Munster V Castres H/C Rnd5 - Sat 14th @ 15:40

phog

Coughlan gearing up for fiery French test: From the Irish Examiner.

MUNSTER back row forward James Coughlan expects a familiar physicality from Castres in Saturday’s Heineken Cup clash at Thomond Park.

Hot on the heels of a hard fought bonus point RaboDirect Pro12 victory over Treviso, Coughlan believes the French team will bring a similarly abrasive style of play on their travels, despite the fact their qualification hopes have already been ended.

One way or another, Coughlan sees Castres as a major physical barrier to Munster’s progress and for that reason hopes to be able to thank Treviso for their efforts last Saturday.

"They [Treviso] are a fantastic outfit, they’ve beaten Biarritz at home in the Heineken Cup, Ulster, Glasgow and Connacht away in the Rabo; they came here with a full strength side and stuck to their task really well, but we outlasted them. Italian teams are always really physical and base their effort around the set-piece. We knew what we were doing was going to work eventually; it was a matter of sticking to it and keep taking it through the phases. They are a very big side."

Coughlan expects more of the same this weekend. He said: "Yeah, they base their game around the scrum and the lineout, like most French teams. They are big, strong ball-carriers and we know that from having played them in Toulouse a few weeks ago."

While Castres may now be tempted to concentrate on improving on their current fourth place in the French Top 14, Coughlan is not prepared to take any chances on Saturday.

He said: "If we start worrying about what they are going to do we are in trouble," he said. "This is about us, it is a home game here in the Heineken Cup and we hope it is a sell-out and the crowd will get behind us."

Coughlan believes Munster must show considerable improvement on their form of these past couple of weeks, particularly on the road in Ulster.

"We let ourselves down in the second half of the Ulster match. Anyone who was up there would hold their hand up. You have a look at yourself after a performance like that. Those of us who got a chance [against Treviso], I think, put the hand up and made up for it.

"It definitely hurt a lot in Belfast. We beat ourselves. We had a good look at ourselves during the week and it was fantastic to get an opportunity to fix it, but for this week our set-piece accuracy needs to come up.

They [Castres] are [still] a quality team and they will not come over here and be overawed."

Last year’s early Heineken Cup exit is a subject few of Munster’s number wish to talk about, but with a rich history of qualification for the knock-out stages, it’s something that is there in the back of the mind.

"Yeah," says Coughlan, "it is one of those things, you can say forget about it, you move on and it is in the past … but we all know we didn’t qualify last season. Call a spade a spade.

"Whether it is a motivating factor is down to an individual, but certainly you don’t like being told you didn’t qualify last season, let’s just put it like that. There is an opportunity to put that right this year."

NikNak8

Teamsheet will be interesting.
Who will be the backrow? Is Ronan injured?
Any changes to the centres/back three?
What about replacements?

phog

Quinny today in the Times

Munster and Leinster should both get the job done as well.

Castres are coming to Thomond Park on Saturday and Munster will just have to put in a professional afternoon to take care of them. If they keep mistakes to a minimum and ignore the fact that everyone expects them to win, they’ll do what they have to.

Denis Leamy’s injury has left them looking a little thin on the ground for backrowers – I’m obviously considering my position and will be contacting Paul Scholes for advice in the coming days!

durkadurka

I think Quinn's been reading this forum...

simonmln

phog wrote: »

Quinny today in the Times

Can you throw out a link to Quinny's piece?

PhatPiggins

simonmln wrote: »

Can you throw out a link to Quinny's piece?

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0111/1224310101193.html

PhatPiggins

durkadurka wrote: »

I think Quinn's been reading this forum...

He's not the only one. Which one of the following are the boards posters and which one is the professional sports journo:

Did they have to convene an Irfu sub committee to allow nacewa on in the centre?
The preliminary hearing is set for Monday, with the decision due Tuesday. Leinster will then have 3 days to appeal, if they so wish. Pending the decision, Leinster must play with 14 men.

