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

snotboogie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121718999#Comment_121718999

Okeke was left standing togged out on the sideline for a good 5 minutes, they brought Nowak on but left him standing there then eventually brought him on after the clock was in the red for one play.

nerd69

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121720587#Comment_121720587

That was **** lousy tbh. I hope he picks up a spot somewhere next year and is class

Pete_Cavan

I assume Munster could just hire a big screen and have it installed in PUC for the next game. If it was a European knock out game, they'd have to do that.

ulsteru20s

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121720587#Comment_121720587

It really sucks because that was his chance to be in the shop window.

Novak looks plenty big enough to be a lock. Might be a path for him.

Eod100

Jerry Flannery confirmed to be taking up defence coach role with South Africa https://twitter.com/Springboks/status/1754837352932094013?t=3SjlLx8z9lcHnNi-6--1Wg&s=19

sleepyman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121720587#Comment_121720587

I know people who’ve seen him play at AIL say he didn’t stand out but to get that one game against Wasps seems a bit harsh.Bringing people on at 79/80 mins is pointless and unfair on the players.

El Vino

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121729198#Comment_121729198

lets see if he gets good time in the Quins game. It may well be that was the plan, it does look however that he is fading out of the picture at Munster which is a pity.

ulsteru20s

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121729198#Comment_121729198

Guys show it in training or not.

I will say though that there are a whole host of guys in irish rugby i'd like to see go somewhere and just play. Okeke looks like he needs live reps.

phog

Squad Update

There are no fresh injuries to report following Saturday’s win over Crusaders at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

Tom Ahern has completed the return to play protocols and returns to full team training this week.

RG Snyman also returns to full team training after recovering from a chest/shoulder injury sustained in the World Cup final.

Cian Hurley (ankle/achilles) is increasing his training load.

There is unfortunate news for Patrick Campbell as he will undergo surgery on a shoulder injury and is unavailable for the coming four to five months.

Continuing to rehab: Simon Zebo (knee), John Hodnett (finger), Paddy Patterson (knee), Jack O’Donoghue (knee), Dave Kilcoyne (shoulder), Diarmuid Barron (foot), Jean Kleyn (eye/knee), Liam Coombes (shoulder), Roman Salanoa (knee).

Jump_In_Jack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121730644#Comment_121730644

Could see an Ahern/Snyman second row partnership soon! That's great news. 😊

letowski

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121730727#Comment_121730727

That would be fun to see them on the field together. We should go all in on that crossfield kick tactic, Ahern on one wing, Synman on the other and just bombard teams.

phog

They would say that, wouldn't they but their CEO and the team account both seemed to be really up for the occasion, hopefully, it can be repeated again at some stage.

https://twitter.com/crusadersrugby/status/1754673361857515879?t=7f9OJczl05qRYAiWkREmTg&s=19

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121732344#Comment_121732344

Felt a bit unusual a marquee game like that not being played in November. The PuC experiment (other than the lack of a big screen) seems to have been a success.

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121732357#Comment_121732357

Financially a huge success and it's one of the best stadiums for a view of the pitch, no big screen was a huge mistake. I'm unsure about the corporate facilities but I'm told it's not as good as Thomond Park so they probably lose some corporate income.

It's a bitch to get to, we can get within a short walk of MP, TP, The Aviva, even Croke Park but I did over 11km on Saturday, some of that was us walking to the Marina to then walk to the stadium with the MRSC but access is an issue.

Playing the game during the 6Ns is an odd one but it's also a good slot to get the SH team touring.

Obviously, getting one during the AIs probably allows you get a touring national team rather than a club team which may add to the occasion.

As I said in an earlier reply to Neil3030, I think a last 16 game is a possibility as you'd have a few weeks to sell tickets and still not lose our on the St Stephen's Day game in Thomond.

I also wondered could you move the Munster v Leinster game to PuC to later in the season and try Munster v Ulster in Thomond on St Stephen's night

leakyboots

I really don't like it as a stadium to be honest. Too far from the pitch, no big screen, too much of a pain in the arse to get to. Would be happy to never set foot in it again, but I can see why it might be attractive from a financial point of view for these sorts of games.

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121732527#Comment_121732527

I really don't like it as a stadium to be honest. Too far from the pitch.

That happens a lot in non purpose built stadia, leaving that aside and the big screen because that should be easily fixed then the location is the only real issue I have with PuC.

I'd say there are seats in the Aviva that are further away from the pitch than in PuC but because there's less green area around the pitch the stadium looks more compact.

