Munster Team Talk Thread VI - Stander Up and Fight

phog

MOLF Hunter wrote: »

POM fit to play!

I think he was always going to be named just hope he's fit enough and that we don't have another late change to the team.

Henry Ford III

phog wrote: »

I think he was always going to be named just hope he's fit enough and that we don't have another late change to the team.

He played a full part in training yesterday apparently.

phog

Eod100 wrote: »

Munster: Mike Haley; Andrew Conway, Chris Farrell, Rory Scannell, Keith Earls; Joey Carbery, Conor Murray; Dave Kilcoyne, Niall Scannell, John Ryan; Jean Kleyn, Tadhg Beirne; Peter O’Mahony (C), Tommy O’Donnell, CJ Stander.

Replacements: Rhys Marshall, Jeremy Loughman, Stephen Archer, Billy Holland, Arno Botha, Alby Mathewson, Tyler Bleyendaal, Dan Goggin

From the return fixture we have gained Murray, Farrell and Earls, Mathewson and lost Cloete - I think our team is stronger for tomorrow's game but I'd like to have POM start and stay fit for the majority of the game.

phog

Henry Ford III wrote: »

He played a full part in training yesterday apparently.

that's the bit that bothers me - we don't really know if the injury was over or under stated

jm08

Psycho Killer - "Hands Away" (Prop-Prop-Prrrroppp-Prop, Prop-Prop-Prop-Prrrrrrop-Prop)

case885 wrote: »

I'd rather he wasn't, we've JJ and Johnston and Healy is highly rated in the academy so he'd only be taking game time from them.
He'd command a healthy salary in England or France so he may want a fresh start.

Too many young inexperienced 10s who need someone to learn from. Considering the investment in Tyler, it would be mad to let him go.

I would see Tyler as a replacement for Paul Warwick / Dutchy.

thomond2006

A new born king to see POM POM POM POM POM

I would offer Bleyendaal a one year extension but only because of the RWC. Given his injury record anything longer than a year would be crazy. If he can get a better deal elsewhere then so be it.

At the same time, if Healy and/or Tynan are deemed ready to play in the dirtracker team then I would let Bleyendaal go.

aloooof

Psycho Killer - "Hands Away" (Prop-Prop-Prrrroppp-Prop, Prop-Prop-Prop-Prrrrrrop-Prop)

Eod100 wrote: »

Johnston still quite inexperienced. Could be wrong but as he started any Pro14 games? Think if JJ got injured again, we'd be in a bit of a pickle.

He's started 2 or 3 games this season I believe, and been very decent imo.

Henry Ford III

phog wrote: »

that's the bit that bothers me - we don't really know if the injury was over or under stated

He's named to start. I think that's evidence enough of his fitness. That's all that matters really.

Eod100

aloooof wrote: »

He's started 2 or 3 games this season I believe, and been very decent imo.

Ah I thought it was only really A team and some appearances off bench in Pro 14. I stand corrected!

Caranica

Eod100 wrote: »

Ah I thought it was only really A team and some appearances off bench in Pro 14. I stand corrected!

He started in Zebre in November anyway

phog

Henry Ford III wrote: »

He's named to start. I think that's evidence enough of his fitness. That's all that matters really.

We've had a number of late withdrawals this season so being named on the team doesn't in itself mean he's fit. I hope he is but until I see him run out onto the field I won't believe he's starting.

aloooof

Psycho Killer - "Hands Away" (Prop-Prop-Prrrroppp-Prop, Prop-Prop-Prop-Prrrrrrop-Prop)

Caranica wrote: »

He started in Zebre in November anyway

Checked there, Cheetahs was the other one.

finbarrk

Looking like a trip to Edinburgh.

Tomtom364

Psycho Killer - "Hands Away" (Prop-Prop-Prrrroppp-Prop, Prop-Prop-Prop-Prrrrrrop-Prop)

Keatley just received a great applause and cheer as he walked (in his suit) up the pitch and down the tunnel.

A nice moment. Hope he gets a proper send off on the pitch some day before season's end

Jump_In_Jack

Few injury concerns I’d say:
O’Donnell going off at half-time?
O’Mahony’s shoulder, looked ok afterwards.
Murray’s neck, hope he’s ok.
Beirne’s knee, needs a scan. Hope he’s ok for Ireland training.

Tim Robbins

Where is Munster's weak link? Most commentary s saying Leinster still miles ahead... but Musnter front row are all internationals. Second Row, Klean is handy
and Beirne is sensational. 6 and 8 are first choice for Ireland.
9 is world class. 10 is outsanding. I've been really impressed with Scannel and Farrell. So that leaves Earls who is in some peoples bets of VI nations team and Conway who has come on leaps and bounds and then Haley who is handy enough.

