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

phog · 22-01-2023 8:41pm

The missed kicks if converted would have meant we lost by 2 points instead of 4. A draw or a basic win would have left us in the exact same position on the table. We needed a BP win to move up the table. I'm not sure how converting either try would have swung that result for us.

letowski · 22-01-2023 8:57pm

The Ben Healy yellow card was a tough call on Munster. Barrasi’s tackling in a very upright position, it’s a natural instinct for a person to protect themselves with their arm to avoid getting a shoulder to the head, or a head clash. It was a penalty but elevating it to a yellow was harsh imo. Kind of felt like we got overly punished for bad Toulouse tackling technique.

Jump_In_Jack · 22-01-2023 9:05pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120143288#Comment_120143288

If we don’t win the round of 16 we’ll have a down week and then two weeks against SA opposition.

Stormers and then Sharks.

If Sharks and Stormers progress in the Champions Cup and we don’t, we could have a full team against their seconds.

phog · 22-01-2023 9:24pm

https://twitter.com/Murray_Kinsella/status/1617252393388855296?t=xHR7SZSgS-n_wEA1Wy_BBw&s=19

"In and out, smash and grab" My sentiments exactly.

Jump_In_Jack · 22-01-2023 9:24pm

If Munster get past the Rof16 they could have Toulouse away again, or else Munster at home against the Bulls!

Neil3030 · 22-01-2023 9:40pm

Most impressive thing I saw tonight was Munster's composure under some of the most intense pressure that NH rugby has to offer (Toulouse's attack). Having the organization to keep 15 on the field for most of the game, in games like that, is the sort of thing you can build very exciting things around.

Leamy really has the defense now up there with the best in Europe.

Eod100 · 22-01-2023 9:54pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120143282#Comment_120143282

Not sure many fans would travel that distance just for 1 match. Flights not cheap either.

Dubinusa · 22-01-2023 10:01pm

Fair play to Munster for hanging in against a bigger better pack. To a man, they stood their ground.

jcon1913 · 22-01-2023 10:02pm

ref had his mind made up to give the yellow

another joke of a card

you have to admit though that French lad is some flopper to take a dive like that

there was no force in the arm by the time it got to his neck it hit him in the chest first

aloooof · 22-01-2023 10:31pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120142104#Comment_120142104

It's certainly not Carbery's goal-kicking that's gotten him dropped. He's come on in plenty of Tests and kicked vital scores for Ireland lots of times.

He missed 2 today; it can happen. Look at his stats over the long-term. They're pretty excellent.

aloooof · 22-01-2023 11:15pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120142526#Comment_120142526

It was probably a budget thing.

Yep, by all accounts at the time, Ryan wanted more money and a 2 year deal, whereas Archer was happy to take a one year deal.

Ryan has been great since his return tho, we'll miss him come February.

almostover · 22-01-2023 11:27pm

We did well there today to not have yielded in the first 30 mins. Toulouse were awesome for that opening salvo. We were camped near their line about 55 mins in and were lucky to get a shot at goal after we went wide. That one maybe should have been kept tight and we may have stolen an unlikely win. Basic errors are costing us at times, Beirne's kick off the back of one of his own players was an example of that. But the trajectory is upward.

Kleyn, Hodnett and Coombes were outstanding today under serious pressure. We play better with Hodnett at 7 than when we start both JOD and POM. Kleyn is super at latching near the line and squeezing fellas over for a try.

Some might defend Carbery's performance today given the attention he received from the Toulouse forwards. But that's what it takes to be a top no.10. You have to roll with the punches and still nail your goals. He showed nothing today to prove Andy Farrells selection wrong. His time could soon run out at Munster too if Feikitoa finds some form and it makes sense to play him at 12.

Overall us Munster fans can be hopeful of causing an upset against the Sharks. It's likely the height our our ambitions in this tournament but a win down there would be a big boost for this team moving forward.

Special mention for John Ryan and his demolition job on Cyril Baille. If JvG hadn't d*cked him around last year he'd be a dead cert for a ticket to France in September. I'm not sure I'm going to get over that failure as both a Munster and Ireland fan.

aloooof · 22-01-2023 11:39pm

Thoughts on that one.

For a game that in theory didn't have much at stake, it was great viewing. Some hugely physical stuff, especially in the first half.
Thought there was a questionable clean-out on POM around the hips in the lead up to their first try. Serious defensive set prior to that tho.
Good to see variety again on the 5m tap and go. First try was a huge response after so much Toulouse early pressure.
On defence in general, we're looking quality, really dogged in phase play. But maul d also is looking looking excellent. (Part of that today is down to not competing, but they didn't get much purchase at all).
And on defence, I thought Frisch looked very good today, particularly in the 1st half. One really brilliant shoot stopped them way behind the gainline.
And Crowley too; some excellent reads and tackles, especially when moved to 15.
In attack, Beirne's try is as good a try as you could wish for. The number of offloads during those few phases alone must've been higher than we've had in some games under JvG.
Simple and accurate from Nash to execute for the try as well. Thought he was very good today, some great takes in the air too. That one kick from a mark the only blot on his copybook.
While mentioning the attack, there was a Munster Leinster game a few seasons ago in Thomond Park where we didn't have a single phase that had over 3 passes. We couldn't be further from that now.
Coombes continues to put in some ridiculous stats. 78m off 15 carries, 18 tackles and 2 turnovers. That offload as a well.
Beirne too. 54m off 11 carries, 14 tackles, 14 passes, 1 turnover and a try. Shift.
And finally, Casey's passing quality is the best in Ireland imo. A little too much zip on it in the first 20 mins, but the accuracy and speed is so good. If Sexton is fit, and Ross Byrne is on the bench in the 6 Nations, I think I'd like to see Casey as the sub SH.

