Munster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread.

irishbucsfan

chupacabra wrote: »

Brilliant message from Mr. Laskurian.

What's the Basque version of Lunster?

Otacon

irishbucsfan wrote: »

What's the Basque version of Lunster?

Bunster?

Nice message all the same.

Aidric

Father in law a Kerryman. Haha.

PhatPiggins

chupacabra wrote: »

Brilliant message from Mr. Laskurian.

Thats exactly why rugby is the best supporters sport

Nothing better then mingling with other passionateand hospitable fans.

Aidric

JDV pre match interview. I reckon he'll be the man to turn the screw tomorrow.

http://www.munsterrugby.ie/news/7501.php

Jean de Villiers has answered the questions about how he feels having played his last game in Musgrave Park and how he feels having played his last game in Thomond Park so he's determined to avoid another of those questions next week in relation to this year's Heineken Cup.
His immediate thoughts do not centre solely on marking his time in Munster with silverware in his bag when he heads for home although admitting two pieces would be a great way to end his tenure here.

"At this stage the only thing I'm focussing on is my performance individually and the team performance as a collective unit this weekend in a semi final. I think once you start planning too far ahead you can get lost with what's coming up. This is the time of the year, it's the old cliche, take one game at a time. Put a good performance together, get a result and move on to the next challenge." he says.

"You know," he continues, "the reason I came abroad and chose a team like Munster is because of how successful they've been in the past. And you don't want to be the guy in the squad not doing your bit, not putting the performances together as an individual that makes the team successful this year as well."

"If we don't win the Heineken Cup, the year will not be a success for us and I think that's how it will be viewed by the public as well. That's the sort of ambition that's in this squad. That's one of the attractions for joining them. So there's a big onus on every individual to do their part in getting that result."

A semi-final in the heartland of Biarritz's Basque support leaves Munster with a huge task ? "Yes of course. They're a great side with strong tradition in this competition. But you have to be confident but not over stepping the line I think."

"When you go into a game like this you need the confidence to know you have the ability to win the game first of all. If you don't go in with that mentality then there's no point in going."

And going into the game without captain Paul O'Connell? "Of course Paul will be missed. He's a great player, a great leader. But we have the players, the experience to cope. One of the things I have learned through my career is that everyone can be replaced. Yes we'll miss him without a doubt but I think Micko's been fantastic in the role he's played along with Donncha obviously and the leadership abilities he's shown along with Rog."

" I think it'll be the same for them with Traille. He's a fantastic player. I've played against him at international level so it'll be a big blow for them. We know their defensive structure will stay much the same I don't think they'll change their whole game plan because one player is out."

"I never played in San Sebastian. It's one of the privileges of playing rugby is that you travel the world and you get paid for what you love. It's fantastic to go there I'll definitely enjoy the experience certainly not a holiday experience."

"It's work at hand and hopefully get the job done."

toomevara

Excerpt from Hugh Farrelly's weekend post-mortem piece in today's Indo. Interesting talking point, any thoughts?

Do Munster have the right management team?

Munster rugby is founded on a tribal link to the province borne out of a lifelong association through schools and clubs and the fact the current southern hemisphere management team does not have that background increases the pressure when things go wrong.

The head coach inevitably comes under scrutiny in the wake of demoralising defeat but, for the mitigating reasons outlined at the start, knee-jerk reactions are unwise. Tony McGahan's recent two-year contract extension would have sat easier with disgruntled supporters if it had been pre-empted by a Heineken Cup final appearance.

Munster were tactically out-played in the second half on Sunday, which will be the subject of extensive analysis, but McGahan has done good work and his bold selection for the recent win over Connacht paid off handsomely.

With the Ireland contingent unavailable for a large chunk of next season, it does not get any easier but he has shown he is prepared to bring youngsters through. Forwards coach Lawrie Fisher is under greater pressure as the set-pieces have had consistent problems on his watch.

PhatPiggins

I've already voiced my support for McGahan a few times and calls for his head are knee jerk nonsense.

On the other hand I was surprised at Fishers appointment as I had him down as primarily as a backs coach from his time with the Brumbies. In his defence how many times has the full Munster pack lined out this season? For me its Horan,Flannery,Hayes/Buckley,DOC,POC,Quinlan,Wallace,Leamy.
Off the top of my head the answer is not once. The closest we came to full strength was away to Perpignan when Fogarty was playing really well and the excellent DuPreez was in for Horan.

Do we miss Jim Williams absolutely, the Ozzie 8 have gone from strenght to strenght, but is it all Fishers fault? Probably not.