So, in the brave new dawn which the IRFU hierarchy have outlined, what with their “position specific” edict regarding all foreign imports, will Joe Schmidt have to ring Eddie Wigglesworth, the union’s director of rugby, mid-way through the second half say, to ask for permission to play Nacewa at outhalf? Or would that require a committee meeting?

The boardsies were 3 days earlier then the journo and lets be honest far better written

the_blackstuff

We really should be looking a a bonus point win here in this one. Can't imagine castre doing more than showing up and getting the game out of the way. It will still be tough tho. It would make the following weekends task easier as well as northampton playing well again. I'd imagine we're looking at earls and mafi in the center. Interesting to see who makes the bench as back row cover, O mahony, ronan and coughlan should all be fit to start.

its_phil

PhatPiggins wrote: »

He's not the only one. Which one of the following are the boards posters and which one is the professional sports journo:

Did they have to convene an Irfu sub committee to allow nacewa on in the centre?
The preliminary hearing is set for Monday, with the decision due Tuesday. Leinster will then have 3 days to appeal, if they so wish. Pending the decision, Leinster must play with 14 men.

So, in the brave new dawn which the IRFU hierarchy have outlined, what with their “position specific” edict regarding all foreign imports, will Joe Schmidt have to ring Eddie Wigglesworth, the union’s director of rugby, mid-way through the second half say, to ask for permission to play Nacewa at outhalf? Or would that require a committee meeting?

The boardsies were 3 days earlier then the journo and lets be honest far better written

As much as I'd love to catch any journalist out, GT was talking about the Eddie Wigglesworth part for the rugby segment of Off the Ball either last week or week before.

thomond2006

Munster Squad for Heineken Cup match v Castres Olympique, Thomond park Stadium, Saturday, 3.40pm.

Marcus Horan, John Ryan, Wian Du Preez, Stephen Archer, BJ Botha, Damien Varley, Denis Fogarty,
Donncha O’Callaghan, Donncha Ryan, Paul O’Connell, Ian Nagle, Mick O’Driscoll,
Peter O.Mahony, Billy Holland, Niall Ronan, James Coughlan,

Tomas O’Leary, Conor Murray, Duncan Williams,
Ronan O’Gara, Ian Keatley,
Danny Barnes, Simon Zebo, Will Chambers, Lifeimi Mafi, Keith Earls, Johne Murphy, Denis Hurley,

http://www.munsterrugby.ie/news/9962.php

With TOD, Leamy and Butler all injured, there are only 3 out and out backrows in the squad. No Borlase either.

I'd like to see:
du Preez, Varley, Botha, Ryan, POC, POM, Ronan, Coughlan,
Murray, ROG, Zebo, Mafi, Earls, Barnes, Hurley

Bench: Fogarty, Horan, Archer, DOC, Nagle, TOL, Keatley, Murphy

Benny Cake

thomond2006 wrote: »

I'd like to see:
du Preez, Varley, Botha, Ryan, POC, POM, Ronan, Coughlan,
Murray, ROG, Zebo, Mafi, Earls, Barnes, Hurley

Bench: Fogarty, Horan, Archer, DOC, Nagle, TOL, Keatley, Murphy

Might be worth having Holland instead of Nagle on the bench. I know Ryan can move to 6 if needed but that means making two changes instead of one.
In saying all that I wouldn't like to be bringing on Holland in the first 60 minutes. Backrow options are majorly thin...

ed7890

Benny Cake wrote: »

Might be worth having Holland instead of Nagle on the bench. I know Ryan can move to 6 if needed but that means making two changes instead of one.
In saying all that I wouldn't like to be bringing on Holland in the first 60 minutes. Backrow options are majorly thin...

Maybe DOC wills start with Ryan on the bench because of that. He can come on fresh wherever he is needed.

Benny Cake

ed7890 wrote: »

Maybe DOC wills start with Ryan on the bench because of that. He can come on fresh wherever he is needed.

