Munster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread II

ormond lad

Cpt_Blackbeard wrote: »

Its great to see that the decision is being taken seriously. As long as politics are not involved we can be hopeful that the right decision is made - Limerick or Cork it doesn't matter. UL has an advantage due to superior facilities at present, but if CIT will pay for a state-of-the-art complex out of its own pocket then it has a great chance of getting the training centre.

CITs facilities are as good as ULs at the moment

Cpt_Blackbeard

Hagz wrote: »

Loads of photos from pre-season training
http://www.inpho.ie/app/WebObjects/INPHO-Shop.woa/wo/3.0.27.23

I see Ger Sla is involved with the Munster squad. I wonder if he has signed on as Sherry will be involved with Irish squads and we're looking light with just Varley and Henry with first team experience. Its a bit odd as the academy is littered with hookers.

Hagz

I'm exited to see if Barry O'Mahony will get a few appearances, and with O'Gara likely to miss the opening games, Hanrahan should get some opportunities.

thomond2006

To put it into context, for the start of the 08/09 season all the internationals were available, the likes of ROG, POC and Wallace all played in some of the first block of Rabo games. They even got 40 minutes in a pre season game against London Irish (I was at that game).

http://www.munsterrugby.ie/rugby/327.php
http://www.munsterrugby.ie/rugby/277.php

So perhaps the internationals will be back sooner than we think. IMO they should be unless they are carrying an injury.

thomond2006

Cpt_Blackbeard wrote: »

I see Ger Sla is involved with the Munster squad. I wonder if he has signed on as Sherry will be involved with Irish squads and we're looking light with just Varley and Henry with first team experience. Its a bit odd as the academy is littered with hookers.

weird alright, 2 Ireland U20s hookers in the academy.

Can you tell us anything more about Slattery? Just curious.

.ak

There's something hilarious and creepy about this picture.

ormond lad

thomond2006 wrote: »

Can you tell us anything more about Slattery? Just curious.

was in munchins on senior cup team as earls. been playing AIL with Munsters since

thomond2006

.ak wrote: »

There's something hilarious and creepy about this picture.

Risteard

Cpt_Blackbeard wrote: »

I see Ger Sla is involved with the Munster squad. I wonder if he has signed on as Sherry will be involved with Irish squads and we're looking light with just Varley and Henry with first team experience. Its a bit odd as the academy is littered with hookers.

My brother said he'd heard that he'd been given a contract. Not sure if true though.

jm08

Penney being interviewed tonight on rte1 sports at 7 (which starts at 6.30 on rte1).

Michael Corcoran ‏@MichaelC_RTE Hear the thoughts of new @Munsterrugby coach Rob Penney on @RTESportat7 extra with @damien_omeara @RTERadio1 from 630pm tonight ‪#rterugby

Cpt_Blackbeard

More pictures from training here.

phog

The podcast from the RTE radio interview with Rob.

Starts around 11.0

phog

Possibly the same photos as above but without the watermark.

Here.

Cpt_Blackbeard

phog wrote: »

The podcast from the RTE radio interview with Rob.

Starts around 11.0

He gives great interviews anyway. The jibe about Brad Thorn was fantastic .

CatFromHue

.ak wrote: »

There's something hilarious and creepy about this picture.

WeeBushy

Cpt_Blackbeard wrote: »

He gives great interviews anyway. The jibe about Brad Thorn was fantastic .

Thought that was hilarious!

I also love how much emphasis he puts on developing young players. He's saying all the right things.

Teferi

phog wrote: »

The podcast from the RTE radio interview with Rob.

Starts around 11.0

Does this link not work for anyone else?

Quint2010

Cpt_Blackbeard wrote: »

He gives great interviews anyway. The jibe about Brad Thorn was fantastic .

What did he say about Thorn?

WeeBushy

Quint2010 wrote: »

What did he say about Thorn?

He was asked about the fact that Irish teams are restricted in signing NIQ players and quipped about signing Thorn if they were stuck.

Podge_irl

Teferi wrote: »

Does this link not work for anyone else?

You can get it here

http://www.rte.ie/radio1/podcast/podcast_sportat7.xml

thomond2006

Podge_irl wrote: »

You can get it here

http://www.rte.ie/radio1/podcast/podcast_sportat7.xml

He speaks very well.

Aidric

ormond lad wrote: »

Facilities in CIT are prob as good as UL

They are in their hoop.

ormond lad

Aidric wrote: »

They are in their hoop.

