Southern Kings vs Munster, Sat 7th April 6:35pm Irish time, TG4

thomond2006

Kings:
15 Masixole Banda
14 Michael Makase
13 Jacques Nel
12 Berton Klaasen
11 Yaw Penxe
10 Martin Du Toit
9 Godlen Masimla
1 Schalk Ferreira (C)
2 Stephan Coetzee
3 Pieter Scholtz
4 Stephan Greeff
5 Bobby De Wee
6 Andisa Ntsila
7 Martinus Burger
8 Ruaan Lerm

SUBSTITUTES

16 Alandre Van Rooyen
17 Justin Forwood
18 Luvuyo Pupuma
19 Lubabalo Mtyanda
20 Lusanda Badiyana
21 Rudi Van Rooyen
22 Ntabeni Dukisa
23 Luzuko Vulindlu

Munster:
JJ Hanrahan; Calvin Nash, Dan Goggin, Rory Scannell, Alex Wootton; Ian Keatley, James Hart;
James Cronin, Niall Scannell, John Ryan; Jean Kleyn, Gerbrandt Grobler; Dave O’Callaghan, Conor Oliver, CJ Stander (C).

Replacements: Rhys Marshall, David Kilcoyne, Brian Scott, Billy Holland, Jack O’Donoghue, Jack Stafford, Stephen Fitzgerald, Robin Copeland.

Five players are retained in the starting XV that won against Toulon. A 6-2 split is used with the backline resources stretched due to the unavailability of Zebo and Sweetnam. CJ Stander takes the captain's armband for a game in his hometown. Munster will be looking for a bonus point win against the worst defence in the league (40 points conceded on average per game). The Kings are currently six points below Dragons at the foot of Conference B.

Outeniqua Park, George

ScrubsfanChris

Sam Arnold rested then? No surprise, the man looked battered after Saturday.
Pretty solid looking pack plus CJ was always gonna be starting this too. Looking forward to seeing Wootton in a bit of free space against this lot.

phog

thomond2006 wrote: »

The Kings are currently six points below Dragons at the foot of Conference B.

Off Topic but...

I know it's hard to evenly split teams into two conferences but having these two in the same conference isn't great for a team in Conference A looking for Points, PD or Tries scored as they'll only get to play them once while others only get to play twice.

Are the teams remaining in the same conferences next season or is there to be some readjustments?

ScrubsfanChris

phog wrote: »

Off Topic but...

I know it's hard to evenly split teams into two conferences but having these two in the same conference isn't great for a team in Conference A looking for Points, PD or Tries scored as they'll only get to play them once while others only get to play twice.

Are the teams remaining in the same conferences next season or is there to be some readjustments?

Conferences will be changed every season according to the previous seasons rankings. (IIRC)
There will still be an even split between countries though. 2 Irish, 1 Scottish and so on.....

Sabre0001

The conference/derby system isn't perfect. Cheetahs get to play Kings 3 times!

At least next season more might be known about what could be expected from various teams (though there could always be outliers that then make the system look flawed)

thomond2006

phog wrote: »

Off Topic but...

I know it's hard to evenly split teams into two conferences but having these two in the same conference isn't great for a team in Conference A looking for Points, PD or Tries scored as they'll only get to play them once while others only get to play twice.

Are the teams remaining in the same conferences next season or is there to be some readjustments?

They won't be able to split it evenly between the weakest/strongest Scottish, Welsh and SA teams but I imagine given Edinburgh's resurgence the fairest outcome would be Dragons and Kings to be in separate conferences.

The Cheetahs have benefited from it the most as they have three games against the Kings (two played already with maximum return) but it's helped them get into the playoffs which will be great for the league.

who_me

Sabre0001 wrote: »

The conference/derby system isn't perfect. Cheetahs get to play Kings 3 times!

At least next season more might be known about what could be expected from various teams (though there could always be outliers that then make the system look flawed)

(very OT, but..) I'm not sure I'm a fan of the system as it currently stands. Just feels like 21 weeks of faffing about, then 2 meaningful knockouts at the end. And it's weird playing against sides that aren't in the same league table as you.

I'd much prefer something like this:
- Expand the league, if needed (rumours of other teams wanting to join)
- Regular league season is home OR away, one unified table again.
- (Award a regular season trophy, if needed)
- All teams involved in knockouts, seedings based on table position. If the number of teams isn't a power of two (in this case: 16) then lower-placed teams play an extra round of knockouts while the higher teams have a rest weekend.