Perhaps, I still don't see Nagle getting a spot in the 22 though.

thomond2006

It will definitely be Holland on the bench.

leakyboots

Can't see Johne Murphy being dropped. Would love to see it happen but I don't think it will. Barnes has tackled like a demon and generally looked hungrier for work in the games I've seen, think he deserves a crack on the wing.

twinytwo

peronally i think for the back we would nearly be better playing

9 Murray
10 O Gara
11 Earls
12 Keatley
13 Mafi
14 Barnes
15 Murphy

or

9 murray
10 O Gara
11 Earls
12 Mafi
13 Barnes
14 Zebo
15 Keatley

Looking back munster should never have let warrick go.

Seeing

9 Murray
10 Rog
11 Zebo
12Mafi
13 Earls
14 Murphy
15 Hurley

really makes me want to cry

Benny Cake

twinytwo wrote: »

Looking back munster should never have let warrick go.

Warwick was looking for a more significant commitment than Munster were willing to make. Also, at the time Munster had Jones, Hurley, Murphy & Earls all capable of covering 15, with Keatley on the way to cover 10.

He was a great servant to Munster though, always felt he was underrated. Haven't heard much about him since he went to Stade...

Cpt_Blackbeard

twinytwo wrote: »

peronally i think for the back we would nearly be better playing

9 Murray
10 O Gara
11 Earls
12 Keatley
13 Mafi
14 Barnes
15 Murphy

or

9 murray
10 O Gara
11 Earls
12 Mafi
13 Barnes
14 Zebo
15 Keatley

Looking back munster should never have let warrick go.

Seeing

9 Murray
10 Rog
11 Zebo
12Mafi
13 Earls
14 Murphy
15 Hurley

really makes me want to cry

Guess you're not Hurley's biggest fan? Sure, he doesn't have great pace but, he is deceivingly fast and is very strong at going into contact. He has developed a great offloading game too (relative to NH standards).

I'd personally like to see him tried out at 12 once or twice before the end of the season, provided Jones returns to fitness. We could do some damage with a 12 who can break the gainline and offload to one of Earls, Jones, Zebo. It might go the way of the Shaggy@12 experiment but, its worth a try when, we don't have many obvious options in the centre.

Cpt_Blackbeard

Benny Cake wrote: »

Warwick was looking for a more significant commitment than Munster were willing to make. Also, at the time Munster had Jones, Hurley, Murphy & Earls all capable of covering 15, with Keatley on the way to cover 10.

He was a great servant to Munster though, always felt he was underrated. Haven't heard much about him since he went to Stade...

His decision to leave was PAG/IRFU related from what I remember. We weren't allowed offer him anything longer than a 1-year deal and he wanted more security for his young daughter.

PhatPiggins

They couldn't come close to match what Stade offered him though.

Like the backline mix in your first team

thomond2006

Cpt_Blackbeard wrote: »

Guess you're not Hurley's biggest fan? Sure, he doesn't have great pace but, he is deceivingly fast and is very strong at going into contact. He has developed a great offloading game too (relative to NH standards).

I'd personally like to see him tried out at 12 once or twice before the end of the season, provided Jones returns to fitness. We could do some damage with a 12 who can break the gainline and offload to one of Earls, Jones, Zebo. It might go the way of the Shaggy@12 experiment but, its worth a try when, we don't have many obvious options in the centre.

Ah he ain't deceptively fast in fairness, but he is strong into contact.

Cpt_Blackbeard

thomond2006 wrote: »

Ah he ain't deceptively fast in fairness, but he is strong into contact.

My wording is probably a bit off mark there. I'd probably have conveyed my point a bit more clearly had I said: "He's not as horrendously slow as he looks"

PhatPiggins

Cpt_Blackbeard wrote: »

My wording is probably a bit off mark there. I'd probably have conveyed my point a bit more clearly has I said: "He's not as horrendously slow as he looks"

:pac: Your spot on there. Hurley has a long loping stride so it does appear that he's plodding along. I don't mind Hurley at 15, he catches, kicks and carries strongly. He seems to be carrying a lot more into contact this season, which is great because Murphy kicks too much for my liking.

irishbucsfan

Hurley does have pace. I remember he scored a try against Perpignan down the wing where he beat a few of their guys for pace. He is a Darren Cave-esque loper, but don't tell that to Munster fans who want Earls playing for Ireland!