aloooof · 22-01-2023 11:39pm

And this is an interesting one:

https://twitter.com/damian_cullen/status/1617207548725325824?s=46&t=Mw9f2Dl8ukjvYOw2mzdd2A

phog · 22-01-2023 11:43pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120144153#Comment_120144153

I've seen it before but he had to make it available or he'd have been penalised. Shows his rugby brain at that stage in the game

phog · 22-01-2023 11:45pm

So Beirne and Healy are our injury worries from today. Beirne will be with Ireland but we could do with Haley being available to us as he's in terrific form this season

snotboogie · 23-01-2023 12:13am

Think the back row looks much better with O’Mahony, Coombs, Hodnett than with O’Mahony, Coombs, O’Donoghue. Hodnett as a second carrying threat takes attention and pressure off Coombs. Thats our first choice back row for the rest of the season imo. Adding Snyman to that back 5 would be immense. Mad to think that two of Ahern, Edogbo and Kleyn won’t even make the bench if everyone is fit.

I also thought the backline clicked much better in attack with Fekitoa at 12 and Crowley at 15, than with Crowley at 12 and Haley at 15 and lost nothing in defence. Munsters backline clearly works much better with 2 playmakers but I’d much prefer the second playmaker at 15 than 12. Given our lack of options at centre I can see why Crowley was persisted at 12 but if Fekitoa gets back in form I’d prefer to see Crowley (or possibly Carbury) at 15.

letowski · 23-01-2023 12:30am

For those who want to watch John Ryan making swiss cheese out of Cyril Baille again :)

https://twitter.com/ek_rugby/status/1617215803325313026

phog · 23-01-2023 1:04am

When rewatching our second try from today, watch the play from the time Toulouse kick the ball back to us, I think we passed 22 times from the catch to the try. Excellent try.

jcon1913 · 23-01-2023 8:31am

Fekitoa earned his first few months wages when he came on and showed what he can do in an incredibly tight game.

kuang1 · 23-01-2023 9:28am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120144725#Comment_120144725

Yeah he HAS found his form as far as I'm concerned. Get him into the team as much as possible from now on please! Very very good yesterday.

almostover · 23-01-2023 9:31am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120144153#Comment_120144153

Could he have been penalised for hands in the ruck while off his feet? Even if he used his hands to speed up opposition access to the ball? 😂

ulsteru20s · 23-01-2023 9:40am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120144806#Comment_120144806

Technically by the letter of the law yea, but i guess since the law was designed to stop people slowing down the ball, no.

I’m almost certain I saw this before but they gave a penalty, which is so lame

Interested Observer · 23-01-2023 9:41am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120144806#Comment_120144806

Probably one of those letter vs spirit of the law things, you can't handle the ball like that on the floor in a ruck, you could possibly call it a deliberate knock on, but best course of action is just to play on.

Podge_irl · 23-01-2023 10:17am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120144827#Comment_120144827

Yeah, its definitely illegal play, but good reffing to let it go.

Akrasia · 23-01-2023 10:53am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120144273#Comment_120144273

Our first choice back row (against a big side like Toulouse) is Beirne, POM/Hodnet and Coombes

With a 2nd Row made out from Kleyn/Ahern/Snyman/Edogbo/Wycherly

If we didn't have such an in injury crisis in 2nd Row, we'd have had the power to beat Toulouse yesterday

Hopefully we'll get some of that back by the next round of the HCup

Red Silurian · 23-01-2023 11:01am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120144806#Comment_120144806

Yes, but if he didn't do what he did it was a definite penalty for slowing the ball down

Akrasia · 23-01-2023 11:12am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120144931#Comment_120144931

It was a no risk play from Beirne, Either he gives away a penalty for being trapped on the wrong side of the ruck, or risk giving away a penalty for hands in the ruck.

OldRio · 23-01-2023 11:54am

I'm sure I heard the ref thank him for that as well. Smart play by both.

Akrasia · 23-01-2023 12:20pm

On the Ben Healy yellow card. At the time I thought that was a legit yellow tbh. He fended with his forearm and that is clearly against the rules.

It happened fast and he was being tackled but he had his forearm out before contact was made and he did make contact with the other players neck (not first contact so there was mitigation in that

I think Toulouse should have had a red in the 1st half for the headshot on Carbery, but C'est La Vie

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

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