Glasgow Warriors vs Munster, Friday 29 March 8:05pm; TG4/BBC ALBA

SebBerkovich

Anyone else wondering why Jackson is starting ahead of Weir?
Might be just me, but on form Weir deserves to be starting.

totallegend

SebBerkovich wrote: »

Anyone else wondering why Jackson is starting ahead of Weir?
Might be just me, but on form Weir deserves to be starting.

Weir looked good against Leinster but had also played against France the week before so might just be rested?

But yes, I would pick Weir

totallegend

Re: ROG; it's possible that Penney has devised his game plan for the Quins match and that it involves "traditional Munster rugby", i.e. ping it to the corner, hope Paulie can steal the lineout, maul it to the line. If so, then ROG is the right call.

Whatever style of play Penney was hoping to instil into Munster, it hasn't worked and he probably realises that there is no time to fix it between now and next weekend so it's back to basics.

molloyjh

totallegend wrote: »

Re: ROG; it's possible that Penney has devised his game plan for the Quins match and that it involves "traditional Munster rugby", i.e. ping it to the corner, hope Paulie can steal the lineout, maul it to the line. If so, then ROG is the right call.

Whatever style of play Penney was hoping to instil into Munster, it hasn't worked and he probably realises that there is no time to fix it between now and next weekend so it's back to basics.

That's a nice thought, and I'll admit here and now I missed most of the game last weekend, but surely if he was going to admit defeat in terms of his game plan he'd have done that loss to Cardiff at the start of the year? If he was looking to go back to Munster basics then we'd have seen it last week. What kind of game were Munster playing for the most part then?

When has POC been an offensive lineout operator?

Otacon

Deleted User wrote: »

When has POC been an offensive lineout operator?

I've heard him calling some of the opposition locks names before but nothing too saucy.

trouttrout

Deleted User wrote: »

When has POC been an offensive lineout operator?

As in stealing opposition ball?

trouttrout

trouttrout wrote: »

As in stealing opposition ball?

yup, he's always been a go to guy for his own hookers, but he's not a disruptive force, not that I can recall anyway!

irishbucsfan

Deleted User wrote: »

yup, he's always been a go to guy for his own hookers, but he's not a disruptive force, not that I can recall anyway!

He absolutely is. So many examples come to mind. The clearest being Ireland South Africa 2009.

EDIT: Now that I remember, the rumour has it that Smal taught him Afrikaans for that game so he could decipher their calls.

trouttrout

Deleted User wrote: »

yup, he's always been a go to guy for his own hookers, but he's not a disruptive force, not that I can recall anyway!

He's brilliant at disrputing opposition ball !

Can't recall a single turnover in recent times (even as far back as that SA game). Was referring to the "Kick to the corners and pressurise opposition ball".

It's been a long time since any Irish team has been able to execute that strategy. Compare with Scotland's demolition of our lineout this season.

durkadurka

You can kick the corners and pressurise the opposition without having a destructive lineout.
You're putting the opposing team under territorial pressure which wil hopefully yield an error and put you in possession in their 22.

Fireball07

POC is pretty good at disrupting opposition ball at lineouts. Munster have been pretty ineffective in that regard this season (I think POM is probably the best at it) but POC definitely will improve us there. Enough to base a gameplan around it?? Not sure...

little173

totallegend wrote: »

Re: ROG; it's possible that Penney has devised his game plan for the Quins match and that it involves "traditional Munster rugby", i.e. ping it to the corner, hope Paulie can steal the lineout, maul it to the line. If so, then ROG is the right call.

Whatever style of play Penney was hoping to instil into Munster, it hasn't worked and he probably realises that there is no time to fix it between now and next weekend so it's back to basics.

I would find this highly unlikely, Penney has talked at great length and at times pretty defensively aboout the style he wants to impose on the Munster players. In fact he even calls into question what is defined as "the Munster style". In some ways ROG can execute this Penney plan as he can pass the ball laterally pretty well still and they are tending to try and use the full width of the pitch leaving pods out wide to attack. Zebo talked this week about how the players are still trying to embrace the new style as well as they build towards the quinns game.

totallegend

little173 wrote: »

I would find this highly unlikely, Penney has talked at great length and at times pretty defensively aboout the style he wants to impose on the Munster players. In fact he even calls into question what is defined as "the Munster style". In some ways ROG can execute this Penney plan as he can pass the ball laterally pretty well still and they are tending to try and use the full width of the pitch leaving pods out wide to attack. Zebo talked this week about how the players are still trying to embrace the new style as well as they build towards the quinns game.