I like Hurley, Munster could do far worse.

CatFromHue

irishbucsfan wrote: »

I like Hurley, Munster could do far worse.

Munster's try against Lanelli in the HEC I think highlight Hurley's strengths. He actually looks for the off load a lot, almost Sonny Bill Williams like , only messing but it is a facet of his that if his team mates can get a hold of could prove to be a great attacking threat.

Fireball07

I like Hurley, fairly decent player. Murphy however frustrates me. I'd have Hurley over Murphy 9 times out of 10.

PhatPiggins

Fireball07 wrote: »

I like Hurley, fairly decent player. Murphy however frustrates me. I'd have Hurley over Murphy 9 times out of 10.

Murphy frustrates me more in the fact that he doesn't always do what he's capable of doing. Hurley does want he can do whenever he can do it. Unfortunately there's not much he can do.

Fireball07

PhatPiggins wrote: »

Murphy frustrates me more in the fact that he doesn't always do what he's capable of doing. Hurley does want he can do whenever he can do it. Unfortunately there's not much he can do.

Yeah but I think what Hurley can do is a lot better than what Murphy does do most of the time.

I like Hurley, I wouldn't have him in a full-strength team but he's a decent player to have in reserve and is underrated generally.

PhatPiggins

Fireball07 wrote: »

Yeah but I think what Hurley can do is a lot better than what Murphy does do most of the time.

I like Hurley, I wouldn't have him in a full-strength team but he's a decent player to have in reserve and is underrated generally.

Very true Hurley is consistent this season if nothing else. He's suffered from the wobbles in the past but his confidence seems to be improving with every game.

buck65

Cpt_Blackbeard wrote: »

His decision to leave was PAG/IRFU related from what I remember. We weren't allowed offer him anything longer than a 1-year deal and he wanted more security for his young daughter.

Why, is she famous?

CIARAN_BOYLE

buck65 wrote: »

Why, is she famous?

She has health issues and the best treatment options were in France but what Blackbeard meant was job security

Benny Cake

buck65 wrote: »

Why, is she famous?

She has a serious medical condition & Warwick wanted a stable environment for her. A one year contract with Munster would have meant an uncertain future which didn't suit his family situation.

buck65

Sorry didn't know she was sick. Idiot.

Otacon

When will the team be announced?

buck65

Lunchtime tomorrow I'd guess.

Something like

Hurley, Murphy, Earls, Mafi, Zebo
O Gara, Murray
duPreez, Varley, Botha
Ryan, O Connell
O Mahony, Ronan, Coughlan

Fogarty, Horan, Archer, O Callaghan, Holland, Barnes, O Leary, Keatley

jacothelad

Cpt_Blackbeard wrote: »

My wording is probably a bit off mark there. I'd probably have conveyed my point a bit more clearly had I said: "He's not as horrendously slow as he looks"

Should we settle for new category. 'Deceptively slow'.

Benny Cake

jacothelad wrote: »

Should we settle for new category. 'Deceptively slow'.

I was often told I had deceptive pace... Apparently I'm actually much slower than I look...

Flincher

Benny Cake wrote: »

I was often told I had deceptive pace... Apparently I'm actually much slower than I look...

On a side note, somebody needs to take Alan Quinlan aside and explain the meaning of deceptively. I watched the Treviso game on the RTE Player and he used it for everyone. I think he thinks it means "very".

Granted, Niall Ronan probably is deceptively quick. He's pacey enough, even though he doesn't look it.

Simon Zebo on the other hand, is not. He runs fast. He looks like he runs fast. He looks like he should be fast. That's not deceptive. That's just fast.

buck65

I think that Luke O Dea is deceptively fast. He looks fast but he is faster than you think.