PhatPiggins

Slammin Sammy possibly on the way. Good player, not in the JDV class but a good fit for the squad:

http://www.munsterrugby.ie/news/7519.php

budhabob

PhatPiggins wrote: »

Slammin Sammy possibly on the way. Good player, not in the JDV class but a good fit for the squad:

http://www.munsterrugby.ie/news/7519.php

Jaysus, i skimmed through the article and didnt even notice that.

thomond2006

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Tuitupou

http://www.munsterrugby.ie/news/7519.php

Meanwhile Munster have confirmed that Worcester centre Sam Tuitupou will join them, subject to the usual medical and fitness examinations, at the start of the next season along with Leicester’s Johne Murphy

Thoughts?

chupacabra

Decent signing. But a prop would have been nice.

CJhaughey

He is a good hard running centre, probably make a good partner for Mafi, we need a centre after JDV leaves, so all in all a good signing.

d'Oracle

Isn't he like 100 years old?

Nope: 28, Christ, he seems like he has been around forever.

Tim Robbins

d'Oracle wrote: »

Isn't he like 100 years old?

Nope: 28, Christ, he seems like he has been around forever.

I think he has 10 or so All Black caps. Good signing I'd say.

You'd seriously wonder though - how many good players do countries like New Zealand and even Oz, France and South Africa have?

There just seems no end to it. New Zealand could probably field 5 very decent international standard teams. Insane really.

Good article here (a little bit dated): http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2008/nov/27/rugby-union-all-blacks-new-zealand

ScrubsfanChris

Great signing, but what does that mean for Earls?
Will he stay at centre or play wing like he does for Ireland.

PhatPiggins

Bit slow off the mark thomond

PhatPiggins

CJhaughey wrote: »

He is a good hard running centre, probably make a good partner for Mafi, we need a centre after JDV leaves, so all in all a good signing.

Pretty sure he plays 12. Earls will stay at 13 I'd imagine

thomond2006

PhatPiggins wrote: »

Pretty sure he plays 12. Earls will stay at 13 I'd imagine

+1

d'Oracle

Tim Robbins wrote:

I think he has 10 or so All Black caps. Good signing I'd say.

You'd seriously wonder though - how many good players do countries like New Zealand and even Oz, France and South Africa have?

There just seems no end to it. New Zealand could probably field 5 very decent international standard teams. Insane really.

He is good, but the reason he isn't in the side is cos there has been a steady stream of better players.

I suppose it all boils down to how these nations have Huge playing populations by comparison to our measly numbers.

Larger amounts of players means more people in the pool with the genetic gifts to be top players. More feckers like me too, but we don't marvel at them, do we?

PhatPiggins

PhatPiggins wrote: »

Pretty sure he plays 12. Earls will stay at 13 I'd imagine

+2 + HOPE!

profitius

In addition Tommy O’Donnell, Dave Ryan and Duncan Williams have moved from development contracts to senior contracts, while academy players Ian Nagle, Dave Foley, Stephen Archer, Scott Deasy, Peter O’Mahony and Danny Barnes are promoted to full development contracts. Training contracted player Declan Cusack is also promoted to a full development contract.

Lets hope we'll see more of those players next season. Deasy should be offered a full contract too but will next year.

ScrubsfanChris

I think Dave Ryan was a very bright future at Munster, is he TH or LH?
he will be needed when hayes retires in 2015

profitius

ScrubsfanChris wrote: »

I think Dave Ryan was a very bright future at Munster, is he TH or LH?
he will be needed when hayes retires in 2015

He's mainly a loosehead but can fill in at tighthead. He's a better scrummager then his brother at Toulon, Timmy and should start to push Horan for the looseheads position.

thomond2006

Dave Ryan is a LH.

ScrubsfanChris

profitius wrote: »

He's mainly a loosehead but can fill in at tighthead. He's a better scrummager then his brother at Toulon, Timmy and should start to push Horan for the looseheads position.

Cheers profitius

thomond2006

http://www.munsterrugby.ie/news/7529.php

The annual Munster Rugby Awards, in association with the Irish Examiner, took place in Thomond Park on Sunday night with eleven awards presented to worthy recipients involved in domestic and professional rugby in Munster.

While the Munster team were in Cardiff securing a Magners League semi-final place, remaining players such as Doug Howlett, Ian Dowling, Jerry Flannery, Denis Fogarty, Mick O’Driscoll, Denis Leamy, Donnacha Ryan, John Hayes and Barry Murphy, to name a few, joined domestic game volunteers in recognizing and honouring rugby acheivements across the province.

