Monday Night Rugby: Munster vs Cardiff Blues, Monday 26th October 8:15pm

leakyboots

Madcap game, first phase defence obvious a worry but not something you'd associate with the team so think that can be fixed. Big plus is the attacking intent, we've been waiting for that. The offloading out of the tackle and looking to keep the ball alive was great and the variety in attacking play. We still went up the jumper near the line but then if you're getting over the line you can't really complain.

Coombes really put his hand up, Casey and Healy progressing nicely. JOD is looking sharp as a tack, what an athlete. James Cronin was superb too, great to see him back to his best.

Thought Haley was poor, he looked the business for a while last year but seems to have stagnated a bit.

Loose tries will keep the mind focused but that was a positive performance, hope it keeps going that way.

leakyboots

13 more matches of Monday night rugby apparently, good to see

Akrasia

So far this season Munster have beaten 3 strong teams at home and away with a lot of variation in style. The error count today was really low, lots of phases, everyone got involved in multi phase play. We’re on the right track I feel, and still had the power to drive through mauls or push through the fringes with forwards power play

The young players are just so promising, so much home grown talent, we need to use the league to develop a varied play style to build up trust and cohesion so that we can produce a complete performance in the EPCR (however the new format ends up working)

yerrahbah

Did our best to keep Cardiff in that games.

Thought JJ did well off the bench

Hopefully Goggin injury not too bad

razorblunt

Lots of chat about the backrow but Wycherley and Cronin were fantastic too.

Can’t believe Casey is still a blow in, he’s incredibly busy all game.

Cookiemunster

Akrasia wrote: »

The error count today was really low,

We missed 18 out of 94 tackles. That's not acceptable and kept them in the game. That game should have been won by a lot more than 11 points.

Boscoirl

my only worry is that we played like this last year when the internationals were in Japan

phog

Enjoyable game, some nice tries and Cardiff had good finishers but we had some very soft defence. Interesting to hear Mulvihill say they had to work hard for their tries while Munster's were from a meter or two out, was he watching the game or the just the highlights.
Cronin had a super game, won at least 3 penalties at the ruck, he was my MotM


Alright being a fan of Monday night rugby if you're watching it on TV but I hope they drop the idea once fans are allowed back into the grounds.

thomond2006

I don't think Monday Night Rugby will continue when fans return but it's an interesting experiment.

salmocab

thomond2006 wrote: »

I don't think Monday Night Rugby will continue when fans return but it's an interesting experiment.

I was going to ask this, what do people make of it? I think I’d be happy enough to go along on a Monday night to the RDS but it’s close enough to me that if I drove I could still easily enough be in bed shortly after 10:30 if I wanted for an 8 o clock ko but most people going won’t have it that easy.

phog

thomond2006 wrote: »

I don't think Monday Night Rugby will continue when fans return but it's an interesting experiment.

You're probably right but I'd be afraid of TV getting comfy with the idea.

shootermacg

phog wrote: »

Cronin had a super game, won at least 3 penalties at the ruck, he was my MotM

He was the best player on the pitch. The new breakdown interpretations are really suiting his style of play.

Cookiemunster

salmocab wrote: »

I was going to ask this, what do people make of it? I think I’d be happy enough to go along on a Monday night to the RDS but it’s close enough to me that if I drove I could still easily enough be in bed shortly after 10:30 if I wanted for an 8 o clock ko but most people going won’t have it that easy.

Yeah, handy enough if your a Leinster fan living in Dublin, but Munster is a bit different. If there were fans there last night then nobody from Cork would have been home before midnight. Even locals bringing kids to a game that ends after 10pm on a school night (I know this was during midterm, but others won't be) would be an issue.

The 8:15 KO time is ridiculously late, and if Monday night rugby was continued when fans return then that would have to change.

salmocab

Cookiemunster wrote: »

Yeah, handy enough if your a Leinster fan living in Dublin, but Munster is a bit different. If there were fans there last night then nobody from Cork would have been home before midnight. Even locals bringing kids to a game that ends after 10pm on a school night (I know this was during midterm, but others won't be) would be an issue.

The 8:15 KO time is ridiculously late, and if Monday night rugby was continued when fans return then that would have to change.

Oh yeah that was kinda my point it wouldn't be a major hassle for me although anyone that has to go from work so doesn't have the car even in Dublin might find it a pain. I'd much prefer not monday night but would probably in general go along. Very hard to bring kids along regardless.
The flip side for some might be Saturday or Sundsy afternoon can sometimes be a pain with family and justifying yet another trip to a game whilst the other half has to mind the kids. I wonder is there many in that group.

aloooof

Boscoirl wrote: »

my only worry is that we played like this last year when the internationals were in Japan

I see your point, but I think some of the attacking last night was maybe a step up from what we saw during that period last season? Lots of personnel changes in there too.

Hooker is going to be an interesting one. Kevin O'Byrne with some lovely handling as per usual from him, and Marshall as well with a pull back in the lead up to the Hanrahan try. They seem much more suited than Scannell to that type of gameplan.

Some of the handling in the forwards in general was great tho. The likes of Coombes, Hodnett, Wycherly, O'Byrne and JOD all had really good contributions.

Thought Calvin Nash also had a pretty tidy game. One really excellent cover tackle, and a pop pass from the deck some of the more eye-catching stuff.

bilston

thomond2006 wrote: »

I don't think Monday Night Rugby will continue when fans return but it's an interesting experiment.

Its great at the minute when fans aren't a consideration, but you're probably right

Kirk Van Houten

phog wrote: »

Enjoyable game, some nice tries and Cardiff had good finishers but we had some very soft defence. Interesting to hear Mulvihill say they had to work hard for their tries while Munster's were from a meter or two out, was he watching the game or the just the highlights.
Cronin had a super game, won at least 3 penalties at the ruck, he was my MotM


Alright being a fan of Monday night rugby if you're watching it on TV but I hope they drop the idea once fans are allowed back into the grounds.

Monday night rugby may continue post Covid but it depends on the ratings.
It would be up against Premiership Footballs high profile Monday night game
and I think the clubs would be looking for a increase in TV money to offset lack of gate receipts.

Yeah_Right

Very enjoyable game to watch. Some great tries and running rugby. Very impressed with Munsters loose trio. High work rate, good hands and I like the way they accelerate into contact. The halves were very good as well. All young lads so the future looks bright for Munster.