Munster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread II

danthefan

Not sure who would keep Earls out of the back 3. Zebo is obviously a guaranteed starter but Conway, LOD? Don't think either would keep Earls out of the side.

Actually as I type I remember GvdH was signed, I don't know anything about him so can't really comment there.

thomond2006

danthefan wrote: »

Not sure who would keep Earls out of the back 3. Zebo is obviously a guaranteed starter but Conway, LOD? Don't think either would keep Earls out of the side.

Actually as I type I remember GvdH was signed, I don't know anything about him so can't really comment there.

VDH is primarily a winger judging by his Super Rugby appearances. A direct replacement for Howlett.

danthefan

thomond2006 wrote: »

VDH is primarily a winger judging by his Super Rugby appearances. A direct replacement for Howlett.

Well yeah I know he's a winger, but I have no idea how good he is is what I'm saying. I don't know if he's better than Earls or not.

Lelantos

danthefan wrote: »

Well yeah I know he's a winger, but I have no idea how good he is is what I'm saying. I don't know if he's better than Earls or not.

He's not, his speed is blistering, his strike rate not so much

Chabals Beard

I would have Earls over any other Munster winger, including Zebo.

Fireball07

Silly season is almost over, and we've had some fairly awful discussions :P But..... to round off a great silly season, your best Munster team of the last 15 years? (that's my living memory, pretty much so seems like a good cut-off point) Use whatever criteria you want to.


15. Shaun Payne
14. Dougie Howlett
13. Rua Tipoki- Wasn't here for long, but he was class, beats out Mullins/Earls
12. Trevor Halstead- We haven't had too many top class 12s, if Mafi had played like he did in 2009 more often, he might have made out.
11. Simon Zebo- His most recent form is better than Earls at his best.
10. Ronan O'Gara
9. Peter Stringer
8. Anthony Foley
7. David Wallace
6. Alan Quinlan- Choosing between Jim Williams, Quinny, Leamy and POM was not easy, but I loved Quinny.
5. Paul O'Connell
4. Mick Galwey- Only slightly ahead of DOC
3. John Hayes
2. Keith Wood- Again not there for long, but was a truly class player, beats Fla
1. Peter Clohessy

16. Jerry Flannery
17. Marcus Horan
18. BJ Botha
19. Donncha O'Callaghan
20. Denis Leamy
21. Conor Murray
22. Paul Warwick
23. Keith Earls

.ak

JDV is worth a mention!

irishbucsfan

.ak wrote: »

JDV is worth a mention!

No close to Halstead because they took so long to work out how to use him

jamiedav2011

.ak wrote: »

JDV is worth a mention!

Really?! For half a season worth of performance?
Or are we talking about who is the better player, because Halstead surely had the far bigger impact for Munster?

Lelantos

jamiedav2011 wrote: »

Really?! For half a season worth of performance?
Or are we talking about who is the better player, because Halstead surely had the far bigger impact for Munster?

Leinster fans arguing about the best Munster players, where's me popcorn?!

Benny Cake

I'd agree in general but I'd have doc ahead of galwey (who I think is one our more overrated liginds)

Fireball07

JdV is/was a class player, but his performances for Munster were never as good as Halstead's.

John Kelly probably deserves a mention, but you couldn't have him ahead of Howlett. Still a very good winger though.

hype101

No room for Christian Cullen no?.. Injuries and lack of gametime considered, I would still include possibly the greatest fullback the game has ever seen.. Him and the Dougie of a few years ago would have been a sight to see

Fireball07

hype101 wrote: »

No room for Christian Cullen no?.. Injuries and lack of gametime considered, I would still include possibly the greatest fullback the game has ever seen.. Him and the Dougie of a few years ago would have been a sight to see

Cullen was class, but we only ever saw flashes of what he was capable of for Munster. Payne was hugely consistent, one of our best NIQ signings imo.

Benny Cake

hype101 wrote: »

No room for Christian Cullen no?.. Injuries and lack of gametime considered, I would still include possibly the greatest fullback the game has ever seen.. Him and the Dougie of a few years ago would have been a sight to see

Purely on the basis of Cullens performances for Munster you couldn't have him on a best VX selection. Same with JDV, both class players but didn't play their best with Munster...

Deano7788

hype101 wrote: »

No room for Christian Cullen no?.. Injuries and lack of gametime considered, I would still include possibly the greatest fullback the game has ever seen.. Him and the Dougie of a few years ago would have been a sight to see

Yeah, but's its the best Munster team, not the best players who have played for Munster at some point in their career. Payne would easily be ahead of Cullen in terms of performances for Munster. Cullen was never really able to click with Munster, due to a combination of injuries and being on a different wavelength to the other players.

