Munster vs Southern Kings, Fri 14th Feb 7:35pm; Eir Sport

thomond2006

Munster:
Mike Haley; Calvin Nash, Chris Farrell, Dan Goggin, Shane Daly; JJ Hanrahan, Neil Cronin;
James Cronin, Niall Scannell, John Ryan; Fineen Wycherley, Billy Holland (C); Jack O’Donoghue, John Hodnett, Arno Botha.

Replacements: Kevin O’Byrne, Jeremy Loughman, Keynan Knox, Gavin Coombes, Chris Cloete, Nick McCarthy, Ben Healy, Rory Scannell.

John Hodnett makes his first Munster start. The article mentions game-time to be spread over the next three games which might explain the absence of Craig Casey.

Southern Kings:
Schalk Ferreira, Jacques du Toit, Rossouw de Klerk, Jerry Sexton, JC Astle (C), Lusanda Badiyana, Bobby de Wee, Ruaan Lerm.
Stefan Ungerer, Demetri Catrakilis, Edmund Ludick, Erich Cronje, Sibusiso Sithole, Christopher Hollis, Andell Loubser.

Alandre van Rooyen, Xandre Vos, Ignatius Prinsloo, Aston Fortuin, Thembelani Bholi, Luyolo Dapula, Josh Allderman, Courtney Winnaar.

https://www.munsterrugby.ie/2020/02/13/team-named-munster-side-to-face-southern-kings/

Buer

Brilliant to see Hodnett in. Wasn't sure he'd be getting much of a look in this season so that's a positive development. I think openside is where he'll remain and he'll hopefully develop into a SOB style flanker.

Casey should be in the 23 for all three of these games. His potential far exceeds McCarthy and/or Cronin. There won't be a better opportunity than the Kings at home.

thomond2006

Buer wrote: »

Brilliant to see Hodnett in. Wasn't sure he'd be getting much of a look in this season so that's a positive development. I think openside is where he'll remain and he'll hopefully develop into a SOB style flanker.

Casey should be in the 23 for all three of these games. His potential far exceeds McCarthy and/or Cronin. There won't be a better opportunity than the Kings at home.

I think Hodnett got injured at the U20s in the summer, but I'm open to correction...

Buer

thomond2006 wrote: »

I think Hodnett got injured at the U20s in the summer, but I'm open to correction...

He did indeed. Was back playing by September though. Possibly suffered injury again since then. I would imagine his slow progress may be related to S&C . No harm in letting him develop physically. Despite his showings at U20 level, he's small for a senior forward.

slingerz

Buer wrote: »

Brilliant to see Hodnett in. Wasn't sure he'd be getting much of a look in this season so that's a positive development. I think openside is where he'll remain and he'll hopefully develop into a SOB style flanker.

Casey should be in the 23 for all three of these games. His potential far exceeds McCarthy and/or Cronin. There won't be a better opportunity than the Kings at home.

Casey cant play every bloody game. Cronin and McCarthy must get game time too

Buer

slingerz wrote: »

Casey cant play every bloody game. Cronin and McCarthy must get game time too

He's had 100 minutes this season. Why on earth can't he be in the 23 for games against the Kings, Zebre and home to the Scarlets during the 6N?

There's 240 minutes to go around. Casey should be getting the majority and hopefully he still will.

aloooof

Casey aside, I'm surprised Cronin is starting ahead of McCarthy.

stephen_n

McCarthy’s move south hasn’t been a roaring success so far. It’s possible he could be fourth choice by the end of this season.

thomond2006

I'd agree that Casey should be involved in all three games. There's three/four weeks rest before and after this block of three games so it's hardly a player welfare issue. I'd put JOS in the same bracket. I'd also question starting Arno Botha when it's a near certainty that his contract will not be renewed.

yerrahbah

I like the look of the back three, they could do damage with enough service.

I'd have started Healy and played JJ away to Zebre next week

Thats a real strong pack,

I guess JOD and Botha will provide experience around the debutant.

slingerz

Buer wrote: »

He's had 100 minutes this season. Why on earth can't he be in the 23 for games against the Kings, Zebre and home to the Scarlets during the 6N?

There's 240 minutes to go around. Casey should be getting the majority and hopefully he still will.

theres 240 minutes to go around. i would imagine they all will get 80 or so. he cant be in every game cos then mcarthy/Cronin are deprived of gametime. Its a squad game and JVG needs to involve the whole squad. Same goes for Coombes/JOS/Hodnett etc. Botha may be out of contract in the summer but he will still be needed in the remaining games this season

thomond2006

Southern Kings:
Schalk Ferreira, Jacques du Toit, Rossouw de Klerk, Jerry Sexton, JC Astle (C), Lusanda Badiyana, Bobby de Wee, Ruaan Lerm.
Stefan Ungerer, Demetri Catrakilis, Edmund Ludick, Erich Cronje, Sibusiso Sithole, Christopher Hollis, Andell Loubser.

Alandre van Rooyen, Xandre Vos, Ignatius Prinsloo, Aston Fortuin, Thembelani Bholi, Luyolo Dapula, Josh Allderman, Courtney Winnaar.

