Johne Murphy off to Munster.

Orizio

Link on the way. Brought into replace Dougie presumebly.

buck65

Yeah heard it too that he signed a 2 year deal last week. Welcome aboard Johne. Dougie must be going. Wonder does he have any tighthead experience?

Orizio

http://munsterrugby.ie/news/7066.php

Stev_o

Welcome home....to Munster? Sad news for Leicester supporters, a real tiger through and through and it's pretty bad for us to seem him depart. Great for Irish rugby that we can bring a talent back though. Wish him all the best with Munster now.

Orizio

buck65 wrote: »

Yeah heard it too that he signed a 2 year deal last week. Welcome aboard Johne. Dougie must be going. Wonder does he have any tighthead experience?

I assume Doug's joining the new S15 team in NZ, along with quite a few ex-New Zealand internationals and in time for the next World Cup. It'll be a shame to see him go, always one of my favourite player.

Podge_irl

He's a good player, but I can see him going the same way Simon Keogh did at Leinster tbh.

PhatPiggins

buck65 wrote: »

Yeah heard it too that he signed a 2 year deal last week. Welcome aboard Johne. Dougie must be going. Wonder does he have any tighthead experience?

PSML

TheBodFather

Podge_irl wrote: »

He's a good player, but I can see him going the same way Simon Keogh did at Leinster tbh.

I disagree. Keogh unfortunately had to compete with Fitzgerald, Nacewa and a revitalised Horgan so his game time was severely limited. Murphy on the other hand will only have Dowling in his path for the forseeable future. As such he'll have plenty of opportunities to prove his worth. A luxury not afforded to Keogh.

PhatPiggins

Respect your ban dude

thomond2006

Look's like Dougie is on his way.

I think an Irish option was Munster's only choice to replace Howlett, no SH internationals who want to play in the RWC would make a move to Munster next season. Great to see an Irish player signed.

Johne is a talented winger and I think he's a good signing. Tiger's loss imo.

All provinces settle next season's squad before next season, so we're likely to hear news about Jean De Villiers within the next few days.

myflipflops

A good signing but does anybody think that if Howlett leaves, Munster are a little short on quality on the wing?

Are they considering a scenario where Keith Earls plays on the wing for his province as opposed to focussing on centre?

Murphy, Hurley and Dowling all have qualities but all seem short of international class.

Orizio

myflipflops wrote: »

A good signing but does anybody think that if Howlett leaves, Munster are a little short on quality on the wing?

Are they considering a scenario where Keith Earls plays on the wing for his province as opposed to focussing on centre?

Murphy, Hurley and Dowling all have qualities but all seem short of international class.

I'm guessing Hurley/Murphy on the wings, De Villiers and Earls as centers, and Warwick at 15. Pretty decent imo, but we still need a new 10.

danthefan

No guarantee JdV will be at Munster next season though.

thomond2006

myflipflops wrote: »

A good signing but does anybody think that if Howlett leaves, Munster are a little short on quality on the wing?

Are they considering a scenario where Keith Earls plays on the wing for his province as opposed to focussing on centre?

Murphy, Hurley and Dowling all have qualities but all seem short of international class.

Johne Murphy is potentially international class.

I'd be a bit more worried about quality at centre if JdV leaves (which is very likely, he will want to play in 2011RWC).
Mafi has been very poor all year and won't put a player like Earls into space.

Again because it is World Cup Year next season, our options to replace JdV are very limited.

Earls could play at centre or on the wing, but he won't play centre for Ireland unless BOD gets injured.

Orizio, we don't need a new 10. We have ROG, Warwick, Manning (if he's fit of course) and Burke and Deasy in the academy.

myflipflops

thomond2006 wrote: »

Johne Murphy is potentially international class.
.

Yeah, fair enough. He has a better chance of proving it at Munster too.

If de Villiers left i guess that would leave the funds for another signing too which would probably be a centre. given the current situation.

thomond2006 wrote: »

Earls could play at centre or on the wing, but he won't play centre for Ireland unless BOD gets injured.
.

Or retires, which isn't too far in the future. From an Ireland perspective, I think it's more beneficial to be developing Earls as a centre at provincial level and see how he goes. All in all, I think it's a better position for him to make use of his talents then wing

thomond2006

myflipflops wrote: »

If de Villiers left i guess that would leave the funds for another signing too which would probably be a centre. given the current situation.

Agreed but who is available i.e. out of contract?

