Munster vs. Perpignan. Fri 11th Dec. 20:00. SS2.

Risteard

Munster Squad

Wian Du Preez, Darragh Hurley, Tony Buckley, John Hayes, Denis Fogarty, Damien Varley, Jerry Flannery, Donncha O'Callaghan, Donnacha Ryan, Paul O'Connell, Mick O'Driscoll, Alan Quinlan, Niall Ronan, David Wallace, Denis Leamy, James Coughlan, Peter Stringer, Tomas O'Leary, Ronan O'Gara, Paul Warwick, Lifeimi Mafi, Jean De Villiers, Keith Earls, Ian Dowling, Doug Howlett, Denis Hurley, Felix Jones

Don't think that the Perpignan squad has been announced.

Anyway, I'm pretty worried about this. We haven't played well at all this season IMO bar possibly the Northampton match where even then we had a slow start. Perpignan are going well in the Top14 and from what I've seen of their scrum, I'm prepared for the worst Friday in that area.

One surprise omission is Nick Williams in my view. He's scored 4 this season in less than 3 full matches. Granted, 3 were against the Dragons but they all count. Also good to see Denis Leamy and Darragh Hurley back.

bleg

Pretty worried too. Hope mcgahan has grown a pair and puts warwick at out half or has him take the penalties at least

thomond2006

James Coughlan over Nick Williams is a strange one.

Williams can't be injured again?!

Very worried about this one, Perpignan are a serious outfit indeed.

However since they have lost already in the group (as have we), if we can beat them and deny them a losing BP, they may lose interest in the competition. You could then expect a weakened side for the away fixture, which would be sweet.

Perpignan could do it, but Munster are at home in the Heineken Cup. End of story (I hope ).

It is a must win as you'd expect Northampton to get 10 points from their back to back against Treviso.

If we can win this weekend, I believe we'll win next weekend also.

To win this, all the inadequacies must be ironed out. ROG/Warwick must kick the goals, O'Leary has got to kick well from the base and the scrum must be solid.


1. Du Preez
2. Flannery
3. Hayes
4. DOC
5. POC
6. Quinlan
7. Wallace (I don't think Ronan is up to it at 7 so Wallace goes there)
8. Leamy
9. Stringer (TOL has been rubbish for a while now, won't happen though)
10. ROG (pull the ****ing finger out and get yourself sorted ffs)
11. Earls
12. Mafi (get back to last year's form)
13. JdV
14. Howlett
15. Warwick (should be place kicker)

16. Varley (solid player and good lineout thrower)
17. Hurley
18. Buckley
19. MOD
20. Ronan
21. TOL
22. Hurley
23. Jones (Tough on Dowling but brings better impact)

themont85

Looking forward to this as a neutral, Perpingon should turn up in front of their passionate fans.

Judgement Day

Yep, I have to agree with you Thomond TOL's form has been dire since his injury and I hope Stringer starts (fat chance!) and that Warwick takes the place kicks (fat chance!). ROG's place kicking has been so bad of late that he is costing us matches these days just as he used to win us matches in the past but his field kicking is getting back to near normal and he should still start. I think believe the boys will come good on Friday - fingers crossed - and someone is due a thumping from Munster after recent humiliations so it may as well be Perpignan!

2040

This is, regardless of what happens, the most important game of the season. You've got people in certain quarters saying that all that has gone before, all the criticism, is just anti-hype. It isn't. It's make or break now. A lot of people are playing up Perpignan's poor away form. Bollox. They're Top14 champions and can easily skin Munster.

Warwick, Williams, amongst others, have been putting their hands up time and time again for places (their rightful places) to no avail. Some EOS-esque bull**** going on that i'm not happy with.

I'll be happy to be proved wrong though.

Challenge cup?

premierstone

2040 wrote: »

Warwick, Williams, amongst others, have been putting their hands up time and time again for places (their rightful places) to no avail. Some EOS-esque bull**** going on that i'm not happy with.

