Harlequins v Munster Rugby 14:00 Sunday April 7th Sky Sports

thomond2006

Fantastic to see Zebo confirmed, he is massively important.

Hurley on the wing could be a problem, I can see Quins targeting him. He doesn't offer much in attack unless he gets the opportunity to offload which he does really well.

2smiggy

Has CJ Stander run over Penneys dog ? or is there some other reason for his continued absence ?

jamiedav2011

Casson starting is interesting, would have thought Turner Hall was number 1 12.

That Quins team doesn't look world beaters on paper, but are far more than the sum of their parts, a bit unlike Sarries.

thomond2006

2smiggy wrote: »

Has CJ Stander run over Penneys dog ? or is there some other reason for his continued absence ?

He's not registered in the squad, Dineen was put in to cover for injuries. It's hard to say whether he's in the doghouse.

2smiggy

strange situation with Stander. He's been back to SA recently, and has played a hand full of Munster 'A' matches. He is also alot quieter on twitter about Munster. He seemed to play well when I have seen him. I am curious what has happened.....

awec

I don't get the Archer talk? He looked hopeless during his gametime for Ireland, folded like a deckchair in every scrum. How is Botha ahead of him a big call, it's the obvious call no?

P.Walnuts

awec wrote: »

I don't get the Archer talk? He looked hopeless during his gametime for Ireland, folded like a deckchair in every scrum. How is Botha ahead of him a big call, it's the obvious call no?

I think 6 months ago this would be accurate, but to be fair he has improved this season

Fireball07

I'm a big fan of Hurley but not on the wing...not enough explosive pace.

We'll miss Earls and even LOD. And I still think Keatley is a much better option than ROG. At least Murray and Zebo are both playing, we rely hugely on them. I'm hoping Laulala has a big game too.



The way we're playing, it seems pretty unlikely we'll win but we can always hope. Howlett out isn't as big a loss as it would have been last year, but he's still one of the best finishers we have and a rock defensively.

.ak

Botha hasn't unlearned how to scrummage, he's just been too obvious in the dark arts. This is the kind of game he'll excell in.

Good looking Munster team, apart from the flyhalf. Pity Earls isn't fit, would've changed the dynamic entirely.

PhatPiggins

thomond2006 wrote: »

Fantastic to see Zebo confirmed, he is massively important.

Hurley on the wing could be a problem, I can see Quins targeting him. He doesn't offer much in attack unless he gets the opportunity to offload which he does really well.

Target him how? His defence is good and he's great under the high ball. Munsters drift defence will cover for his lack of top end gas.

Not sure why Hurley gets so much stick or why he hasn't played more this season but Jones and Howlett haven't exactly set the world on fire this season.

thomond2006

PhatPiggins wrote: »

Target him how? His defence is good and he's great under the high ball. Munsters drift defence will cover for his lack of top end gas.

Not sure why Hurley gets so much stick or why he hasn't played more this season but Jones and Howlett haven't exactly set the world on fire this season.

I have images of Gilroy last year...

Then again Hurley wasn't the only one at fault there.

.ak

Hurley/Jones/Howlett have to be the slowest back three in Europe this year. Having Zebo back is huge.

PhatPiggins

thomond2006 wrote: »

I have images of Gilroy last year...

Then again Hurley wasn't the only one at fault there.

Hurley should have been at 15 that day

thomond2006

PhatPiggins wrote: »

Hurley should have been at 15 that day

That cost you money remember?

Podge_irl

thomond2006 wrote: »

Those tries really aren't the basis for any optimism, that was Racing's seconds.

That was 14 of Racing's seconds!

Having Zebo back is vital. Its a shame Earls didn't make it, with him Munster's backline would have had some real zip and danger. Still struggle to see past a Quins victory though POC will certainly help.

Chabals Beard

thomand2006, when is the "official" thread going up?

thomond2006

Chabals Beard wrote: »

thomand2006, when is the "official" thread going up?

I'm not writing anything Chabal. I will if we get to semis.

totallegend

thomond2006 wrote: »

He's not registered in the squad, Dineen was put in to cover for injuries. It's hard to say whether he's in the doghouse.

