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

Shehal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121881678#Comment_121881678

How exactly? in 2022 SA played 3 games versus Wales, 6 RC games, 4 autumn games which is 13 games. Ireland played 6 6N games, 3 games versus NZL, 3 autumn games which is 12. How does the structure favour them exactly, it's the same number of games with a similar break down of opposition?

The playing field is always level, this is the usual GAA head narrative thrown around which isn't proven with any evidence.

Shehal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121881687#Comment_121881687

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121881718#Comment_121881718

Ironically Ireland have only lost twice in 22 matches and both those loses Ryan wasnt starting and were against opposition who obliterated us at the breakdown...make of that what you will, but when Ryan played against SA, England, NZL this never happened.

pickarooney

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121882231#Comment_121882231

All of those facts are correct but if you put them in the right order it reads a bit differently.

he realised he was never going to be an All Black

he wanted to return to Ireland

he can no longer play for NZ or England (at least until he's 33) now that he's capped for Ireland

phog

Is the MRSC ticket link down for everyone

Red Silurian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121882707#Comment_121882707

For the NZ game I assume?

Checking now as I type this, the additional tickets link from the email is working and the MRSC account is also working

There seems to be a higher service charge if you want to keep your allocated season ticket seat through the MRSC account

phog

Thanks

I got in using my phone, was getting a TM error on the laptop

Red Silurian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121882822#Comment_121882822

Is your laptop somehow connected to your work? I find some companies' IT systems block Ticketmaster

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121882869#Comment_121882869

It is my private laptop and yes, my work one has TM blocked

Jump_In_Jack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121882594#Comment_121882594

Just to say I don't think Andy Farrell capped Oli Jager to capture him, I think it was clear from comments Andy Farrell made that he was impressed by him in training and wanted to see him in a match, as well as it coinciding with Bealham needing time off I believe for paternity leave. O'Toole got a run against Italy so no harm to give Jager a run against Wales to keep everyone involved. It was good squad rotation in my opinion.

Munster was a perfect fit for him coming back to Ireland for a few reasons. There was a starting spot up for grabs there (Archer/Ryan getting older, Knox not good enough and Salanoa constantly injured, there was no tighthead in year 3 of the academy, only one tighthead in Year 2 and one in Year 1 at the time so there wasn't going to be a lot of competition coming through anytime soon), whereas Bealham/Aungier/Illo at Connacht, O'Toole/Moore at Ulster, Furlong/Ala'alatoa/Clarkson at Leinster. And Munster appeared to be going well with the URC win.

Anyway, we're delighted to have him, coming into his prime years, and if the IRFU helped secure him then that's appreciated.

phog

We're waiting to see what happens this week, almost sounds like they're asleep at the wheel.

https://twitter.com/Murray_Kinsella/status/1767535754962489818?t=RIZ5H7YYp9CnwXwA1XVoxg&s=19

leakyboots

A position of real strenght... where Henshaw is perma-crocked for years now, Aki is pushing on (34 next month) and strong rumours around McCloskey leaving these shores. Not sure we're in the position of thinking we can let a player who was one of the best of the the URC winners team last year leave ... but them's the breaks I guess.

The whole conversation around Frisch missing tackles is hilarious on here when you consider the stats I posted around Ringrose a while back and the amount he misses at international level. He was out batting his cause for it as far back as 2018 in the media as he missed a few against Northampton. Munster got 2 or 3 linebreaks down his channel a few months ago. I'm not saying Frisch should be our starter, but he's worth a look. The French seem to rate him and he covers 12 too. Him missing a couple of tackles in the league (which was very out of the norm to be honest) can't be a stick to beat him with if you're not going to include Ringrose's errors in the conversation.

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121883604#Comment_121883604

Fwiw, I don't see Frisch's defending as a weakness to his game; he's tasked with an awful lot of scrambling given how we defend. It can look ragged, but is very often still behind the gainline. And his offloading ability is very good. I'd go as far as saying he's a better off-loader than Ringrose tbh.

Shehal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121883604#Comment_121883604

We are in a position of strength, we have 4 inter changeable centres. Yes age and things like that come into it but it's kind of irrelevant because all that matters in regards to depth is the here and now. Someone like Aki may move on next season but by then Osborne may be ready to come in and then the depth would remain just as strong.

pickarooney

Cathal Forde should hopefully be ready to step up soon and if Postlethwaite gets any kind of run he might be one to watch.

phog

A lot of eggs in the "hopefully" and "may be ready" baskets

50HX

Ringrose is given leeway by management with regards to missed tackles imo

It suits the line speed style of play AF wants & the cover wingers provide then

Position of strength in centre my arse, wasnt that long ago Aki had no form & we were banking on Henshaw staying fit.

Henshaw staying fit in 2years time?? Who knows & Aki @ 36 yrs where are we left then?

Oh I forgot sure we have Osbourne who is not 1st choice at club along with Frawley...how are these guys viewed to step into international shirts if they are not 1st choice at club level

I really don't agree with club utility players getting jettisoned into ire squads based on the club they play for doing well when they are not starters at club level

Pick the players for camp that are playing week in week out.there is a reason the likes of Osbourne is no 1st choice at club as an eg.

