Munster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread.

chupacabra

Thats a nice house.

GerM

castie wrote: »

Asside from Dempsey?? Are you having a laugh?

Yes.

Yes I was.

castie

GerM wrote: »

Yes.

Yes I was.

Sorry! But some people on here really do come out with that sort of stuff!

grumpymunster

GerM wrote: »

Nope but when the player arrives badly injured requiring surgery, Munster should have been more cautious than they were. The lure of the glamour signing proved too much. Will join the masses, Benny, and say that I only ever heard positive things about his attitude. He was supposed to be a monster in the gym and the epitome of a professional according to anything I ever heard.

Awful shame; aside from Dempsey, he was the best 15 in the world.

If I remember correctly he was not injured when signed but was played when carrying one by Wellington prior to his departure from NZ which made a bad situation much worse. I am not sure there was much Munster could do there whilst he was still contracted to another team.

GerM

grumpymunster wrote: »

If I remember correctly he was not injured when signed but was played when carrying one by Wellington prior to his departure from NZ which made a bad situation much worse. I am not sure there was much Munster could do there whilst he was still contracted to another team.

That's pretty much it. His last NPC game he shipped a bad injury and arrived hurt. I'd have thought in the case of any player signing there would be some manner of back out clause involved that the transfer is subject to a medical assessment on arrival i.e. if they suffer a bad injury the club signing them can review the situation. I think Munster just underestimated the situation at the time and, as pointed out, it was impossible to see how bad things would eventually get.

grumpymunster

GerM wrote: »

That's pretty much it. His last NPC game he shipped a bad injury and arrived hurt. I'd have thought in the case of any player signing there would be some manner of back out clause involved that the transfer is subject to a medical assessment on arrival i.e. if they suffer a bad injury the club signing them can review the situation. I think Munster just underestimated the situation at the time and, as pointed out, it was impossible to see how bad things would eventually get.

Thats true GerM but for a player of his class it was a chance worth taking I think. I cant recall a transfer being cancelled due to an injury received after signing but agree you would have thought there would be a back out clause.

AtItAllDayRef

theKramer wrote: »

He's up there with Nick Williams as most complete waste of money as was injured all the time... :rolleyes:

new to the bandwagon?

Clinton Huppert, Chris Wyatt, David Pusey, Tom Bowman, Tim McGann, Diogo Mateus, James Storey, Anton Pithout, Paul Devlin...............

Should Darragh Hurley, Troy Smith, Flannery be considered the same due to their injuries?

buck65

Dempsey was a fine full back, don't know what the wisecracks are about?

darragh_haven

buck65 wrote: »

Dempsey was a fine full back, don't know what the wisecracks are about?

Yes, Dempsey was a fine full back, excellent even. Cullen was one of the greatest..... ever! New Zealanders use him as the benchmark for everyone else.

theKramer

Benny Cake wrote: »

That award has to go to Christian Cullen...

At least we knew Christian Cullen could play ball from his time in NZ, we just got him at a bad time. Those other two, however...

Flincher

Halstead gave an interview in his second season, and mentioned that Cullen's work rate was ridiculous. He gave an example of a training session before a match for which Cullen wasn't even in the squad, and apparently Cullen was running himself into the ground.

He was unbelievable for NZ and the Hurricanes, and I thought he was starting to come good in his second season with us when he got a run of games before he got injured again. It looked like the rest of the team were finally clued in to what he was about. He scored a fair few tries and I remember him getting a peach of a drop goal in Thomond.

AtItAllDayRef

Flincher wrote: »

Halstead gave an interview in his second season, and mentioned that Cullen's work rate was ridiculous. He gave an example of a training session before a match for which Cullen wasn't even in the squad, and apparently Cullen was running himself into the ground.

He was unbelievable for NZ and the Hurricanes, and I thought he was starting to come good in his second season with us when he got a run of games before he got injured again. It looked like the rest of the team were finally clued in to what he was about. He scored a fair few tries and I remember him getting a peach of a drop goal in Thomond.

The three non irish players who set the standard at Munster for training, looking after yourself, rehab/recovery etc were Rhys Ellison, John Langford and Cullen.

Amazotheamazing

AtItAllDayRef wrote: »

The three non irish players who set the standard at Munster for training, looking after yourself, rehab/recovery etc were Rhys Ellison, John Langford and Cullen.

Can't believe you overlooked Jim Williams, he really brought the forwards on to, possibly even more than Langford.

theKramer

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

Can't believe you overlooked Jim Williams, he really brought the forwards on to, possibly even more than Langford.

In his autobiography, DOC really praises Langford for upping the fitness and weights in Munster. DOC said before he arrived, sessions in the gym were a lot more laissez-faire, whereas he apparently really changed the way they trained fitness/weights wise. Haven't gotten as far as Jim Williams in the book yet

AtItAllDayRef

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

Can't believe you overlooked Jim Williams, he really brought the forwards on to, possibly even more than Langford.

