Munster V Leinster Build up thread

Wellity Wellity Wellity.

It's Civil war time again for the Provinces as houses are divided and the national unity fostered through the successful November series is fractured when red faces blue in the once feared Thomond Park.

Leinster have an opportunity to make it 4 wins in a row after their recent forward passing double movementing victory in the Aviva back in October.

I have it on good authority that Leinster plan to send all their first choice forwards this weekend given that they can field the ladies senior pack against Ulster the following week and expect parity.

Given that Thomond are at home and Leinster will be significantly more impacted by rested Internationals I'd say advantage is firmly with the boys in Red. Will Leinster have enough to make it 4 in a row and will Darren Sweetnam get to pull this face again?

irishbucsfan

Whatever about the game, December 2016 at least has given a great gift to Munster fans: The emergence of Adam Byrne means that Darren Sweetnam will not be needed by Ireland any time soon so they'll have a pretty strong back 3 during internationals.

pickarooney

Strong, perhaps. Pretty, not so much

irishbucsfan

Given we have a young 10 with a penchant for cross field kicks and a young right winger with a penchant for being massive. I'd like to see us turn the Munster left winger into a Byrne victim.

.ak

Byrne victim.

Yes.

Johngoose

How are both teams looking injury wise?Leinster harder hit by injuries?Munster r favourites.

Tomtom364

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Given we have a young 10 with a penchant for cross field kicks and a young right winger with a penchant for being massive. I'd like to see us turn the Munster left winger into a Byrne victim.

Nah the Munster left wing will take him out Earlsy on in the game

thomond2006

Deleted User wrote: »

Given that Thomond are at home and Leinster will be significantly more impacted by rested Internationals I'd say advantage is firmly with the boys in Red. Will Leinster have enough to make it 4 in a row and will Darren Sweetnam get to pull this face again?

Tomtom364

Tomtom364 wrote: »

Nah the Munster left wing will take him out Earlsy on in the game

And then deny it in the indo...

Zzippy

Johngoose wrote: »

How are both teams looking injury wise?Leinster harder hit by injuries?Munster r favourites.

Leinster missing Kearney, so they're fooked. I'd back Munster by 30+ if I were you...

Larbre34

Some folk hitting the egg nog a little early around here. Childish.

Oh, and Munster 0-218 Leinster.

stephen_n

I thought Connacht had passed Munster as our main rivals now? Is this game not a foregone conclusion?












*disclaimer that is a joke in case it offends anyone *

sydthebeat

Big time sesh! :-*,!!,!!!#!!!!

Felix Jones is God

Will possibly be our most one sided win in quite a few years, will enjoy this one and the match thread on boxing day will be soon much fun!

Clegg

Hopefully there will be strong sides selected for this one. I'm very interested in how the backrow will be selected for both sides. For the first time in a while I think Leinster have a potentially significant advantage there.

Buer

I reckon the top quality players will be absent from this one.


So Munster should be at full strength at least.

Podge_irl

Actually an interesting call for Leo if he can only play each international in one of the two upcoming games. Cause Ulster's pack is pretty ropey you could probably get away with some of the starters playing against Munster.

DGRulz

First choice forwards play the Munster game, first choice backs the Ulster game. Simples.

CMOTDibbler

Felix Jones is God wrote: »

Will possibly be our most one sided win in quite a few years, will enjoy this one and the match thread on boxing day will be soon much fun!

On what now? :eek:

pickarooney

I'm sure he meant the traditional post Christmas south African carol service, Bok Sing Day.

former total

DGRulz wrote: »

First choice forwards play the Munster game, first choice backs the Ulster game. Simples.

I'm not sure we have enough fit backs to do a total switcheroo.

leakyboots

Are we talking about the same Adam Byrne who was just short of caking his shorts such were his nerves in the first Northampton game

awec

leakyboots wrote: »

Are we talking about the same Adam Byrne who was just short of caking his shorts such were his nerves in the first Northampton game

Best young back to ever play the game since Brian O'Driscoll Garry Ringrose Joey Carbery.

case885

awec wrote:

Best young back to ever play the game since Brian O'Driscoll Garry Ringrose Joey Carbery.

Don't forget the messiah luke McGrath.

leakyboots

Chooooo Chooooooooooooo all abooooooooooard

leakyboots

Nigel Owens is the ref btw

leakyboots

leakyboots wrote: »

Nigel Owens is the ref btw

Bah. Don't really rate him anymore tbh.

durkadurka

What does Christmas day look like for the players here?

Would they have a bit of a captains run session?

Rigor Mortis

awec wrote: »

Best young back to ever play the game since Brian O'Driscoll Garry Ringrose Joey Carbery.

He is the messiah, i should know, I've followed a few

awec

durkadurka wrote: »

What does Christmas day look like for the players here?

Would they have a bit of a captains run session?

Think they usually do it on christmas eve instead.

bilston

awec wrote: »

leakyboots wrote: »

Are we talking about the same Adam Byrne who was just short of caking his shorts such were his nerves in the first Northampton game

Best young back to ever play the game since Brian O'Driscoll Garry Ringrose Joey Carbery.

I thought Jordan Larmour was the next big thing...Byrne is positively old hat now.

bilston

Podge_irl wrote: »

Actually an interesting call for Leo if he can only play each international in one of the two upcoming games. Cause Ulster's pack is pretty ropey you could probably get away with some of the starters playing against Munster.

I reckon Ulster will go all out against Connacht so we'll probably send the As down to the RDS so you'll be grand either way.

Brief_Lives

Was the opening poster drunk, creating this thread...
the IRFU have dictated that the front line players play only 1 game this festive season..
Ulster have less strength in depth.. so I see Leinster putting out their first team against Munster, and their not so front team, but still ridiculously strong, team against Ulster..