No SH internationals would make the move so it would have to be an NH centre.

Although I still think JdV will leave, Munster will try their hardest to secure him long-term given that it will be very difficult to find a quality replacement.

sock puppet

thomond2006 wrote: »

Agreed but who is available i.e. out of contract?

No SH internationals would make the move so it would have to be an NH centre.

Although I still think he will leave, Munster will try their hardest to secure him given that it will be very difficult to find a quality replacement.

They could make a move for Whitten. Or possibly Downey if he's coming out of contract.

danthefan

With the RWC looming you'd have to assume JdV will want to play in it.

myflipflops

thomond2006 wrote: »

Agreed but who is available i.e. out of contract?

No SH internationals would make the move so it would have to be an NH centre.

Although I still think JdV will leave, Munster will try their hardest to secure him long-term given that it will be very difficult to find a quality replacement.

That's the difficulty i guess.

What's Mafi's issue anyway? Just a natural drop in form or something else? There have been issues with the attitudes and 'social lives' of other young NZ imports, has he succumbed to that?

He looked a star in the making for most of last season, borderline unplayable at times.

PhatPiggins

myflipflops wrote: »

That's the difficulty i guess.

What's Mafi's issue anyway? Just a natural drop in form or something else? There have been issues with the attitudes and 'social lives' of other young NZ imports, has he succumbed to that?

He looked a star in the making for most of last season, borderline unplayable at times.

Boderline retarded at other times though. Needs a steady hand like Tipoki to get the best out of him. Hopefully he'll mature a bit because he can potentially make a lot of space for Earls.

I think JDV will go back to cement his WC place but I think Peter DeVilliers will pick him for the WC regardless of where he's playing.

Stirling Mortlock has made noises about moving abroad, he'd be a fine stop gap for Munster.

sock puppet

PhatPiggins wrote: »

Boderline retarded at other times though. Needs a steady hand like Tipoki to get the best out of him. Hopefully he'll mature a bit because he can potentially make a lot of space for Earls.

I think JDV will go back to cement his WC place but I think Peter DeVilliers will pick him for the WC regardless of where he's playing.

Stirling Mortlock has made noises about moving abroad, he'd be a fine stop gap for Munster.

Doubt he'd pick him at Munster. James hasn't been involved in a squad since he came up. There's also the issue of Steyn. He can't select one while leaving out a much more important player. Then again South Africa seem a bit more liberal with their selection policies than the other 2 tri nations.

PhatPiggins

sock puppet wrote: »

Doubt he'd pick him at Munster. James hasn't been involved in a squad since he came up. There's also the issue of Steyn. He can't select one while leaving out a much more important player. Then again South Africa seem a bit more liberal with their selection policies than the other 2 tri nations.

PDV is all talk about not picking overseas players. He doesn't have near the strength in depth he likes to let on.

I can see both Steyn and JDV starting in the WC XV regardless of what country they are in.

shanagarry

I'm SA based at the moment and the thinking here is very much that JDV will be back. Now it might be hope as well on their part, but given how he's had his previous two WCs ruined by injury I can't see him taking any risks with getting selected.

He would probably stay until christmas this year, but Munster aren't going to take him for half a season.

sock puppet

PhatPiggins wrote: »

PDV is all talk about not picking overseas players. He doesn't have near the strength in depth he likes to let on.

I can see both Steyn and JDV starting in the WC XV regardless of what country they are in.

long term it'll impact SA rugby badly though. It's probably a given that a lot of southern based players will come up here after the world cup. But the majority of them will be past it and not in line for selection. But South Africa can't afford to have players in their prime thinking that they can play up here and still be in line for selection. They have to send a strong message and leaving out players of the calibre of Steyn and JDV (if he stays) would certainly do that.

Aidric

I'm pleased with this signing. Murphy is a solid sort, never does anything spectacular but very reliable.

ALH-06

thomond2006 wrote: »

Again because it is World Cup Year next season, our options to replace JdV are very limited.

Try get Downey back?

Nukem

ALH-06 wrote: »

Try get Downey back?

Downey was a brick back then and he still is know. Would fit very well at first centre though, bit like halstead - crash,crash,crash ball.