Rhys Ellison set the standards in the mid to late 90's to which any player thinking of playing for Munster had to meet. His approach and mindset to defence in particular was the key to Munster's early HC games.

Langford was the most influental of the lot. In terms of learning how to prevent injuries, take care of knocks etc. When he arrived he was fitter than the Irish internationals and regularly used to beat the backs in the 5km runs.

Cullen set the standards in terms of extra sessions, doing rehab and having the right attitiude to get through long term injuries.

Williams was a leader on the pitch but I think what he brought off the pitch was already there from Ellison and Langford. What Williams did bring was a willingness to question certain things that he couldn't change - ie the suppliments the players were taking (IRFU controled) and Munster having the two bases (far too political).

phog

A blast from the past from Shannon RFC

Taken after Shannon beat Cons in the AIL Final in 2002


Back Row - Mick Galwey, Quinny, Johnny Davies, Colm McMahon, John Hayes, Tom Hayes, Marcus Horan, Frankie Roche.

Front - Fiach O'Loughlin, Mossie Lawlor, Niall and Melvin McNamara, John Lacey, James Blaney

ormond lad

phog wrote: »

A blast from the past from Shannon RFC

Taken after Shannon beat Cons in the AIL Final in 2002


Back Row - Mick Galwey, Quinny, ?, Colm McMahon, John Hayes, Tom Hayes, Marcus Horan, Frankie Roche.

Front - Fiach O'Loughlin, Mossie Lawlor, ?, Trevor Hogan, John Lacey, James Blaney

thats not trev hogan beside lacey

danthefan

According to Canal+ TOL has signed for Perpignan.

Hagz

danthefan wrote: »

According to Canal+ TOL has signed for Perpignan.

That would leave Munster fairly light at 9 wouldn't it. I doubt TOL will even get a starting spot ahead of Florian Cazenave.

Clegg

danthefan wrote: »

According to Canal+ TOL has signed for Perpignan.

Good move for all involved, except for Perpignan of course.

They've bought a horrifically out of form player.

At this stage I'm not sure if we can still even say out of form. He might just be crap now.

I wish him all the best though.

phog

Clegg wrote: »

Good move for all involved, except for Perpignan of course.

They've bought a horrifically out of form player.

At this stage I'm not sure if we can still even say out of form. He might just be crap now.

I wish him all the best though.

In fairness he was never a crap player, he had a dip in form since his injury and like you I wish him the best, whether he's leaving or staying.

Benny Cake

In fairness to TOL, this is a great move for him. He's now well down the pecking order at Munster & its great to see a guy with the balls to move club in an attempt to resurrect his career.

Great servant to Munster, you could never dispute his commitment to the cause, hope it works out for him...

CatFromHue

If he goes I wish him the best. He shouldn't have been picked for Ireland last season which I think did him no favours what so ever.

The thing about Perpignan is they're not safe from relegation and are still very much in the mix for who goes down. They did win tonight but have played more games then the majority of the teams below them. It looks very ominous that Biarritz will go down though. They've still to play Racing Metro, Stade Francais, Montpellier, and Clermont, though three of these games are at home!

PhatPiggins

Hagz wrote: »

That would leave Munster fairly light at 9 wouldn't it. I doubt TOL will even get a starting spot ahead of Florian Cazenave.

The T14 would be ideal for him, especially Perpie who would just use him as a third flanker.

We should have a whip around to send the never has been that is Duncan Williams with him

Hagz

PhatPiggins wrote: »

The T14 would be ideal for him, especially Perpie who would just use him as a third flanker.

We should have a whip around to send the never has been that is Duncan Williams with him

So who's gonna be cover at 9?

Fireball07

Meh, I'm not too happy with that. Good for TOL, but that means that Duncan Williams is 2nd-choice 9 and TOL has made a positive impact off the bench and is still a fairly decent player. Murray is good and has potential to be brilliant but it's always nice to be able to call on someone experienced to come off the bench. Stringer probably doesn't even have another season left in him, and I just don't think Williams is good enough.

Still, good luck to him, hope he does well.

PhatPiggins

Hagz wrote: »

So who's gonna be cover at 9?

Murray,Stringer and any 9 they can find in the academy. Williams is never going to make it and on top of his lack of talent he's injury prone. I know that seems overly harsh but Munster are wasting resources on him when there are better 9's like Gerry Hurley playing in the AIL.

Hagz

PhatPiggins wrote: »

Murray,Stringer and any 9 they can find in the academy. Williams is never going to make it and on top of his lack of talent he's injury prone. I know that seems overly harsh but Munster are wasting resources on him when there are better 9's like Gerry Hurley playing in the AIL.

Oh, I thought Stringer was hanging up his boots after his Saracens stint.

PhatPiggins

Hagz wrote: »

Oh, I thought Stringer was hanging up his boots after his Saracens stint.

I don't know myself but I imagine he'd be more inclined to stay on another season as second choice as opposed to third

phog

When Murray is playing for Ireland then Stringer would be 1st choice, we still need Williams or another SH as back-up.