URC Round 10 - Munster vs. Ulster - Saturday, Jan 8th @ 7.35pm - Premier Sports 2, RTE 2, URC TV

07-01-2022 9:35am #1

Referee: Mike Adamson

AR 1: Paul Haycock AR 2: Dermot Blake

TMO: Brian MacNeice

07-01-2022 12:04pm

Teams added to OP.

lawrencesummers · 07-01-2022 12:04pm

Ulster by 10

irelandrover · 07-01-2022 12:08pm

Good teams, I'm looking forward to seeing how Crowley gets on.

I think it will be close but Ulster will have a bit too much in the end.

sydthebeat · 07-01-2022 12:43pm

bookies gone from munster -4 to munster -1 post naming.

munster probably got more coming off the bench so i think if ulster are to win this they dont want to be behind at 60mins

Ulster dont do the fav tags well according to Dan MCF. I see them as favs here.

Ulster by 5

lawrencesummers · 07-01-2022 1:20pm

Coombes vs Vermuelen.

What more do you want

ionadnapokot · 07-01-2022 2:23pm

Ben Moxham. Who he and whats he like?

And seriously what has happened to Ian Madigan?

Paul Smeenus · 07-01-2022 2:52pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118433548#Comment_118433548

Madigan unavailable - unsure whether injured or Covid-ridden.

Moxham is my primary concern with the team. 20 years old, has (I think) eight caps, just bumped up to a development contract.

Very green to be playing OC - has mostly (only?) played wing for us and the U20s.

McFarland clearly rates him - he's definitely physically tough but used to play football and is still feeling his way. Is from Larne and the club game.

Locke_Lamora · 07-01-2022 3:07pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118433825#Comment_118433825

Yea Moxham would be my concern as well, he was originally a centre I think and then shuffled out, but he didn't play well there against Leinster A's a couple months ago. Curtis played very well at 12 in that game so he could've been an option which would've let Hume stay at outside centre. I always thought Hume's future would be at 12 and he played well there in his first year for us, but it just means Moxham will have to defend Farrell who is large, strong and deceptively quick.

McFarland must rate him, he leapfrogged Sexton and Rankin who were both already in the academy when he got his first cap. He always looked a little raw to me - he would get caught badly a few times in defence and his basic skills could be improved, but he played two years for Ireland u20's so someone down there must think a little of him as well.

Paul Smeenus · 07-01-2022 3:11pm

I thought his defensive decision-making looked a fair bit more assured for the U20s last season, but again, that was on the wing.

ionadnapokot · 07-01-2022 3:11pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118433825#Comment_118433825

I cant find anything in press conferences about injury to Madigan. Hasnt appeared in the 23 all season. Last appearance v Saracens in preseason. Weird. Covered with Lowry at 15. But still weird.

Moxham looks like a big fella. Was it soccer or gaa he played? Wondering if he can kick

Paul Smeenus · 07-01-2022 3:13pm

Soccer.

Madigan listed as unavailable in the team announcement, but yeah, he seems to have disappeared anyway. Think Lowry was going to take his bench 10 spot until we ended up with Stockdale and Addison injured, so he's at FB

mun1 · 07-01-2022 5:14pm

Scannell at centre is a weakness for munster.

I don’t think the munster front 5 will provide enough grunt to give clean ball to Casey/Crowley often enough.

munster back row looks good enough on paper but Coombes was poor last week, admittedly after a bit of a layoff.

coombes v Vermeulen should be tasty.

Be interesting to see if Crowley can control a game at this level, especially if on the Backfoot.

weather forecast is poor .

referee , Adamson will have a big say in the outcome. He particularly doesn’t like backchat, which normally isn’t good news for munster.

if munster are close to ulster after 60, then id go for a munster win.

Any rugby is good rugby at this stage.

Wikidy · 07-01-2022 7:52pm

I agree, good to get any rugby. Getting 30 players on a field, given current circumstances with illness and close contacts protocols is an achievement in itself.

I hope for an Ulster win, but Munster are at home with a decent enough team and would want to bounce back from last week.

07-01-2022 11:34pm

Lovely table to be fair

bilston · 08-01-2022 10:27am

Ah that old Munster fan tactic...talk up the opposition, make them favourites, and then when they win they can start to sing songs about a famous victory against the odds and OTB can have special edition podcasts with Quinny on the wonder that is plucky old Munster!

Let's be clear...Munster are definitely favourites for this match. I'd say a win here for Ulster would be more impressive than their win in the RDS given to relative strength of that Leinster team versus this Munster team.

Moxham for McCloskey in the midfield us a huge blow. That isn't intended as a commentary on Moxham at all, but McCloskey is vital to Ulster.

