Leinster v Munster match thread

aloooof · 21-10-2022 12:19pm #1

Leinster: Ciarán Frawley, Jimmy O’Brien, Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw, Jamie Osborne, Johnny Sexton, Luke McGrath, Cian Healy, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong, Jason Jenkins, James Ryan, Max Deegan, Scott Penny, Caelan Doris

Replacements: John McKee, Andrew Porter, Michael Ala’alatoa, Ross Molony, Jack Conan, Nick McCarthy, Ross Byrne, Rob Russell

Munster: Jack Crowley; Shane Daly, Dan Goggin, Rory Scannell, Liam Coombes; Joey Carbery, Conor Murray; Jeremy Loughman, Diarmuid Barron, Keynan Knox; Jean Kleyn, Tom Ahern; Jack O’Donoghue (C), John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes.

Replacements: Scott Buckley, Dave Kilcoyne, James French, Jack O’Sullivan, Ruadhan Quinn, Paddy Patterson, Ben Healy, Patrick Campbell.

(Tables be damned).

Leinster just the 16 point favourites with the bookies for this one...

ulsteru20s · 21-10-2022 12:39pm

Munster might lose by 40 in this one. Thats a much stronger leinster team than i expected, and seemingly no one on the munster side who went for further evaluation pulled through.

Casey is the key for me. You can’t beat a better pack by plodding and murray is a plodder.

awec · 21-10-2022 1:05pm

If I were a cynic I'd think Munster were throwing this game with an eye on beating Ulster next week.

Jump_In_Jack · 21-10-2022 1:09pm

What: URC league match, Leinster V Munster

Where: Lansdowne Road in Dublin

When: Kicks off at 5.15pm (Irish Time) on Saturday 22nd Oct 2022

How to watch: TV: RTÉ, Premier Sports, SuperSport, Discovery +. On-line: RTÉ player, Premier Sports Player, and URC.tv.

Couldn't find any source for radio.

Serbian · 21-10-2022 1:10pm

I thought the whole "further evaluation" stuff was mind games from the Munster management, but turns out they were telling the truth, plus a couple more — based on the previous injury update, I expected Fekitoa and O'Mahony to be available but obviously they're not.

There's no way Munster are losing this by 40 despite the teams. Munster's team is good from 4 to 8, and Barron looks like he's ready for this level. It's nothing new that the props are a weakness. Murray hasn't suddenly become bad at rugby, he's still a quality 9 and offers a much better box kick than Casey, but speed at the ruck will obviously be the difference between the two. I think that's not going to work in Carbery's favour as he's going to get less time on the ball as Leinster will probably have more time to set up the defence after each phase.

The midfield, well that's where the issues are really for Munster. Scannell and Goggin is not a solid partnership there, and I think those issues will probably extend to the wingers not seeing a lot of the ball as I think Henshaw and Ringrose will be able to shut down a lot of moves early. Crowley looks class, I'd imagine Leinster will try to test him positionally as much as possible, but I don't think I'd have any concerns there, I'm sure he'll acquit himself well.

The biggest opportunity for Munster is at the breakdown — Leinster have conceded an outrageous amount of break down penalties this season, so I think Munster will have to look to win that battle and keep the scoreboard ticking over with three pointers. I can't see that team scoring many tries. Obviously losing O'Mahony and Beirne is a massive blow as they would have had a field day against this Leinster ruck.

I think Leinster will win, the penalty count against them will determine by how much.

awec · 21-10-2022 1:21pm

Bookies have it at 17 points.

I fancy Leinster will cover that with room to spare.

aloooof · 21-10-2022 1:32pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119774757#Comment_119774757

I expected Fekitoa and O'Mahony to be available but obviously they're not.

I didn't think Fekitoa was down as an injury doubt, was he? He's played every minute of every game for us (and Niall Scannell has started all 5) so I think it's a matter of them managing their game time.

Dubinusa · 21-10-2022 1:40pm

It's a derby! Anything can happen. Plus Healy won't last very long, he's a 20 minute player. Sheehan must be absolutely a beast. 70 minutes almost every week.

Ahern will cause mayhem for Leinster in the line out. I think this will be close. Munster will come out like possessed goats and bring the physicality.

aloooof · 21-10-2022 1:42pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119774883#Comment_119774883

Anything can happen.

I dunno about that... I'm among the most most optimistic Munster fans at the best of times, but I think a losing bonus point would be a really good result here. But I will say...

possessed goats

I hope this catches on.

21-10-2022 1:43pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119774883#Comment_119774883

Reassuring to hear that they won't leave the physicality in the changing room - thanks for that insight!

Now tell me something else interesting: who the eff is reffing it? Thanks.

