Munster vs Harlequins, Sun 13th Dec 5:30pm; BT Sport

thomond2006

Munster:
Mike Haley; Andrew Conway, Chris Farrell, Damian de Allende, Keith Earls; JJ Hanrahan, Conor Murray;
James Cronin, Kevin O’Byrne, Stephen Archer; Jean Kleyn, Tadhg Beirne; Gavin Coombes, Peter O’Mahony (C), CJ Stander.

Replacements: Rhys Marshall, Josh Wycherley, John Ryan, Fineen Wycherley, Jack O’Donoghue, Craig Casey, Ben Healy, Rory Scannell.

Harlequins:
1. Joe Marler (205)
2. Scott Baldwin (21)
3. Wilco Louw (7)
4. Hugh Tizard (3)
5. Glen Young (23)
6. James Chisholm (99)
7. Will Evans (24)
8. Alex Dombrandt (55) - Captain
9. Danny Care (286)
10. Marcus Smith (89)
11. Cadan Murley (37)
12. Ben Tapuai (30)
13. Luke Northmore (11)
14. Nathan Earle (33)
15. Mike Brown (336)

Impact Players
16. Elia Elia (55)
17. Santiago Garcia Botta (25)
18. Fin Baxter (0)
19. Richard De Carpentier (0)
20. Tom Lawday (21)
21. Scott Steele (9)
22. James Lang (69)
23. Ross Chisholm (120)

Unavailable for selection:
Andre Esterhuizen, Simon Kerrod, Joe Marchant

Unavailable due to injury:
Joe Gray, George Head, Joe Wrafter, Craig Trenier, Will Collier, Dino Lamb, Matt Symons, Stephan Lewies, Martin Landajo, Brett Herron, Paul Lasike, Michele Campagnaro, Aaron Morris

In a 4 game pool stage, this is a must win for Munster.
Munster opt for Murray and JJ at half-back with Gavin Coombes at 6.

thomond2006

It's not the revolution we might have hoped for. Coombes is the only real bolter into the starting XV, though there is plenty youth on the bench.

Tomtom364

Very conservative I think. Not too impressed with the selection.

If he was going to try Casey or Healy out starting it was this game not next week so that won't be happening.

In particular Healy I think should be starting, offers just as much if not more then JJ.

I think Rory Scannell on the bench is a terrible decision. The experiments of naming him at 13 have largely offered very little i think.
He is a solid pro and been great servant for Munster but I don't think he offers enough to be in the 23 jersey, would have preferred any of Goggin, Daly, Nash, Sweetnan, particular Goggin or Daly.

aloooof

I think Healy will be disappointed not to get the nod. Once we see himself and Casey come off the bench with 25-30 mins to go I'll be happy enough.

theVersatile

I've no doubt that if **** hits the fan after 50 mins, JVG will have no trouble bringing in the new 9/10 combo.

SUAF

Dog Botherer

Hugh Tizard. what a world.

Cookiemunster

aloooof wrote: »

I think Healy will be disappointed not to get the nod. Once we see himself and Casey come off the bench with 25-30 mins to go I'll be happy enough.

Healy has been playing very well, but remember that he's only started 3 of the 7 games this season (In fact he has a grand total of 4 starts in his career). JJ started the other 4 and is still first choice.

Healy will get plenty of HEC minutes off the bench and the pecking order could well change in the second half of the season when he has more experience.

yerrahbah

That's a really mobile Münster bench, I would have gone for Goggin over R.Scannell as Goggin could cover the wing too.

Absolutely need to win this one, probably need a TBP too

aloooof

Cookiemunster wrote: »

Healy has been playing very well, but remember that he's only started 3 of the 7 games this season (In fact he has a grand total of 4 starts in his career). JJ started the other 4 and is still first choice.

Healy will get plenty of HEC minutes off the bench and the pecking order could well change in the second half of the season when he has more experience.

JJ has 4 starts vs Healy's 3, but Healy has more minutes, 303 vs JJ's 257. (Admittedly, part of that is down to JJ's injury after 21 mins against Ospreys).

I just felt that, with JJ's recent injury issue and the way the fixtures fell with Quins up first, it might've made JVG more likely to go with him than if we had Clermont away first, for example.

He'll get plenty of mins alright tho, and is a great option to have off the bench tho, as he's shown earlier in the season.

thomond2006

Bumpity bump

TBP win you'd hope. Getting points next week will be a challenge.

