Howlett to Munster

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

RuggieBear

But what about earls and that other winger (i can't remember his name)?

But good player alright.

Tim Robbins

RuggieBear wrote:

But what about earls and that other winger (i can't remember his name)?

But good player alright.

I think Earls is a center. Is it Carney you not thinking of?
Lewis, Mafi, Murphy all will be fighting for 13 and Tipoki the 12.
Should be interesting.
But my only concern is the old chestnut is spending this amount of money on an oversees player the best thing for Irish Rugby.
Why can't they take Gary Brown from Leinster? Or go for Geordan Murphy?

RuggieBear

no. not them.

they have a potentially very good young flyer. just can't think of his name

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

Sangre

As signings go this is a probably a perfect one for Munster, they've always lacked that dagger edge in the back three.

tHE vAGGABOND

someone to replace cullen on the physio bench

EdgarAllenPoo

That would be a nice change especially with Tipoki also on the books. With the forwards Munster have maybe they finally smashed the piggy bank for some good backs.

Some might say that they're taking the places of young Irish players and to some extent that's true but it can't do any harm to be the understudy of someone like Shaun Payne or Howlett.

zAbbo

Didn't know Howlett was injured ?

Snickers Man

Sangre wrote:

As signings go this is a probably a perfect one for Munster, they've always lacked that dagger edge in the back three.

No. It's just that they've always managed to blunt it. FFS they had the New Zealand try-scoring record holder for years and used him for Magners League games.

Munster just don't do running backs. They don't trust them. It's in the DNA.

bugler

That's a bizarre reference to CC there, Snickers Man.

marco_polo

Snickers Man wrote:

No. It's just that they've always managed to blunt it. FFS they had the New Zealand try-scoring record holder for years and used him for Magners League games.

Munster just don't do running backs. They don't trust them. It's in the DNA.

In fairness he was well past his peak and fading fast when he joined Munster and on top of this alot of injury problem afterwards. It is true that Munster backs have been relatively weak in comarison to the forwards in recent times and historically also I suppose (not knocking great servants like Helly, Horgan Payne for one second). This season however if Howlett joins, Munster will never have had a better back line since the pro era began and Kidney has have no excuse not to use it more often.

Snickers Man

bugler wrote:

That's a bizarre reference to CC there, Snickers Man.

what's bizarre about it? He was, in fact I think he still is, the all Blacks record try scorer. and munster used him mainly for Celtic League matches. these are facts

marco_polo wrote:

In fairness he was well past his peak and fading fast when he joined Munster

Well the other side of his "peak" was a sheer cliff face then.

marco_polo wrote:

It is true that Munster backs have been relatively weak in comarison to the forwards in recent times and historically also I suppose (not knocking great servants like Helly, Horgan Payne for one second).

Great servants indeed!! Slaves, more like, to a limited forwards-oriented 10-man game plan. Don't knock it. It's worked admirably for Munster so far. Just don't say it's something that it isn't.

marco_polo wrote:

if Howlett joins, Munster will never have had a better back line since the pro era began and Kidney has have no excuse not to use it more often.

WTF would Kidney do with a back line? Talented backs are about as much use to that guy as tits on a bull. Look at what he did when he was at Leinster: sold all the decent forwards (Cullen, Jennings, Byrne), made absolutely nothing out of the most talented backline in Europe and came close to boring O'Driscoll on to the plane to France. Remember all his (BOD's) comments at the time about "not learning anything new" at Leinster?

Until of course some decent backs coaches came over from Australia.

Kidney is the Jack Charlton of Irish rugby coaches. (Get it forward. put 'em under pressure. No fannying aboot in midfield)

Howlett, or any other pacy back for that matter, going there would be a waste of money. He's only meant as a trophy. For all the use that will be made of him he might as well cut his head off and stick it on the club house wall.

zAbbo

In fairness, Howlett is only going to be used in HCup, he's not registered for ML games. So there's a possibility he's going to be page a huge amount for not much rugby, 6 pool games + possible knockouts if they make it.

Teg Veece

Snickers Man wrote:

No. It's just that they've always managed to blunt it. FFS they had the New Zealand try-scoring record holder for years and used him for Magners League games.

I don't see what you're trying to get at. Should they not have used him in the Magners League?

Howlett will be a great signing for Munster. Heard its pretty much a done deal at this stage. 1 million euro over 4 years. Not sure if the PAG have had their say yet though.

Jilm

It's confirmed according to a "reliable" source on MF.

The deal is supposedly worth €1 million over 4 years.

He turned down Leinster as well apparently ...might go some way to explaining Snicker Mans snippy posts

cgarvey

zabbo wrote:

In fairness, Howlett is only going to be used in HCup, he's not registered for ML games.