21-10-2022 1:45pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119774901#Comment_119774901

Andrew Brace I thought i read earlier this week?

stephen_n · 21-10-2022 1:45pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119774901#Comment_119774901

Andrew Brace.

Do you have to be an absolute dick in every comment you post?

ulsteru20s · 21-10-2022 1:52pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119774757#Comment_119774757

I disagree strongly on murray. Every time hes played munster have looked significantly worse to me. But, we dont have too long to wait.

21-10-2022 1:53pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119774909#Comment_119774909

Thanks.
Only when dealing with purveyors of the bleeding obvious. In such cases, my intolerance is legendary. I'm eagerly awaiting the ritualitic pride and pashun mantra.

Dubinusa · 21-10-2022 1:59pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119774901#Comment_119774901

It's not Murphy lol

aloooof · 21-10-2022 2:01pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119774974#Comment_119774974

Happy to be mock a poster for providing no insight. Check.
Also provide no insight of your own. Check.

Good to know all is right with the world on Leinster vs Munster match-threads...

Lsdrugbyfan · 21-10-2022 2:02pm

great opportunity for leinster to introduce another generation of munster players to playing in dublin.

Dubinusa · 21-10-2022 2:07pm

The pashun is strong, Ologist! The force is with them all. But, Brace is the adjudicator of all things 🏉 this week at the Aviva. Mantra's are blessed. If we don't have them, what do we have?

Of course the physicality will be out there! Connacht brought it in spades last week! They gave Leinster everything they could handle . Munster will be flying into tackles and rucks like a herd of wilderbeasts. The line out alone, will be must watch TV. My grippers will be puckering on every Leinster throw in. It's not just the passhun and physicality, it's just not VanGranns version of ineptitude and cluelessness. Buyers beware of a red storm rising! 😳

pickarooney · 21-10-2022 2:36pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119774732#Comment_119774732

And Ulster have gone one further by faking gastroenteritis to save a physical beating in Durban

Clegg · 21-10-2022 2:38pm

Reasonably confident that Leinster will win this with a bonus points. The front row, half backs and centres are significantly better than their Munster counterparts on paper.

I do think there's an unknown element around Munster now however. For years, Leinster had the blueprint of how to beat them. If they fanned their defence out in preparation of a Stander carry, they could put two men on him, stop him from getting over the gainline and Munster then had nobody else in the pack good enough at carrying to worry Leinster.

But with the introduction of younger, more powerful forwards, Leinster won't find it as easy to smother them. Add a greater willingness to play through the backline and Leinster won't have all the answers they once did.

Leinster will probably win tomorrow. Munster have too many injuries and and further along in the development of their style. Future fixtures will be interesting though.

3stagsontheshirt · 21-10-2022 2:45pm

I’m hearing mighty rumours about training, apparently Spud O’Mahony had the whole gang up in his farm cuttin’ turf for the week and the herd are as fit as a Feakle Fiddle! The strength on some of the young bucks is superhuman, Eddie O’Madra was schoopin turfs like a mad fella, you won’t have seen the likes since the Bull McCabe was playing for Munster. One or two whispers about certain dubs *cough Cadbury and Zeebs *cough sneaking off to a ceili 🕺Spud gave them two aur fathers a hail mairy and had them pullin turnips with Donners 😂 It’s back to the same auld motto as always this season ‘schpuds up the jumper, drive on for god and for Munster!!’ Forget the tactics, sidesteps and offloads, just add that 50% extra grit and I’m sure we’ll be back, the three red stags of Munster, where we belong 🥺 👏👏

Former Former Former · 21-10-2022 2:47pm

It's not a bad Munster XV but that bench is callow, to say the least.

Struggling to see how Munster stay in this tbh

Dave_The_Sheep · 21-10-2022 3:30pm

Hard to say Leinster anything but overwhelming favourites but I'm loathe to write Munster off all the same. Mainly in case it bites us in the ass.

Hodnett, Coombes and JOD will be out to set down a marker against Deegan, Doris and Penny.

TRC10 · 21-10-2022 3:55pm

Sexton starting is a complete game changer. Leinster's attack when he's at 10, is incomparable to when Byrne is at 10. To say it's 10x better with Sexton would be an understatement. We saw against the Sharks just how slick Leinster's attack looked. Whereas in the games Byrne was at 10, it's very lateral, laboured and lacking any cutting edge.

If Sexton wasn't playing, I'd have said Munster have a good chance. But now that he is, I can't see Munster outscoring Leinster. That being said, Leinster's breakdown has been really poor this season, and that's an area where Munster could get some access into the game. The scrum is another area where Leinster are weak and Munster should target them there. Although Jenkins being back is a huge boost.

If Sexton plays 60 minutes, I'm saying Leinster by 10.