Winnieacre

Any suggestions as to how to watch this on TV in Ireland?
Used to watch through eir broadband package.

Tried to take monthly pass to BT sport but only available to UK residents. Nowtv only has Sky sports pass available.
Am I missing something?

Any advice appreciated.
W

Risteard

Winnieacre wrote: »

Any suggestions as to how to watch this on TV in Ireland?
Used to watch through eir broadband package.

Tried to take monthly pass to BT sport but only available to UK residents. Nowtv only has Sky sports pass available.
Am I missing something?

Any advice appreciated.
W

NowTV seem to list a BT sport's package here

https://www.nowtv.com/ie/sports-overview

thomond2006

BT is within the Sports Extra package. That's what I'm using.

Winnieacre

Risteard wrote: »

NowTV seem to list a BT sport's package here

https://www.nowtv.com/ie/sports-overview

I have previously purchased passes from NowTV but for some reason only the Sky sports pass is available when I log in.

Set up new account in son's name and got the Extra with bt sport no problem - strange!

Thanks

W

OldRio

I can't get the Sports extra pass. Tried last night and it was 34 euro for one month. Screw that. Ive used the radio instead.

Kurt_Godel.

https://www.nowtv.com/ie/watch-sports-extra?DCMP=afc-nowtv:nc_General/gen&awc=11006_1607878470_655e06aafa9b414009e8171d5ee90506

2 months Sports Pass for the price of one (€34) via this link... BT Sport and Premier Sport, lots of rugby:)

OldRio

Thanks for the link but I think it's only for new customers. When I enter my details I can't get the offer.
Screw em.

zetecescort

Any radio coverage?

schmoo2k

Lashing rain...

OldRio

zetecescort wrote: »

Any radio coverage?

Newstalk

Former Former Former

OldRio wrote: »

Thanks for the link but I think it's only for new customers. When I enter my details I can't get the offer.
Screw em.

It absolutely is open to existing subscribers, I availed of it on Friday

budhabob

first blood to quin's with that scrum.

Utah_Saint

Wtf are the feeding the no 6 for Munster. Bloke is massive. Is he new?

The Lost Sheep

Utah_Saint wrote: »

Wtf are the feeding the no 6 for Munster. Bloke is massive. Is he new?

Coombes. a year or so out of academy. played 20 games for first team. can play 2nd row, 6/8.

clsmooth

Really liking the tip on passes so far

Dog Botherer

****in hell

thomond2006

Brutal error from JJ.

vienne86

Beirne has been impressive.

Bazzo

Jesus that was very poor from Hanrahan

caddy16

Dog Botherer wrote: »

****in hell

Unforgivable

MaddChris

And that's the JJ we all know

theVersatile

Unlucky. Great play.

bilston

We didn't really see a clear replay of the Haley attempt, but it seemed worth a second look surely?

vienne86

That's a shocker from JJ.

UAEguy2020

It’s not like an Irish team to let our opposition off the hook after putting under loads of pressure.

aloooof

Slightly loose in parts but some great play there. Very poor from JJ tho...

vienne86

That's a shocker from JJ.

razorblunt

JJ ... what else can you say at this point. Complete slice.

schmoo2k

I would like another look at the Haley effort...

thomond2006

Awful penalty from Cronin. Munster struggling to get into this.

aloooof

bilston wrote: »

We didn't really see a clear replay of the Haley attempt, but it seemed worth a second look surely?

We didn't from our angle, but the ref seemed pretty sure to be fair, so I'd give him the benefit of the doubt.

budhabob

schmoo2k wrote: »

I would like another look at the Haley effort...

surprised it wasn't at least looked at even briefly

cameramonkey

Munster are so sloooow in attack, Murray takes an age.

thomond2006

Does David Flatman think his shtick is entertaining?!

Burkie1203

budhabob wrote: »

surprised it wasn't at least looked at even briefly

TMO would look anyway but the player didn't even ask for it

thomond2006

Let off. I thought Harlequins would go for the lineout.

Sabre0001

Very sloppy stuff so far.

thomond2006

Another miss. C'mon Munster, time to wake up.

Dog Botherer

honestly pretty poor stuff from Munster. this Quins side aren’t much cop and they should be leading.

tabby aspreme

Harlequins flanker handled the ball in the scrum

aloooof

Poor enough fare from both sides so far.