This Munster team is quality.

Eod100

Tomtom364 wrote: »

Keatley just received a great applause and cheer as he walked (in his suit) up the pitch and down the tunnel.

A nice moment. Hope he gets a proper send off on the pitch some day before season's end

Thinking last hone match vs Connacht would be good for that

Pepp1989

Munster still struggle in attack when the forwads don't dominate the exchanges.

Been a problem for quite a while.

Jump_In_Jack

Tim Robbins wrote: »

Where is Munster's weak link? Most commentary s saying Leinster still miles ahead... but Musnter front row are all internationals. Second Row, Klean is handy
and Beirne is sensational. 6 and 8 are first choice for Ireland.
9 is world class. 10 is outsanding. I've been really impressed with Scannel and Farrell. So that leaves Earls who is in some peoples bets of VI nations team and Conway who has come on leaps and bounds and then Haley who is handy enough.

This Munster team is quality.

I think we sacrifice something at 12 with Scannell, he’s not big enough to carry into heavy traffic but his passing seems to be better than Arnold or Goggin.
Perhaps we need to start using him more as a distributor or else get Goggin or Arnold in, definitely think the way we were playing today it would suit a hard carrying 12 more.
Or Taute!

molloyjh

Tim Robbins wrote: »

Where is Munster's weak link? Most commentary s saying Leinster still miles ahead... but Musnter front row are all internationals. Second Row, Klean is handy
and Beirne is sensational. 6 and 8 are first choice for Ireland.
9 is world class. 10 is outsanding. I've been really impressed with Scannel and Farrell. So that leaves Earls who is in some peoples bets of VI nations team and Conway who has come on leaps and bounds and then Haley who is handy enough.

This Munster team is quality.

This Munster team is a damn good side, but let’s be honest here. Your front row are technically internationals, but they’re 3rd choice internationals at best. Carbery has had some bloody good games, but a few not so good too. He’s still got a bit to prove. Scannell is a good 12, but not a great 12. And Haley is fine, but no more. I’d rather see Sweetnam on the wing and Conway at FB tbh.

Then there’s the bench. They are all good players, but don’t have the same level of impact as other benches in the KOs.

Could Munster beat this Toulouse side missing Cronin, Kleyn, POM, TOD, Carbery, Farrell and Conway for example?

awec

Tim Robbins wrote: »

Where is Munster's weak link? Most commentary s saying Leinster still miles ahead... but Musnter front row are all internationals. Second Row, Klean is handy
and Beirne is sensational. 6 and 8 are first choice for Ireland.
9 is world class. 10 is outsanding. I've been really impressed with Scannel and Farrell. So that leaves Earls who is in some peoples bets of VI nations team and Conway who has come on leaps and bounds and then Haley who is handy enough.

This Munster team is quality.

Weak link is the outside backs. Earls is the best you have there by some distance.

Your pack is good enough, so long as you have no injuries. The problems occur when Munster have to actually use some moves. When you can't run over the top of teams (like today) you look very average. I am not sure what Felix Jones is bringing to the party. This is why, IMO, Munster won't be in the frame to win this competition. Racing, Saracens and Leinster will happily deal with Munster's one-out runners all day long.

molloyjh

Pepp1989 wrote: »

Munster still struggle in attack when the forwads don't dominate the exchanges.

Been a problem for quite a while.

To be fair, the consistency of selection hasn’t been there due to injury. How many times havs the Murray-Carbery-Scannell-Farrell combo been selected this season. And how many consecutive games have they played together?

There is still work to do there, but the raw materials are there. They just need time together. If, after that, there are still issues then coaching might need to be looked at, but for now they need time to gel first and foremost.

troyzer

molloyjh wrote: »

Pepp1989 wrote: »

Munster still struggle in attack when the forwads don't dominate the exchanges.

Been a problem for quite a while.

To be fair, the consistency of selection hasn’t been there due to injury. How many times havs the Murray-Carbery-Scannell-Farrell combo been selected this season. And how many consecutive games have they played together?

There is still work to do there, but the raw materials are there. They just need time together. If, after that, there are still issues then coaching might need to be looked at, but for now they need time to gel first and foremost.

This is rugby, you can't use the excuse of injuries to explain poor attacking form. You have to be able to do it with a squad, not your best.

Look at Leinster against Toulouse, decimated in the backline and it did show to some extent but they were still able to broadly execute.

None of this matters because Munster weren't missing anyone today and were still poor in attack.

Munster are not going to win this tournament, they're simply not good enough. I think more of the blame is on the coaches than the players because that level of talent should definitely be capable of putting up more points.

