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

phog

Weakened team but still a strong team - 4&5 could do serious damage to us as could 12&13

We need a win and deny them a LBP and hopefully pick up a LBP next week while denying the TBP win.

Real pity Saracens have gone with such a weak team, they really are not taking the competition very seriously. Munster will beat that team handily.

randomrb

Where are people getting the idea that this is a weak saracens team??? does anyone watch premiership rugby. they are missing some frontliners but they have quality internationals in the engine room;
Skelton, Itoje

Seasoned campaigners used to winning across the park;
Lozowski, Barrit, Lewington, Spencer, Barrington, Wray

Mixed with a few future internationals for good measure in;
Singleton, Isiekwe, Earl

I think Munster can win but if you think you are going to get an esay BP against that team you havent been paying attention to rugby in the last few years....

Eod100

thomond2006 wrote: »

15 Matt Gallagher
14 Rotimi Segun
13 Alex Lozowski
12 Brad Barritt ©
11 Alex Lewington
10 Manu Vunipola
9 Ben Spencer
1 Richard Barrington
2 Jack Singleton
3 Titi Lamositele
4 Will Skelton
5 Maro Itoje
6 Nick Isiekwe
7 Ben Earl
8 Jackson Wray

Replacements

16 Kapeli Pifeleti
17 Rhys Carre
18 Josh Ibuanokpe
19 Joel Kpoku
20 Sean Reffell
21 Tom Whiteley
22 Max Malins
23 Nick Tompkins

Munster by 8-10.

I'll take that, throw in a tbp and we're laughing! dunno will it be as easy as that but should get the win alright

aloooof

I think Itoje is a large part of the reason we've gone for so many lineout options. It misfired against Racing so need an improvement there.

randomrb

randomrb wrote: »

Where are people getting the idea that this is a weak saracens team???

Get out of it.

Eod100

sydthebeat wrote: »

munter still available at -2

i reckon that will drift a few points after the teams named if the above is true.

Got on this last night, nice one btw! Gone to -7 now

Dubinusa

Munster should win. I would be shocked if the didn't.
Sarries must be focused on the premiership. I doubt they will get a lbp.

kingofthekong

That saracens team is more than capable of beating Munster...if Munster are off the pace, home advantage should see them win it but all the posters writing that Sarries team off might be redfaced after the game

Munster havent been anywhere near impressive, scarping a bonus point against an abysmal Ospreys missing all their welsh players, and drawing at home to Racing...

sydthebeat

kingofthekong wrote: »

That saracens team is more than capable of beating Munster...if Munster are off the pace, home advantage should see them win it but all the posters writing that Sarries team off might be redfaced after the game

Munster havent been anywhere near impressive, scarping a bonus point against an abysmal Ospreys missing all their welsh players, and drawing at home to Racing...

Munsters european season lies in the balance of this game.

with that at stake, against that saracens line up, there would have to some might soul searching if they are beaten in Thomond.

Shefwedfan

kingofthekong wrote: »

That saracens team is more than capable of beating Munster...if Munster are off the pace, home advantage should see them win it but all the posters writing that Sarries team off might be redfaced after the game

Munster havent been anywhere near impressive, scarping a bonus point against an abysmal Ospreys missing all their welsh players, and drawing at home to Racing...

Munster would be planning for at least a semi final this year. A few Sarries fans on another forum think Munster will get the bonus point win.....


Now they could be telling porkies but thats what they said....

If Munster do get a TBP then Sarries will throw the kids in the following week as Europe will be over

Buer

There's a big difference between weak and weakened. That's 7 of the team that started last year's European final. It's weakened and lacking the big names but it's a very solid side. I'd be very surprised if Munster can get a 5-0 win there.

I can see a dogged Saracens performance smothering Munster who will get a little bit of breathing space in the final quarter due to the how weak the Saracens bench is. Saracens base their performances on defensive intensity and they're going to bring that tomorrow.

4-0 for Munster.

I expect Munster to win but in many ways there will be a lot of pressure as a result of those team sheets. This is still a strong Saracens side and capable of doing a number on a slightly under par Munster. The talk going into the game will be 'weakened Saracens' and so a home loss will be pounced on and become the narrative going into the second half of the season, but the reality is that it's a highly competitive Sarries team that would win a lot of this weekends fixtures.

The only caveat is that I really don't think Mark McCall wants to concern himself with knock out European rugby this season and as such the intensity levels may not be there. Will have to wait and see.

jr86

Shefwedfan wrote: »

If Munster do get a TBP then Sarries will throw the kids in the following week as Europe will be over

Why do people keep saying this. This isn't the old format with only 2 runners up going through

Even if Sarries lose 100-0 tomorrow, they can still finish on 20 points...

Pretty much as I expected from Sarries in terms of their line up - a mixture. Won't be easy at all for Munster. I'd expect Farrell, vunipola X2 et al. to line out in the Allianz next week where they'll be looking to go out and TBP Munster

FrannoFan

phog wrote: »

Weakened team but still a strong team - 4&5 could do serious damage to us as could 12&13

We need a win and deny them a LBP and hopefully pick up a LBP next week while denying the TBP win.

Are you joking!?
Chance to knock them out with a 5-0 match point spread. Has to be the goal.
If Munster want to win the Heineken cup they need to take this opportunity to knock out one of the big candidates

FrannoFan

randomrb wrote: »

Where are people getting the idea that this is a weak saracens team??? does anyone watch premiership rugby. they are missing some frontliners but they have quality internationals in the engine room;
Skelton, Itoje

Seasoned campaigners used to winning across the park;
Lozowski, Barrit, Lewington, Spencer, Barrington, Wray

Mixed with a few future internationals for good measure in;
Singleton, Isiekwe, Earl

I think Munster can win but if you think you are going to get an esay BP against that team you havent been paying attention to rugby in the last few years....

