Munster Team Talk Thread VI - Stander Up and Fight

The Lost Sheep

A new born king to see POM POM POM POM POM

Eod100 wrote: »

Yeah I'd say for all members whether full or associate! Hopefully Edinburgh don't try to limit it but would imagine EPCR wouldn't let them

limit it how? They have to give a certain percentage to Munster and there will be no issue getting tickets as they'll have the rest after their season ticket holders on public sale.

Eod100

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

limit it how? They have to give a certain percentage to Munster and there will be no issue getting tickets as they'll have the rest after their season ticket holders on public sale.

There was talk that they wouldn't open up all tiers of Murrayfield, but like I said don't think EPCR would allow it (on off chance they were considering it)

The Lost Sheep

A new born king to see POM POM POM POM POM

Eod100 wrote: »

There was talk that they wouldn't open up all tiers of Murrayfield, but like I said don't think EPCR would allow it (on off chance they were considering it)

They generally only open one stand but if there is any expectation for more they can and have opened other areas quite easily.

Burkie1203

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

They generally only open one stand but if there is any expectation for more they can and have opened other areas quite easily.

Embra had 38000 v Toulouse in 2012. Expect them to beat that this time around

slingerz

they want attendance so wont limit anything i would say

Sabre0001

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

Only recently, we talked about how PUC wouldn't be a runner because of attendance figures (before we get to other hoops and hurdles) and how it's up to the EPCR, so I would hope that sections of the ground can't be closed off (even if there is a very real risk of the place being a sea of red)

Eod100

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

They generally only open one stand but if there is any expectation for more they can and have opened other areas quite easily.

Yeah their attendance in Europe seems to be about 10,500 roughly. Assumed that was the demand and if there was any more they would open up other areas

phog

Sabre0001 wrote: »

Only recently, we talked about how PUC wouldn't be a runner because of attendance figures (before we get to other hoops and hurdles) and how it's up to the EPCR, so I would hope that sections of the ground can't be closed off (even if there is a very real risk of the place being a sea of red)

S/F is organised by the ERC the Q/F is organised by the home team

Kirk Van Houten

The home team in a QF get a bigger cut of the gate receipts for moving it to a larger ground. It's in their interest to sell more tickets.

thomond2006

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I imagine Munster are tied to Thomond Park for home quarter-finals for sponsorship/corporate reasons. Aside from this, the reason the stadium was built to 25/26k was to host these games.

Eod100

thomond2006 wrote: »

I imagine Munster are tied to Thomond Park for home quarter-finals for sponsorship/corporate reasons. Aside from this, the reason the stadium was built to 25/26k was to host these games.

Ah yeah would be a bit mad to ever move a qf from TP. Players well used to pitch. STH having specific seats etc

Former Former

John Hayes Ligind

thomond2006 wrote: »

I imagine Munster are tied to Thomond Park for home quarter-finals for sponsorship/corporate reasons. Aside from this, the reason the stadium was built to 25/26k was to host these games.

And the only other option is the Aviva, but can you imagine the reaction if a home QF was moved to Dublin?

thomond2006

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Former Former wrote: »

And the only other option is the Aviva, but can you imagine the reaction if a home QF was moved to Dublin?

I'm not sure the Aviva would be filled for a Munster QF, outside of a derby QF.

who_me

thomond2006 wrote: »

I'm not sure the Aviva would be filled for a Munster QF, outside of a derby QF.

Munster already held a QF in Dublin, against French opposition, and it was pretty much a sell-out.

Admittedly it was years ago when at their peak, but I don't think attendances for big home games has diminished much if at all.

who_me

slingerz wrote: »

they want attendance so wont limit anything i would say

Yeah, Cockerill's been quoted as saying he wants to see 50K+ at the game. They'll open everything they can, this money would be great for them (and the city!).

aloooof

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

who_me wrote: »

Yeah, Cockerill's been quoted as saying he wants to see 50K+ at the game. They'll open everything they can, this money would be great for them (and the city!).

Add to this, one of Scotland's main reasons for voting the way they did in the RWC vote was a financial one. All points to plenty of tickets being available.

