Munster Team Talk Thread - Beirne After Reading

leakyboots

Some ruck stuff and stats I came across online (TRK does good deep dive stuff like this) that I thought was interesting - we were very streetwise in our ruck work/defence/kicking. Leinster never got the structured play they wanted as we kept giving them the ball from deep, Northampton did similar against them.

Kicking Game
We kicked 28 times to Leinster's 13 and backed our defence over their attack in broken play. Most of those kicks were long to the likes of Prendergast, Lowe, Osbourne (he'll be seeing Dan Kelly in his nightmares), who are not quick and we handled them easily, often turning them over. Our players were getting there ahead of their pack who aren't the most mobile (you see it time and time again on that Crowley highlight reel, our players flying past theirs to try and win the ball after the tackle). Lowe normally kicks 5/6 times a game, he wasn't given time to, he only kicked once.

In previous games we'd try to out-play Leinster and they'd defend, win turnover and get the platform they need for strike-plays, mauls etc., turning them towards their goal-line seemed to do the trick the last night.

Ruck Work
JOD was our best offensive rucker (again, what a season he's having) with 5 dominant rucks and had the most as a guard (securing possession/holding off counter ruckers). Fineen hit loads aswell. Milne was great also.

Diarmaid Barron was our most effective offensive ruck operator in that first half when we scored our tries.

Edogbo was only on the pitch for 40 minutes but was huge in that first half (4 dominant clean-outs, secured possession 5 times).

Beirne wasn't trying to poach every ball, he was trying to poach the ball when it was on, leaving the ruck disruption to others (Edogbo/Milne/JOD/Barron/Fineen/Dan Kelly primarily).

Some Stats
A key stat is we kept Crowley entirely out of our offensive rucks for the full game, leaving him to do his primary job. His summer spent doing that extra work really paid off, his left foot is looking so much stronger now.

Our efficient ruck work meant our ball was quick and Leinster's was slow. When we didn't have the ball, only 44% of Leinster rucks were 0–3s. We knew that JGP tends to throw a 10m pass from the base to a pod of 3 so our defense swallowed up their receivers with choke tackles or a chop and going for the turnover. It also led to the intercept try by Coughlan (and very nearly another).

Munster had 8 entries to the red-zone compared to Leinster’s 11 but posted 3.5 points per entry (vs 1.2). We conceded 10 turnovers, Leinster conceded 15 (I'd love to see Lowe's stats on this front, couldn't find them).

It'll be very interesting to see if teams take a similar approach against Leinster (and Ireland - I know others are on the Ireland thread saying don't be worrying, it's just cobwebs… and maybe they're right… but there are some similarities with how Leinster and Ireland play and we will probably see similar personnel). JvDF stemmed the tide well and you'd think a more mobile 8 like Doris would have helped also the other day for them. Having TOB up against a defensive monster like Nanks who isn't pacy, rather than James Lowe who was never going to get through him, Nanks ate him up.

Return leg in Thomond will be very interesting anyway.

Cookiemunster

I see from the weekly training photos that Lee Barron was running in training, so he should be fine for Saturday.

Haley and Kilgallen training too.

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123925079#Comment_123925079

I genuinely thought and hoped the URC would avoid landing him on us ever again.

50HX

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123925790#Comment_123925790

Good news

After Takkies, Kilgallen is next up for out & out gas & he has a bit of dog about him as well....can't wait to see him back...hope he has a decent injury free run

theVersatile

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123925100#Comment_123925100

On JOD and ruck work, my highlight of the game was him melting Snyman for Gleeson's try. He pancakes (to steal an NFLism) a guy twice his size and it makes the try - stops RG from getting the chance to hold Gleeson up over the line.

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123926831#Comment_123926831

Even Coughlan had one or 2 tackles on the likes of James Ryan, where he really got the most out of it. It was a huge defensive performance.

I love McMillan's message tho about raising the floor. We've been able to get up for some big games in the last few seasons. Saturday's performance probably eciplsed all of them for it's completeness and execution of the gameplan, but he's right that our season will nearly be more defined by raising the floor.

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123925100#Comment_123925100

Great post, leaky. A lot of this was echo'd and added to by Ian Madigan (who is easily my favourite pundit at the moment).

He talked about 4 areas / stats that lead to the winning or losing of a game and Munster were ahead on all of them.

