URC Final 8 - Ulster vs. Munster - Friday, 3rd June @ 7.35pm - Premier Sports 2, TG4, URC TV

Brewster · 03-06-2022 8:25pm

Ah this Munster team were never winning in Belfast twice in a row. Yes, one or two marginal calls, but Ulster by far the better team.

03-06-2022 8:25pm

Another positive is we can drop Van Graan and Larkham off in Dublin Airport on the way home.

CptMonkey · 03-06-2022 8:27pm

Well done ulster. We are up to nothing. Hopefully we can do better next year

aloooof · 03-06-2022 8:28pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119155672#Comment_119155672

Prendergast with a huge job on his hands. Would like to see the likes of Casey, Hodnett and Ahern in the starter jerseys for next season.

The biggest issue we have tho is that we have huge issues at tighthead and 10, probably the 2 most important positions on the pitch.

Well done tho, Ulster. Would love to see ye go on and win it out.

awec · 03-06-2022 8:28pm

When Henderson turns up he is unplayable. Incredible.

dh1985 · 03-06-2022 8:31pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119155645#Comment_119155645

Think DDA was drifting away from farrell. He should have been coming back against the grain. Left farrell with only one option and that was to carry it but chose the wrong option passing it. A prime example of the limitations in the munster back play. Not sure if larkham is the problem or the players limitations but they look clueless

Clegg · 03-06-2022 8:33pm

Watching the Premier Sport coverage.

David Wallace is an unreasonably handsome man.

sprucemoose · 03-06-2022 8:34pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119155688#Comment_119155688

from an ireland point of view anyway thats way too seldom though unfortuantely. shame though, hes spoken of very highly by other players

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119155686#Comment_119155686

ahern has done well but i like kleyn and beirne as the second row partnership, nice balance of brain and brawn

Joma4good · 03-06-2022 8:35pm

I hope Carbery is given the summer off, his confidence looks shot to me, a poor showing in NZ would be the final nail, outhalf for Ireland gets worse by the week.

Dave_The_Sheep · 03-06-2022 8:38pm

Easy-mode post match interview on Premier there with van Graan.

ClanofLams · 03-06-2022 8:39pm

Nucifora giving Van Graan a two year extension at the start of this season would make you question his judgment or else he sees the provinces as a rather secondary concern.

sprucemoose · 03-06-2022 8:39pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119155726#Comment_119155726

i think he should play the full 80 mins of the three tests

at 15, where he belongs

Clegg · 03-06-2022 8:42pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119155752#Comment_119155752

At this stage Joey has missed the boat at 15. Keenan has that jersey nailed down and Lowry is well ahead as the back up.

kuang1 · 03-06-2022 8:43pm

For all of my lamenting about munster, important to say:

Well done Ulster. Ye won that v comfortably and deservedly so.

Great to win with a few "work-ons". Hope ye win it out now.

Poorside · 03-06-2022 8:44pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119155763#Comment_119155763

Haley has had a brilliant season and could sneak in.

sprucemoose · 03-06-2022 8:46pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119155763#Comment_119155763

era i meant that as a bit of a joke tbh. i dunno has lowry necessarily done enough yet to be considered nailed on as second choice - it probably should be haley but he doesnt seem to be anywhere near the squad despite being one of munsters best players for the last few seasons

kuang1 · 03-06-2022 8:46pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119155763#Comment_119155763

Yeah imo no place for Joey in any green Jersey whatsoever now.

I'd say same for Murray.

aloooof · 03-06-2022 8:49pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119155774#Comment_119155774

I think there's a chance he might travel to NZ, but I doubt he'll make the RWC squad but for injury. He's been one of our best players for 2 seasons now, but it'd be pretty atypical to bring a dedicated 15 as a back-up. It'd probably make more sense to bring someone who can cover wing and FB, given the tight number that can be named.

Neil3030 · 03-06-2022 8:50pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119155675#Comment_119155675

Prendergast is one of the best coaches in Europe. Leamy is highly rated for his work at Leinster. Two huge additions to the setup.

Rowntree is a boots-n-all rugby man that the players will believe in and rally behind.

Kendellen, Ahern, Coombes, both Wycherlys will also just naturally improve with experience/age.

RG will be fit.

Casey, Carberry, Haley, Fekitoa, Crowley, Zebo - there's ballers in this team if they can be coached right.

