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

Why do you feel Kleyn offers more in the scrum than McCarthy? Interested to see how you come to that conclusion.

The guy who was dropped for the guy with power.

Well, the one knock on south african international players i would have is they seem to have varying levels of effort lol. When not wearing a springbok jersey.

There's a whole lot of truth in this.

This response is absolutely typical of the kind of Irish fan I mentioned in my first paragraph. Completely ignore and avoid all of the points in my post, try and change the subject of the topic and add in the occasional ad hominem attack while you're at it.

How is it changing the subject? I dealt directly with your claims of disillusionment by pointing out a few very recent the IRFU have helped Munster that you seem to have ignored. It is you that didn't engage at all with my post again framed yourself as a victim.

I've gone into detail on my thoughts about the specific three players already extensively in the thread already. The main gist is that capture caps are cynical, pretty scummy for fans to call for while claiming to support the players, probably counter productive for everyone aside from the province involved, and that AF isnt the type of coach to do it.

Your whole opinion of being 'sick and tired of our national team's selection policy at this stage' seems for the most part to be built up in your head. The below in bold simply isn't true:

Since the start of 2022 Munster have the most new caps out of any province. Of course it isn't good enough for you, as Munster are always the victims.

Again, since the start of 2022 Munster have the most new caps out of any province.

When was Healy 'a starter' for Munster? He was 3rd choice OH when he was talking with Scotland.

AF has shown he has no problem giving guys caps quickly when they perform - look at Munster's own Jager getting capped after 4 competitive starts for the province.

Coombes had plenty of chances in Irish camp and hasn't looked great when he was given his opportunities. Hodnett is likely not even starting for Munster at the tail end of the season if all are fit. They fall into the bucket of players who are just outside the quality in a position group where Ireland has the most depth. There is a group at a similar level across all provinces who are unlucky not to make the Irish squads, who might all have the same choice as them to potentially look at foreign money or stay home and fight, a few injuries and/or when POM winds down should open up windows.

100% correct. Ryan doesn't even come close to snyman in terms of ability. Hell, Ryan can't even make a lions squad. Ryan is a good player who tries his best but it limited.

Coombes hasn't looked great when given his opportunities...

Cap 1 - 10 mins off the bench against Japan

Cap 2 - scores a try in a 70+ demolition against US

Did well in the tour in NZ for the dirttrackers (that always seems to slip people's minds)... then came the Ireland A Autumn game where he admittedly was poor... but, as seems to constantly get forgotten, had just started his season the previous month due to injury, well behind others in terms of game-time at that stage of the season. Seemed to have paid a heavy price for that game and hasn't gotten a look in since for whatever reason (Farrell opted for Conan against Italy when he was in the extended squad and then that was that, even bringing a hobbled Conan to the RWC) despite Coombes hitting his usual heights at ERC and URC level. Farrell just doesn't seem to like him but I find it a bit baffling.

Hodnett - you're way off there. He was our player of the season along with Kleyn and Coombes last year. He starts every day of the week for us, MOTM in winning the URC. Another who I feel merited a look in internationally. Is Hurley-Langton IQ? He's another I'd like to see more of if so.

We're in the same situation at 7 as 15 - if JvdF gets injured we're moving a player out of position to cover when you've a specialist 7 that could be looked at. Who is our 7 at the weekend if VdF pulls up? Move Doris, move Conan, move POM? It's like Keenan... it's not a question that needs answering... until it needs answering.

I'd imagine there'll be a bit of a shake-up at the end of the season so maybe those players across the provinces you mention will get more of a look-in.

More over exaggeration. I agree with a previous poster about the gas lighting that is happening in this thread.

I don't think it's right for Ireland to cap a player they don't need to cap. So Healy, Frisch and Kleyn, and anyone else like Kendellen or Haley etc, if they opt to get capped elsewhere then I'd have no issue with them moving on from Munster. It's their own decision, and no judgement on them, it's a type of career progression so they're entitled to go for it.

The Irish selection policy is correct in my opinion, to not renew contracts for players that opt for caps for our competitors.

As a Munster fan, we just have to accept the fallout however crappy that may be and get on with it.

On the bright side, it looks like we have a lot of quality coming through at the moment, whether that's just a bit of luck lately, or they have hit on a system that's producing elite talent more regularly we'll have to wait and see.

Unless Frisch gets an offer to buy him out of his contract, we will have Nankivell and Frisch to the end of next season. And with Scannell and O'Brien backing them up we have cover in those positions. Not to mention we have Daly and Coombes that can play there, and we have Gibbons coming through in the academy. The way budgets are being kept tight at the moment, we're doing very well with our resources I think.

Great stuff. We're in a great position to be able to attract teams like NZ to TP and SA and Crusaders to PuC. Not many teams in the world have the same draw.

They only have 1 (Etzebeth) the rest are roughly around the same level along with McCarthy. Beirne and Etzebeth are in their own tier.