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

Why does it matter which of the Leinster and Munster selections were elective vs forced?

It impacts selection for the next game though. If Munster elected to go full throttle for Leinster and as a result have to field a weaker side for what would possibly have been an easier ask against Ulster, then maybe they made the wrong call.

And just as easily, rotating against Leinster could see you losing by double digits in front of 26k on Stephen's Day. And the stronger selection could have gone on to lose in Belfast! Pretty sure that would have been an awful lot worse for morale and momentum.

Oh absolutely, I'm a big advocate for box kicking in the right areas and I've defended Murray to death in the past on this.

Ultimately, I think it should be limited to inside your own ten metre line as an exit tactic - and select analysis based moves. Historically, Munster and Ireland have box kicked up as a far as the opposition ten; whereas nowadays there seems to be more emphasis and playing through the hands in that neutral zone between the two tens.

I've heard Prendergast say on more than one occasion that he wants the aerial attacking game to be a significant part of the system. So Murray still has huge value in this regard, not just on exits. Murray also offers far more effective defensive cover against attacking box-kicks/hoists, and we don't need to go all that far back in time to see where that has gone dreadfully wrong for Casey...

Sorry I read it as 200+ being the entry point. So 61 SH’s have had enough game time to have 200+ touches. Maybe I’m wrong?

Yes but if a scrum half puts his hands on the ball 600 times. He is more likely to kick more often than one who does 200 times. So it’s not straight up, 3 times more touches = 3 times more kicks.

Murray is obviously kicking less but off a lot less interactions. If he played more would it balance out.

What I’m say is the percentage is based on all things being equal. Then it would work out as you say.

However all things are not equal. The more times you are in possession. The more chance there is that the kick will be the better option. As in the note tones you will probably get possession in a defensive position, or in your own 22. There is also no way to calculate the context of the games, i.e. opposition and tactics for a game.

Having said that Munster seem to be kicking less this season, even in those positions. Something Lancaster highlighted last week.

The tweet doesn’t give the details of the overall break down. I wonder where Casey comes on that list.

This can all be simplified: Murray doesn't kick the ball as much as people think.

If somebody wants to delve into a hierarchical Laplacian state-space model to control for nonlinear confounds and differential contextual influence, be my guest.

But at the end of it you'll probably see that Murray doesn't kick the ball as much as people think.

Yeah most definitely, there is a clear effort to keep the ball in hand. Which is why I’m wondering if Casey’s pass percentages are high too. I think Ireland are kicking less off 9 too.

Who had "No True Scotsman" on their post-derby logical fallacy bingo card?

There is a very real possibility snyman is finished. He's been out nearly as long as Dan leavy. Even if he does come back he might not be the player he was when Munster signed him.

More excited by edogbo and ahern to be honest

Late call on Kleyns availability, then it could be McDonald and Hurley or McDonald and Coombes with JOS at 8

Eoin O'Connor named as captain for the development side, so he won't be in the mix for the second row for the Ulster match presumably.

I just had a look at our second rows available for this weekend:

Continuing to rehab: RG Snyman (Knee), Tom Ahern (Shoulder), Fineen Wycherley (Shoulder), Paddy Kelly (Head).

Reported to be out for the coming weeks: Edwin Edogbo (Ankle).

Potentially enforced rest due to added playing time accumulated in Autumn Internationals: Tadhg Beirne, Peter O'Mahony (loss as a line-out operator).

Awaiting results of a scan to confirm availability: Jean Kleyn (Knee).

Captaining the Development side (Friday 30th): Eoin O'Connor.

On a Short-Term contract (3-months - Nov-Jan inclusive): Kiran McDonald.

Academy Year 3: Cian Hurley.

Academy Year 1: Evan O'Connell.

Converting from other positions: Gavin Coombes could potentially switch from 8.

So indeed, it may be Kleyn and McDonald with Hurley on the bench if Kleyn is available.

Or else it could be Coombes and McDonald with Hurley on the bench, or Hurley starting with McDonald perhaps and O'Connell on the bench.