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

Cookiemunster · 08-01-2023 9:36pm

We should be winning the next 4 games. Benetton will be affected far more by 6N call ups than Munster and Munster are in a much better place right now than Ulster. Glasgow will be the toughest of the run, but in Thomond we should be beating them.

When it comes to the SA trip, last year both games were at altitude and that's what cost us both times. This year we play in Durban and Cape Town and it won't be nearly as hot or humid as it was on the high veldt. Tougher opposition yes, but a much fitter and better coached Munster.

Podge_irl · 08-01-2023 9:52pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120083397#Comment_120083397

I suspect Munster won't be bringing any Ireland players to SA however. You'd have to be happy with two LBPs from those games.

Neil3030 · 08-01-2023 9:57pm

Am I right to say the weekend before Stormers (A) (i.e., 8th/9th April) will be R16 of the ERC?

CIARAN_BOYLE · 08-01-2023 10:00pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120083489#Comment_120083489

ERC QF.

Round of 16 is the week previous (1st and 2nd of April).

Munster touring strength for South Africa will be up in the air until we see how they are doing in Europe. Out in the last 16 might see a full strength touring party while winning a quarter final might see Munster limiting themselves.

phog · 08-01-2023 10:06pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120083499#Comment_120083499

Maybe, maybe not. If we need points in SA to ensure we play Heineken Cup next then I can see us sending a strong squad there regardless of where we are in this year's cup

Akrasia · 08-01-2023 10:29pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120078843#Comment_120078843

Yes!

Akrasia · 08-01-2023 10:58pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120083499#Comment_120083499

I think one of the benefits of our injury woes this year and last year, is that we have given game time to lots of very promising younger players and we can trust them to perform. It's like 'whatever doesn't kill you, makes you stronger'

Assuming the injured players return we could have a young, but very good touring team.

Would absolutely love to see the likes of Edogbo, Quinn and Okake, Jack O Sullivan, Buckley on that tour to try their luck against the stormers.

A similar team that played the SA-A team in November could do a number on either the Stormers or the Bulls

Not expecting to win those games, but at least one LBP could be valuable

Cookiemunster · 08-01-2023 11:12pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120083469#Comment_120083469

If you look at the 23 from Friday night there was only one, maybe two players who'll be involved in the 6N squad. That doesn't include guys like Ahern, Edogbo, Wycherley, Conway, Knox and (maybe) Snyman who should be back from injury by then. Then there's Niall Scannell, Frisch, Zebo and hopefully Chris Farrell. Even without the internationals, Munster would be sending a strong enough squad to SA.

aloooof · 08-01-2023 11:23pm

Big decision at 9 for the weekend.

Casey started vs Toulouse (with Patterson on the bench) but Murray started the following week vs Northampton, so it seems like that was only because Murr was coming back from injury.

Since then, we've seen Casey come off the bench vs Leinster and be much, much better. We've seen Murray come off the bench v Ulster and be very good.

I'd personally love to see Casey start with Murray off the bench for 20-25 mins to manage the game out (hopefully with a lead at that point).

Neil3030 · 09-01-2023 12:35am

Bit of a call to make at 12 too.

Assuming Carbery starts at 10, has Fekitoa done enough in the last two games to take the 12 shirt off Crowley?

Jump_In_Jack · 09-01-2023 1:06am

It’s a good headache to have,

From 1-23 there’ll be a lot of tough calls, and this is arguably the biggest game of the season so far now, have to win.

I’d go with:

Kilcoyne, Scannell, Ryan,

Beirne, Kleyn,

O’Mahony, Coombes, Hodnett.

Casey, Carbery,

Daly, Fekitoa, Frisch, Nash,

Haley.

Bench: Barron (if shoulder injury keeps him out then Buckley), Wycherley (if rib injury keeps him out then O’Connor the only other senior loose-head), Archer, O’Donoghue, Kendellen, Murray, Healy, Crowley.

sprucemoose · 09-01-2023 1:50am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120075490#Comment_120075490

i wouldve much preferred to see healy step up in the shootout of course and yes he should have done better realistically, but remember that o gara was arguably worse the first time he was put in a similar-ish position and that ended up working out fairly well afterwards

i disagree that he didnt perform against exeter, while he wasnt brilliant he was fine and i wouldve kept him in the starting team. carbery isnt on the level of an o gara or sexton but he is treated as such, i however think he should have to earn the jersey back anytime he comes back from injury rather than just getting it handed to him

i dont think you can discount the SA A game just because they were thrown together, yes they were quite poor but that was partly down to munster not letting them play too. and the NZ XV was similarly just thrown together and they showed ireland A up pretty well the previous week. along with that game, the wasps game last season was pretty great on healy's part for one, even the scarlets game a few years ago where healy kinda came to be first known showed alot of bottle. part of the problem though was that carbery would generally get straight back into the team for big games (and JJ too for some reason) without earning his spot, so healy had very little chance to actually show how good he was

Jump_In_Jack · 09-01-2023 8:50am

https://www.the42.ie/ireland-talent-space-5961808-Jan2023/

Interesting short read from Murray Kinsella.

lawrencesummers · 09-01-2023 4:02pm

Is there any update on whats happening with chris farrell?

Is he training with the squad still while the legal issues are still to be put to bed?

Seems to have been a long time since anything was said about it.

Cookiemunster · 09-01-2023 4:22pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120086118#Comment_120086118

He's been training with the squad since early December, but is unavailable to play. I've heard that the case against him is expected to be decided by February (although I've no idea how reliable that info is). You would assume though, that he wouldn't have returned to training if they didn't expect the charges to be dropped.

phog · 09-01-2023 4:22pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120086118#Comment_120086118

I've seen training pictures and he has been with the squad - other than that I haven't heard update.