CONSI

I think the problem with moving any european game to PUC is the corporate piece and PUC is a terrible stadium to get to. I would genuinely prefer the Aviva if the options were Aviva or PUC. Why should we pay Cork GAA any rental. We have 2 stadiums of our own. There are always tickets available for games. IRFU would give favourable rates for Aviva if Munster wanted to take a game there so we would make as much going there for any last 16 if its just about the money.

Novelty games like this one or South Africa are fine for PUC, and good luck to Munster if they can keep getting those kinds of games or attract an Ireland A v New Zealand B or something down there.

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121732902#Comment_121732902

There are many reasons why Munster might want to host a game in PuC rather than the Avivia.

After the match on Saturday I received a survey from Munster Rugby about my spend while travelling to Cork and around the event. Why should that spend be spent in Dublin rather than within the province. Cork is much easier to get to than Dublin for a lot of Munster fans - the stadium location in Cork is an issue.

Jump_In_Jack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121732443#Comment_121732443

That makes a lot of sense. It shouldn't be too hard to come up with a shuttle service for anyone with difficulty walking to and from the stadium.

Regarding the big screen, I just looked up why there wasn't one, and I saw this message on the Munster website:

https://www.munsterrugby.ie/2024/02/02/pre-match-activities-travel-information-munster-v-crusaders/#:~:text=Big%20Screen

Big Screen

Please note that there is no big screen at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

The big screen we booked for the South Africa A game had to be positioned behind the terrace. We were unable to open out the screen to its full capacity due to the weather conditions and its positioning.

After taking on board feedback from supporters, we explored positioning a big screen closer to the spectators for this game. However, this would have led to a reduction in capacity and the decision was made not to have a big screen in place for this match.

Jump_In_Jack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121733110#Comment_121733110

Spot on. A home match should be that (unless financially there was a massive issue), Thomond Park or SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh (Virgin Media Musgrave Park capacity is too small for a big match). We should be getting as high a proportion of home fans to support the team as possible to help the team to win. Anywhere outside of Munster and there will be a greater proportion of casual fans or opposition fans to Munster fans. Travelling to Dublin is really an away match, and many wouldn't bother with the hassle of it. It's just as easy to get to Dublin from any Airport in the UK or France as it is from most of Munster. Having a stadium not fully sold out is an issue also, the atmosphere wouldn't be as good.

Mr Tickle

Plus Munster have never lost a game in Pairc Ui Caoimh.

CONSI

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121733179#Comment_121733179

I think the atmosphere at the Toulouse game a few years back in the Aviva was fantastic..Fans make the atmosphere..Does anyone know what Munster make out of the games in PUC, when rental to Cork GAA, policing, other costs etc is removed...PUC is 15k more people than thomond park..I doubt Munter made much more than 250k

Red Silurian

A big deal is being made on social media about selling 40,000 tickets to a friendly during the 6N window, surely a bigger problem is the smaller crowds at the bigger games though?

leakyboots

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121732785#Comment_121732785

I don't like the new Landsdowne either to be honest, any time I've been there the atmosphere has been atrocious.

But if I was picking between the two for a quarter-final it should stay in Cork, playing in Dublin is an away match as far as I'm concerned.

mun1

Nah, aviva every time for me. Our national stadium. Great facilities, easy access , and best of all money stays in the game to be invested in rugby.

always had a blast before and after matches there. Atmosphere is what you make it .

second only to thomond park for me .

who wants to go to a a GAA stadium in cork to watch a rugby match.

sprucemoose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121735869#Comment_121735869

id say the majority of fans based in cork would?

mun1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121735890#Comment_121735890

mad thought, i know ,but its not all about cork , there are 5 other counties .

Neil3030

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121735931#Comment_121735931

It's not all about Cork.

It's about goodwill in a county with half a million people. Some of whom might then decide to come to Thomond Park more often.

sprucemoose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121735931#Comment_121735931

but it is all about cork, sure if i had my way the team should just be renamed Cork and feck everyone else.......

who said it was all about Cork? by a quick look at google maps, its less travel time to get to PUC from 99% of the province when compared to the Aviva. not to mention the fact that having a big (competitive) game in PUC would be good for the game in Cork

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121735947#Comment_121735947

exactly. and theres something to be said for keeping such a game at 'home' rather than in the home of one of the other provinces

nerd69

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121735931#Comment_121735931

"Theres 5 other counties" so we should hold games in dublins gas logic to be fair good stuff