Poorside · 21-10-2022 3:56pm

Leinster by 25 wouldn't surprise me, Henshaw and Ringrose playing in flippers would still better than the Munster pairing.

Lsdrugbyfan · 21-10-2022 4:03pm

you'd swear Ross Byrne hasnt regularly started at 10 and beat by Munster time and time again.

21-10-2022 4:03pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119775696#Comment_119775696

Where has Leinster' scrum looked so poor this season that you'd feel Munster (who's scrum has looked significantly worse at times) will feel they'll get the ascendency over them?

aloooof · 21-10-2022 4:06pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119775730#Comment_119775730

The Connacht game in particular (not someone you'd necessarily point to as a very strong scrummaging side), Munster had significant issues; Kilcoyne was even subbed off at half time, at least in part because of it.

Former Former Former · 21-10-2022 4:08pm

Surely every team that's ever taken the pitch targets the scrum? The literal point is to shove the other guys back as hard as you can.

But if Healy, Kelleher and Furlong are dominated by Loughman, Barron and Knox, then Ireland have a major, major problem, let alone Leinster.

TRC10 · 21-10-2022 4:15pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119775729#Comment_119775729

I'm going on this season. And so far this season, I don't think Leinster's attack has been good, other than against the Sharks (the one game Sexton has played). We've been grinding out results through our forwards and our defence (being able to do that is no bad thing).

TRC10 · 21-10-2022 4:17pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119775755#Comment_119775755

Ireland do have a major problem in the scrum. That's hardly news.

aloooof · 21-10-2022 4:26pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119775755#Comment_119775755

Ah ya, but in that general sense, every team targets every area of the game.

More specifically, as part of a gameplan, I'd imagine coaches will be aware of areas where they can live with (slightly less than) parity (and try to minimise those), and areas they think they can get the upper hand (and try to maximise those).

Like, I doubt Munster specifically targeted the scrum vs Toulouse in the QF thinking they could get the upper hand there for example.

Akrasia · 21-10-2022 4:57pm

Munsters gameplan requires 2 things to click

Speed at the ruck, and power in the back 5

Due to players being unavailable, we have lost both

Jack O D as Captain, he better take this role seriously. He needs to out Sexton. Sexton when it comes to bitching at the referee, winnin calls in our favour stopping Leinster from doing the usual side entries and high dangerous clearouts they always do against us. The fact that he's never really done that before means he probably won't do it tomorrow either.

Murray is too slow, and he and Joey have not played well together. Murray being slow, will make Carbery look bad, our only hope is if Crowley can be the playmaker off 15 as Joey

Having Ahern in the lineout should help us secure our own ball at least, and Hodnet at 7 is good but we're down so much in power that I can see him getting pushed off rucks

Goggin and Scannell in the mid field. Goggin has actually played well this year, but playing against full blooded internationals will be too much for them

arsebiscuits1 · 21-10-2022 5:12pm

Prediction time.

Ryan to drop in the warm up, Molony to start, McCarthy to bench

Stanley 1 · 21-10-2022 5:20pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119775289#Comment_119775289

Kinda strange that Glasgow have also gone down with it, wonder if the 2 squads met up in SA for a few beers, most Ulster lads are very comfortable with Scots.

Former Former Former · 21-10-2022 5:27pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119775791#Comment_119775791

Not really. Vastly overstated and not really relevant to tomorrow's game when the Munster front row have a combined total of zero test minutes.

Do you never stop to think how it's funny that Ireland are sh*t at everything and the coach continually picks the wrong guys, but we're ranked 1 in the world?

Or how it's odd that Leinster are so bad but are bookies favourites for both URC and Europe?

Clegg · 21-10-2022 5:48pm

All I ask is that one day we get to see Lowe, Ngatai and Osborne all on the pitch at the same time.

Raining thunderbastard kicks on the defence all day.

ulsteru20s · 21-10-2022 6:05pm

If munster had edogbo and beirne in the scrum, maybe they could target it.

ulsteru20s · 21-10-2022 6:06pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119776123#Comment_119776123

I think its more that the general public and media rate scrummaging WAY more than Andy Farrell does.

I actually do think Sheehan and Porter are gettable at scrum time but they aee IMMENSE in the loose. And that is more important in the modern game.

Sheehan is an elite ball carrier and Porter destroys people at the breakdown. Thats whats important.

arsebiscuits1 · 21-10-2022 6:15pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119775975#Comment_119775975

dangerous clearouts they always do against us

https://www.the42.ie/jean-kleyn-two-week-ban-5337846-Jan2021/

https://youtu.be/iMZa-HZQyDg?t=2589

43 mins in if it doesn't redirect.

These are separate incidents btw

Dave_The_Sheep · 21-10-2022 6:39pm

This again. Jaysus.

Notable thug and general all round bully Devin Toner can't hurt you anymore.