Warwick has played every game that he has been available for, and Williams is a walking injury crisis what more would you like McGahan to do??

zenmonk

Every year in December or January Munster are up against it, every year we doubt them, every year what happens?
I just don't get the panic, they were the better team against the Ospreys and only for the kicks would have won. They played poorly sure and apart from glimpses they aren't doing well this year but we know they always show up in Thomond for the big ones. Munster to win and get the losing BP next week.

[Jackass]

This game is backs to the wall stuff. A loss would put Munster on brink of elimination.

And that's why I think Munster will win. Turning point of your season.

premierstone

zenmonk wrote: »

Every year in December or January Munster are up against it, every year we doubt them, every year what happens?
I just don't get the panic, they were the better team against the Ospreys and only for the kicks would have won. They played poorly sure and apart from glimpses they aren't doing well this year but we know they always show up in Thomond for the big ones. Munster to win and get the losing BP next week.

I agree Zenmonk but id actually go one further, If Munster win Friday night it will be Perpigans second defeat and will effectively put them out of contention thus they will field a weakened disinterested team in the return game which then becomes a very winable game for Munster

toomevara

premierstone wrote: »

I agree Zenmonk but id actually go one further, If Munster win Friday night it will be Perpigans second defeat and will effectively put them out of contention thus they will field a weakened disinterested team in the return game which then becomes a very winable game for Munster

Disagree, no way will Perpignan roll over and play dead to Munster at home...that game will be a straight up dogfight regardless of Friday's result.

danthefan

French posters on PR are saying Perpignan are really targetting this and going to go for it. Have a good few injuries though.

bamboozle

read at the weekend that Munster have won 14/16 HC games they've played in the month of December, compared to 17/25 in October..

Hand over kicking to warwick, stand up to them in the scrums and the game in Munsters

spoon

I think (and hope!!) this will be a vastly different Munster performance to what we've seen for a lot of this season. I think we had a pretty bad hangover from the Lions and the injuries at the start of the season didn't help much either. It's due time we started getting some form back.

We have a lot of key players returning to the squad that were missing last week. Wally, POC and Flannery will make a huge difference up front.

My choice for Friday would be:

1. Du Preez (seems solid enough come scum time)
2. Flannery
3. Hayes
4. DOC
5. POC
6. Quinny
7. Ronan
8. Wally

9. Stringer
10. Rog (not on kicking duty though)
11. Hurley
12. Mafi or JDV
13. Earls
14. Howlett
15. Warwick


16. Fogarty
17. Hurley
18. Mushy
19. MOD
20. Leamy (i can't imagine he's fully fit to start)
21. TOL
22. Mafi or JDV
23. Dowling

twinytwo

spoon wrote: »

I think (and hope!!) this will be a vastly different Munster performance to what we've seen for a lot of this season. I think we had a pretty bad hangover from the Lions and the injuries at the start of the season didn't help much either. It's due time we started getting some form back.

We have a lot of key players returning to the squad that were missing last week. Wally, POC and Flannery will make a huge difference up front.

My choice for Friday would be:

1. Du Preez (seems solid enough come scum time)
2. Flannery
3. Hayes
4. DOC
5. POC
6. Quinny
7. Ronan
8. Wally

9. Stringer
10. Rog (not on kicking duty though)
11. Hurley
12. Mafi or JDV
13. Earls
14. Howlett
15. Warwick


16. Fogarty
17. Hurley
18. Mushy
19. MOD
20. Leamy (i can't imagine he's fully fit to start)
21. TOL
22. Mafi or JDV
23. Dowling

exactly earls to 13 and jdv on a plane home. granted earls is not the greatest centre but he imo is better than jdv at 13, at least he knows how to pass the ball and will give 110%

Juwwi

Paddy Power has priced up the match and its
Munster 1/4:eek: -25/1 draw -11/4 Perpignan

Munster -9 10/11 Perpignan +9 10/11

+9 Perpignan looks good to me.