Jump_In_Jack

molloyjh wrote: »

This Munster team is a damn good side, but let’s be honest here. Your front row are technically internationals, but they’re 3rd choice internationals at best. Carbery has had some bloody good games, but a few not so good too. He’s still got a bit to prove. Scannell is a good 12, but not a great 12. And Haley is fine, but no more. I’d rather see Sweetnam on the wing and Conway at FB tbh.

Then there’s the bench. They are all good players, but don’t have the same level of impact as other benches in the KOs.

Could Munster beat this Toulouse side missing Cronin, Kleyn, POM, TOD, Carbery, Farrell and Conway for example?

Without those players, we’d have Loughman for Cronin, Holland for Kleyn with O’Shea on the bench, Wycherley for O’Mahony, Oliver for O’Donnell, Bleyendaal for Carbery with Johnston on the bench, Goggin for Farrell with Arnold on the bench, and Sweetnam or Wootton for Conway.
Would still be strong enough to compete.

molloyjh

troyzer wrote: »

This is rugby, you can't use the excuse of injuries to explain poor attacking form. You have to be able to do it with a squad, not your best.

Look at Leinster against Toulouse, decimated in the backline and it did show to some extent but they were still able to broadly execute.

None of this matters because Munster weren't missing anyone today and were still poor in attack.

Munster are not going to win this tournament, they're simply not good enough. I think more of the blame is on the coaches than the players because that level of talent should definitely be capable of putting up more points.

In 2012-13 Leinster failed to qualify for the KOs in the HEC because they couldn’t get any consistency in selection for almost the entire first half of the season. The lack of consistency over a period of time is utterly, utterly different to a one off scenario like the Toulouse game. You simply can’t expect a backlone who haven’t played much together to suddenly be working like a well oiled machine.

troyzer

molloyjh wrote: »

troyzer wrote: »

This is rugby, you can't use the excuse of injuries to explain poor attacking form. You have to be able to do it with a squad, not your best.

Look at Leinster against Toulouse, decimated in the backline and it did show to some extent but they were still able to broadly execute.

None of this matters because Munster weren't missing anyone today and were still poor in attack.

Munster are not going to win this tournament, they're simply not good enough. I think more of the blame is on the coaches than the players because that level of talent should definitely be capable of putting up more points.

In 2012-13 Leinster failed to qualify for the KOs in the HEC because they couldn’t get any consistency in selection for almost the entire first half of the season. The lack of consistency over a period of time is utterly, utterly different to a one off scenario like the Toulouse game. You simply can’t expect a backlone who haven’t played much together to suddenly be working like a well oiled machine.

Who has been injured? Murray has been back for two months, I don't recall anyone else in the backline missing a lot of time other than Farrell.

Or am I going mad?

shootermacg

Guess Who's Back, Back Again? JJ's Back, Tell a Friend

troyzer wrote: »

Who has been injured? Murray has been back for two months, I don't recall anyone else in the backline missing a lot of time other than Farrell.

Or am I going mad?

Going mad? Thought you were already there.

troyzer

shootermacg wrote: »

troyzer wrote: »

Who has been injured? Murray has been back for two months, I don't recall anyone else in the backline missing a lot of time other than Farrell.

Or am I going mad?

Going mad? Thought you were already there.

It's a serious question. With the exception of Farrell, that entire backline has been completely healthy as far as I remember since Murray came back.

I'm happy to be corrected on this.

shootermacg

Guess Who's Back, Back Again? JJ's Back, Tell a Friend

troyzer wrote: »

It's a serious question. With the exception of Farrell, that entire backline has been completely healthy as far as I remember since Murray came back.

I'm happy to be corrected on this.

Serious? Nothing serious about your posts...
here's something you can post in the other teams' threads which would save you some time:
[Your team sucks...You are not Leinster...something about conveyor belts...you need to do exactly what Leinster does and then you would be Leinster great..]

Just copy and paste and then you can go on with your day.

FrannoFan

Jump_In_Jack wrote: »

Without those players, we’d have Loughman for Cronin, Holland for Kleyn with O’Shea on the bench, Wycherley for O’Mahony, Oliver for O’Donnell, Bleyendaal for Carbery with Johnston on the bench, Goggin for Farrell with Arnold on the bench, and Sweetnam or Wootton for Conway.
Would still be strong enough to compete.

That's would be a fairly weak outfit. They don't have the depth of the teams they will have to beat to make it past the semis.

Munster first 15 can compete with anyone. They will make final 4 in Europe. After that it's a question of if they can topple leinster/saracens/Racing to make the next step and looks like they will get a chance to see against saracens away after overcoming Edinburgh away.