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

budhabob

I see from Munsters match report that Crowley to MOTM. He played well, but Murray was very much deserving of the award.

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122044490#Comment_122044490

I think the plucking in the air was by another Munster player, can't remember which one but possibly Murray. RGS was on the ground and to me, shouldn't have been allowed make the tackle

Neil3030

Just looking at how realistic 2nd place might be. Glasgow have Zebre twice and then the same SA tour fixtures as us. You'd have to imagine that's 10 guaranteed points, and whatever they get from the tour.

After Lions, we have Connacht (H), Edinburgh (A), Ulster (H).

All games we can win, but also, all games where you wouldn't be surprised if we lost.

Balance of probabilities, third is the ceiling.

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122044620#Comment_122044620

I think 2nd is absolutely plausible, but it would mean beating the Lions. Shouldn't be out of the realm of possibilities by any means but it's another tough enough ask.

Glasgow are most likely ending on a minimum of 63 points and I'd wager it will be 64 - Munster will need to win all their remaining games to beat that as even in the scenarios they can draw even with BP they will be on fewer wins.

Neil3030

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122044691#Comment_122044691

Unless Zebre pull off a miracle, Glasgow finish on 63, plus whatever they get in SA. Teams are usually good for at least 2 BPs down there in a two-game tour involving Lions. Bulls are no great shakes in defense either. So I'd expect 2 TBPs even if they lose each game.

That puts them 17 ahead on 65, with Munster's four games all posing potential for a banana skin. Three wins from four would be doing well.

phog

During the match yesterday, Jackman made a throwaway comment about Kleyn's injury ( he never clarified was it the eye or the knee) was worse than originally thought and that he has or is to travel to America to see a specialist.

Has anyone heard more on this?

Ekano

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122044748#Comment_122044748

I should probably remember this from prior years. If you come second do you get home advantage all the way to the final?

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122045235#Comment_122045235

As long as you keep winning, the top place has home advantage up to & including the final

2nd place has home advantage for QFs& SF

3rd&4th have home advantage for the QFs

Edit

The highest placed team has home advantage

Burkie1203

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122045168#Comment_122045168

Few rumours floating about elsewhere that the eye injury is significantly worse than feared

Jump_In_Jack

It’s interesting as we’re chasing down Leinster and Glasgow now, that our last 4 matches are against 4 teams that are presently tied on 39 points.

As only one of them is in a playoff place right now they should all be desperate to win.

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122045513#Comment_122045513

The bottom places of the top 8 is mad, Ulster won but Edinburgh & Connacht jumped them because they got BP wins, all three on 39 points now so it's down to tie breakers that's separating them. We play all three after our return from SA

Former Former Former

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122045314#Comment_122045314

He was out for a few weeks, which became a couple of months, which became a “sure we might as well do that knee surgery so”

I think there’s reason enough to be worried tbh

ulsteru20s

Didn't see any games this weekend but that is an extremely impressive result away at the bulls. I thought LBP at best.

I've honestly thought the narrative on munster has been weird for a while. It seems really simple to me. They are a good team that doesn't have enough depth (especially in front five) to sustain pretty biblical injury lists. When they get healthy enough they can beat anyone. Its not a very sayisfying analysis on a podcast or whatever, but its largely true. I do think a urc repeat without kleyn or edogbo is a bridge too far but who knows.

Akrasia

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122045513#Comment_122045513

We're desperate to win too, so bring it on.

Munster are chasing a potential home QF, SF and Final.

Former Former Former

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122046351#Comment_122046351

I guess it depends on what podcasts you're listening to, but on boards.ie, the "narrative" about Munster the last week (and last few years…) has been they're not producing enough players, which is entirely consistent with your observation that they don't have enough depth. I don’t think anyone disagrees that there are a lot of good players there, just not enough of them and not enough home-grown.

So yesterday we saw a fairly strong squad named, not full strength but pretty close, and it was a great result.

However - and noting you didn't see the game - the Bulls were 5 points ahead after 50 minutes, scored another try to go 10 up… except the try gets scratched off, their out-half was (100% correctly) red-carded and the Bulls fail to score again for the remaining 30 minutes. All you can do is beat what is in front of you and Munster did just that, but this was a huge turning point.

