Munster Team Talk Thread - Snymans are(n't) Forever

Here's some news that might cheer people up (apologies if already mentioned, I had a quick flick through the last few pages and saw nothing)

All of the autumn internationals involving Irish teams, including Munster V South Africa will be broadcast by Virgin Media on a free to air basis

Anyone else needing cheering up:

A team with players like Ahern, Crowley, Edogbo and Kendellen coming through.

With Prendergast on the coaching team.

And a no-nonsense rugby man like Rowntree in charge.

Will be just fine.

Him too.

Most important thing now is for the players to get more comfortable with the new systems, at which point the errors will reduce, and the results will follow.

Long live 640 * 480 resolution

Nice that it's free to air, but I'd like to actually see what's happening in the game

Largely based on vibes for the time being, but with a year under the current regime's belt, I'll be very bullish on Munster's prospects to really close the gap with Leinster, especially given likely departures from the latter next season.

Genuinely confused by this.

The new coaching setup?

The different system the team is now playing?

The players I listed shining so far this season?

None of that indicates positive change to you, relative to previous years?

Now there's a potentially very good group coming through but they will take time. It will take time to bed in that potential.

Exactly. There's been such a gap between the emergence of the guys who are now 33/34 and the present day that there's too much of a gap to fill in the near term, unless a couple of the new guys turn out to be absolutely world class. More likely it'll be a gradual improvement but that requires a constant stream of new blood of the required quality.

Neil, you're one of the most level headed and thoughtful/knowledgable posters on this forum and I enjoy pretty much everything you post as regards rugby.

This one is a little odd though.

I'm apprehensive as regards the talent coming through the Munster ranks (as in I'm wary of it giving us - Leinster - a kick up the arse sooner rather than later) but to attribute Leinster's future success to those two things is a little narrow-focused.

(Hold on, most level headed and thoughtful/knowledgable posters, **** Dave, what if he's right? Balls, we're fucked)

Quotes on this new boards.ie are shite. Anyway.

Leinster find a decent replacement for Lancaster, and either sign or otherwise source the right out-half to take over from Sexton, and the dominance will likely continue. But you have to admit that both men (likely) leaving at the same time will have a seismic impact on Leinster.

For sure. Anyone thinking that level of loss in any team/franchise/club isn't going to have a serious effect is barmy. It'll be huge.

I also think it'd be mad to assume that the heads in Leinster haven't thought about this and have put some sort of plan (even if it's not sufficient) in place to try and deal with that - be it the standards that others set as regards new players coming through, or whatever - they'd be mad to otherwise. We (both as an Ireland and Leinster fan) can only hope they have to as much of a degree as they can.

In the meantime, Munster will have accrued a season under the Rowntree team, and will at the very least go into next season with continuity on their side

Aye, that's fair. But thus far, Rowntree doesn't have a great record. I'm hoping he can prove me wrong as a strong Munster is good for us all but I'm not convinced as of yet. 2/7 is a return even the most hopeful fan would have to work to get behind. He's got a good rep though, hopefully it works out.

I'm high as a kite on Crowley, both his own play and the relationships I'm seeing develop between him and both Carbery and Haley.

Heres's where I'm in total agreement. He's looking like the real deal and I'm hoping he can get the coaching, gametime and exposure that he needs to keep going with his development. Because he's looking sh*t hot right now.

Ah look, I get where you're coming from. I'd rather be optimistic about my team than not. There's green roots for sure, but it's going to take a lot of effort and time to get them where they need to be. Hope it works out (genuinely).

Anyway, this is the Munster thread so I won't keep banging on about the Leinster comparison and will leave it there.

You sicken me.

To be clear, I agree that Munster have some really good young guys.

My concerns are that

1) POM, Murray, Earls and Kilcoyne are on the wind down and there's a big question mark over Chris Farrell. That's a huge core of ability that's potentially leaving, so Munster need real quality just to stand still.

2) While a lot of the young guys look the part, the rate of attrition for exciting prospects converting into genuine European level players is always very high, that's true across the provinces. Many of these guys will simply fade into squad cover as we see more of what they can do.

As for the coaches, I genuinely don't know if they're what we need, but it's very early days, think January will be a fair time to take stock given all the disruption of the last six weeks.

This season so far has been a depth curve, a learning curve and a new system implemented. No doubt the results are disappointing. Rowntree is doing well with the hand he's been given.

Munster have a slew of lads ready for the ride off into the sunset. Kilcoyne is old and past his peak. The remainder of the season should be Loughman and Wycherly's audition. Barron and Buckley should get more minutes with Scannel being winded down and Salanoa/ Knox given the majority of the remaining starts.

The 2nd row is stacked and the back row too! Casey has earned the 9 shirt. Murray is well past it. Crowley, I hope continues to play well and takes the 10 shirt. Joey is just not quality.

The backline needs an influx of talent. Earls is declining, Zebo too and Scannell is just average. Campbell will be a good player in time and Haley is a very good player. Munster need a 12. I would try Shane Daly here. He's big and has pace and maybe he could do the job?

Overall, Rowntree is on the right track. There's top end potential in the squad. I think the best young core among the provinces is here at Munster. Time will tell and this season is not done .

I think Munster need this to be the equivalent of Leinster back in 2015/16, started from a clean slate, blooded a load of young players, totally reset how the team played post-MOCaplypse, got absolutely tanked in Europe that season but got to the SF the following year and have been there-or-thereabouts ever since.