Munster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread.

Fireball07

SomeFool wrote: »

Then why not chase Staunton to come home? I think there are plenty Irish players capable of filling these kind of roles. It's the lazy way out in some ways. Better player movement between the provinces might help too.

Warwick did come from Connacht tbf.

SomeFool

Fireball07 wrote: »

Warwick did come from Connacht tbf.

I know, still of no benifit to the Irish team in the long run, and what message does it sent to players in the academy? I'm not looking to have a go at Warrick. I know he was great for munster but I think enough professional players are being turned out in Ireland to allow the provinces to stay at the top of European rugby while cutting the NIQ quota by one.

Fireball07

SomeFool wrote: »

I know, still of no benifit to the Irish team in the long run, and what message does it sent to players in the academy? I'm not looking to have a go at Warrick. I know he was great for munster but I think enough professional players are being turned out in Ireland to allow the provinces to stay at the top of European rugby while cutting the NIQ quota by one.

Also, I just think Warwick is better than Staunton. If we were cutting the NIQ quota, I'd still have liked to keep Warwick.

I agree with the general premise but Munster haven't produced an out-half of Warwick's quality since...well ROG.

Monty Burnz

phog wrote: »

I hope that's not a dig at him, I think most people that follow rugby knows full well why he "booted off to France".

I'm sure if he could have played for Ireland he'd still be playing with an Irish Province.

Not a dig at him at all. He was great at Munster, and a player's first duty is to himself and his family. I wish him the very best in France.

thomond2006

http://www.munsterrugby.ie/news/9570.php

Munster submitted their Heineken Cup squad this afternoon.

Included for the first time are Munster Academy graduates wing Simon Zebo, scrum-half Conor Murray (added to the squad for the Amlin last season)and hooker Sean Henry along with current Academy player wing-forward Dave O'Callaghan. The squad also includes newcomers Ian Keatley, BJ Botha, Will Chambers and Development prop John Ryan.

Notable absentees are Jerry Flannery, David Wallace and Felix Jones, all front-line players ruled out through injury sustained while preparing for or participating in the Rugby World Cup.

Because of front-row injuries, John Hayes has been included for the pool stages of the competition. Darragh Hurley and Peter Borlase - both of whom are expected to resume full training in the coming weeks could come into the squad after ERC Round 1 and 2 under ERC regulations, as is the case with Flannery.

Neither Wallace nor Jones would be available to take any part in the pool stages.

21 year old Youghal native Dave O'Callaghan (Dolphin), a former Ireland Youth/U20 international, made his first appearance for Munster in the August 2009 pre-season friendly against Sale Sharks and his first competitive start against Ospreys in the RaboDirect PRO12 game earlier this month.

Other newcomers, John Ryan (Cork Con) and Sean Henry (UL Bohs) are both 23 year olds. Henry won three caps as a replacement last season while Ryan made his debut off the bench in the September RaboDirect PRO12 game against Cardiff Blues and followed that with a second, again off the bench in the game against Edinburgh in Murrayfield.

Munster Heineken Cup Squad:

Wing/FB: Scott Deasy, Doug Howlett, Denis Hurley, Johne Murphy, Simon Zebo, Keith Earls

Centres: Danny Barnes, Will Chambers, Tom Gleeson, Lifeimi Mafi

Flyhalves: Ronan O'Gara, Ian Keatley

Scrumhalves: Tomas O'Leary, Conor Murray, Duncan Williams, Peter Stringer

Hookers: Denis Fogarty, Damien Varley, Michael Sherry, Sean Henry

Props: Marcus Horan, John Hayes, Stephen Archer, Wian du Preez, BJ Botha, John Ryan

Locks: Paul O'Connell, Donncha O'Callaghan, Michael O'Driscoll, Ian Nagle, Donnacha Ryan, Billy Holland

Backrows: Niall Ronan, Tommy O'Donnell, Peter O'Mahony, Dave O'Callaghan, Denis Leamy, James Coughlan.

CatFromHue

What's the latest injury update on Jones does anyone know?

Also 4 scrum halves is a bit much!

durkadurka

I guess if jones is omitted from the hec squad he won't be back this side of christmas.

CIARAN_BOYLE

No Foley, Holland is lucky to get into the squad so is Gleeson

It will be interesting to see who makes up the backrow for the HEC matches

budhabob

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

No Foley, Holland is lucky to get into the squad so is Gleeson

It will be interesting to see who makes up the backrow for the HEC matches

I honestly think Holland is a decent player, and has a bit more weight/strength than Foley. He hasnt been given a run of games really to settle into the team.

SomeFool

CatFromHue wrote: »

Also 4 scrum halves is a bit much!

Four hookers with the possibility of Fla being added at some stage is a bit daft too!

CIARAN_BOYLE

SomeFool wrote: »

Four hookers with the possibility of Fla being added at some stage is a bit daft too!

If Fla is added it will be to replace someone

irishbucsfan

I thought Wallace and Jones would be back much sooner. Thats a shame.

Amazotheamazing

budhabob wrote: »

I honestly think Holland is a decent player, and has a bit more weight/strength than Foley. He hasnt been given a run of games really to settle into the team.

Holland is ok, he's not going to let anyone down but he's not going to be good enough to force his way into the team either, barring a huge run of injuries. Wonder is it too late to have Foley registered with Connacht for their HEC, they are light on second rows?

The continuing presence of guys like Gleeson is far more worrying, he just isn't up to it.

Amazotheamazing

thomond2006 wrote: »

Donnacha Ryan, Billy Holland

Backrows: Niall Ronan, Tommy O'Donnell, Peter O'Mahony, Dave O'Callaghan, Denis Leamy, James Coughlan.