Not an easy bonus point but that has to be the aim. Chance to do one of the big contenders.

If Munster don't win the head to head after this team being named they leave a real competitor in the mix

Cookiemunster

FrannoFan wrote: »

Are you joking!?
Chance to knock them out with a 5-0 match point spread. Has to be the goal.
If Munster want to win the Heineken cup they need to take this opportunity to knock out one of the big candidates

How many times does it need to be repeated that Saracens losing tomorrow does not knock them out? They can still get to 20 points even if they leave Limerick with nothing. Even if Munster win the head to head 5-4 that would leave them on 9 and Munster on 12 going into round 5 where Munster travel to Paris and they travel to Swansea.

jr86

Cookiemunster wrote: »

How many times does it need to be repeated that Saracens losing tomorrow does not knock them out?

It's incredible isn't it

Anyone who thinks Sarries are actively throwing this competition is having a laugh. They're playing a very cute game, way too many are lapping up McCall's poor mouth interview

Play a mixture of a team in Munster, if they lose then so be it, the first choice side will be confident of getting the TBP next week, their 3rd team could TBP ospreys and then the first string will look to TBP a Racing in awful form. If they can pull off the win today, wonderful, they can even play a mixture side against Munster next week again or Racing in round 6.

Ospreys being in the group has been a godsend to them. They may well get away with playing the first string in one match and qualifying (or maybe even none)!

They know full well Leicester and Wasps are woeful this season and relegation isn't too realistic of a prospect though

sioda

Good few Sarries supporters wandering the milk market this morning few I've talked to don't know what's going on with the club

Also met a lad in a Leicester shirt who was wearing it to show he no longer supports Saracens

jr86

jr86 wrote: »

Anyone who thinks Sarries are actively throwing this competition is having a laugh. They're playing a very cute game

You think they're strategically throwing games?

Teams that want to win this tournament go out to not be beaten. They don't play 'cute', they play to win.

Sarries are not prioritising this tournament and that is abundantly clear. Munster should take absolutely every advantage.

whatawaster

Deleted User wrote: »

You think they're strategically throwing games?

Teams that want to win this tournament go out to not be beaten. They don't play 'cute', they play to win.

Sarries are not prioritising this tournament and that is abundantly clear. Munster should take absolutely every advantage.

they are doing the absolute bare minimum in order to get out of the group.

They know they can lose away to Racing and Munster and still get through. Munster now have to win away against one of their two rivals - a massive ask.

windy shepard henderson

whatawaster wrote: »

they are doing the absolute bare minimum in order to get out of the group.

They know they can lose away to Racing and Munster and still get through. Munster now have to win away against one of their two rivals - a massive ask.

Granted it is but still a great win, second half was hard on the eyes, kept thinking about donacha Ryan and his racing metro team mates turning around to him and say how do you keep playing like that

Apparently he got slaged by the racing lads while watching munster go though the phases in a televised game shortly after he joined, everything unpretty and up the jumper was on show tonight,

Seriously worry about the teams ability to break the gain line against these type of teams especially saracens, I think racing is a more win able game but a huge ask

Might have been mentioned already but McCall suggesting Saracens will be playing a full team next weekend. Really linking forward to that game, could be a cracker.

phog

Deleted User wrote: »

You think they're strategically throwing games?

Teams that want to win this tournament go out to not be beaten. They don't play 'cute', they play to win.

Sarries are not prioritising this tournament and that is abundantly clear. Munster should take absolutely every advantage.

They don't need to prioritise a pool game, if they qualify even as 8th seed then they'll take beating. It's knockout rugby for them and they certainly know how to win knock out games.

Eod100

Yeah think this pool will go down to the wire. Assume every team playing Ospreys will get 4/5 points. Munster away to Saracens and Saracens home to Racing will decide a lot. I'd love to think we can get a win away but with a full Saracens team will be a tough ask.

FrannoFan

Eod100 wrote: »

Yeah think this pool will go down to the wire. Assume every team playing Ospreys will get 4/5 points. Munster away to Saracens and Saracens home to Racing will decide a lot. I'd love to think we can get a win away but with a full Saracens team will be a tough ask.

Munster have put themselves in a really tricky spot. Let the two main rivals away from thomond with points which means they probably lose the head to head against either. Going to have to win on the road now which looks a big ask.

Eod100

FrannoFan wrote: »

Munster have put themselves in a really tricky spot. Let the two main rivals away from thomond with points which means they probably lose the head to head against either. Going to have to win on the road now which looks a big ask.

I think we were always going to need a win away anyways (besides Ospreys). 2 seasons before this we got through with 1 draw and 1 loss but think tbp and lbps will decide a lot this season. No reason why we can't get a win away to Saracens though so hopefully we give it our all

phog

A piece by a Munster fan in The Examiner

FrannoFan

Eod100 wrote: »

I think we were always going to need a win away anyways (besides Ospreys). 2 seasons before this we got through with 1 draw and 1 loss but think tbp and lbps will decide a lot this season. No reason why we can't get a win away to Saracens though so hopefully we give it our all

I thought 4 wins might have done it if won the head to heads. racing might have won in England. but even without that munster could have progressed with 4 wins and the bonus points going to the right places. i Guess the draw meant a win on the road was always essential

cadaliac

phog wrote: »

A piece by a Munster fan in The Examiner

Good read. Unfortunately, I agree with the last bit and find myself a bit of a pessimist .....