Munster vs Ulster, Fri 7th May 8:15pm, Eir Sport

thomond2006

Munster:
Mike Haley; Andrew Conway, Dan Goggin, Rory Scannell, Shane Daly; JJ Hanrahan, Conor Murray;
Dave Kilcoyne, Niall Scannell, John Ryan; Fineen Wycherley, Tadhg Beirne; Peter O’Mahony (C), Chris Cloete, Gavin Coombes.

Replacements: Kevin O’Byrne, Jeremy Loughman, Roman Salanoa, Jean Kleyn, CJ Stander, Nick McCarthy, Ben Healy, Damian de Allende.

Ulster:
(15-9) Jacob Stockdale, Rob Lyttle, Will Addison, Stuart McCloskey, Ethan McIlroy, Michael Lowry, Alby Mathewson;
(1-8) Andrew Warwick, John Andrew, Tom O’Toole, Alan O’Connor, Iain Henderson (Capt.), Jordi Murphy, Marcus Rea, David McCann.

Replacements: Rob Herring, Callum Reid, Marty Moore, Sam Carter, Nick Timoney, David Shanahan, Angus Curtis, James Hume.

arsebiscuits1

Reasonably stacked from both sides.

Surprised at Nick over Casey unless he's carrying something?

aloooof

That's a reasonably disappointing line-up. Would have preferred Ben Healy starting over JJ, and Salanoa/Knox over John Ryan. Nick McCarthy on the bench too. Would liked to have seen JOS involved as well.

Utah_Saint

wtf Dan...! i thought you said this was a chance to try out other players?

We are basically trying out McCann & Rea with Reid and Curtis on the bench....

Sabre0001

Pretty strong Munster team. JP Ferreria mentioned keeping some consistency in selection and it's been mentioned that this is a trophy that's up for grabs so not hugely surprised that it's not a complete overhaul / youth team. Good to see Goggin back in the side (and hopefully we'll see a decent amount of him and DDA beside one another) and Conway/Daly getting a run out. Also hoping that we'll see front row and Healy get a decent chunk of game time.

theVersatile

Conway and Daly both need the run out, as did Scannell. Nice to see Goggin in the set up too. Happy enough with one of the two young THs getting a whirl. Must be Fineen's first start in a while too? Hopefully he asserts himself.

Be interesting to see Callum Reid too - looked fairly powerful for Ulster A whenever I've seen him.

Scythica

Really couldn't care for this.

Hope for more academy lads in the future.

Former Former Former

A stupid tournament rendered even more pointless if we're not going to try out new guys.

Waste of everyone's time.

phog

Former Former Former wrote: »

A stupid tournament rendered even more pointless if we're not going to try out new guys.

Waste of everyone's time.

Wrong thread or just another rant in a Munster thread?

Squidgy Black

Very surprised at JJ starting, especially since it would've been a great opportunity to give Healy game time alongside Murray, considering every time Healy has had a start it's been with Casey.

Cookiemunster

Squidgy Black wrote: »

Very surprised at JJ starting, especially since it would've been a great opportunity to give Healy game time alongside Murray, considering every time Healy has had a start it's been with Casey.

Yeah, outside of being stuck, I wouldn't have any of the players who are leaving in the 23, never mind starting. Good servants, but we should be using this tournament to get minutes into their replacements in preparation for next season.

Digifriendly

Might not even bother watching. Once SA sides could not play in the same competition I lost interest.

Paul Smeenus

Digifriendly wrote: »

Might not even bother watching. Once SA sides could not play in the same competition I lost interest.

I will. Want to see how the weans go. And am slowly getting over the Leicester debacle.

thomond2006

I preferred the direction of the lineup against Leinster, where it was full strength but had loaded the bench with young players. I'm not sure why Munster want to persist with JJ at 10 when Carbery, Healy and Flannery are available. That said, given the weekly updates on Ahern's fitness, it seems to me that he would be featuring in these games but for that injury.

