Munster Team Talk Thread - Snymans are(n't) Forever

phog

I think everyone is surprised by his early retirement from the game but giving that Covid has most of us looking at how we live our lives then it's probably not a great shock that player like CJ have had a relook at where he's at, it must be hard being in player bubbles, away from family and not being able for foreign travel when home is another continent. He's exiting rugby at the peak of his career, just after earning his 50th international cap.

The real shame is (like others recently) he'll leave without a fan being around to applaud his career - he'd get a standing ovation and it would be fully deserved.

Best of Luck CJ

Caranica

Heartbreaking news. Gerry Thornley mentioned it in a throwaway line in an article a few months ago but nobody else picked up on it so thought it was pie in the sky. Unfortunately not.

The news has come a few seasons earlier than expected but sometimes we forget that these guys are more than just rugby players. He will be missed.

thomond2006

You'd almost forget we had a game on Friday after today's news.

Fineen Wycherley was replaced in the first half of Friday night’s game against Scarlets, see the latest update on Fineen here.
Kevin O’Byrne passed his HIA but will be managed for a chest injury with the medical department.
Niall Scannell passed his HIA post-match and on follow-up and will train normally this week.
Chris Cloete has returned to full team training having missed the clash with Scarlets due to an ankle injury.

https://www.munsterrugby.ie/2021/03/16/squad-update-munster-prepare-for-benetton-at-thomond-park/

It's fantastic news that Cloete's injury turned out to be minor and that both hookers passed their HIAs.

TeholB

Will TOD get a 1 year contract? If not we may be a bit light in the backrow next season if/when we get a few injuries. Billy used to play there too occasionally but that not an option anymore either.

Lost Ormond

TeholB wrote: »

Will TOD get a 1 year contract? If not we may be a bit light in the backrow next season if/when we get a few injuries. Billy used to play there too occasionally but that not an option anymore either.

With CJ news TOD probably will if he wants it as only 6 backrows signed now with Daly in final year of academy.
Will need another backrow signing though

yerrahbah

Gonna take a guess at a team for this W/E

This is assuming we heavily rotate ahead of the final

J.Wycherley, Marshall, Knox, Holland, Ahern, JO'D, Cloete, JO'S, McCarthy, Healy, Sweetnam, R.Scannell, McHenry, Nash, Gallagher

LO'C, KO'B, Salanoa, Kleyn, Kendellen, Patterson, Carbery, S. Daly

Need to find a balance between getting Carbery up to full match fitness and him playing too much.

bayern

Lost Ormond wrote: »

With CJ news TOD probably will if he wants it as only 6 backrows signed now with Daly in final year of academy.
Will need another backrow signing though

6?

Tadhg Beirne
Fineen Wycherley
Cian Hurley
Peter O'Mahony
Chris Cloete
John Hodnett
Jack O'Donoghue
Gavin Coombes
Jack O'Sullivan
Alex Kendellan

thomond2006

Lost Ormond wrote: »

With CJ news TOD probably will if he wants it as only 6 backrows signed now with Daly in final year of academy.
Will need another backrow signing though

I'd say TOD will be finishing up too.
There's a gap in the squad for someone to come in and compete for a starting role. Kendellen will hopefully develop into an option over the next two seasons.

bayern

bayern wrote: »

6?

Tadhg Beirne
Fineen Wycherley
Cian Hurley
Peter O'Mahony
Chris Cloete
John Hodnett
Jack O'Donoghue
Gavin Coombes
Jack O'Sullivan
Alex Kendellan

Tadhg Beirne - Second Row
Fineen Wycherley - Second Row
Cian Hurley - No Contract
Peter O'Mahony
Chris Cloete
John Hodnett
Jack O'Donoghue
Gavin Coombes
Jack O'Sullivan
Alex Kendellen - Academy


So yes, 6 senior back row players

KrustyUCC

You'd wonder if Stander was a Leinster player would move effort have been made to keep him?

Going to be some loss for both us and Ireland

thomond2006

KrustyUCC wrote: »

You'd wonder if Stander was a Leinster player would move effort have been made to keep him?

Nobody should wonder that.

Lost Ormond

KrustyUCC wrote: »

You'd wonder if Stander was a Leinster player would move effort have been made to keep him?

Going to be some loss for both us and Ireland

Nobody should wonder that. It was his decision and its very understandable. Maybe if covid hadnt happened he mightnt be finishing up.

He has a young kid and been away from SA for a decade now. He has farm and all that to take over back home.

Huge loss for us and Ireland.

aloooof

KrustyUCC wrote: »

You'd wonder if Stander was a Leinster player would move effort have been made to keep him?

Don’t think there’s any reason whatsoever to think this.

Quin_Dub

KrustyUCC wrote: »

You'd wonder if Stander was a Leinster player would move effort have been made to keep him?

Going to be some loss for both us and Ireland

Absolutely not.

The Standard of offer on the table was not the reason he's decided to retire.

If his decision was money based he'd be off the France where he'd command massive money given his playing style and durability.