Flincher

Castres Team:
15. Romain Martial, 14. Vincent Inigo, 13. Paul Bonnefond, 12. Pedro Garcia, 11. Pierre Gilles Lakafia, 10. Pierre Bernard, 9. Thierry Lacrampe

1. Saimone Taumoepeau, 2. Marc Antoine Rallier, 3. Anton Peikrishvili, 4. Matthias Rolland, 5. Rodrigo Capo Ortega, 6. Yannick Cabellero, 7. Steve Malonga, 8. Janie Bornman

Replacements: Mathieu Bonello, Mike Coetzee, Karena Wihongi, Scott Murray, Ibrahim Diarra, Rory Kockott, Seremaia Bai, Mathieu Nicolas



HEC Squad http://www.ercrugby.com/eng/matchcentre/castres_olympique.php?section=2

Team that played Stade last week http://www.espnscrum.com/france-top-14-2011-12/rugby/match/143645.html

Team that played Perpignan the week before http://www.espnscrum.com/france-top-14-2011-12/rugby/match/143637.html

Looks like their second string with a bit of quality on the bench

theKramer

Munster Team named:
Munster: D Hurley; J Murphy, K Earls, L Mafi, S Zebo; R O'Gara, C Murray; W du Preez, D Varley, BJ Botha; D Ryan, P O'Connell capt; P O'Mahony, N Ronan, J Coughlan. Replacements: D Fogarty, M Horan, S Archer, Donncha O'Callaghan, B Holland, T O'Leary, I Keatley, D Barnes

No surprise there. Thats the team everyone expected...

buck65

buck65 wrote: »

Lunchtime tomorrow I'd guess.

Something like

Hurley, Murphy, Earls, Mafi, Zebo
O Gara, Murray
duPreez, Varley, Botha
Ryan, O Connell
O Mahony, Ronan, Coughlan

Fogarty, Horan, Archer, O Callaghan, Holland, Barnes, O Leary, Keatley

Buy that man a pint.

Benny Cake

Team is as expected. Slightly disappointed that Barnes isn't starting instead if Murphy but it a marginal call.

Munster should be capable of a bonus point win, bringing them within touching distance of a home qtr final spot...

bamboozle

Munster in fairness should be looking at winning by at least 20-30 points against a disinterested Castres second string which was hammered in Franklin Gardens.

darragh_haven

bamboozle wrote: »

Munster in fairness should be looking at winning by at least 20-30 points against a disinterested Castres second string which was hammered in Franklin Gardens.

WHY, Why would you say that. Now we'll have a dour 6 - 8 point win:mad:

NikNak8

darragh_haven wrote: »

WHY, Why would you say that. Now we'll have a dour 6 - 8 point win:mad:

Call me old fashioned but I would settle for a dour 6-8 point win, don't know if the ticker could stand another injury time drop kick!

darragh_haven

NikNak8 wrote: »

Call me old fashioned but I would settle for a dour 6-8 point win, don't know if the ticker could stand another injury time drop kick!

your old fashioned......

PhatPiggins

I'm glad to see McGahan is sticking with form and persisting with Donnacha Ryan. There would have been a tempatation to stick him on the bench as he's now the most experienced backrow not currently in the starting backrow, if that makes sense.

Brian P

bamboozle wrote: »

Munster in fairness should be looking at winning by at least 20-30 points against a disinterested Castres second string which was hammered in Franklin Gardens.

There was a time when you would have been certain that Munster would win this type of game with a bonus point win but as we seem to be leaving two or three tries behind us in all out recent games ,I just wonder. Hopefully,the lads will click and gel for this one.

irishbucsfan

If Munster don't get the bonus point it'll have to be seen as a failure on their part.

I'm confident they will.

phog

Lovely day in Limerick for rugby, lots of supporters around, a fair few from Castres but the city is awash with red.

Can't wait now for KO.

C'mon Munster