It's great to see Goggin available. He's a few years removed from when he was starting against top opponents like Leinster and Exeter but needs to make the most of any minutes he can get. If DDA isn't retained then there may be a spot in the centre for someone at Munster to take.

yerrahbah

Another pretty strong team from Munster, definitely taking the rainbow cup somewhat seriously

From a Munster POV I would have liked to have seen J. Wycherley get a game.

Thought Gallagher was due a game at FB, but with 4 changes in the backs already maybe they are looking for some sort of continuity

Strange that Casey is left out altogether.

McCloskey has done real damage to Munster in the recent past,Scannell and Goggin will need to be sharp in defence

OldRio

I may be in a minority but I'm looking forward to this tonight. After all the crap about the cash grab (Lions) this week, it will be nice to see a game.

phog

OldRio wrote: »

I may be in a minority but I'm looking forward to this tonight. After all the crap about the cash grab (Lions) this week, it will be nice to see a game.

Why wouldn't you look forward to an InterPro, especially one where Ulster are coming to Thomond with two straight losses and hoping to prove something. We did a job on Leinster in the first round and a win here would set us up nicely for another InterPro next week v Connacht.

Fair enough different teams might have different priorities but I don't get the bashing the new competition is getting. Rugby fans have been relatively lucky during the pandemic in that we have had live sport to watch, GAA for example are only getting going this weekend.

yerrahbah

Conway and O'Mahony due big games for Munster.

Hopefully Goggin sees plenty of ball

Squidgy Black

Really poor from Mathewson there

theVersatile

Addison what are you at?

Scrap.

yerrahbah

Silly by Addison

aloooof

Mike Haley into the lineout again

theVersatile

Interesting lineout

bilston

Really not good enough from Marcus Rea off that scrum.

Akrasia

theVersatile wrote: »

Interesting lineout

Coombes making a play for a late call up to the Lions

aloooof

We're so lucky to have Gav Coombes coming in with CJ leaving... unreal carry again.

theVersatile

Jesus Coombes

Squidgy Black

Coombes has to get a cap this summer. No question about it.

yerrahbah

Were Ulster going for a choke tackle on Coombes? Felt they could have taken him to ground earlier

aloooof

Munster putting some good stuff together here, to be fair.

Del.Monte

Who scored the try?

theVersatile

Some nice phases there - Lowry getting targeted with a few whacks early on.

aloooof

Del.Monte wrote: »

Who scored the try?

Rory Scannell

bilston

Hahahah that was hilarious...RG Snyman giving the finger!!

Akrasia

I like this Ref so far

razorblunt

bilston wrote: »

Hahahah that was hilarious...RG Snyman giving the finger!!

And a quick camera cut.


Ulster getting the benefit of some marginal calls.
The ref is definitely a confident communicator.

razorblunt

Goggin a bit lucky there, should have given it.
Quick pass from Coombes earlier in the play kept it going nicely.

yerrahbah

Nice try

Akrasia

People have been calling for Munster to play expansive offloading rugby. Does this count?

aloooof

Munster leaving some rucks a bit isolated (Daly and Fineen caught with little support in the last 5 mins) but really liking a lot about this performance.

razorblunt

Stockdale scrambling on his hands to contest the ruck there. Ref says good.

razorblunt

Wycherley has been very aggressive and Daly looking very sharp.
Goggin surprisingly so too given his layoff.

yerrahbah

Daly having a tidy game

Squidgy Black

Should that not have been a goal line dropout as opposed to a 22?

Edit: never mind I see in the rules missed kicks are still a 22

Shaka Hislop

Was that an elbow?
He's off for that.

yerrahbah

High hit from Addison?

AlfaZen

How is that not a card for Addison?

Akrasia

What was he thinking?

theVersatile

Addison in trouble - he's dropping but the tackle is never legal anyways (forearm/elbow lead). Could be red.

razorblunt

Who píssed on Addison’s corn flakes this morning?
He’s been bulling for that since the game stated.


Horrible, cheap shot.

Squidgy Black

Have to say Addison's arm was never in a natural position at all there, no idea what he was thinking.

Shame because he was looking lively with ball in hand.