1. Kick turnover. With the change to the escort laws, this has become increasingly important. Munster kicked 28 times and retained 6, two of them leading to tries. Leinster kicked 13 times and retained one.
2. Speed of Ruck. Munster had 51% of rucks 3s or under, Leinster had 44%.
3. Dominant tackles, leading to Turnovers. Munster won 15 turnovers vs Leinster's 5
4. Kick Metres. Munster had 28 kicks for 800+ metres, Leinster 13 kicks for 300+ metres.

From an Ireland perspective, you'd also have to say Crowley's game here seemed more in line with what Ireland were trying to do last season; he had 15 kicks vs Prendergast's 4.

We conceded 10 turnovers, Leinster conceded 15 (I'd love to see Lowe's stats on this front, couldn't find them).

Lowe is down for 4 Turnovers conceded, the highest on the day, with Prendergast, Sheehan, JGP, Daly and Kelly each with 2.

oppiuy

Only recently heard Madigan but I love the way he breaks everything down. I see things in games now that would have passed me by otherwise

budhabob

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123926831#Comment_123926831

I thought his tackle within the Leinster 22 late in the game on Sam was my highlight for JOD. His work rate is off the charts.

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123927468#Comment_123927468

Also had the poach on an Osborne run-back that Kelly shopped down. Have been very impressed my Kelly’s tackle technique on the case back, but JOD is having a brilliant season so far.

50HX

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123927384#Comment_123927384

He's excellent & as much of a langer Zebo can be (😁) they worked well together on Sat

Top pundit

Cookiemunster

Tom Farrell has signed a 2yr extension up to 2028.

https://www.munsterrugby.ie/2025/10/22/tom-farrell-signs-new-contract/

budhabob

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123928271#Comment_123928271

Smart bit of business to lock down strong performers early doors.

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123928271#Comment_123928271

Thats a good bit of business. He's been a great signing for us

Cookiemunster

It seems I'm not the only one who thinks we need to back it up the Leinster win on Saturday.

http://www.rte.ie/sport/united-rugby-championship/2025/1022/1539930-can-we-back-it-up-munster-eye-up-connacht/

"It’s really important that we are mentally ready, physically ready for this challenge," assistant coach Mike Prendergast told RTÉ Sport.

"As a coaching staff it’s a very important week in how we set the lads up.

"We have to have them ready for the challenge because, look, when you win a game like that [against Leinster] the next thing that is spoken about is, 'can you back it up?’

"We’ve got to get the players in the best position to be at that pitch on Saturday.

Pepp1989

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123929201#Comment_123929201

I think everyone agreed/hopes we need to back it up?

Presume Prendergast didnt say that if we dont win Saturday that the win v Leinster is out the window, meaningless?

50HX

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123929270#Comment_123929270

You couldn't leave it could you😁

budhabob

Who is out of contract at the end of the season? I wonder will McMillan try to bring some stability with earlier extensions given farrells news

Pepp1989

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123929429#Comment_123929429

I actually tried really hard to let it lie.

I felt that my original argument would have been meaningless thou if I didnt back it up the next day.

50HX

Dutchy Holland steeping down from NZ after the autumn internationals.

IInteresting to see where he goes

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123930117#Comment_123930117

Straight back to Canes?

johnnyryan89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123929441#Comment_123929441

https://all.rugby/club/munster/squad

There's a few if this list is correct. Kleyn and Abrahams will be interesting ones to see if they're offered new deals.

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123930194#Comment_123930194

Nankivell too, especially with the signing of Kelly, tho I think we have him till 2027?

Cookiemunster

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123930216#Comment_123930216

Yeah, Nankivell signed a two year extension last season.

Ekano

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123930194#Comment_123930194

Will Abraham's be Irish qualified next year? I don't recall how many years they now have to be here

Cookiemunster

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123930336#Comment_123930336

No. You need to be resident for 5 years.

sydthebeat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123930336#Comment_123930336

60 consecutive months (5 years) so he wont be qualified till the 2029 / 30 season, when he would be 30 years old.

Lost Ormond

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123930336#Comment_123930336

Not qualified until 2029. It's 5 years n9t 3 to qualify on residency

johnnyryan89

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123930216#Comment_123930216

Yeah I was thinking about Nanks when the Farrell news broke the other day. Maybe he gets offered a one year deal that brings him to 2028 like Farrell and then they assess their options.

Abrahams though I wonder if McMillan might have a player or two he'd know well from back in NZ that he might think would be worth trying to sign.

leakyboots

I hope we hang on to Abrahams on current form, he's lethal and offers something that the other wingers don't