Onwards and upwards.

aloooof · 03-06-2022 8:53pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119155718#Comment_119155718

Ya, I'd have little issue with Beirne and Kleyn as well. There could be a case for Beirne at 6 too tho, with a longer-term view post POM (who to be fair has been outstanding this season).

In all likelihood tho, it could well just come down to whoever isn't injured... Fingers crossed for Snyman too, in that regard.

Mrcaramelchoc · 03-06-2022 8:55pm

Woeful stuff. Murray shouldn't be playing for shannon not to mind Munster. Carberry as well. Awful game from both of them.

sprucemoose · 03-06-2022 8:56pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119155801#Comment_119155801

before cj retired i had thought the best way forward was to move beirne to 6 and POM to 7, now though with players like hodnett and kendellan showing their ability i thin keeping beirne in the second row is probably the best

having said that obviously POM is coming to the end so it might be revisited then

Poorside · 03-06-2022 8:57pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119155791#Comment_119155791

Not sure Fineen is up to it for a team that wants to win silverware, he played a lot this season and never imposed himself, time to give the jersey to Ahern.

Casey has to be our starting 9 from the start of next season.

aloooof · 03-06-2022 8:58pm

I wonder is there a chance Ulster instigated the schmozzle on purpose for the 1st try, knowing the likes of Kendellen have a bit of history of getting involved, to generate the try-scoring opportunity?

Brewster · 03-06-2022 8:59pm

Irish management there tonight will have plenty to think about. The idea of a Conway being in Irish squad ahead of Rob B must surely now be finished. We must look to the future and get this guy involved, yes he will make a mistake or two along the way, but what a talent.

aloooof · 03-06-2022 9:01pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119155815#Comment_119155815

That definitely looked like a really good option last season alright. I think if Hodnett can get a run without injury, he has all the tools to nail down the 7 jersey tho. He's been so unlucky in that regard.

jacothelad · 03-06-2022 9:23pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119155829#Comment_119155829

I've heard some desperate attempts to change the narrative on how things happened but this is just loonytoon territory.

aloooof · 03-06-2022 9:27pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119155914#Comment_119155914

Eh, why exactly? Credit to Ulster if they did. I don’t see it as much different than Wales and Dan Biggar deliberately looking uninterested to catch England out with the cross field kick that time, for example. And we’ve seen Kendellen get involved in that kind of thing a lot of late

Is the “loony toon territory” stuff really necessary??

Burkie1203 · 03-06-2022 9:29pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119155925#Comment_119155925

Munster players sprinting out of the defensive line to get involved in some shirt grabbing.

But yeah it was the big bad ulster meanies provoking them.

https://twitter.com/ek_rugby/status/1532796832287440896?t=x5s_XW-TOaTnqlRnAaIt8Q&s=19

StevenToast · 03-06-2022 9:29pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119155814#Comment_119155814

Murray is a Garryowen man....

aloooof · 03-06-2022 9:33pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119155931#Comment_119155931

This is exactly my point. We’ve seen it happen a good bit recently. Ulster may have been aware they could get Munster guys involved, leaving a huge overlap.

I’m crediting Ulster for it, ffs. Munster didn’t need to get involved. But you’re accusing me of say things like “big bad Ulster meanies”?!

This place has been a sh*t tip lately…

awec · 03-06-2022 9:36pm

Ulster knew that a few Munster lads find the opportunity to show an angry face and grab a jersey irresistible.

TRC10 · 03-06-2022 9:39pm

To the majority of Munster fans, commiserations. That will be a tough one to take for sure. We've been there with M.O'C. I genuinely don't take any enjoyment in seeing Munster in this state. I want all the provinces to be as strong as possible. But with JVG now gone and a new coaching ticket coming in there's reason to be optimistic about next season. JVG shouldn't have gotten as long as he did, but what's done is done. There's a serious crop of young talent there, along with a good core of experienced pros. With good coaching and intelligent recruitment (TH prop) I think the future can be bright. Onwards an upwards.

To the few Munster fans who took pleasure in gloating over Leinster's loss in the final last week...I hope you enjoyed that.

Burkie1203 · 03-06-2022 9:40pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119155945#Comment_119155945

But that's on Kendellan so, not being able to focus on playing instead of trying to be the hard man all the time.

Like why are munster players sprinting out of the defensive line for? It's not like there is going to be punches thrown. It was the quickest a few of them moved all evening too which tells its own story. One of the worst tries conceded that I can recall.