Munster at home is a good advantage, but most of this Leinster team beat the All Blacks..

sober up Venjur...

DGRulz

Venjur wasn't drunk (I think) he just likes to stir the pot for inter-pros.

Brief_Lives

Well, if thats the case... Leinster by a million...

Deleted User

Deleted User wrote: »

...

Will Leinster have enough to make it 4 in a row and will Darren Sweetnam get to pull this face again?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEzhxP-pdos

Neil3030

You'd wonder when the teams will be announced - most likely Xmas eve, I'd imagine.

Brief_Lives

I reckon it will be a fairly full strength team for Leinster except for Furlong... he's been immense, might need a break... maybe SOB too.. not sure.. hard to tell, Leinster have huge depth..

For Munster, if we are allowed our front guys for 1 game, over the whole xmas period, i am not sure who they might drop... Zebo maybe.. but full strength for the home game...

Neil3030

What way does this "one game only" rule work regarding subs - if, say, Toner starts v Munster, can he bench v Ulster?

Cookiemunster

Neil3030 wrote: »

What way does this "one game only" rule work regarding subs - if, say, Toner starts v Munster, can he bench v Ulster?

I'm pretty sure I read previously that it's more about minutes on the field rather than actual appearances, so it would depend on how many minutes he's played up to now. Although Toner pretty much plays 80 mins every week so he'll probably be completely rested for one of them.

Brief_Lives

good point...

Felix Jones is God

Don't think Henshaw and Ringtone will be able for the silky skills of Saili and the immovable force that is Taute in midfield, I'd say a bonus point win would be a good bet right about now

former total

Neil3030 wrote: »

What way does this "one game only" rule work regarding subs - if, say, Toner starts v Munster, can he bench v Ulster?

Isn't it that the national team guys can only play X number of games in each half of the season? I don't think IRFU stipulate when those games must or must not be.

But when you have games five days apart, it makes sense to use those as the rotation games.

Also helps that Leinster have Zebre at home the week after Ulster, so plenty more scope to rest guys.

pickarooney

A fully restored Toner always makes a good impression.

Little printer joke there.

Neil3030

So we might be able to go with something like:

v Munster v Ulster

Kirchner 15 Kirchner
A Byrne 14 A Byrne
O'Loughlin 13 Ringrose
Henshaw 12 Reid
Nacewa 11 Nacewa
R Byrne 10 R Byrne
L McGrath 9 L McGrath
Heaslip 8 Conan
VDF 7 SOB
Leavy 6 Ruddock
Triggs 5 Triggs
Toner 4 Kearney
Furlong 3 Bent
Cronin 2 Tracy
J McGrath 1 Healy

Tracy 16 Strauss
Dooley 17 Dooley
Bent 18 Heffernan
Ruddock 19 Nagle
Conan 20 Leavy
JGP 21 JGP
Reid 22 T Daly
B Daly 23 O'Loughlin

Podge_irl

former total wrote: »

Isn't it that the national team guys can only play X number of games in each half of the season? I don't think IRFU stipulate when those games must or must not be.

But when you have games five days apart, it makes sense to use those as the rotation games.

Also helps that Leinster have Zebre at home the week after Ulster, so plenty more scope to rest guys.

That's the general rule I think, but there was a quote from Cullen saying the players would only be available for one of the games. Sounded like a more specific ruling. The Christmas time has always seemed a lot more "forced" in terms of the resting periods.

sydthebeat

Neil3030 wrote: »

So we might be able to go with something like:

v Munster v Ulster

Kirchner 15 Kirchner
A Byrne 14 A Byrne
O'Loughlin 13 Ringrose
Henshaw 12 Reid
Nacewa 11 Nacewa
R Byrne 10 R Byrne
L McGrath 9 L McGrath
Heaslip 8 Conan
VDF 7 SOB
Leavy 6 Ruddock
Triggs 5 Triggs
Toner 4 Kearney
Furlong 3 Bent
Cronin 2 Tracy
J McGrath 1 Healy

Tracy 16 Strauss
Dooley 17 Dooley
Bent 18 Heffernan
Ruddock 19 Nagle
Conan 20 Leavy
JGP 21 JGP
Reid 22 T Daly
B Daly 23 O'Loughlin

id be delighted to see that team in thomond

molloyjh

Podge_irl wrote: »

That's the general rule I think, but there was a quote from Cullen saying the players would only be available for one of the games. Sounded like a more specific ruling. The Christmas time has always seemed a lot more "forced" in terms of the resting periods.

I think it's more that the amount of game time is limited, i.e. the total number of minutes. And that's reviewed as the season goes on. If a players is out injured for a bit then the way they are managed changes depending on whether they need more game time or less to ensure they recover fully etc.

So Leinster might be told that Jack McGrath has 400 minutes available between the AIs and the 6Ns. They can then use those 320 minutes in whatever way they choose. Maybe they play him 60 mins in the 4 European games plus 60 minutes in one inter-pro plus 20 minutes in one of the other games in the period. Or alternatively they could play him 40 minutes in a couple of games to have him available in an extra one.

irishbucsfan

I don't think it's a pitch count thing, that's been shown to be fairly ineffective in the past in other sports and they've got a pretty high level of knowledge on that stuff.

sydthebeat

sydthebeat wrote: »

id be delighted to see that team in thomond

If that's the Leinster team Munster will win comfortably. Pack won't do it down there, especially the front 5.

Neil3030

Jayden Plain Quid wrote: »

If that's the Leinster team Munster will win comfortably. Pack won't do it down there, especially the front 5.

Are you sure you're reading the right team? Where do you propose improvements to:

1. McGrath
2. Cronin
3. Furlong
4. Toner
5. Triggs