Rightwing

Fireball07 wrote: »

Silly season is almost over, and we've had some fairly awful discussions :P But..... to round off a great silly season, your best Munster team of the last 15 years? (that's my living memory, pretty much so seems like a good cut-off point) Use whatever criteria you want to.


15. Shaun Payne
14. Dougie Howlett
13. Rua Tipoki- Wasn't here for long, but he was class, beats out Mullins/Earls
12. Trevor Halstead- We haven't had too many top class 12s, if Mafi had played like he did in 2009 more often, he might have made out.
11. Simon Zebo- His most recent form is better than Earls at his best.
10. Ronan O'Gara
9. Peter Stringer
8. Anthony Foley
7. David Wallace
6. Alan Quinlan- Choosing between Jim Williams, Quinny, Leamy and POM was not easy, but I loved Quinny.
5. Paul O'Connell
4. Mick Galwey- Only slightly ahead of DOC
3. John Hayes
2. Keith Wood- Again not there for long, but was a truly class player, beats Fla
1. Peter Clohessy

16. Jerry Flannery
17. Marcus Horan
18. BJ Botha
19. Donncha O'Callaghan
20. Denis Leamy
21. Conor Murray
22. Paul Warwick
23. Keith Earls

You'd just have to find somewhere for Mafi..ok, he was poor in his last season or so, but some player and gave us great service.

Buer

Fireball07 wrote: »

John Kelly probably deserves a mention, but you couldn't have him ahead of Howlett. Still a very good winger though.

I'd squeeze him in at 13. He was a class act that lacked that very top gear that the likes of BOD had. Such an intelligent and effective player. Very harsh on Tipoki, who was excellent also.

blindsider

Would have to put John Langford in there too. He was awesome for the duration of his time here.

Others to miss out include Dutchy Holland and Mike Mullins - great players, but overtaken by better players as we built towards 2006.

'Seamus' as captain was an imperious figure on the pitch. I reckon Paulie learned a lot from Langford, Seamus and Axel, and to a lesser extent from Gaillimh.

Tomtom364

Munster NIQ backline

15. Cullen
14. Howlett
13. Topoki
12. Halstead
11. Payne (jdv)
10. Warrick (Payne)
9. ???? (Warrick)

hype101

Benny Cake wrote: »

Purely on the basis of Cullens performances for Munster you couldn't have him on a best VX selection. Same with JDV, both class players but didn't play their best with Munster...

Agreed.. I am more pinning for a false history I accept.. Sadly, it never quite worked but still, Christian Cullen played for munster and that's pretty cool

Munster13

He may not get close to the best Xv but Anthony Horgan was a great winger for Munster, loved scoring tries, just wanted to mention him as no one else has, or even Ian Dowling, shame he had to get injured but put 100% in every game, may not make best XV either but loved watching them both

Fireball07

Munster13 wrote: »

He may not get close to the best Xv but Anthony Horgan was a great winger for Munster, loved scoring tries, just wanted to mention him as no one else has, or even Ian Dowling, shame he had to get injured but put 100% in every game, may not make best XV either but loved watching them both

Was a huge fan of both of them. Preferred Horgan to Kelly even, even though Kelly was arguably better. He was a great finisher.


And Dowling...one of the best defensive wingers we've ever had, hugely underrated.

Munster13

Fireball07 wrote: »

Was a huge fan of both of them. Preferred Horgan to Kelly even, even though Kelly was arguably better. He was a great finisher.


And Dowling...one of the best defensive wingers we've ever had, hugely underrated.

It is such a shame his career ended so early, i think he would still be an awesome player for us now

irishbucsfan

Fireball07 wrote: »

And Dowling...one of the best defensive wingers we've ever had, hugely underrated.

Eh.. Howlett?

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Eh.. Howlett?

"One" of the best he said!

Fireball07

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience wrote: »

"One" of the best he said!

Exactly (that wording was specifically included because of Howlett)

irishbucsfan

Wouldn't put Dowling in the same class as Howlett really. His work ethic was great but he did not read the game nearly as well. There's a wide gap between the two.

Hagz

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Wouldn't put Dowling in the same class as Howlett really.

I can't imagine anyone would. Hence why nobody did ↓

JagerScout

madness to put dowling in the same class as howlett, my god the blinders are on