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

Dubinusa

I can't see Munster not beating Northampton. They might not murder them but, they should win.

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119999521#Comment_119999521

Ya, that makes a lot of sense, I think the Ulster game could be the one where we see the most internationals rested. This period between now and end of Jan will go a long way to deciding how the season will play out.

Signs of encouragement the last few weeks, hopefully we can see that continue. Particularly with Joey tbh. HIs last 3 matches have been his best spell of form in a fair while.

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119986356#Comment_119986356

Kleyn would have been expected to play the full 80 minutes so I expect him to be on the injury list in the squad update this morning.

Just hearing TRK mentioning that it was a regular substitution, was surprised to hear that, I would've expected him to play teh 80 as well.

Had a look back at the first half tho, and Coombes had a really good game, both with his usual heavy carries and metres made, and his handling. Some really lovely passing in there. We lose a little bit of that when he moves to the 2nd row, but was curious to hear it seemed planned.

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120000008#Comment_120000008

For us to get a place in next season's ERC we have to finish up somewhere above the 2nd or lower placed teams in the other conferences, my view here is in our own Conference we can't catch Leinster or Ulster. In the table we probably cant catch top two SA teams. That's the top 4 accounted for but only 2 conferences represented that mean there's two places for top placed team in the other 2 conferences and 2 for the best of the rest.

While we get the same 4 points for winning any game we need to ensure we get past the likes of the 3 lower Welsh teams, the two Italian and one of Edinburgh/Glasgow. We need to beat them and hope the people above us beat them to. One of Glasgow or Edinburgh winning both their back to back games would help us some bit and Cardiff staying ahead of the other Welsh teams would be equally beneficial for us.

Currently table wise Glasgow, Sharks, Bennetton and Connacht are the teams that can do us most harm with regards to qualification - we're done with Connacht so we're depending on other teams doing us a favour.

We play Glasgow at home before we head to SA for our last two games. Tough 3 games to be trying to pick up points.

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120000293#Comment_120000293

That's the top 4 accounted for but only 2 conferences represented that mean there's two places for top placed team in the other 2 conferences and 2 for the best of the rest.

Hadn't thought of it in those terms, but makes total sense tbh, phog. We're really paying for our slow start (that loss to the Dragon's in particular) but that 5 pointer against Edinburgh looks really valuable in those terms.

Hopefully teams will take points off each other; it looks entirely set up to be very close again. And hopefully the young lads will have learned alot from the trip to SA last season. (The 2 losing bonus points weren't a bad return, but we could've turned the Lions on in particular into a win).

snotboogie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119998864#Comment_119998864

Thats a fairly positive number for Munster. 2 of the 16 are short term cover who will likely be gone in a few months. Having close to 75% of the full squad (Munster have extensively dipped into the academy this year) coming from the province is extraordinary by international standards. Even in Ireland; Ulster have 24 external players in their full team squad, Connacht have 32... Leinster are just an outlier.

Jump_In_Jack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120000293#Comment_120000293

And the Lions!

Pivotal match against them at home in Munster, Cork supporters will have to get out in force at Musgrave Park for that one!! Friday 8th Jan.

Jump_In_Jack

Just casting a look at the end of the league stage, and the 3 spaced out matches against Ospreys, Scarlets, and Glasgow, all at Home for Munster, look very winnable seeing how badly Ospreys and Scarlets are going in particular, and then the mini-tour to South Africa for Stormers and Sharks.

Obviously we don't know how far we'll go in the Champion's Cup, so don't know if we'll have a full squad for every one of those matches.

Neil3030

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119998864#Comment_119998864

We know which team has more homegrown players.

I thought we were having a conversation about what was "interesting".

stephen_n

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120000047#Comment_120000047

How often does Kleyn go 80 minutes? It’s rare for big locks to last the full 80. Though I was surprised how early he went. Coombes did really well though, so maybe they told Kleyn empty the tank, it’s ok.

sydthebeat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120000961#Comment_120000961

hes gone 80 mins in 3 out of 8 starts this season (averaging 58 minutes)

he went a full 80 once in 20 starts last season (averaging 58 minutes as well)

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120001167#Comment_120001167

I think he got injured in at least 2 of those and got subbed off in the first half tho, so his average minutes would otherwise have been a lot higher. Maybe a bit much to have expected him to have played the 80, but I definitely expected him to get more than the 51 minutes he did. Especially in light of:

1. The injury issues at lock that Munster are having; we had no substitute locks on the bench, he got replaced by JOD, with Gav Coombes moving to 2nd row, and
2. The size of the Toulouse pack. In terms of bulk, Kleyn was easily the closest to them that we had.

