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

If Burns goes to Munster, Munster's second choice 10 will be better than Ulster's first choice (depends if Ulster sign someone but if tightening their belt, it's unlikely they'll get a better 10 than Burns for less money).

i agree overall, but i wouldnt describe it as a 'coup' to be fair

id argue not signing Burns and giving Butler the reigns when Crowley isnt available would be a much better way of developing him rather than having him sit on the bench behind an average enough 10. Butler is 22 (give or take a month), hes old enough to be trusted to run the ship when the international are away. scannell and hicks could provide the cover at 10 on the bench (coughlan has played there for either the 'A' or development team, cant remember which).

i dont think burns is a terrible player or anything like that but id much prefer to put the time into developing a munster developed player rather than bringing a fairly average option from elsewhere.

The point of signing Burns would be to have an experienced 10 to play in big URC or European games should Crowley be unavailable. If you want to go deep and win competitions, you need a certain level and calibre of squad depth. It's the same reason why Leinster will want to hold onto at least two of RB/HB/Frawley despite Prendergast coming through.

Having a player like Burns between Crowley and someone like Butler is to be expected. There would still be plenty of gametime available for Butler in the hope that after two years, Burns can be let go and Butler steps into his place with someone like Hicks as third choice but looking to push on.

An injury to Crowley and Munster would be left with Butler starting and Scannell covering 10 from the bench, fine for certain games but for an extended period and possibly against top opposition, it is not a situation Munster should be leaving themselves open to.

Yeah I like him, think you make very well reasoned points about him. He'll be a very capable backup when Crowley is away and if Crowley were to get injured you'd want him at the helm over Butler and Scannell. Butler will still get plenty of game time. Will be a good signing if it does happen.

Leinster wanting to keep them all has nothing to do with the standard of Burns. If they wanted, they could let one Byrne and Frawley go and rely on the other Byrne (probably Ross), Prendergast and Tector but that would leave them extremely exposed. No team with ambition would accept such a limited depth chart in such a pivotal position if it can be avoided. Munster is no different.

Carbery and Healy both decided themselves to leave. Both had offers which they saw as more attractive, most likely due to factors outside of salary which Munster couldn't compete with. I'm sure Munster would love to have one of them next season but that isn't the case. Burns is an excellent next choice as he is a good player, plenty of experience, is Irish qualified, wont be called up for internationals, etc.

Munster boss Graham Rowntree poised to add senior fly-half to his squad

More here without actually naming who he is head hunting

Burns is a good player but his kicking game from hand and tee is very poor. That's not an issue for Ulster because they have two very good kickers at scrumhalf. Munster don't so Burns will be primary goal kicker when he plays. For that reason alone I don't see him as a good fit in Munster.

Munster do have the option to include Rory Scannell in a team with Burns to compensate for the goal kicking i suppose, but then you wonder about signing a 10 that limits your choices elsewhere.

He'd need some boot on him, kicking from France

Interesting that he's name checked Tom Wood. Is he going to get an Academy deal?

You'd assume so. Aside from the name, and names can give you the start you need, he seems to have ability too

His kick passing might be good but defensive clearances and line kicking aren't great. He has been a very good fit for Ulster and got a lot of game time with very few injuries. Has there been much negativity there about him moving south?

Munster team for tomorrow evening

Munster: Mike Haley (Preston Grasshoppers); Seán O’Brien (Mullingar RFC), Antoine Frisch (Paris Université Club), Alex Nankivell (Christchurch Boys High School), Shane Daly (Highfield RFC); Tony Butler (Ennis RFC), Craig Casey (Shannon RFC); Josh Wycherley (Bantry Bay RFC), Niall Scannell (PBC Cork), John Ryan (Muskerry RFC); Tom Ahern (Youghal RFC), RG Snyman (Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool); Ruadhán Quinn (Ballina-Killaloe RFC), Alex Kendellen (C) (PBC Cork), Gavin Coombes (Skibbereen RFC).

Replacements: Eoghan Clarke (CBC Monkstown), Jeremy Loughman (Athy RFC), Stephen Archer (Cork Constitution FC), Fineen Wycherley (Bantry Bay RFC), Jack O’Sullivan (Sunday’s Well RFC), Ethan Coughlan (Ennis RFC), Rory Scannell (PBC Cork), Ben O’Connor (Highfield RFC).