Eod100

who_me wrote: »

Yeah, Cockerill's been quoted as saying he wants to see 50K+ at the game. They'll open everything they can, this money would be great for them (and the city!).

He must like Munster fans so.. :P

The Lost Sheep

A new born king to see POM POM POM POM POM

Eod100 wrote: »

Ah yeah would be a bit mad to ever move a qf from TP. Players well used to pitch. STH having specific seats etc

Season ticket holders dont really/always get option of their seats for a quarter final as the game wouldnt be part of the season ticket package. It would be madness to move as as you lose some of home advantage

thomond2006 wrote: »

I'm not sure the Aviva would be filled for a Munster QF, outside of a derby QF.

I think it would. Though Munster would be very unlikely to ever move a game which would be with Leinster, last home game in group game biggest game in season in Thomond

leakyboots

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

Some stats:

With more than half of the season having flown by, we take a look back at Munster’s campaign to date with the province well placed in the Guinness PRO14 and European Champions Cup.
Check out the best photos from the season so far in our gallery here.

Top of Guinness PRO14 Conference A
Munster lead Guinness PRO14 Conference A with 10 wins from 14 fixtures thus far this season.

Munster are the top try-scorers and have the best defensive record in Conference A with 54 tries scored and just 250 points conceded – Munster score an average of just under 29 points per game and concede fewer than 18 points per game.

Seven try bonus-points and one losing bonus-point have put Munster on 48 points after 14 games.

Glasgow Warriors are just two points behind Munster in second place on 46 points with the sides already playing each other twice this season.

Glasgow won at Scotstoun with Munster winning at Thomond Park thanks to Rory Scannell’s monster penalty in the last play of the game.

Ospreys and Connacht are joint third on 38 points apiece.

leakyboots

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

Top scorers
Joey Carbery leads the scoring charts with 143 points – the out-half has been successful with each of his last 20 kicks at goal in all competitions.

Keith Earls and Andrew Conway are the top try-scorers with six each.

Appearances
Stephen Archer has made the most appearances having featured in 18 of Munster’s 20 games.

Billy Holland became just the 10th player to reach the 200-game landmark for Munster against Connacht in January.

John Ryan made his 100th PRO14 appearance and Conor Murray made his 50th Champions Cup appearance.

There have been Munster debuts for Tadhg Beirne, Arno Botha, Joey Carbery, Mike Haley, Alby Mathewson and Academy players Diarmuid Barron, Gavin Coombes, Liam Coombes and Shane Daly.

Sammy Arnold played his first game for Ireland in November.

Attendance stats
There was a record-equalling attendance at Thomond Park for the December game against Leinster as additional seating helped to cater for a fantastic 26,267 crowd.

In all three of Munster’s home Champions Cup games, the attendances (23,068 at Munster v Gloucester, 21,861 at Munster v Castres Olympique and 26,267 at Munster v Exeter Chiefs) were each the highest for their respective round of fixtures.

Both home games at Irish Independent Park so far this season – victories over Ospreys and Edinburgh – were sold-out with a crowd of 8,008 attending both games

Mickiemcfist

thomond2006 wrote: »

I'm not sure the Aviva would be filled for a Munster QF, outside of a derby QF.

Depending on the opposition, I was at the sold out Semi final the year before last when Sarries played Munster in the Aviva and didn't see many Saracens fans.

thomond2006

A new born king to see POM POM POM POM POM

Mickiemcfist wrote: »

Depending on the opposition, I was at the sold out Semi final the year before last when Sarries played Munster in the Aviva and didn't see many Saracens fans.

Fair point, I was there too.

Cookiemunster

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

Mickiemcfist wrote: »

Depending on the opposition, I was at the sold out Semi final the year before last when Sarries played Munster in the Aviva and didn't see many Saracens fans.

The further you go in a competition, the more bandwagoners you get. We couldn't sell out our first two home Euro games.

Mickiemcfist

Cookiemunster wrote: »

The further you go in a competition, the more bandwagoners you get. We couldn't sell out our first two home Euro games.