So I guess if the big question is whether Munster can indeed "beat anyone", I think we're no wiser than we were a week ago tbh. The best way to change any narrative is to consistently prove it wrong so we need to see more wins against big teams, we need to see another URC knockout run, and next season we need to see them go deeper in Europe.

phog

Interesting to hear Rowntree & Shane Daly both say we changed our game plan for Saturday, we didn't try to keep the ball in play as much as we usually do.

Initially, I thought it was because we needed breaks in play but Daly said it was because of the calibre of their back 3.

Neil3030

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122046351#Comment_122046351

I trust the narrative to which you refer is the one curated by an obsessed minority who struggle to be sporting in the face of their own team's near perennial underachievement.

The narrative I like to focus on is: "league champions".

ulsteru20s

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122046351#Comment_122046351

I think beating the bulls at their stadium is legitimately impressive always with no caveats. Especially when they rested and targeted this game over the champions cup.

I would agree if they can stay healthy as this (and especially keep in front five) then i'd expect a top 3 finish and a final at least. Depends on how they line up with leinster draw wise. A tight semi final loss to leinster would be understandable. They should really push hard for second but glasgow have a great schedule.

phog

Isn't this fantastic, Clarke's grandmother travelled down to SA to see him play.

https://twitter.com/rugbytravelirl/status/1781996840918868121?t=zwekJ8C48sF4sGW_d9NIaQ&s=19

Boscoirl

she’s a fantastic woman. Was caught up in the Dubai fiasco and immediately rebooked herself on a new flight using skyscanner

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122048353#Comment_122048353

Would you recommend the trip? Did you book through RTI? Iirc, it was about €3,500 seems mad money but as a mini tour I might look at it sometime.

Cookiemunster

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122047870#Comment_122047870

However - and noting you didn't see the game - the Bulls were 5 points ahead after 50 minutes, scored another try to go 10 up… except the try gets scratched off, their out-half was (100% correctly) red-carded

Except the try was never awarded to be scratched off. The ref straight away said he wanted to check the tackle. It was only 'scored' because Casey was taken out when Munster had possession at the ruck.

The red card may have been a turning point, but it was a 5 point game and Munster had a strong bench still to come on. And they were forced to play Murray, who was struggling badly towards the end of the game for 77 minutes.

shootermacg

Gavin Coombes is a real level raiser. That Murray try came from an immense turnover by Coombes, where he survived 3 cleanouts. The guy is beyond good. Scary lad, he makes the Saffas look small.

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122048451#Comment_122048451

And they were forced to play Murray, who was struggling badly towards the end of the game for 77 minutes.

Absolutely, the red card incident had two players removed from the field, Casey was there to increase the tempo along with our bench. His loss and Murray's injury (later in the game) impacted in how Munster wanted to finish that game, in that context a 5 point lead was not of great concern.

Former Former Former

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122048451#Comment_122048451

Except the try was never awarded to be scratched off. 

Fair enough, the ref did say his on-field decision was a try but you're correct.

But plenty of teams go a man up and don't close the game out, let alone come away with five points, so it was a great performance and a fantastic outcome - I never, ever suggested otherwise and I enjoyed the game immensely, as I always do when Munster win.

However, the point I was countering was the Munster fan saying that this was proof they can "beat anyone" (despite not having seen it) and anyone who suggests there might still actually be some issues is peddling a "narrative".

lawrencesummers

A result again this weekend will set us up nicely for the run in.

A week off next week will give a nice chance to recover from the SA trip before 3 very winable games against Connacht, Edinburgh (A) and Ulster. All 3 will be stern tests as those sides are in with good chances of a knockout place.

I think the permutations will be very interesting come the Ulster game and there will be a lot to play for.

pickarooney

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122048471#Comment_122048471

I think it's Coombes best shot at more international caps. Against big teams, bringing him on from the bench to make holes.

lawrencesummers

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122048784#Comment_122048784

Gavs best shot at more caps is to wear a blue jersey, same as Haley, frisch, Hodnett….

lawrencesummers

Hodnett is a better player than Will Conners, who the Leinster management think is a better player than VDF.

Hodnett simply has to be included on the summer tour.

CONSI

I can see a lot of Munster lads on this summers tour, along with a lot of fringe Leinster players, but does that help us in terms of players getting a break. We have had sluggish starts to a lot of seasons lately, would love to see a well rested squad going into next season.