Buer

stephen_n wrote: »

McCarthy’s move south hasn’t been a roaring success so far. It’s possible he could be fourth choice by the end of this season.

Not to be harsh but it isn't exactly unexpected.

Brief_Lives

thomond2006 wrote: »

Southern Kings:
Schalk Ferreira, Jacques du Toit, Rossouw de Klerk, Jerry Sexton, JC Astle (C), Lusanda Badiyana, Bobby de Wee, Ruaan Lerm.
Stefan Ungerer, Demetri Catrakilis, Edmund Ludick, Erich Cronje, Sibusiso Sithole, Christopher Hollis, Andell Loubser.

Alandre van Rooyen, Xandre Vos, Ignatius Prinsloo, Aston Fortuin, Thembelani Bholi, Luyolo Dapula, Josh Allderman, Courtney Winnaar.

need to be very careful with that surname...

stephen_n

Buer wrote: »

Not to be harsh but it isn't exactly unexpected.

I’d say it was by him or he would have stayed put.

jacothelad

Brief_Lives wrote: »

need to be very careful with that surname...

Yes. Let's hope Sean Connery is never a guest sumariser.:D

thomond2006

Buer wrote: »

Not to be harsh but it isn't exactly unexpected.

Casey looks promising so it hopefully won't matter.

I'm just a little bit excited to see Snyman in these kinds of fixtures next season. I'm excited to see him in red generally, easily one of the biggest signings a province has made in recent years.

Rare you regain possession and still lose territory with a cross field kick.

schmoo2k

Harsh Yellow?

Squidgy Black

Such a poor pass from Cronin to completely kill momentum and turn the ball over.

thomond2006

Haley is infuriating.

Buer

schmoo2k wrote: »

Harsh Yellow?

Nah. Can have little complaint, for me. Killed it illegally with his defence on the ropes.

thomond2006

Arno is having fun!

Hodnett has been busy so far.

chupacabra

Good stuff

razorblunt

Cronin is so slow at times

The Kings 5 is a game ol fella and I mean that in the most unpatronising way.

DeHood123

razorblunt wrote: »

Cronin is so slow at times

The Kings 5 is a game ol fella and I mean that in the most unpatronising way.

Really???...think cronin has been very snappy so far and beautiful reverse pass to Daly that only bit of inventive play so far...

razorblunt

The guy just fell at Hodnett’s feet for that turnover, he’ll take it!

Clegg

Been impressed by Hodnett tonight, but he was never supporting his own body weight for that steal. His knee was on the ground. Awful call from the ref.

razorblunt

DeHood123 wrote: »

Really???...think cronin has been very snappy so far and beautiful reverse pass to Daly that only bit of inventive play so far...

Yeah there’s been one or two rucks where he’s taken an age to get set and pass it and that was with the kings retreating

Buer

Feel sorry for the Kings. They're utter muck but the referee isn't someone who is sympathetic to the side getting tanked!

schmoo2k

Clegg wrote: »

Been impressed by Hodnett tonight, but he was never supporting his own body weight for that steal. His knee was on the ground. Awful call from the ref.

Agree the SK were given yellow for less at the other end (but last line defense I guess).

Panda Killa

BP before halftime...not a bad 40 mins work at all

thomond2006

Buer wrote: »

Feel sorry for the Kings. They're utter muck but the referee isn't someone who is sympathetic to the side getting tanked!

I'm on Munster -26, would you whisht

Panda Killa

Just looking at the halftime panel and with Strings looking up at DOC he reminds me sooo much of Michael D being introduced to the players at an international game

razorblunt

thomond2006 wrote: »

I'm on Munster -26, would you whisht

I’m -30 so wisht wisht

Dave_The_Sheep

I can only hear the audio, but the three lads (Bowe, Stringer and DOC) appear to be having a decent time of Valentine's Day?

razorblunt

“Liam sum this up in one word”


So begins Toland’s War and Peace. Jesus he loves talking.

schmoo2k

Dave_The_Sheep wrote: »

I can only hear the audio, but the three lads (Bowe, Stringer and DOC) appear to be having a decent time of Valentine's Day?

Your lucky, it was not pretty...

razorblunt

Haley needs to be hooked. Two knock ons in 4 mins.

thomond2006

Great defence.

thomond2006

Hodnett you beaut. Quite a debut!

Dave_The_Sheep

Ah, that's a lovely score.

thomond2006

Um, cheers for that Kings.

Clegg

The Kings are the worst side I've seen since Aironi.

Too many pointless games like this.

sioda

They are just plain awful

Melodeon

Panda Killa wrote: »

Just looking at the halftime panel and with Strings looking up at DOC he reminds me sooo much of Michael D being introduced to the players at an international game

Check out most of the players and coaches being interviewed by Maz! :-)

thomond2006

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Too many pointless games like this.

You're describing my Leinster STH experience.

ScrubsfanChris

Scoreline is getting a bit awkward
Kind of want kings to score to make it worth their while showing up.

Panda Killa

What point was he trying to make about props a few minutes ago...he couldn't string a single sentence together !