Risteard

My preference for the match would be:

1. Du Preez
2. Flannery
3. Hayes
4. DOC
5. POC
6. Leamy
7. Wallace
8. Coughlan

9. TOL
10. Warwick
11. Hurley
12. JdV
13. Earls
14. Howlett
15. Jones


16. Varley
17. Hurley
18. Mushy
19. Ryan
20. Ronan
21. Strings
22. Mafi
23. RoG

I think that JdV is being criticised a bit too harshly. Yes, he hasn't made a great impact but the reasons are a bit out of his control IMO. How many times does he receive a pass? He was skipped most of the time by RoG when he was at 12 and since he's been at 13 he has virtually no opportunity due to Mafi's inability to pass. Mafi is a great player but he is not (and never has been IMO) a 12. He doesn't have the necessary distribution skills. I think he would be a good wing with Earls coming into 13 playing outside deVilliers.

Jones despite little gametime has a spark about him, similar to Earls IMO, that he can create something from nothing. His try against Leicester in the pre-season friendly showed that.

Hurley has been one of our best players IMO and as such I think he deserves a shot on the wing in a big game.

phog

Strong rumour over on MF.com that JdV may not be starting this game. Does that mean Earls at centre and he two wingers from Hurley, Howlett or Dowling with Warwick at FB?

Otacon

phog wrote: »

Strong rumour over on MF.com that JdV may not be starting this game. Does that mean Earls at centre and he two wingers from Hurley, Howlett or Dowling with Warwick at FB?

If that is the case then yes, I would think Hurley and Howlett will play.

I think this is a good move. Mafi and Earls linked up brilliantly last year. If they can re-ignite that spark, then I can see JdeV sitting out a lot of games.

thomond2006

phog wrote: »

Strong rumour over on MF.com that JdV may not be starting this game. Does that mean Earls at centre and he two wingers from Hurley, Howlett or Dowling with Warwick at FB?

Link?

zenmonk

That would be a surprising move.

thomond2006

If Jdv is dropped, he is being made a scapegoat.

JdV has hardly got the ball at 13 due to Mafi's insistence lately of always lokking for contact.

Although McGahan must be thinking that Mafi and Earls in the centre worked last season and so that partnership could sort out the problem.

Risteard

thomond2006 wrote: »

If Jdv is dropped, he is being made a scapegoat.

JdV has hardly got the ball at 13 due to Mafi's insistence lately of always lokking for contact.

Although McGahan must be thinking that Mafi and Earls in the centre worked last season and so that partnership could sort out the problem.

He's always been like that, and the reason they did a good job was because the pack was giving them great ball. We saw in the Leinster game that when they lost that good ball, they weren't that effective.

I still think Mafi's best position could be wing, he's quick and can step which helps in tight spaces but he doesn't have the passing skills for 12. JdV and Earls seems like a much more balanced partnership to me.

Peter B

Risteard wrote: »

I think that JdV is being criticised a bit too harshly. Yes, he hasn't made a great impact but the reasons are a bit out of his control IMO. How many times does he receive a pass? He was skipped most of the time by RoG when he was at 12 and since he's been at 13 he has virtually no opportunity due to Mafi's inability to pass. Mafi is a great player but he is not (and never has been IMO) a 12. He doesn't have the necessary distribution skills. I think he would be a good wing with Earls coming into 13 playing outside deVilliers.

I agree with all of this except I think Mafi should go to the bench instead of taking up a winger position.

danthefan

Munster team out. JdV dropped, and also have to say it should not be allowed to have a 3 month signing starting over a current Irish international.


15. Paul Warwick, 14. Doug Howlett, 13. Keith Earls, 12. Lifeimi Mafi, 10. Ronan O'Gara, 9. Tomas O'Leary, 1. Wian du Preez, 2. Denis Fogarty, 3. John Hayes, 4. Donncha O'Callaghan, 5. Paul O'Connell, 6. Alan Quinlan, 7. David Wallace, 8. Denis Leamy,
16. Damien Varley, 17. Denis Hurley, 18. Tony Buckley, 19. Mick O'Driscoll, 20. Donnacha Ryan, 21. Niall Ronan, 22. Peter Stringer, 23. Jean de Villiers,

Edit - just noticed that team has no left winger, I copied&pasted from elsewhere. Dunno what's going on there.

