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

Lots of bad luck. Luke Fitzgerald mentioned on his podcast today about possible overtraining.

It could just be bad luck. People generally underestimate randomness. I mean, i’d do a review to make sure but yea could be luck.

Injuries also can cascade, that could be a factor.

Will the Ralston hit on JOD be reviewed, it surely can't be left at just 10 minutes in the bin for that? JOD already lost 2 years of his career to a bad injury so this really stinks. I hope this time it turns out to be less serious than it looked.

We could do worse than having Kevin O'Byrne or Rhys Marshall back with us for a while...

Ealing Trailfinders I believe at the time.

Who? Kevin O'Byrne? Being from the independent republic of Cork doesn't make you NIQ

Thats hardly much of a rumour considering the severity of the pain he was in. When you see a player sucking on one of those oxygen or painkiller things getting driven off its fair to assume you aint gonna see them for a while.

As for bringing in replacements if i was a fourth choice forward player espically in any of the other provinces i would be begging for a loan to Munster for the rest of the season, its guaranteed game time and exposure that you wont see for 2/3 years otherwise.

This injury crisis is bad for many, but its a golden opportunity and players like Ahern, Hodnett and Zebo are making the most of it.

Munster are already playing people out of position like coombes and JOD, nash played 15 also i think, they are asking some players to increase their workload like hodnett and there couldn't possibly be the necessary numbers to train properly.

Munster need bodies basically and some players in third or fourth place in other clubs could use the exposure and experience

A third or fourth choice hooker in leinster behind Dan Sheehan and kelleher isnt going to see any gametime in blue at 2 for a few years and an opportunity exists in Munster that might grant European cup rugby. Its a no brainer for some players. Take max deegan, he gets very little time in Leinster.

Why did Munster sign Jack O'Sullivan (who has been injury free and playing away for UCC for nearly 3 months) to a two year contract if they'd need to bring in a guy who graduated from the Leinster academy a few months ago to cover in place of him? A similar question could be asked about Daniel Okeke, who is in his 3rd year of the academy but who's contributions since coming back from injury nearly a year ago have been limited to benching in A and development games behind sub academy players like Sean Edogbo and Jacob Sheehan.

Im commenting on the need to bring in someone like Soroka for cover. If JOS isn't fit enough to bench after 3 months of playing AIL and if Okeke is too raw in his 3rd year of the academy to cover the bench in an injury crisis I'd be concerned. Okeke was the stand out player two years ago against Wasps, he did have a 6 month injury but to see him go from that to benching behind sub academy players in A games is an unbelievable step backwards.

Squad Update

On the injury front, Oli Jager is following the graduated return to play protocols after being removed against Connacht on New Year’s Day.

Jack O’Donoghue was also removed after sustaining a knee injury and will go for a scan and surgical opinion.

Eoghan Clarke was withdrawn from the squad for Connacht ahead of matchday and is following the graduated return to play protocols.

Fineen Wycherley missed the Connacht game due to his shoulder injury but is in line for a return to training shortly.

Following the Leinster game on St Stephen’s Day, Dave Kilcoyne has undergone surgery on his shoulder today and will be out for at least six months.

Academy lock Edwin Edogbo will undergo surgery on his achilles tendon next week.

Diarmuid Barron (foot) is also due to undergo surgery next Monday. His return will be determined post surgery.

Alex Nankivell is rehabilitating his ankle injury and his availability will be determined next week.

Continuing to rehab: Patrick Campbell (shoulder), Peter O’Mahony (shoulder), Jean Kleyn (eye), Jack Daly (ankle), Liam Coombes (shoulder), Niall Scannell (groin), RG Snyman (chest/shoulder), Joey Carbery (wrist), Roman Salanoa (knee), Mike Haley (hip), Cian Hurley (ankle/achilles)

Kilcoyne done for the year. Big chance for Wycherly or Kieran Ryan.