One league table. Everyone has something to play for right to the end. No one has weaker or harder conference advantage/disadvantages.

You would potentially lose a derby game, but IMO many of the derbies aren't as strong as they used to be, and games against strong non-domestic sides have increasing appeal. Any meaningful competition has to grow beyond just relying on derby matches anyhow.

Sabre0001

As for this match, I'm also looking forward to seeing some of the backs with a bit of sunshine, dry ball and hopefully open defence Again, I find myself hoping that JJ uses this match to gain confidence. I'm not sure if it's short on confidence, trying too hard, or what at this stage. Maybe the Carbery rumour woke him up.

Riskymove

who_me wrote: »

One league table. Everyone has something to play for right to the end. No one has weaker or harder conference advantage/disadvantages.

why would one table mean everyone has something to play for until the end?

as you are only judged against how the other teams in your conference do then there is no disadvantage/advantage to a stronger/weaker conference

The Lost Sheep

who_me wrote: »

(very OT, but..) I'm not sure I'm a fan of the system as it currently stands. Just feels like 21 weeks of faffing about, then 2 meaningful knockouts at the end. And it's weird playing against sides that aren't in the same league table as you.

I'd much prefer something like this:
- Expand the league, if needed (rumours of other teams wanting to join)
- Regular league season is home OR away, one unified table again.
- (Award a regular season trophy, if needed)
- All teams involved in knockouts, seedings based on table position. If the number of teams isn't a power of two (in this case: 16) then lower-placed teams play an extra round of knockouts while the higher teams have a rest weekend.

One league table. Everyone has something to play for right to the end. No one has weaker or harder conference advantage/disadvantages.

You would potentially lose a derby game, but IMO many of the derbies aren't as strong as they used to be, and games against strong non-domestic sides have increasing appeal. Any meaningful competition has to grow beyond just relying on derby matches anyhow.

I dont see how having just one league table makes things better.
The conferences are needed as you have to separate how all teams dont play each other home and away. Having all teams in playoffs for league title is a waste of time.
Losing derbies isnt good especially when theyre about the only games which have significant away support so removing them isnt good and they get best crowds for all sides.
Sure you could argue all the leagues are the same with "x" weeks of "faffing about" before playoffs decide league champions.

Jack Kanoff

Fan Linn? ...new Chinese signing?

davo2001

Seem to be a fair few munster fans there.

Tigerandahalf

Is this on any channel?

The Cheetahs game was meant to be delayed by 3 hrs but is in 2nd half now.
22 - 13 to Cheetahs 55 mins

Jack Kanoff

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Is this on any channel?

The Cheetahs game was meant to be delayed by 3 hrs but is in 2nd half now.
22 - 13 to Cheetahs 55 mins

TG4

BBDBB

Regular updates would be appreciated

Jack Kanoff

Kings have a pen ... fairly straightforward..and miss!

ScrubsfanChris

Nervey start, hardly had any ball.

Subpopulus

Love this little stadium the Kings are in - much cosier than the huge Nelson Mandela Stadium.

budhabob

Munster scrum demolition job.

ScrubsfanChris

Over throw from Scannel in the lineout, thats 2 lost now

Jack Kanoff

Kicks are travelling some distance here

budhabob

Feck, James Cronin going off holding his left hand / wrist.

ScrubsfanChris

James Cronnin off already, looks like a wrist injury. Killer on.

Burkie1203

ScrubsfanChris wrote: »

James Cronnin off already, looks like a wrist injury. Killer on.

Dislocated shoulder judging by the medic there

LuckyGent88

Can we just forfeit next weeks game. The injury list is beyond a joke at this stage.

budhabob

Who else do we have at LH that's fit?

Heres Johnny

Jack Kanoff wrote: »

Kicks are travelling some distance here

It's not at altitude though George is coastal.

ScrubsfanChris

Bit of white line fever from CJ was it? Disappointing end

budhabob

Good covering tackle by keatley

Jack Kanoff

Heres Johnny wrote: »

It's not at altitude though George is coastal.

Was thinking that...but still...there's something def happening

ScrubsfanChris

I know we had a penalty advantage..... but what on earth was keatley doing with that kick?