Risteard

No Flannery either.

Edit: I'd say Hurley is on the Wing and Darragh Hurley is at 17. Denis Hurley isn't a prop.

thomond2006

http://munsterrugby.wavenex.ie/team-thoughts/108-team-thoughts-on-perpignan

danthefan

Apparently the Perpignan team, this team has no no8. Not sure what's going on:

15. Jérôme Porical, 14. Farid Sid, 13. David Marty, 12. Maxime Mermoz, 11. Christophe Manas, 10. Gavin Hume, 9. Nicolas Durand, 1. Perry Freshwater, 2. Guilhem Guirado, 3. Nicolas Mas, 4. Olivier Olibeau, 5. Robins Tchale Watchou, 6. Yoann Vivalda, 7. Bertrand Guiry,
16. Marius Tincu, 17. Jérôme Schuster, 18. Kisi Pulu, 19. Charles Geli, 20. David Mele, 21. Jean-Philippe Grandclaude, 22. Philip Burger, 23. Rimas Alvarez Kairelis,

thomond2006

Maybe coz there is a question mark on Tuilagi's fitness..

For anyone that follows Top14, is this a full strength side (injuries apart)?

I see perpignon have gone without a number 8,while Munster took a risk and went without a winger.

danthefan

thomond2006 wrote: »

Maybe coz there is a question mark on Tuilagi's fitness..

Think you're right.

Anyway it's Denis Hurley on the wing, Darragh Hurley on the bench, Ian Dowling doesn't even make the 23.

http://www.ercrugby.com/eng/12_12912.php

Holy flurking shnit. Marty and Mermoz in midfield? I think Earls will have his hands full :eek:

zenmonk

Should be alot more open with 14 players each:D

thomond2006

Corrected team:

Munster: P Warwick; D Howlett, K Earls, L Mafi, D Hurley; R O'Gara, T O'Leary;
W du Preez, D Fogarty, J Hayes; D O'Callaghan, P O'Connell capt; A Quinlan, D Wallace, D Leamy.

Replacements: D Varley, D Hurley, T Buckley, M O'Driscoll, D Ryan, N Ronan, P Stringer, J de Villiers.

Peter B

thomond2006 wrote: »

Corrected team:

Munster: P Warwick; D Howlett, K Earls, L Mafi, D Hurley; R O'Gara, T O'Leary;
W du Preez, D Fogarty, J Hayes; D O'Callaghan, P O'Connell capt; A Quinlan, D Wallace, D Leamy.

Replacements: D Varley, D Hurley, T Buckley, M O'Driscoll, D Ryan, N Ronan, P Stringer, J de Villiers.

Interesting to see the subs divided into 6 forwards and 2 backs.

Otacon

Peter B wrote: »

Interesting to see the subs divided into 6 forwards and 2 backs.

I think Earls and Warwick allow for this as they are quite versatile.

Good-looking team, hope ROG puts his boots on the right way round now.

thomond2006

I'm annoyed at the split, you're hardly going to bring on MOD, Ryan and Ronan. Would it not be better to have Felix Jones there who could bring some pace to the game at FB/wing? JdV only covers centre/wing and Earls is not a good FB.

themont85

Big call from McGahan, the Munster Branch aren't paying JDV serious wonga to sit on the bench.

shanagarry

Wow, I think JDV has been very hard done by. Ok, he hasn't been up to his usual standards, but give him a chance. He arrived in Cork less than a week after his last tri-nations game (in NZ) and was straight into the team a week later. This is after having no break over the summer with Lions and Tri-nations (granted he didn't play the full S14). Plus he had to slot into a new team, one with a misfiring outhalf and scrumhalf, and a 12 who is not a distributor. Now he's finally had a bit of a break with the AIs, despite his call up, and should be starting to settle in. I think he has a big game in him now. Did people not notice the difference he made to the Boks when he came on? He can play like that for Munster too if utilised properly.