He's either in the doghouse or just not rated. The HC squad thing is irrelevant

thomond2006

totallegend wrote: »

He's either in the doghouse or just not rated. The HC squad thing is irrelevant

That's not true at all IMO. The Rabo was more or less gone so all the selections lately had both eyes on the Quins match. Dineen was added and he's clearly rated by Penney since he is on the bench ahead of the likes of Murphy.

Chabals Beard

thomond2006 wrote: »

I'm not writing anything Chabal. I will if we get to semis.

jm08

I came across an interview with CJ that he did when back there a few weeks ago in some SA rugby mag (they seem to do an interview with their exiles to find out how they are getting on). I can't find the link now. But basically he said that getting used to speaking English was difficult for him, but he is getting used to it now and that he found the rugby challenging as well compared to SA where they play a much more structured game. He had a few words about the weather but said he was getting used to it!

He said BJ & Wian are really great to have around and that BJ's BBQ's are very popular with the whole squad. He said Irish people were very friendly. He said he had a bit of bad luck getting injured when he did before Xmas, but he expected to make the HCup squad for the knock-outs.

He was asked if he was called up to the Springbok what would he do and he said that the Springbok don't need him as they have plenty of loose forwards and he intended in trying to play for Ireland.

----

He is obviously disappointed about not making the Hcup squad. If he is put off by Munster needing to register Dineen & Sheridan, Munster are better off finding out now.

PhatPiggins

totallegend wrote: »

He's either in the doghouse or just not rated. The HC squad thing is irrelevant

It's been done to death at this stage but there's clearly something going on. I'd say its the former of your options above.

thomond2006

PhatPiggins wrote: »

It's been done to death at this stage but there's clearly something going on. I'd say its the former of your options above.

I do think the recent lack of "I love Limerick/Munster" tweets does suggest something alright. In his first few weeks here he tweeted a lot.

Rightwing

Very hard to see beyond a Quins victory. We need to keep it as tight as possible.

jm08

thomond2006 wrote: »

I do think the recent lack of "I love Limerick/Munster" tweets does suggest something alright. In his first few weeks here he tweeted a lot.

Most of them were retweets of his girlfriend who tweeted a lot when she was here.

thomond2006

jm08 wrote: »

Most of them were retweets of his girlfriend who tweeted a lot when she was here.

Same difference

Mahatma Geansai

Just a bunch of grown men looking for a bit of gossip. Nothing in the CJ story other than the circumstances going against him.

English Lurker

jamiedav2011 wrote: »

Casson starting is interesting, would have thought Turner Hall was number 1 12.

That Quins team doesn't look world beaters on paper, but are far more than the sum of their parts, a bit unlike Sarries.

Casson's earned it, JTH hasn't. Turner-Hall might be more explosive, but right now Casson is doing simple things well and is more reliable. The Quins midfield has a workaday feel to it - although Lowe does have a spark, or did - but it's solid and smart. Should give away little to Munster, and should keep the pace of the game moving and open up space for the big carriers.

The really impressive thing about Quins to me is the pack which I consider highly underrated. There's a lot of very big men there, wouldn't be surprised to learn its the biggest in these isles, but they're also very mobile and to a man have excellent hands. It's their ability to break the gainline and offload frequently that really make Quins work. After that, Care, Evans and Brown are presented with the relatively simple task of being alive to the holes created. If Munster cannot stem that at source, I do not see much hope for them.

I would also add it makes for a mean scrummaging unit. Johnston may not be the most subtle of scrummagers, but him with Kohn behind is a lot of force and hats off to Mr Kilcoyne if he deals with it.

CatFromHue

Yeah they have talent in the pack all right. Their back row of Fa'asavalu, Robshaw, and Easter could well be an all International back row if Lancaster didn't like Easter. Fa'asavalu is Samoa's starting No.7 as far as I know i.e. he started against Wales in November and started their big games in the RWC.

Compare that to POM, TOD, and Coughlan and there is a big difference.

Rightwing

Is howlett injured?