Not yet, he's not.

bugler

what's bizarre about it? He was, in fact I think he still is, the all Blacks record try scorer. and munster used him mainly for Celtic League matches. these are facts

So CC was in flying form, fit and ready, and Munster instead decided to keep him consigned to ML? For what reason? Oh, right. In case he ran wild and scored some tries!

Munster were sold a dud in Cullen, unfortunately. It may not have been obvious at the time of signing, but the guy could not keep injury free for any length of time. Between come backs and rehab, he just wasn't available. How do you put a guy who hasn't been playing rugby into the HC side when he isn't fit to do so?

Did you see him play against Llanelli in the HC semi last year? It was embarrassing to see him like that, considering what he once was.

Your synopsis of his tenure at Munster as being "Munster never used him in big games" is either a) a piss take, or b) evidence you haven't a monkeys about what happened him here.

I'd also like to say I feel very sorry for CC, he is blameless in all this, just had a terrible run of injuries and I think he showed admirable determination to come back time after time.

Macca07

so any development on this? and comment yet from munster?

Snickers Man

Jilm wrote:

He turned down Leinster as well apparently ...might go some way to explaining Snicker Mans snippy posts

I hadn't heard that at all, actually. Although in Leinster's case it was probably a factor that he would struggle to get into the side, even with Hickie retiring.

And why the hell would Leinster pay good money for a quality back? It's grunt forward power they need. Badly.

So if they tried to get him at all, they probably tried to get him cheap.

Doesn't bother me in the slightest.

RuggieBear

lets not turn this into another boring Leinster V Munster thing.

Ginger

I hope Howlet works out..

Can someone shed light on the rumours that when they signed Cullen they took out insurance on the grounds that if he didnt play a certain number of games or was injured for a certain amount of time they would get the signing/contract amount back?

Well at least Howlett is used to Addidas shirts :P

Jilm

Snickers Man wrote:

I hadn't heard that at all, actually.

I didn't think you had, I was only messin'.

And why the hell would Leinster pay good money for a quality back? It's grunt forward power they need. Badly.

Leinster do have Pies Le Roux.

Snickers Man

Jilm wrote:

Leinster do have Pies Le Roux.

As in "Who ate all the Pies?"


Good. One down, seven to go.

carlowboy

SM, how is it good? He might eat some of the smaller players! I'd be worried if I was Cillian Willis right now.

Snickers Man

RuggieBear wrote:

lets not turn this into another boring Leinster V Munster thing.

Ah Mr Bear. We've been expecting you.

"C'mon now lads. It's been a clean game so far. None of this nonsense. Put your handbags away or there may have to be cards.

Right?

OK. Time back on."

Peep.

EdgarAllenPoo

Jilm wrote:

I didn't think you had, I was only messin'.

Leinster do have Pies Le Roux.

Did Leinster sign him so he can daze the opposition with his hypnotic giggling?

Not to bring up a Leinster/Munster thing but I'm not surprised Howlett turned down Leinster, they have all the backs they need (though he probably would have replaced Dancing Denis).

It's in the best interests of Leinster and Ireland for them to concentrate on finding and blooding Irish or Irish qualified props and a fly-half because I would think Dr. Phil won't stick around for much longer now that he's qualified. A year or two at the most.

Anyway, Cheika only signs Aussies, unless he's really stuck.

zAbbo

Dr. Phil signed a 2 year extention to his contract last year, so he's here for the foreseeable.

Leinster have both Rob Kearney and Luke Fitzgerald capable of stepping up to Disco's position, so there was no need for a NZ mercenary.

marco_polo

zabbo wrote:

Dr. Phil signed a 2 year extention to his contract last year, so he's here for the foreseeable.

Leinster have both Rob Kearney and Luke Fitzgerald capable of stepping up to Disco's position, so there was no need for a NZ mercenary.

Thats a bit unfair it is not like Howlett is some has-been or never-was, he is still one of the best wingers in the world. Would you be calling Haymans or Jack mercenaries if they were joining Leinster?

Some of these players have been getting screwed for years by the NZ RFU who keep their wage costs artifically low by not permitting players based overseas to play for the All Blacks.

I for one have no problem with some of the best players who are still in their prime, such as Luke McAllister and Howlett, coming up to the NH and earning good money for a couple of years.

(I'll grant you Carlos Spencer and Justin Marshall though )

nc6000

Munster signing an all Black legend as he's getting on a bit, what can possibly go wrong?

madds

RuggieBear wrote:

they have a potentially very good young flyer. just can't think of his name

Cronin Healy? Richard Lane?