based on incorrect information.

Hodnett was not overlooked for a second or third choice Leinster player. He was overlooked for Nick Timoney. That is irrefutable fact.

It is debatable who Kleyn was overlooked for, but all recent evidence suggests that McCarthy is ahead of Treadwell in the pecking order and thus the "last" spot was taken by Treadwell.

There was war here about Coombes being behind Conan in the 6N - except it turns out that it's Prendergast who's suiting up as 24th man, and Coombes had further to go than many thought.

You are absolutely correct that many people, if not turning their back on Ireland, are becoming more apathetic about it. If people don't think Munster players are getting a fair go, that's one thing, it's making the leap to "Leinster players being favoured" that is really destructive.

Edit: I'm not sure the 'silverware' argument holds much water either tbh. That's a function of the last two weeks of the season, whereas Ulster fans could legitimately say they finished second in the URC table, well ahead of Munster and that should be rewarded.

Neil3030

I know an English guy who supports Wales because he detests the "Bullingdon"-like culture in English rugby (union). He went to a private school and played while at Cambridge, so he is by no means the "grumpy outsider looking in", either. Sometimes a culture just doesn't click with people, for what ever reason, and you can't hold that against them.

leakyboots

Can only speak for Munster fans I know - but I do know several that are somewhat disconnected and some even disillusioned with Ireland. I don't think they would actively support another team against Ireland though.

Me personally, Munster definitely gets my blood boiling more than Ireland, but I support both.

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120841308#Comment_120841308

The major problem here is that it's a false impression based on incorrect information.

Hodnett was not overlooked for a second or third choice Leinster player. He was overlooked for Nick Timoney. That is irrefutable fact.

And Scott Penny, no?

Former Former Former

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120841860#Comment_120841860

No.