Even if you include Ryan and Holland as replacement backrowers, that's a very weak selection of players. Almost certainly the worst set of backrowers we've registered for the HEC, wonder can they be more than the sum of their parts?

irishbucsfan

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

Even if you include Ryan and Holland as replacement backrowers, that's a very weak selection of players. Almost certainly the worst set of backrowers we've registered for the HEC, wonder can they be more than the sum of their parts?

I think a starting back row of Leamy, O'Mahoney, Coughlan will at least be serviecable, and O'Mahoney will get a chance to force consideration at a national level. Ryan can cover 6 as well with Leamy/Coughlan capable of playing 8, but cover for openside is really poor.

Seems to me to be TODs last chance, and we already know Ronan isn't up to it.

Fingers crossed no injuries for Munster, unless of course they're playing Leinster in which case I hope they start a back row of TOD/Ronan/Leamy. :cool:

Amazotheamazing

irishbucsfan wrote: »

I think a starting back row of Leamy, O'Mahoney, Coughlan will at least be serviecable, and O'Mahoney will get a chance to force consideration at a national level. Ryan can cover 6 as well with Leamy/Coughlan capable of playing 8, but cover for openside is really poor.

Seems to me to be TODs last chance, and we already know Ronan isn't up to it.

Fingers crossed no injuries for Munster, unless of course they're playing Leinster in which case I hope they start a back row of TOD/Ronan/Leamy. :cool:

O'Mahony gets seriously knocked around in every game, not sure he's quite where he needs to be. Leamy and Coughlan could go either way, a fully fit Leamy, revitalised by the RWC, could hope to be back among the best backrowers in Europe, as he was up til 2008, but a lot of time has passed since then. We'll see. It's the cover that worries me, Ronan can't do it and you'd have to think if TOD was going to it he'd be ahead of Ronan by now.

wixfjord

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

O'Mahony gets seriously knocked around in every game, not sure he's quite where he needs to be. Leamy and Coughlan could go either way, a fully fit Leamy, revitalised by the RWC, could hope to be back among the best backrowers in Europe, as he was up til 2008, but a lot of time has passed since then. We'll see. It's the cover that worries me, Ronan can't do it and you'd have to think if TOD was going to it he'd be ahead of Ronan by now.

I would agree. Looking at that Munster squad as a whole, the first 15 should be up there come May, but the cover for many positions is weak, bar scrum half and lock.

i think it's been proven time and time again that Ronan isn't up to it at this level, although I've been impressed with displays from Coughlan and Ryan at HEC level.

PhatPiggins

Niall Ronan is easily the best openside in the country. Only politics and Kidneys obsession with player the most natural hooker ever born, Sean O Brien are keeping him out of the Irish team.

Here, fishy, fishy.............

RuggieBear

don't force me to bite....

Fishooks12

PhatPiggins wrote: »

Niall Ronan is easily the best openside in the country. Only politics and Kidneys obsession with player the most natural hooker ever born, Sean O Brien are keeping him out of the Irish team.

Here, fishy, fishy.............

considering I'm a fish I'll have to bite!:D

First of, don't think for a second SOB is a hooker, he's an 8 that can play at 6 but not 7 against a pockock or Warburton style opposite number

Secondly I think while Niall Ronan is certainly up there, I'd rate Jennings ahead of him, and Dominic Ryan in terms of potential

Monty Burnz

Fishooks12 wrote: »

First of, don't think for a second SOB is a hooker, he's an 8 that can play at 6 but not 7 against a pockock or Warburton style opposite number

Is he not a 6 that can play at 7 or 8?

Fishooks12

Monty Burnz wrote: »

Is he not a 6 that can play at 7 or 8?

I think he's be better at 8 tbh, was really impressive when he played a few games their for Leinster

CIARAN_BOYLE

Fishooks12 wrote: »

I think he's be better at 8 tbh, was really impressive when he played a few games their for Leinster

I think he needs more experience at 8. He never had to deal with playing 8 in a scrum going backwards (I think) which is a different skill set for controlling the ball at the base of the scrum.

thomond2006

Ah, Munster thread?

With Northampton first up in Europe, the backrow selected needs to be the right one. Otherwise we'll get savaged by the Saints pack. I have images of Ronan getting smashed out of rucks...

.ak

Fishooks12 wrote: »

I think he's be better at 8 tbh, was really impressive when he played a few games their for Leinster

His games at 8 were whilst Heaslip was out of action. He did okay against mediocre opposition. He's a specialist 6 if anything, he lives on the blindside and eats billygoat's gruffs.

andrewdcs

The only Irish player to remind me of SOB was Woody, so Hookers not a bad call but as poster said earlier this is a Munster thread!


THOU SHALT NOT COVET THY NEIGHBOURS ASS!

Howlett and Mafi have Irish kids now don't they?

justsomebloke

thomond2006 wrote: »

Ah, Munster thread?

Just like to repoint this out people!!!

Fishooks12

andrewdcs wrote: »

The only Irish player to remind me of SOB was Woody, so Hookers not a bad call but as poster said earlier this is a Munster thread!

?

If Sean O Brien was ever to play hooker they time to switch would have been 2 or 3 years ago

Not a hope that he'll play their now

The differences in terms of the positions are vast and the scrummaging would limit his play in the loose, if he was even able to scrummage

And thats without getting into the issue of his throwing

Fishooks12

justsomebloke wrote: »

Just like to repoint this out people!!!

posted my last comment before In saw that sorryy

Monty Burnz

andrewdcs wrote: »

Howlett and Mafi have Irish kids now don't they?

Part of Munster's rugby genius captive breeding project.