Heard the news and I thought "really hope this isnt a Lewis move, that turns bad for both side". Guy is a class player alright and hope will prove a good signing

Goodluck2me

Thought Carr would have been in line for that spot, although he could take Johne's place in Leicster?

thomond2006

Goodluck2me wrote: »

Thought Carr would have been in line for that spot

Declan Kidney would veto that move.

pappyodaniel

I remember my dad came back from a Munster HC game in Leicester a few yrs back, telling me how after the game they went on the piss and by chance meeting up with Johne and Geordan Murphy. My da was telling me that Johne was a gas man, dragging them to loads of bars and having the craic. Johne told him of his intention to sign for Munster at some stage of his career, my dad said to him "I thought you were a Leinster man?", to which Johne replied, "I'd never play for that shower of c*nts!"

The auld fella approved.

ScrubsfanChris

Great news, so its safe to assume Dougie doesn't want a contract extension then?

anonymous_joe

pappyodaniel wrote: »

I remember my dad came back from a Munster HC game in Leicester a few yrs back, telling me how after the game they went on the piss and by chance meeting up with Johne and Geordan Murphy. My da was telling me that Johne was a gas man, dragging them to loads of bars and having the craic. Johne told him of his intention to sign for Munster at some stage of his career, my dad said to him "I thought you were a Leinster man?", to which Johne replied, "I'd never play for that shower of c*nts!"

The auld fella approved.

We going to have to add him to the Niall Ronan and Ian Dowling list?

chupacabra

Decent signing. On the De Villiers issue, i wouldn't have minded trying Warwick out as a second five eight kind of center had Jones not been injured

anonymous_joe

chupacabra wrote: »

Decent signing. On the De Villiers issue, i wouldn't have minded trying Warwick out as a second five eight kind of center had Jones not been injured

Heathen talk!

Would be a fascinating way of playing, but I think you'd need a runnier out-half to make it work...

bamboozle

Decent enough signing for Munster. If i was a munster fan i'd be more interested in getting at least 1 back rower and 2 props.

wouldnt be at all suprised to see Stephen Keogh and Mike Ross sign from Leinster...

buck65

What this does (assuming Howlett leaves) is frees Munster up to bring in a foreign tighthead prop. For this we should be thankful. Howlett has been phenomenal in defence for us and decent in attack. He probably will be passed it though at HCup level in a season or 2.
Might be a good time to say goodbye. Not a prayer of making the All Blacks though for 2011.

Twiggles

pappyodaniel wrote: »

I remember my dad came back from a Munster HC game in Leicester a few yrs back, telling me how after the game they went on the piss and by chance meeting up with Johne and Geordan Murphy. My da was telling me that Johne was a gas man, dragging them to loads of bars and having the craic. Johne told him of his intention to sign for Munster at some stage of his career, my dad said to him "I thought you were a Leinster man?", to which Johne replied, "I'd never play for that shower of c*nts!"

The auld fella approved.

Gas story! I was at the Ospreys Leicester game the other week and i was decked out in all my Munster gear, he came over to me after the game and asked was i scouting....lovely lad.

He's obviously coming in as a replacement for Dougie and he's no Tommy Bowe but thought of very highly in Leicester AFAIK so that's good enough for me.

Welcome to Munster Johne!

thehighground

I heard Johne being interviewed (this is a while back) when he said his favoured position was fullback, but was happy to play on the wing (or as a prop) to start a game. Munster is very thin on the ground for fullback cover, now that it looks like Earls is the starting 13 and Felix Jones is out injured.

Also, I heard that Howlett wanted to stay in Munster but Munster were only offering a 1 year contract and he wanted a 2 year one.

(Howlett didn't say that bit about the contract offer being only a year, just that he would like to stay).

Oh and welcome Johne to Munster - I think you will fit in.

Ciaran-Irl

thehighground wrote: »

I heard Johne being interviewed (this is a while back) when he said his favoured position was fullback, but was happy to play on the wing (or as a prop) to start a game. Munster is very thin on the ground for fullback cover, now that it looks like Earls is the starting 13 and Felix Jones is out injured.

Also, I heard that Howlett wanted to stay in Munster but Munster were only offering a 1 year contract and he wanted a 2 year one.

(Howlett didn't say that bit about the contract offer being only a year, just that he would like to stay).

Oh and welcome Johne to Munster - I think you will fit in.

That's great news for Munster. They could do with cover at prop.

myflipflops

pappyodaniel wrote: »

, my dad said to him "I thought you were a Leinster man?", to which Johne replied, "I'd never get my game for that shower of c*nts!"

Different version of the same idea.