I've watched him nearly single handedly keep stuttering Stormers teams in games. He's a super, super player, definitely one of the best centres in the world. He was always the Bok I said I'd love to see in Ireland, I was ecstatic when Munster signed him. No way would I be so quick to drop him for Earls, whom there are still some question marks about at centre, and, at the very least, still has much to learn there.

Tim Robbins

Are Perpignan playing their proper 1st team?

Munster seem to now realise what **** hands this guy has added to his lack of creativity,you cant help but laugh at the way they went about buying 12 to replace 13's and mixing and matching.
What a disaster.

10-rog
11-mafi
12-warwick
13-jdv
14-howlet
15-earls

problem solved and you operate with a 1st 5/8 2nd 5/8,adds a bit of creativity to a non creative medfield.

Obviously earls at 15 is a liability but his counter attacking threat is decent,so its a risk worth taking.

Risteard

Ivy Scary Flowerbed wrote: »

Munster seem to now realise what **** hands this guy has added to his lack of creativity,you cant help but laugh at the way they went about buying 12 to replace 13's and mixing and matching.
What a disaster.

10-rog
11-mafi
12-warwick
13-jdv
14-howlet
15-earls

problem solved and you operate with a 1st 5/8 2nd 5/8,adds a bit of creativity to a non creative medfield.

Obviously earls at 15 is a liability but his counter attacking threat is decent,so its a risk worth taking.

10. Warwick
11. Mafi
12. JdV
13. Earls
14. Howlett
15. Jones

Far more creative IMO and great attackers through out. Plus Jones seems pretty solid under the high ball.

Peter B

thomond2006 wrote: »

JdV only covers centre/wing and Earls is not a good FB.

Ivy Scary Flowerbed wrote: »

Obviously earls at 15 is a liability but his counter attacking threat is decent,so its a risk worth taking.

Why do people reckon Earls is a liability at full back? I reckon he has played some of his best rugby to date there for Munster.

bleg

he knocked the ball on a couple of times on the lions tour. ergo, he's a poor full back!

Risteard

Risteard wrote: »

10. Warwick
11. Mafi
12. JdV
13. Earls
14. Howlett
15. Jones

Far more creative IMO and great attackers through out. Plus Jones seems pretty solid under the high ball.

Well you ditched Rog though,thats not going to happen so i kept him in.

Peter B wrote: »

Why do people reckon Earls is a liability at full back? I reckon he has played some of his best rugby to date there for Munster.

He is very short to be fullback at 5'11 so he will never dominate in the air and his kicking isnt very good.

No shame in that hes a smaching running game.You can get away with playing him against certain teams but a team with a good fullback will pepper him.

People dont like playing him there because they want him to nail a position down.
Hes unfortunate to have the best fullback in the world in the national team,so fullback would not be the best position to pick.

thomond2006

Peter B wrote: »

Why do people reckon Earls is a liability at full back? I reckon he has played some of his best rugby to date there for Munster.

Weak under the high ball.

Inconsistent kicker.

Small height.

He played good rugby at FB when he wasn't tested defensively.

chupacabra

Happy with that team, disappointed Jones didnt make the bench, there is no point whatsover of having Micko on the bench and then having 2 back row players there one of which is a natural second row.. its baffling UNLESS POC or DOC are carrying an injury.

bleg

:

Ivy Scary Flowerbed wrote: »

Hes unfortunate to have the best fullback in the world in the national team,so fullback would not be the best position to pick.

Mils Murphy?

funky penguin

Throw in on top of that the fact that Fitz would prob be chosen over him full back if he was required. He's always made it known that full back is his preferred position.

The more this Earls saga goes on the more I think the poor lad is doomed to the pit of utility backness.

thehighground

chupacabra wrote: »

Happy with that team, disappointed Jones didnt make the bench, there is no point whatsover of having Micko on the bench and then having 2 back row players there one of which is a natural second row.. its baffling UNLESS POC or DOC are carrying an injury.

Micko spent a few seasons with USAP which would give him a bit of an edge on how they play.

chupacabra

thehighground wrote: »

Micko spent a few seasons with USAP which would give him a bit of an edge on how they play.

That was almost 5 years ago... i really doubt having him in the team gives us advantage in that regard.