Munster’s Mick O’Driscoll was named the Munster Rugby Player of the Year, fighting off competition from fellow nominees Keith Earls, David Wallace and Denis Fogarty.

A true servant to Munster Rugby Mick O’Driscoll made his Munster debut in August 1998 and has appeared in twenty games this season, captaining the side nine times. O’Driscoll now joins previous winners David Wallace, Ronan O’Gara, John Hayes in receiving the accolade.

The recipients of the Young Player of the Year award, and the John McCarthy award for Academy Player of the Year were not on hand for their presentations as both Billy Holland and Scott Deasy were further afield, having helped Munster secure a Magners League semi final place earlier that evening in Cardiff.

At 24 years of age Billy Holland received his eleventh competitive cap this season on Sunday evening against the Cardiff Blues and also marked this year with his first Heineken Cup appearance, coming off the bench against Northampton in the quarter final stage.

In his final year of the academy 21 year old Scott Deasy has been catapulted from the British and Irish Cup team to the European stage this season. Deasy has nine senior competitive caps scoring two tries and three penalties, and he made his Heineken Cup debut as a 75th minute replacement against Biarritz in the Heineken Cup semi-final.

Off the back of a great season for Young Munster, securing Division 1A promotion, winning the ODM Munster Senior Cup and the Limerick Charity Cup, the club was awarded Senior Club of the Year, joining previous winners such as Shannon RFC, Garryowen FC and UL Bohemians RFC.

The Hall of Fame Award – Jim McCarthy. The newest inductee to the Munster Hall of Fame won his first Irish cap in 1948 as part of the famous Irish team that won their first Grand Slam of the century. He captained Munster against South Africa at Thomond Park in 1951 and also against New Zealand in 1954 at the Mardyke. To cap a remarkable career he was chosen to tour with the 1950 British and Irish Lion on their 29 match mammoth-length tour to New Zealand and Australia.

Women’s Player of the Year - Kate O’Loughlin. Originally from Carrick on Suir, the Clonmel RFC second row has accumulated twenty Munster caps and eleven international caps and looks forward to adding to this tally at this summer’s Women’s World Cup in England.

Junior Club of the Year - Tralee RFC. The club has approximately fifty qualified coaches, four official Munster Association Referees (MAR) and fifty associate referees. The J1 side were runners up in the Munster Junior League Div.1 and the J2 team reached the final stages of their league and cup. The women’s side won the Munster Division 2 league and the All Ireland bowl.

Club Youth Section of the Year – Waterpark RFC. The youth squads recorded an extremely successful season as the U17s and U19s were crowned Munster champions and the pinnacle was reached with the U17s claiming All Ireland glory.

Club Mini Section of the Year – Thomond RFC. The club fields team from U6 to U12s, complying with player registration and administering excellent coach education policies. The mini section recently attended the IRFU Nationals in Ashbourne and also went on their first rugby tour to Wales.

Referee of the Year – Leo Colgan. He commenced his refereeing career in 2001 attending the same referee’s course as previous winners George Clancy and Peter Fitzgibbon. In the nine years he has risen through the ranks and this year refereed in the inaugural British and Irish Cup and FIRA Youths tournament in Treviso as well as touch judging in both the Heineken and Amlin Challenge Cups.

School of the Year - Crescent College Comprehensive. The schools successful season was topped off with winning the Avonmore Milk Schools Junior Cup with victories over PBC, Glenstal Abbey, Rockwell College and defeating CBC Cork 17-13 in the final in Musgrave Park. The older age grade sides also added the Limerick City Cup, the Kidney Cup and the McCarthy Cup to their trophy cabinet.

irishbucsfan

thomond2006 wrote: »

Referee of the Year – Leo Colgan. He commenced his refereeing career in 2001 attending the same referee’s course as previous winners George Clancy and Peter Fitzgibbon. In the nine years he has risen through the ranks and this year refereed in the inaugural British and Irish Cup and FIRA Youths tournament in Treviso as well as touch judging in both the Heineken and Amlin Challenge Cups.

:eek:

Shut it down!

Benny Cake

http://joe.ie/001499/1/1/story/the-munster-mash-part-1

Not sure if this was posted before but its funny enough...

dreamer_ire

D_Red_Army wrote: »

http://joe.ie/001499/1/1/story/the-munster-mash-part-1

Not sure if this was posted before but its funny enough...

[EMAIL="lol@Fla"]lol@Fla[/EMAIL] "You never kick a guy on a rugby pitch!"

thomond2006

dreamer_ire wrote: »

lol@Fla "You never kick a guy on a rugby pitch!"

Noticed that deliberate faux pas too.