Clearly the Covid restrictions over the last year have focused his mind on where his priorities are and he's making his choices on that basis.

Perhaps without a year of not being able to get home to his family is SA easily and so on he might have been open to another 2/3 years here , but he has decided that he wants to be among his extended family and no one can have an issue with that choice.

razorblunt

KrustyUCC wrote: »

You'd wonder if Stander was a Leinster player would move effort have been made to keep him?

Going to be some loss for both us and Ireland

You have to wonder what goes through people's heads sometimes.


It's a sport, yes it's their job, but it's a job with a finite amount of time. If you're happy walking away on your own terms to get on with your life then do it.

BloodyBill

Hes going to go back farming I presume. Fair play for going out at the top. He could easily have played another 5 years..very durable player. Big loss.

KrustyUCC

razorblunt wrote: »

You have to wonder what goes through people's heads sometimes.


It's a sport, yes it's their job, but it's a job with a finite amount of time. If you're happy walking away on your own terms to get on with your life then do it.

"there has been some suggestion behind the scenes that the 30-year-old was unhappy with the contract offer made to him, the IRFU have strenuously denied those claims."

https://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/i-am-not-saddened-by-my-decision-cj-stander-announces-shock-retirement-from-rugby-at-end-of-this-season-40202227.html

Best of luck to him

A pure gent of a man

Yes South Africa and farming would be a huge draw

However if what Tracey is reporting is right about not being happy with the contract offer then those draws become magnified

bayern

Esteban Teeny Corner wrote: »

Tadhg Beirne - Second Row
Fineen Wycherley - Second Row
Cian Hurley - No Contract
Peter O'Mahony
Chris Cloete
John Hodnett
Jack O'Donoghue
Gavin Coombes
Jack O'Sullivan
Alex Kendellen - Academy


So yes, 6 senior back row players

Beirne and Wycherley both play blindside in their last game. So yes they are backrows.

Cian Hurley does have a contract with Munster, otherwise he wouldn't be training with them week in week out.

phog

thomond2006 wrote: »

Nobody should wonder that.

The original line taken by the Indo was CJ was unhappy with the offer from the IRFU so if that triggered the OP then you could why people might wonder that.

But you'd have to wonder why people still read and link the Indo for anything rugby related.

aloooof

bayern wrote: »

Beirne and Wycherley both play blindside in their last game. So yes they are backrows.

Cian Hurley does have a contract with Munster, otherwise he wouldn't be training with them week in week out.

They are options at 6, but then you'd be down numbers in the 2nd row, and we already have Billy Holland retiring at the end of this season also. I wouldn't be surprised to see Munster trying to get someone in.

phog

aloooof wrote: »

They are options at 6, but then you'd be down numbers in the 2nd row, and we already have Billy Holland retiring at the end of this season also. I wouldn't be surprised to see Munster trying to get someone in.

When you're down numbers in the 2nd row then you just count them there.


The idea is you count them where ever it suits you on a given day.

bayern

Tom Ahern is ready for lots of gametime at 2nd row.

BloodyBill

Ah we ll have to go shopping for a number 8. Someone else as durable as CJ. It won't be easy ..Id have no issue with another big South African. Theyve never let Munster down. Anyone remember Pierre Spies? He was some number 8..a 10.6 seconds over 100metres...

Must love hardship

Does CJ leaving in anyway impact potentially signing zebo?

aloooof

bayern wrote: »

Tom Ahern is ready for lots of gametime at 2nd row.

He is and he'll definitely get a senior contract. But if you're counting Beirne and Wycherly as 6's, it still only leaves us with Aherne, Snyman and Kleyn as 2nd row's.

bayern

aloooof wrote: »

He is and he'll definitely get a senior contract. But if you're counting Beirne and Wycherly as 6's, it still only leaves us with Aherne, Snyman and Kleyn as 2nd row's.

They play both, so they still count as 2nd row cover too.

aloooof

bayern wrote: »

They play both, so they still count as 2nd row cover too.

Precisely.

bayern

bayern wrote: »

Beirne and Wycherley both play blindside in their last game. So yes they are backrows.

Cian Hurley does have a contract with Munster, otherwise he wouldn't be training with them week in week out.

Hurley is in the same boat as the likes of Ethan Coughlan, they are sub-academy/NTS players which does not entail being contracted. You would hope both would be offered Academy contracts.


Combined Munster have 3 senior second rows and 6 senior back rows contracted for 2021/2022. 1 of the back row players (POM) and one of the second row players (Beirne) would be away a considerable amount of the season with the national squad.


That leaves 5 senior back row players available for selection and 2 senior second row players available during the international window without factoring in any injuries, the potential for Snyman to be call to the Springboks for Autumn internationals etc.


There is definitely scope for bringing in someone from abroad or another province.

Lost Ormond

The PRO14 final between Leinster and Munster has been confirmed for the RDS at 5pm on Saturday 27 March.

cameramonkey

Why would he just give up rugby if he wants to go back to SA? Why not play for a club in SA? He is young enough to play there.
would not be suprised to see him pull on a jersey there. Good luck to him whatever he does.