Munster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread.

CatFromHue

Did anyone see Jerry Flannery on Area 22 the other night?

Unfortunately he was saying he still has a niggle in his calf. If I remember right he said he could do alot of stuff but when he stepped up to more intense training it causes problems.

Benny Cake

CatFromHue wrote: »

Did anyone see Jerry Flannery on Area 22 the other night?

Unfortunately he was saying he still has a niggle in his calf. If I remember right he said he could do alot of stuff but when he stepped up to more intense training it causes problems.

You'd have to worry for his long term future. Anyone know when his current contract expires? I'd say its unlikely to be renewed, maybe a pay for play deal.

CIARAN_BOYLE

Benny Cake wrote: »

You'd have to worry for his long term future. Anyone know when his current contract expires? I'd say its unlikely to be renewed, maybe a pay for play deal.

end of the season

phog

Benny Cake wrote: »

You'd have to worry for his long term future. Anyone know when his current contract expires? I'd say its unlikely to be renewed, maybe a pay for play deal.

I dont know how insurance works for injured players but I'd imagine pay for play for a professional player is a poor deal. My guess would be if he/Munster/IRFU feel he's not going to make it then retire if either feel he has someting to offer and looks likely to stay fit look/offer a contract.

buck65

bleg wrote: »

Ruddock for the Munster job anybody?

He wouldn't pick any Munster players though.

Amazotheamazing

buck65 wrote: »

He wouldn't pick any Munster players though.

He wouldn't let them kick either.

Deasy must be watching the arrival of Hanrahan with some interest.

d-gal

Saw a pic of Wallace playing yesterday. Dear Christ in heaven he must have hit the weights hard, monster is not even the word

Brian

spiderman unmasked

Fishooks12

Will JJ get any game time between now and the seasons end? I doubt it tbh considering his return will coincide with the arrival of the international lads

blackhound

The size of his arms, I know they were never exactly small or anything

Amazotheamazing

Fishooks12 wrote: »

Will JJ get any game time between now and the seasons end? I doubt it tbh considering his return will coincide with the arrival of the international lads

I doubt it but you'd have to think he'll making squads next season. It'll be interesting to see if he starts for Munster A on Good Friday.

Flincher

Fishooks12 wrote: »

Will JJ get any game time between now and the seasons end? I doubt it tbh considering his return will coincide with the arrival of the international lads

If Barnes is still injured then he could get a run against Connacht at some point.

I was willing to give Tokula a chance, hoping that he would at least be anxious to showcase himself to get a longer term contract somewhere, but it hasn't exactly worked out.

JJ at 12 with Mafi at 13 would be a respectable partnership.

munsterbear

BUS FROM DUBLIN - MUNSTER V LEINSTER 31/03


12 Mar 2012
If you are based in Dublin, or the surrounding reagion and already have a ticket for the game, and are looking for a way to get to the game, why not join the MRSC Dublin Branch gang on their Official MRSC bus.

The Bus leaves Ulster Bank HQ, Georges Quay @ 3.30pm, and is a non-stop journey, which returns immediately after the game.

At a cost of €20 per seat, it is a cost effective way of getting to the game.

If you are not a member but still want to travel, please email mrscdublin@munsterrugby.ie

durkadurka

Didn't see the aironi game. Did tokula manage to catch a ball yet?

phog

The remaining fixtures for Munster (I've also included the H/C & Pro12 semi and final dates)

Date Day Time Comp Home Visitors Venue
24/03/12 Sat 19:45 RDP12 Connacht Munster Sportsground
31/03/12 Sat 19:30 RDP12 Munster Leinster Thomond Park
08/04/12 Sun 13:45 H/C 1/4F Munster Ulster Thomond Park
14/04/12 Sat 19.15 RDP12 Munster Glasgow Musgrave Park
21/04/12 Sat 18:30 RDP12 Scarlets Munster Parc y Scarlets
27/28/29 Apr H/C 1/2F
05/05/12 Sat 19:30 RDP12 Munster Ulster Thomond Park
11/12/13 May RDP12 S/F
19/05/11 Sat 17:00 H/C F Twickenham
26/27/May RDP12 F

GerM

durkadurka wrote: »

Didn't see the aironi game. Did tokula manage to catch a ball yet?

I don't like to be down on the lad as he's not long off the plane but he's had a shocking start and now that players will be coming back, he might only get one or two more starts this season before being shown the door.