Well, yes, if the plan is to pass the ball laterally, or even ten metres backwards, then ROG is the go-to guy.

My point is that this tactic has been very unsuccessful so far and the logic of having 'pods' of forwards on the wings is deeply, deeply flawed.

It's just too easy to defend.

jm08

totallegend wrote: »

Well, yes, if the plan is to pass the ball laterally, or even ten metres backwards, then ROG is the go-to guy.

My point is that this tactic has been very unsuccessful so far and the logic of having 'pods' of forwards on the wings is deeply, deeply flawed.

It's just too easy to defend.

The plan isn't strictly to go from side to side. The plan is to vary it and go for space.

Nor, to O’Connell’s mind, is there anything new about Penney’s approach of telling his players to attack the spaces and play what’s in front of them rather than stick to a rigid game plan.

“I think we always looked for space,” O’Connell said, “we probably weren’t that good at finding it! “I remember one of the first things Deccie (Kidney) was saying whenever I came into the squad, ‘we’ll attack space, whether we have to kick it there or run it there, that’s what we’ll do’. That’s what Rob is trying to give us, maybe an easier framework to find that space.

Worth reading the whole article here:

http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/rugby/oconnell-players-the-problem-not-penneys-game-plan-226531.html

Gamayun

I just noticed that BBC ALBA has moved from channel 168 to 143 on my (UK EPG) Skybox, if anyone was wondering where it went.

little173

totallegend wrote: »

Well, yes, if the plan is to pass the ball laterally, or even ten metres backwards, then ROG is the go-to guy.

My point is that this tactic has been very unsuccessful so far and the logic of having 'pods' of forwards on the wings is deeply, deeply flawed.

It's just too easy to defend.

Dont disagree there, I think POC coming back may well have a bearing on tactics, certainly on the field of play. He is such a dominant force and if you look at the win vs Saracens at TP he was the enforcer and the leader. A better blend of out wide and commiting defenders closer to the ruck, catch and drives etc will probably be the more likely tactic.

cruiserweight

Tickets still available for the game, which is seriously tempting me. However, I have spent the last 5 weeks in California and arrive back at 6pm tomorrow, I think my OH would be very unimpressed if I dumped my bags and went straight to Scotstoun. I guess I will have to wait and hope for a Glasgow home play off game against Ulster or Munster instead

thomond2006

cruiserweight wrote: »

Tickets still available for the game, which is seriously tempting me. However, I have spent the last 5 weeks in California and arrive back at 6pm tomorrow, I think my OH would be very unimpressed if I dumped my bags and went straight to Scotstoun. I guess I will have to wait and hope for a Glasgow home play off game against Ulster or Munster instead

First world problems! lol

athtrasna

Some media are framing the Williams thing as him having a chance to redeem himself. IMO he's had too many of those already. The scrum half situation is the root of my issues with Penney - every time I see Williams name on a team sheet my heart sinks. Sheridan has come on by leaps and bounds and despite his relative inexperience, he is running rings around Williams. And as for Strings...one of the biggest f-ups Munster have ever made IMO - look at how he's playing at Bath, they love him, we didn't even have him on the bench!

Landoflemon

I wonder is it possible to change the thread title to say Friday instead of Saturday? It's not a big deal, it just really confused me. I'm easily confused and disorientated!!

Benny Cake

Remember reading in an interview Victor Matfield rated O'Connell as the toughest opponent he ever faced...

trouttrout

Still no Stander...........very odd

Deano7788

trouttrout wrote: »

Still no Stander...........very odd

Well he's not in the HC squad so I guess they'd rather have the others play. He was in the gym this morning with Murray, Earls and LOD so maybe he's carrying a knock like they are.

thomond2006

trouttrout wrote: »

Still no Stander...........very odd

It really isn't. He's not in the Heineken Cup squad and Munster's season rests on the outcome of the Quins match.

Taco Corp

Could the thread title be updated to say Friday 29 March?

Digifriendly

Gamayun wrote: »

I just noticed that BBC ALBA has moved from channel 168 to 143 on my (UK EPG) Skybox, if anyone was wondering where it went.

This is due to BBC2 HD coming on board on Tuesday last with BBC1 NI HD moving to 141 from 143. BBC Alba pre and post match analysis as well as HT feature are all in the English language.

irishbucsfan

Wait this is tonight?

I use boards.ie thread titles to plan my weekends, this better not be tonight.

Deano7788

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Wait this is tonight?

I use boards.ie thread titles to plan my weekends, this better not be tonight.

I'm afraid it is.