TRC10 · 21-10-2022 6:46pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119776123#Comment_119776123

Do you never stop to think how it's funny that Ireland are sh*t at everything and the coach continually picks the wrong guys

I don't think either of these things. If you do, that's fair enough. But I'd disagree.

I think Ireland are a very good team, who've enjoyed some excellent results of late, but with a couple of weaknesses that will need to be addressed if we're to challenge for the world cup next year. But I don't think Ireland are the faultless, all-conquering team that many in here seem to think they are. Or at least, it seems that way when literally any criticism or opinion that isn't utter adulation, is taken as thinking they're sh*t.

aloooof · 21-10-2022 7:09pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119776424#Comment_119776424

I don’t think I’ve see anyone claiming they’re faultless (let alone many).

But for example, after the 1st Test in NZ you were claiming Ireland had a mentality issue.

After the 6 Nations, you were claiming we had a significant problem scoring tries in the 22; that’s off the back of scoring the 2nd highest number of tries ever in the 6N.

Do you still think those things?

(Not to mention the stuff about the URC I posted during the week).

To be fair to you TRC, I think you’re always pretty reasonable with your interactions (which is more than I can say for one or 2 I’ve had on here lately) but I just think, for your own sake, you could get an awful lot more enjoyment out of rugby than you seem to get… it’s only sport at the end of the day.

But my main takeaway from this is how uncompetitive Leinster v Munster is that we’re arguing about Ireland in the match thread….

Dubinusa · 21-10-2022 8:07pm

I'd say Leinster have been ok so far this season. There's been no outstanding results. Zebre cut through us like we were novices in defense. The Sharks fronted up and made the game brilliant. Connacht gave us a he'll of a fight. Still, undefeated and coming up to the break. But, Leinster haven't really ran over anyone! Tomorrow's match is going to be a bruising encounter. Munster will bring it on. I think a 7 point win for Leinster.

Downlinz · 21-10-2022 8:19pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119774732#Comment_119774732

Munster would be foolish not to, all home games are must win at this point so no sense wasting the energy and minutes of key players in a contest against Leinster that they probably wouldn't win anyway.

John_Rambo · 21-10-2022 8:46pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119776795#Comment_119776795

I guess the passion really has gone. I remember when Munster used to be amazing at grudge & derby matches.

pickarooney · 21-10-2022 9:18pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119775755#Comment_119775755

Loughman, Barron and Knox sounds like such a law firm.

Akrasia · 21-10-2022 9:42pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119776916#Comment_119776916

Munster are playing our strongest available team.

So are Leinster it seems.

If we had our full strength team we would have the following players in the squad

Snyman

Casey

Earls

Conway

Fekitoa

Frisch

Salanoa

Edogbo

Beirne

P.O.M

Haley

Zebo

Alex Kendellen

Calvin Nash

That's 14 out of 23 unavailable.

Of our senior players left available, we have Conor Murray who is not at all suited to the gamestyle we want to play so he's actively hurting us, and Carbery who has been consistently bad for a year apart from a glimpse of potential last week. Our in form 10 is playing 15 because we have nobody else to play there considering Carbery sh1t the bed when he played there 2 weeks ago

21-10-2022 9:48pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119777140#Comment_119777140

It's a lot of guys to be without, especially in the second row. You've included 5 back three players though (Conway, Earls, Zebo, Haley and Nash - they can't all be in your first 23). Also arguable if Edogbo is in your first 23 given his age, and the fact that would imply at least one of Kleyn or Ahern isn't in.

TBF though, Leinster are missing a lot of first choice players too: Hugo Keenan, Jordan Larmour, James Lowe, Jamison Gibson Park, Ronan Kelleher, Ryan Baird/Rhys Ruddock, Will Connors, Josh van der Flier, plus some other guys who might be in the first 23.

Brief_Lives · 21-10-2022 10:01pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119777166#Comment_119777166

Leinster: Ciarán Frawley, Jimmy O’Brien, Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw, Jamie Osborne, Johnny Sexton, Luke McGrath, Cian Healy, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong, Jason Jenkins, James Ryan, Max Deegan, Scott Penny, Caelan Doris

Replacements: John McKee, Andrew Porter, Michael Ala’alatoa, Ross Molony, Jack Conan, Nick McCarthy, Ross Byrne, Rob Russell

Your team for tomorrow contains

5 internationals in the backline

5 internationals in your forward pack

3 internationals in your subs bench,

and I might have missed a couple

aloooof · 21-10-2022 10:03pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119777166#Comment_119777166

Ah, whatever way you slice it, Munster are missing significantly more, to be fair.

I count (at least) 5 of our back line and (at least) 4 of our pack from our starting 15 alone, nevermind 23.

Leinster v Munster match thread

Comments