As for why Moxham is there, I assume its because he is big and therefore similar to McCloskey. I'm surprised the centres aren't the other way round. Hume can certainly play 12, but he has been the form 13 in Ireland and probably beyond over the last month. I suppose if he can do it at 12 as well then that will help his Ireland chances moving forward. But numbers on the back may not be important after 1st phase.

As an Irish fan I'm looking forward to seeing more of Coombes and also seeing Josh Hodnett as Jack Crowley. I'm disappointed Marcus Rea didn't get the nod at 6 for Ulster, it would have been a good test for him against O'Mahony and Coombes. Also, I'm not sure it will happen, but it would be good to see Casey and Doak on the pitch at the same time.

Munster to win by 6 to 10.

08-01-2022 10:58am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118438098#Comment_118438098

It feels like your saying munster fans are doing something while doing the same yourself 🤣

Why do you feel munster should be favourites here? It's a much more experienced Ulster team

aloooof · 08-01-2022 11:00am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118438098#Comment_118438098

“Let's be clear...Munster are definitely favourites for this match”

I’d agree, but it’s very marginal. Bookies have Munster 1 point favourites. An Ulster win wouldn’t be a great shock by any means, especially considering Munster’s recent performances.

“I'd say a win here for Ulster would be more impressive than their win in the RDS given to relative strength of that Leinster team versus this Munster team.”

Very much disagree with this tbh, considering Ulster’s record vs Leinster up to that game.

Akrasia · 08-01-2022 1:46pm

The Munster front row is very underwhelming. I absolutely hope JVG isn't planning on using them as a platform for a close defensive strategy like they did against connacht. We have a dynamic enough back line with Crowley being a lot more of a playmaker 10 than Healey is. Farrel is a powerful ball carrier who has good passing ability at center but I really hope Scannel is told his role is to get the ball to Zebo instead of trying to make metres in contact

This is a must win game for Munster, not just for this season, but even Hcup qualification next year is at stake. We have to win this game and preferably deny Ulster a LBP

TRC10 · 08-01-2022 5:15pm

Munster fielding a weakened team 2 weeks in a row, for 2 big interpro derbys, shows just how much of a pisstake league the URC is.

Having said that, there's a lot of players on the Munster team that I'm looking forward to seeing play. Ahern, French and Hodnett, but Jack Crowley is particular. Although hopefully he hasn't been instructed by JVG to boot the leather off the ball whenever he gets it like Healy was last week.

McCloskey is a huge loss for Munster, he's so important to them. He is to Ulster what Esterhuizen is to Harlequins. I expect Hume to take on more ball carrying responsibility tonight. And if he shows he has that side to his game it could be a massive feather in his cap in terms of his Ireland chances.

08-01-2022 5:34pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118439884#Comment_118439884

Man you can complain about munster "not playing youth" or you can complain about weakened teams but your somehow complaining about both

Paul Smeenus · 08-01-2022 5:40pm

McCloskey is often pivotal when he's on the pitch, but the real issue is that we're also missing Marshall and Moore. It's worth bearing in mind Moore has 21 caps, most often replacing Big Stu.

If we'd either of them I'd be a lot more confident.

Paul Smeenus · 08-01-2022 6:05pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118439884#Comment_118439884

The truism that fielding a weakened team reflects badly on the league is only true if you win the games. If Munster lose tonight, these weakened teams will only reflect the Munster brains' trust's pool decision-making, not the quality of the league.

it was in Europe that they fielded an incredibly callow team and actually won.

TRC10 · 08-01-2022 6:13pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118440200#Comment_118440200

it was in Europe that they fielded an incredibly callow team and actually won.

Yes but that "incredibly callow" Munster team had Murray, Carbery, De Allende, Farrell, Earls, Conway, O'Mahony, Beirne and Kilcoyne and was playing against an incredibly callow Wasps team.

Anyway, I see Ulster winning this by 10.

Paul Smeenus · 08-01-2022 6:30pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118440252#Comment_118440252

I take your point, but the substantive thing I was saying was that if you field weakened teams and lose, it's not an indictment of the league the way it is if you win with those teams.

I think Munster will win - we have had both our recent inter-pros cancelled and I expect that will tell tonight.

aloooof · 08-01-2022 6:56pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118439884#Comment_118439884

“Munster fielding a weakened team 2 weeks in a row, for 2 big interpro derbys, shows just how much of a pisstake league the URC is.”

Literally just Tuesday past you were complaining about Munster not giving youth a chance. Now they’ve named a team with a load of youngsters and you’re complaining about weakened teams.

You can’t have it both ways.

But more’s to the point. Genuinely. Cheer up. At least there’s a rugby match on the be enjoyed.