Simon E comments re Frisch is a bit 2 lingered imo, akin to we hadn't forgotten you but now that another country may cap you let's talk now

Akrasia

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121881065#Comment_121881065

Kleyn was incredibly good for Munster last season. He basically carried the team for large parts of last season leading up to the URC win.

McCarthy has been decent if not exactly game changing for Leinster and had one good performance for Ireland against France

leakyboots

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121883807#Comment_121883807

Yeah, I really like the look of Forde. I just think Frisch should be in the conversation with them also.

Mr Tickle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121883834#Comment_121883834

It seems like a pretty reasonable place to keep eggs at the moment though.

We have 4 very good centres. All are good enough that we have at least 2 fit and in form at any given time. I don't know that any other country has that level of depth at the moment.

There's a difference between "depth/strength" and "succession planning" I guess that's causing the disagreement here. We have great depth right now. The future is slightly less certain, but then there are enough prospects there that we should be fine. Presumably Bundee will shuffle out of the squad before the next world cup. McCloskey will either do the same, or hit some phenomenal form and take Bundee's spot. In that case, great!

It would have been a very strange call to exclude any of the current guys in favour of Frisch. The best he could have hoped for might have been a call up for a few weeks when Ringrose was injured.

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121884181#Comment_121884181

We have great depth right now. The future is slightly less certain

and yet our management team have admitted that they are waiting to see what happens this week. Frisch could have been in the current 6Ns training squad since the squad met and released back to the province for the URC games and they would have the upper hand not it looks like France have the upper hand here while Ireland wait and see.

Mr Tickle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121884225#Comment_121884225

Well they were never going to say "yeah we don't like him anyway". He's on the list of guys who may or may not have come in over the next 3-4 years, but he's not the only prospect.

We developed some extra depth in nearly every other position this 6N. I don't think it was a mistake to leave the centres alone. It's mostly unfortunate that France are such a **** show at the moment that they're chopping and changing this much.

sprucemoose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121882539#Comment_121882539

prendergast? why would the backs coach have anything to do with picking the second rows?

anyway, your point about him forgets the fact that he was on the bench because he had just recovered from yet another injury, if he had been fit for any decent amount of time then he definitely starts, instead of kleyn most likely

Shehal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121884261#Comment_121884261

Sorry got mixed up, I meant Rowntree, point still stands.

It doesnt matter, if he was world class as some say he would be straight back in fit and if he wasn't fully ready like you claim he would have been left out of the 23 completely, instead he was left out in favour of Beirne & Kleyn. He was fit because he was named on the bench, if he wasn't fit he would have been left out completely.

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121884253#Comment_121884253

You know, when Scotland went sniffing around Healy we were told by the experts here, he wouldn't get capped, too many in front of him, yet he has played in the RWC and the 6Ns, then when SA came sniffing for Kleyn it was SA are a jokeshop, they're playing games. But again, Kleyn gets capped (and gets a champions RWC Medal) despite numerous posters here claiming he wouldn't play for SA and now we have almost the same scenario around Frisch.

I suppose, like a broken clock they'll be right at some stage.

sprucemoose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121884421#Comment_121884421

disagree, seeing as he is so good (world class might be debatable) it made sense to put him on the bench to get 20/25 mins out of him in the last game of the season

if he were an average player he wouldnt be in the squad at all imo

phog

A poster on MFs are saying that as Haley is due to become English Qualified again that English clubs are trying to entice him over.

Imho, he's the second best FB in Ireland, I understand that he won't make the 23 if Hugo starts, because he's essentially a one position player but it's a huge fcuk up by the IRFU if he's lost to England.

Cookiemunster

Haley turns 30 at the end of the season and has another year left on his contract. He's not getting picked by England in his 30s.

ingo1984

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121882578#Comment_121882578

It's lopsided because we play November internationals at home every year. Players will be in camp in rugby championship from July to end of September they then have a couple weeks break, then travel across the world to play four or five games against fresh and well rested opposition. How many games of the 22 would we have won if three of four weeks after the conclusion of the 6 nations, we went on a four match tour of australia, Argentina, NZ and SA? Not many. Also the 6 nations the past two years has been the weakest in that history of the 6 nations in terms of quality and depth. In fact the two championships Andy Farrell will have won are arguably the weakest championships won of any Irish coach. In saying that, you can only beat what's Infront of you but a bit of perspective is needed.

We beat south Africa in the November before the last two world cups, yet they became champions we didn't. The world cup is a level playing field because every team arrives there equally fit and rested and that's when the men gets sorted from the boys.

We can dress it all we want, 20 games out of 22 etc but as I have alluded to, these victories come with caveats. When it really mattered and on a level playing field we were found wanting. Simple as that.

ingo1984

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121882592#Comment_121882592

I don't like Ryan going near any breakdown as his clear out technique can be grossly wreckless and dangerous at times. Hard to compare him with snyman as both are totally different second rows. You could ask 100 coaches who would they rather in their team, 50 would say snyman and 50 would say Ryan. I'd personally like they two of them as they'd complement each other very well. Ryan get stuck in with with grunt and have RG carrying in the wider channels.

snotboogie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121884751#Comment_121884751

That’s very harsh, France were excellent last year, it was a pretty run of the mill 6 nations quality wise. This year has been unusually weak. People forget that France were an absolute shambles throughout the Schmidt era, which made things much easier for his teams.