Whoever has been in charge of the southern hemisphere imports needs a swift kick to snap them out of it. Chambers, Tokula, Borlase, Manning and Williams all in the last three seasons have been taking up space. That's a good percentage of NIE spots being used up. Munster would be better served just signing 4 NIE players and ensuring they're all quality, established players which is an area they've had far more success in and using the younger lads to come into the side. When you consider that Williams was keeping the excellent Coughlan out of the side, it's silly.

irishbucsfan

Ah now Ger in fairness... Jeremy Manning? He was 18 when he signed 7 years ago!

GerM

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Ah now Ger in fairness... Jeremy Manning? He was 18 when he signed 7 years ago!

I know, you think they could have made something out of him!

In all seriousness, he was about 20 when he moved I think. Just an example of an import who was taking up a spot that was clearly not going to make it. Didn't need 5 years to see that he wasn't a world beater.

Benny Cake

GerM wrote: »

I know, you think they could have made something out of him!

In all seriousness, he was about 20 when he moved I think. Just an example of an import who was taking up a spot that was clearly not going to make it. Didn't need 5 years to see that he wasn't a world beater.

In fairness, he was IQ from 2008-2010

thomond2006

GerM wrote: »

I don't like to be down on the lad as he's not long off the plane but he's had a shocking start and now that players will be coming back, he might only get one or two more starts this season before being shown the door.

Whoever has been in charge of the southern hemisphere imports needs a swift kick to snap them out of it. Chambers, Tokula, Borlase, Manning and Williams all in the last three seasons have been taking up space. That's a good percentage of NIE spots being used up. Munster would be better served just signing 4 NIE players and ensuring they're all quality, established players which is an area they've had far more success in and using the younger lads to come into the side. When you consider that Williams was keeping the excellent Coughlan out of the side, it's silly.

That's not really true now. Williams was barely fit and when he did get a run of games towards the end of 09/10 Coughlan was starting ahead of him.

Chambers was a necessary signing IMO and certainly turned out necessary when Earls got injured against Leinster.

Every province has made dud foreign signings in the last 4 years.

GerM

thomond2006 wrote: »

That's not really true now. Williams was barely fit and when he did get a run of games towards the end of 09/10 Coughlan was starting ahead of him.

Chambers was a necessary signing IMO and certainly turned out necessary when Earls got injured against Leinster.

Every province has made dud foreign signings in the last 4 years.

Williams was starting ahead of Coughlan at the end of the 2010 season. He started in the RDS in the ML semi-final with Coughlan on the bench and the week before also. He got the nod a fair few times that season with Coughlan benching or surplus.

Was Chambers necessary? A cover player was necessary but bringing in a bloke from Australia who sat on the bench mostly and played with the A side wasn't necessary. Nothing that others couldn't have done. It was a gamble and I can understand a signing but would have an issue with the bringing in of a signing on a short term basis who wasn't good enough. If he was someone that could have come in, done a job and been better than what was there then that would have been understandable.

Fireball07

GerM wrote: »

Williams was starting ahead of Coughlan at the end of the 2010 season. He started in the RDS in the ML semi-final with Coughlan on the bench and the week before also. He got the nod a fair few times that season with Coughlan benching or surplus.

Was Chambers necessary? A cover player was necessary but bringing in a bloke from Australia who sat on the bench mostly and played with the A side wasn't necessary. Nothing that others couldn't have done. It was a gamble and I can understand a signing but would have an issue with the bringing in of a signing on a short term basis who wasn't good enough. If he was someone that could have come in, done a job and been better than what was there then that would have been understandable.

I think Chambers was good enough tbh, had a couple of good games along with a few ones where he was anonymous. I'd have been happy to keep him around, he certainly looked much superior to Tokula.

Amazotheamazing

Interesting that O'Mahony sees himself as a 7 in the future. Always thought TOD was more of a six tbh, so maybe it makes sense to swap them across.

The Irish Times - Tuesday, March 13, 2012O'Mahony figures his build is best suited to the number seven position
Ireland's Peter O'Mahony tries to hand off Scotland's Allan Jacobsen during last Saturday's Six Nations Championship match at the Aviva Stadium. O'Mahony's versatility has served him well so far but he wants to be seen as an openside wing forward. Photograph: Dan Sheridan/InphoIn this section »
Only Ireland and England on an upward curveParis win does not guarantee Lancaster postFrance ring the changes for trip to WalesIRB rankings: November a crunch timeAs his performances have shown, Peter O’Mahony is now a genuine contender for selection, writes GAVIN CUMMISKEY

GRAND THING about Peter O’Mahony is he doesn’t need minding.