What exactly does UL have for Munster that is better than whats there in CIT?
The gym the players use in CIT is specifically for their use and is bigger than the gym in UL. UL has a 50 metre pool compared to a 25 metre pool in CIT but that doesnt affect Munster rugby.

WeeBushy

ormond lad wrote: »

Aidric wrote: »

They are in their hoop.

What exactly does UL have for Munster that is better than whats there in CIT?

The best sports science faculty in Ireland. One of the big reasons Leinster linked up with ucd was to be involved in, and have access to, cutting edge research in all areas if sport. CIT can't come close to competing with UL on that front.

CatFromHue

I don't know the ins and outs of but it mightn't be as cut and dried as people think.

Munster have created some partnerships with CIT. From the link below it looks like there is one with the Mech Eng Dept. Whether this will come into the reckoning I've no idea but I'm not sure of any similar partnerships with UL.

http://www.munsterrugby.ie/club/10431.php

(MOD and DOC look riveted in the last pic!)

Cpt_Blackbeard

CatFromHue wrote: »

I don't know the ins and outs of but it mightn't be as cut and dried as people think.

Munster have created some partnerships with CIT. From the link below it looks like there is one with the Mech Eng Dept. Whether this will come into the reckoning I've no idea but I'm not sure of any similar partnerships with UL.

http://www.munsterrugby.ie/club/10431.php

(MOD and DOC look riveted in the last pic!)

I'm not aware with any current partnerships with UL, but Sports sciences, mechanical and biomedical engineering would be (some of) the strongest departments in UL.

In UL, the Munster players have access to the elite gym, Ireland's first Olympic sized pool, and all the indoor courts/spaces in the UL arena. There are indoor and outdoor running tracks . There is the current pitch were Munster (and occasionally Ireland) train and its changing facilities outside the arena. There is also the recently opened high-altitude training facility - the only of its kind in the country. There is an all-weather rugby pitch and changing facilities over at the recently opened pavillion.

That's only a quick overview, from someone familiar with the college, of the facilities currently available on site. There are also [URL=" http://www.projarch.com/UL_Arena_Extension-project150.html"]plans[/URL] to extend the existing arena to add new gym space, climbing and pool facilities.

CIT has a good gym, an athletics track, astroturf, and some pitches. It has good facilities, but it shouldn't be able to compete with UL at present. It does have big plans for extension though and depending on when the decision to relocate is made, CIT may become the best option.

Quint2010

Thought Penney spoke very well. Interesting that he spoke alot about giving younger players a chance and that they very rarely "let you down". I think he will be good for Munster in the long run but may need a while before he gets his philosophy to start producing results on a consistent basis.

PhatPiggins

Aidric wrote: »

They are in their hoop.

You've never seen the facilities in CIT have you ?

PhatPiggins

Denis Leamy has taken his first foray into coaching as Clonmel's forwards coach by all accounts.

ormond lad

Cpt_Blackbeard wrote: »

I'm not aware with any current partnerships with UL, but Sports sciences, mechanical and biomedical engineering would be (some of) the strongest departments in UL.

In UL, the Munster players have access to the elite gym, Ireland's first Olympic sized pool, and all the indoor courts/spaces in the UL arena. There are indoor and outdoor running tracks . There is the current pitch were Munster (and occasionally Ireland) train and its changing facilities outside the arena. There is also the recently opened high-altitude training facility - the only of its kind in the country. There is an all-weather rugby pitch and changing facilities over at the recently opened pavillion.

That's only a quick overview, from someone familiar with the college, of the facilities currently available on site. There are also plans to extend the existing arena to add new gym space, climbing and pool facilities.

CIT has a good gym, an athletics track, astroturf, and some pitches. It has good facilities, but it shouldn't be able to compete with UL at present. It does have big plans for extension though and depending on when the decision to relocate is made, CIT may become the best option.

From talking to someone who has used both quite a bit the gym in cork is much much better, the gym in UL is tiny compared to the gym in CIT. There is a pool in CIT, size of pool doesnt matter.

PhatPiggins wrote: »

Denis Leamy has taken his first foray into coaching as Clonmel's forwards coach by all accounts.

Young Munster forwards coach not clonmel
http://www.limerickleader.ie/sport/rugby/leamy-set-for-coaching-role-with-young-munster-1-4012156