For my money, he's an underrated player. Still only 29 which isn't old by lock standards. He's been a super servant to Munster already imo.

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120001503#Comment_120001503

Absolutely, our maul attack & defense is much hindered when he's absent.

Neil3030

Where's Ahern, is he out for long?

CIARAN_BOYLE

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120002014#Comment_120002014

Shoulder injury against Leinster. Out for several months.

aloooof

Leinster game sold-out when moved back to Stephen's Day slot, no great surprise.

For all the articles of concern about the reduced attendance for the post-Covid re-scheduled game, I think this was always likely.

https://twitter.com/Munsterrugby/status/1603706149550833664

Cookiemunster

Earls starts on the wing along with Crowley at 12. Murray straight back in at 9. Killer returns on the bench. Still no sign of Fekitoa.

Munster: Mike Haley; Calvin Nash, Antoine Frisch, Jack Crowley, Keith Earls; Joey Carbery, Conor Murray; Jeremy Loughman, Niall Scannell, John Ryan; Jean Kleyn, Tadhg Beirne; Jack O’Donoghue, Peter O’Mahony (C), Gavin Coombes.

Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, Dave Kilcoyne, Roman Salanoa, John Hodnett, Alex Kendellen, Craig Casey, Rory Scannell, Shane Daly.

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120002968#Comment_120002968

Would've prefered to see Casey starting, but excited to see Crowley at 12, think he's earned it and has a level of abrasiveness for the position.

That looks a pretty impactful bench too, in the forwards at least, tho hopefully we'll see a few returns from injury in the 2nd row soon.

irelandrover

Murray going straight back in is disappointing. Its not because i don't like Murray, but because Casey has been our best player this year and this doesn't reward that form.

Good team outside of that. Haley, Frisch, Crowley, Carberry and earls are all capable of stepping in as playmaker so should be exciting to watch.

Cookiemunster

Saints team.

15 George Furbank, 14 James Ramm, 13 Matt Proctor, 12 Rory Hutchinson, 11 Tommy Freeman, 10 Fin Smith, 9 Alex Mitchell

1 Alex Waller, 2 Sam Matavesi, 3 Ehren Painter, 4 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 5 David Ribbans, 6 Courtney Lawes, 7 Lewis Ludlam (c), 8 Juarno Augustus

Replacements:

16 Mikey Haywood, 17 Emmanuel Iyogun, 18 Alfie Petch, 19 Alex Moon, 20 Angus Scott-Young, 21 Aaron Hinkley, 22 Callum Braley, 23 Fraser Dingwall

Interested Observer

How strong/weak is that Northampton team anyone know? I see Lawes, Furbank, Ludlam who'd all be first choice but dunno about the remainder.

phog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120003007#Comment_120003007

Our best player this year has been Haley but I understand your point re Casey/Murray.

Former Former Former

Murray was always going to start this one.

Have to say JOD is lucky to be there, and seems a bit harsh on Hodnett.

Crowley at 12 is very interesting, he looked decent there last week.

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120003063#Comment_120003063

Hodnett has been great this year to be fair, almost always puts in a shift. Can't remember which game, but one recently he came on as a sub for 18 mins and made 15 tackles.

And tbh after last weeks display, JOD is lucky to be there ahead of either Hodnett and Kendellen.

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120003055#Comment_120003055

Casey for me (tho Haley defintely in the conversation) and you'd nearly have to say Edogbo deserves a mention too, which is huge testament to him.

Akrasia

The fact that we have no 2nd row cover on the bench again is a worry but I guess Eoin O Connor isn't at that level yet.

The rest of the selection should be enough to take the Saints

aloooof

Unusually, this’ll be a start for Crowley in each of 10, 12 and 15 this season.

His form is demanding selection tho, really putting his hand up.

irelandrover

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120003055#Comment_120003055

My perception is that haley has missed quite a bit through injury this season. But that's probably completely wrong.

I'd have haley as the best munster player over the last 3 years for sure.

Dubinusa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120004070#Comment_120004070

Yea! He's been very good. Casey is thereabouts also.

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120004070#Comment_120004070

Haley's had a few injuries alright, but I checked and he's still started 6 games. His injuries came during the EI when we were down to the bare bones in the back 3 and that just made his absence all the more obvious. He's almost always fit for us, which is hugely valuable.

For me, over the last 3 years, I'd probably say Tadhg Beirne has been our best player. Tho POM's form from Sept '21 to July '22 was pretty phenomenal. And I'd say CJ (tho obviously didn't play last season at all) and Gav Coombes deserve a mention as well.