Quin_Dub · 09-01-2023 5:12pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120086197#Comment_120086197

You would assume though, that he wouldn't have returned to training if they didn't expect the charges to be dropped.

I don't think you can make that connection I'm afraid.

I can't see them making that kind of assessment in advance at all.

They aren't going to sack him without a conviction (lesson learned from the Jackson/Olding situation) but they have stood him down from selection "to allow him to focus on his legal defence". He never stopped training , they just stopped selecting him for games.

If he's innocent , then I hope he can clear his name and get back to work fully but we'll have to wait to see what the French courts decide.

Cookiemunster · 09-01-2023 5:30pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120086405#Comment_120086405

He did stop training. Munster announced in September that he was stepping away from all involvement with the Munster squad.

https://www.munsterrugby.ie/2022/09/23/player-update-12/

Then at the end of November it was announced that he had returned to training, but would remain unavailable for selection.

https://www.the42.ie/chris-farrell-munster-5-5933027-Nov2022/

Former Former Former · 09-01-2023 5:34pm

They had an appeal against the decision to proceed to trial thrown out before Christmas

Cinq ex-rugbymen du FCG renvoyés aux assises pour viol et non-empêchement d'un crime, sans recours possible (francebleu.fr)

They are "hoping" to have it concluded by the end of 2023, so Farrell may already have played his last game for Munster.

Eod100 · 09-01-2023 6:40pm

Injury update: "On the injury front, Diarmuid Barron (shoulder) will go for a scan and his availability will be determined later in the week.

Josh Wycherley (ribs) is being monitored by the medical department and his availability will also be determined later in the week.

Kiran McDonald (arm) will not be available.

Following the win over Lions, Head Coach Graham Rowntree provided an update on Fineen Wycherley (shoulder), Greencore Munster Rugby Academy man Edwin Edogbo (ankle) and Tom Ahern (shoulder).

Graham said: “We’ll hopefully have Fineen back at the end of the month and Edwin back at the start of next month.” He said that Ahern’s return is not expected until “March, at the earliest”. https://www.munsterrugby.ie/2023/01/09/squad-update-munster-prepare-for-northampton-at-thomond/

Akrasia · 09-01-2023 8:01pm

Where we're going, we don't need locks

Cookiemunster · 10-01-2023 12:11pm

Mossy Lawler returning to Munster as skills coach.

https://www.munsterrugby.ie/2023/01/10/new-coaching-appointment-for-next-season/#post

budhabob · 10-01-2023 12:52pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120089186#Comment_120089186

Seems like a smart bit of business.

phog · 10-01-2023 1:03pm

Who is skills coach this year or is Mike Prendergast filling in there as well as a attack coach.

10-01-2023 1:59pm

Not sure if this was covered on here previously, (I didn't see it), but have to say I was very impressed by the pieces highlighting Graham Rowntree's unwillingness to be bullied or cajoled into providing Paul Kimmage (a guy who I felt was once a quality journalist with integrity, but who has increasing become a professional **** stirrer who's been overcome by his own ego) with clickbait headlines.

https://www.balls.ie/amp/rugby/graham-rowntree-munster-paul-kimmage-538802

I'm not saying the questions Kimmage is asking aren't legitimate concerns about rugby, but you would question his agenda in asking them. He is constantly out trying to undermine the game, and isn't a guy who cares at all about the future of the game, more about his ability to insert himself into the middle of controversy.

stephen_n · 10-01-2023 2:23pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120089705#Comment_120089705

Seems like he’s given up trying to prove there is wide spread doping in rugby and has moved on to this.

sydthebeat · 10-01-2023 2:29pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120089806#Comment_120089806

its certainly discussion warranted, but as a journalist you should absolutely not present an interview in one guise and then try to shoehorn a very controversial topic into it for the sake of trying to find a head line. The fact Kimmage actually included this discourse into the transcript is telling as well.

CIARAN_BOYLE · 10-01-2023 2:45pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120089434#Comment_120089434

Someone was double jobbing. Probably Prendergast.

The Munster coaching set up was a little light this season. I expected a new skills coach and/or a new scrum coach for next season.

I don't feel Mossie has done well with the kicking part of skills coach over in Connacht. That said he may have too many duties over there double jobbing attack and skills.

Brief_Lives · 10-01-2023 3:18pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120089806#Comment_120089806

Kimmage is a bit pathetic here... No one to blame but himself and his Fighting the world agenda..

https://twitter.com/PaulKimmage/status/1612445243244220427?t=YFZSD7nVh0mGqyl_SKPTmA&s=08

arsebiscuits1 · 10-01-2023 3:36pm

Paul Kimmage is a phenomenally talented writer whose chip on his shoulder has crippled the rest of him.

It's kind of sad to see the descent into pettiness that he has gone into.

I think the fact he wasn't a good enough cyclist even when he was doping really just gave him a complex against elite sport.

Combined with BOD booting him out of ghost writing his book just meant he has it in for rugby now.

He just picks one crusade after another which inevitably ends with him looking like a bit of a fool and an ever dwindling group of supporters.

Small man syndrome and I'm really glad Rowntree told him where to go. Because he needs a bit of a reality check about how he should conduct himself.

Side note: in the Lance Armstrong documentary, Kimmage had a cameo in press conference footage. Armstrong was at this point totally vilified, the doc had already covered most of his shady doings and had painted him like the exact character he was.... and still in the exchange with Kimmage, Armstrong didn't look like the biggest dick in the room

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

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