Shehal · 03-06-2022 9:41pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119155963#Comment_119155963

Not tough in the end, thank god the season is over. Now we can hopefully look forward to atleast the chance of a brighter future.

aloooof · 03-06-2022 9:49pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119155968#Comment_119155968

It absolutely is on Kendellen for doing that AND Ulster can have been aware of his propensity to do that. Both of those things can be true.

Do you think Munster, more than most teams, get involved in that kind of silly scrap?

You’ve literally said Kendellen tries to act the “hard man all the time”. You’re kinda making my point for me.

sprucemoose · 03-06-2022 9:54pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119155932#Comment_119155932

he definitely shouldnt be playing for shannon so

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119155963#Comment_119155963

i hope most munster fans were happy about two of our best players of the professional era winning rather than taking glee at leinster losing( now, i know there were many idiots who just wanted to see leinster lose too). personally i was caught between both teams, i really wanted to see ROG and DR getting silverware but on the other hnd, that was basically the ireland team (rightly or wrongly) give or take a player or two, so i wanted to see them win overall tbh

off-topic, the overreaction to leinsters loss has been crazy over the last week, a better ref would have binned more LR players and leinster would have been much further ahead come the 60th minute

Burkie1203 · 03-06-2022 9:55pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119155998#Comment_119155998

Yes i do. Think that much is fairly obvious. And it's poor leadership within the group that allows that to become such a problem that players abandon the defensive line because they are more eager to get involved in this stuff as opposed to doing their jobs properly.

Player/s sprinting past an opponent with ball looking to take a quick tap to get involved in Jersey pulling is really an awful indictment of where they are at currently.

aloooof · 03-06-2022 10:08pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119156011#Comment_119156011

So if Munster do run out of the defensive line more than most… wouldn’t that be a good opportunity for Ulster to use that to their advantage?

That’s literally all I was asking. I even included “is there a chance” in my suggestion, asking the question.

And instead of actually discussing the point, like above, I got back “big bad Ulster meanies” BS.

Ardillaun · 03-06-2022 10:56pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119155602#Comment_119155602

I was impressed by Jenkins. He showed some interest in the proceedings.

Poorside · 03-06-2022 11:07pm

Cloete has always played like that, sometimes it went over the line but I'd much prefer a player like that than 1 that stepped back, luckily we have Hodnett and Kendellan to step into his spot.

Ardillaun · 03-06-2022 11:10pm

How many mentions did Conway get today? I don’t remember one.

04-06-2022 4:34am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119156228#Comment_119156228

He went off pretty early, in the first half I think.

Burkie1203 · 04-06-2022 7:57am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119156058#Comment_119156058

The constant desire for getting involved in pointless niggle costs you a 7 pointer in a knock out game which you then go on to get absolutely hammered in with an absolutely inept performance tells me there is something wrong with the culture in the camp and that's on Munster for being in that position. I don't know if Ulster had it in mind, but it shouldn't be something teams can target. Where is the discipline.

When two players who regularly captain the team are usually front and centre of it, O'Mahony and O'Donoghue, you would wonder if it is actively encouraged in the camp.

If Kendellan does have a tendency to get involved in handbags were it is a problem, surely the experienced 'leaders' in the camp would have a word to stamp it out, unless of course they see it as some sort of badge of honour. At least 2 Munster players sprinting past Cooney to get involved in a bit of pushing and shoving, will that get called out on Monday morning by the leadership group?

JVG was giving plenty of soundbites in April about "the brave and the faithful, time to stand up and fight" and all the other usual nonsense about values etc. He is there 5 years and the basic skills are awful. A bit more time improving skills and a bit less time pandering to the masses with BS soundbites might have been a better option.

aloooof · 04-06-2022 9:14am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119156637#Comment_119156637

But the bigger an issue it is for Munster (and you're painting it as a pretty big issue), the more likely it is something that Ulster can target. Like I said, both of those things can be true.

That's all I asked.

Paul Smeenus · 04-06-2022 9:35am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119155525#Comment_119155525

We were singing "he knocked it on" to the tune of La Marseillaise. Given how often that happened last night, it got a bit of a protracted airing.

theVersatile · 04-06-2022 10:09am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119155829#Comment_119155829

While I don't think this is the case (reckon Cooney and Hume just took advantage of the situation with some quick thinking - and if I recall correctly, the schmozzle looked like it started from a fairly innocuous collision rather than an Ulster man purposefully starting something), the amount of people missing your actual point on this is baffling.