Yea that's true, but what I mean is the Aviva was sold out with 95% Munster fans for that game, if it was a quarter final with an opposition who could bring 20% & opposition where Munster aren't guaranteed a win, Munster could pack the other 80% IMO. In addition to the hardcore fans, there's a lot of Dublin based Munster people.

Eod100

Keatley moving to London Irish for rest of the season alright

https://twitter.com/Munsterrugby/status/1090565392798486528?s=19

aloooof

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

Cookiemunster wrote: »

The further you go in a competition, the more bandwagoners you get. We couldn't sell out our first two home Euro games.

Ya, it's combination of both that and who you're playing as well. I think Leinster for example, had a higher attendance last year in the QF against Saracens than in the SF against Scarlets, for example.

phog

Eod100 wrote: »

Keatley moving to London Irish for rest of the season alright https://twitter.com/Munsterrugby/status/1090565392798486528?s=19

Fair play to him, nice few words of thanks

Commenting on his departure, Ian Keatley said: “I just want to say a big thank you to everyone for their support and messages since announcing my move to Treviso, it has been overwhelming hearing from you all.

“I want to say thanks for all the support me and my family have received over the years, I know my parents and family will miss coming down here.

“I’m never going to forget the terrific support I got on days in Irish Independent Park and Thomond Park, especially those big European occasions in Limerick which are really special days, and I have fantastic memories for life.

“I’ve experienced great highs and some low lows over my career, with the highs far outweighing the lows, but the support following Axel’s passing is what sums up Munster for me. It’s for that I’m really going to miss this place, it has been special, and it has been true.

“I know I’m from Dublin, but I’ve lived here for the last eight years, and with my fiancLisa and daughter Beth born here, I know we will be back again. I’m from Munster and I’m a Limerick man now, and it holds a special place in my heart.

“I’ve this opportunity now to go and get some game time before the end of the season and I’m excited about going out playing rugby again.

“Thanks again for your support throughout the years.”

As he walk across the field prior to the Exeter Game, we started to clap him as he approached the East Terrace, he genuinely seemed to be impressed with the reception he got.

I know it didn't work out for him but I think he copped a lot of flak for others and I think he still has a lot to offer rugby.

Best of Luck to him.

salmocab

phog wrote: »

Fair play to him, nice few words of thanks



As he walk across the field prior to the Exeter Game, we started to clap him as he approached the East Terrace, he genuinely seemed to be impressed with the reception he got.

I know it didn't work out for him but I think he copped a lot of flak for others and I think he still has a lot to offer rugby.

Best of Luck to him.

Keatley was an odd one, never as bad as some would have him but not good enough to be Munster first choice 10. That said he was there a long time so plenty of coaches saw something.

Buer

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

salmocab wrote: »

That said he was there a long time so plenty of coaches saw something.

Including JVG.

I really don't understand how he has been utilised this season. Hanrahan, Carbery, Johnston and Bleyendaal have all been given a few starts at least. Keatley was given a few sub appearances at the start of the season and his most recent involvement was benching for an A game on a Friday afternoon in early January.

How does a guy go from starting every European match to that in 8 months? I feel sorry for him given how things panned out. He's not old but has obviously been designated as the surplus to requirements individual from the available options which is odd given the injury issues of Bleyendaal and JJH's inability to break into the first team.

Jump_In_Jack

To me it looks like the plan for the future is 10. Carbery, 22. Hanrahan/Johnston, plus one or two reserves in the academy.
Hanrahan was used a bit at fullback, and seeing as Bleyendaal only moved from 12 to cover out-half when Hanrahan got injured, it's likely that he won't be retained if Hanrahan recovers, as we are stacked with centres.

Someone made a decision at the start of the season that Hanrahan was the better long-term option and that meant Keatley was surplus to requirements.

Keatley was just not in the long-term plan and they cut him loose, surprisingly cut-throat but perhaps for the best in the long run for everybody.

Personally, I think Johnston will push past Hanrahan next season. The few times I've seen Johnston play he has looked assured and more promising than Hanrahan.