A natural leader, proved by captaincy appointments for Ireland schools and under-20s, the current learning curve is about acclimatising to the humidity of international rugby.

“The morning was fierce stressful,” he said of Saturday’s first Test start. “The warm-up was good. I felt good after it. The first 10 minutes was quite quick. The ball wasn’t out of play much. We were defending a lot so we were on the back foot. It was tiring, but a great experience. I felt my way into the game nice and early.”

Already, there are moments for O’Mahony to savour from this season’s championship. He almost rampaged over for a try with his first touch on his first cap against Italy.

On Saturday, while burrowing for ball near his own line, Jamie Heaslip double tapped him on the shoulder. Release. He did, but a Scottish forward decided to keep a hold of his jersey. The forearm came cleaving down twice. His opponent let go. He doesn’t need minding at all.

One clean turnover was followed by the now almost obligatory dazed head as he made way for Shane Jennings after an hour. He’s a genuine contender for selection now but early indications are that Seán O’Brien will return for Twickenham and that the 22-year-old must simmer on the bench.

“We have to wait and see how he (Seán) is,” explained Ireland manager Mick Kearney. “He was in hospital from Monday right through to the weekend. He probably lost a few kilos in weight. But he is in good form. The medical team will obviously monitor him during the week and we’re pretty confident he’ll be available for selection. If he is training today that is obviously a very good sign. The infection has cleared up so he is not on any oral antibiotics or anything like that. We are pretty sure he would be available for selection.”

O’Mahony’s versatility has served him well so far but he wants to be seen as an openside wing forward. “Any player will tell you he’s happy out once he gets picked. I’d like to learn more at seven, I’m not quite there yet, and I don’t think anyone ever is. I’m learning and enjoying seven but I’ll play six or eight. Even the way I am built it would suit me to play seven.”

Stand-in forwards coach Anthony Foley sat alongside him yesterday in Carton House. After a good few vicious afternoons in Twickenham himself, what advice would Munster’s past give the future? “Make sure you are right to play,” said Foley. “You don’t want to go there thinking it is Paddy’s Day and you have a certain amount of right. You know, you don’t. It is an occasion but you got to go there and play a rugby match.”

Everyone cracked a smile at the Paddy’s Day comment. Everyone except Peter O’Mahony, who was staring into the distance, stony faced.

artvandelay48

GerM wrote: »

I know, you think they could have made something out of him!

In all seriousness, he was about 20 when he moved I think. Just an example of an import who was taking up a spot that was clearly not going to make it. Didn't need 5 years to see that he wasn't a world beater.

He was one of the first project players. He was brought over to be a future Irish 10 and definitely showed promise in NZ. Some players are bad buys and some just don't develop as everyone hopes. Manning was in the latter camp.

thomond2006

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/17351992

Peter Stringer arrives at Newcastle Falcons, where he will play on loan till the end of the season. There's an audio interview with the Beeb.

Teferi

thomond2006 wrote: »

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/17351992

Peter Stringer arrives at Newcastle Falcons, where he will play on loan till the end of the season. There's an audio interview with the Beeb.

I know there is "no room for sentiment in professional rugby" and all that...but I really hope Strings gets a good deal from someone like Connacht to play out the remainder of his career. Would hate to see him exiled or continuously moving around for the next 18 months/2 years before he retires. Such a good servant to the game and a true professional.

phog

So Donnacha Ryan has signed a two year deal that keeps him in Munster. Great news for Munster and I'm delighted for him.

Podge_irl

Teferi wrote: »

I know there is "no room for sentiment in professional rugby" and all that...but I really hope Strings gets a good deal from someone like Connacht to play out the remainder of his career. Would hate to see him exiled or continuously moving around for the next 18 months/2 years before he retires. Such a good servant to the game and a true professional.

He'd be perfect for Connacht I think. They've already made some fairly astute signings for next year.

Amazotheamazing

phog wrote: »

So Donnacha Ryan has signed a two year deal that keeps him in Munster. Great news for Munster and I'm delighted for him.

Great news alright, hopefully he'll be able to step out of the long shadows cast by POC and DOC.

SomeFool

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

Great news alright, hopefully he'll be able to step out of the long shadows cast by POC and DOC.

I think it's fair to say he's already done that this so far this season. Delighted he's signed again.