Leinster v Munster match thread

Akrasia

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119794582#Comment_119794582

Who do you think will be the starting 10 vs the All blacks XV?

Quin_Dub

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119795233#Comment_119795233

Frawley I'd have assumed - If Carbery is passed fit.

Jump_In_Jack

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119794950#Comment_119794950

I'm absolutely certain he played on the wing, it was a point of discussion after the match, and yes Larmour did stay at fullback with Haley on the wing.

Haley did fine too I thought, but it was less than a half the match I think.

Serbian

Peter O'Mahony and Kieran Marmion have played on the wing for Ireland among many other random people who have ended up out there I'm sure. I don't think 20 minutes on the wing means a whole lot considering the other 10,000+ minutes he has played have been at fullback. He's a fullback specialist and there's nothing wrong with that.

Yeah_Right

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119795604#Comment_119795604

Well that's just proof that anyone can play on the wing, they don't need any experience playing there so why not give Haley a shot.

lawrencesummers

All the talk of munster best 10 is irrelevant.

Carbery, Crowley or Healy can all do a job there, but the extent Of that job is limited by the work done in front of him, and the forwards got owned for periods of the game against a Leinster pack who were not near full strength.

There is a serious issue in the munster front row, we have the worst hooker of all the provinces, the only thing killer is killing is his career, archer is two years past it, loughman salona and knox have a way to go yet, there is a bit of average in the second row and a backrow that is over reliant on POM and Beirne.

So talk out halves all you want but Munsters pack needs to improve cause you can only play the quality of the ball your getting

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119796217#Comment_119796217

...the forwards got owned for periods of the game against a Leinster pack who were not near full strength.

They probably had 4 of their starting pack, and another 2 off the bench. They weren't a million miles away from full strength either to be fair, and it's not like the other guys like Alaalatoa and Penny are pushovers.

I'd largely agree with you with regards the front-row, tho. We need to get minutes into Knox and Salanoa badly this year. And Josh Wycherly too, on the evidence of Killer's start to the season. I think Loughman is probably our starting LH now. I think Scannell is serviceable, and that the other 2 positions are bigger issues (and Barron is pretty good cover for now too; he made a great break in this game and might start pushing Scannell for the starting jersey).

Second row and back-row, I think we're pretty ok in once Snyman comes back (Snyman, Kleyn, Ahern and Beirne is perfectly good and Snyman would free up Beirne to move to 6 too, leaving us with POM, Beirne, Hodnett, Kendellen, Gav Coombes as the top tier guys (again, once Beirne and Kendellen are back from injury).

I think that's pretty solid tbh, but after that the quality does seem to dip. (E.g. They're both injured at the moment, but I'd much rather see Kendellen getting minutes ahead of JOS, say, if both were fit).

As an aside, with Fineen's new contract, I'm wondering if we'll see him feature a bit more at 6 going forward. It could suit him.

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119795233#Comment_119795233

Ya, I think the likelihood is Frawley, if Carbery is fit to bench the following day vs SA. If Carbery's out, it could well be Crowley tho, which would be exciting.

lawrencesummers

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119796340#Comment_119796340

The point on the leinster pack is because we played against them without Jvdf who is streets ahead as the best BR player on the island currently and would have increased their dominance by a decent margin. And had porter and furlong started it would be another matter altogether.

On hooker i think scannel is in the position archer was in three years ago, its quickly coming to an end and the starting jersey could be taken off him very easily. I dont remember a time that the munster hooker was the 4th choice if you put the starting provincal hookers in order.

Sure Snyman IF he gets back and IF he gets up to speed would make a decent engine with kleyn and beirne & POM with one of jod/hodnett/coombes is a decent backrow but experience says that injury is not going to have that combination on the field for any length of time

IF and thats a big IF we have our first choice pack available for big games we still have a weak front row and the second we dip into the pool of players outside of the first choice pack there is a big step down.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119796217#Comment_119796217

Come on lol. Munster had one lock playing for 35 minutes. No lock on the bench. A guy just turned 19 playing. A hooker in the back row.

I’d say Kleyn, Barron, Ahern, Edogbo, Salanoa, Knox, Wycherly, Kendellan, Hodnett, Coombes and Beirne are the nucleus of a pretty good pack. Need some injury luck and decent development.

Edit: actually id go further.. I’d take munster 23 and under over leinster 23 and under right now (not just pack). Or at the very least, its comparable.

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119796525#Comment_119796525

Sure Snyman IF he gets back and IF he gets up to speed would make a decent engine with kleyn and beirne & POM with one of jod/hodnett/coombes is a decent backrow but experience says that injury is not going to have that combination on the field for any length of time

Ya, I accept the point about injuries (and it is a pretty big point to be fair) but..

4) Snyman

5) Beirne / Kleyn

6) POM / Beirne

7) Kendellen / POM / Hodnett

8) Coombes

... that's more than just decent. If we can get some combination of that on the field, I think that's a pretty high calibre back-5.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119796857#Comment_119796857

If Snynam is back to his best or 95% of his best

1 Knox/Ryan/Salanoa

2 Barron/Scannell

3 Loughman

4 Snynam

5 Kleyn

6 Beirne

7 POM

8 Coombes

could give anyone problems, especially when you can go 6-2 bench with some combo of

Ahern, Edogbo, Kendellan, Hodnett, JOD, Salanoa, Wycherly (both), Kilcoyne

leakyboots

Snyman is a game changer. We've been desperately unlucky with his injuries, he would transform the team if fit. Hope he does come good in the end

Dave_The_Sheep

Assuming he's still the player he was three years ago.

lawrencesummers

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119796857#Comment_119796857

Thats a decent back 5 alright, a theoretical back 5 unfortunately because 4 of those players listed are currently injured and while that back 5 might line out someday whats in front of it is still an issue.

lawrencesummers

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119798305#Comment_119798305

He hasnt put a foot wrong on the pitch in his munster career so far

pickarooney

Literally the only thing he's done so far is put his foot wrong.

lawrencesummers

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119799680#Comment_119799680

He hasnt missed a lineout yet, hasnt lost a scrum, no handling errors, he has made every tackle he attempted, now his yards gained isnt great and hes yet to score a try but you can excuse that because hes a lock.

Serbian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119799725#Comment_119799725

...

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119799725#Comment_119799725

Jokes aside, he actually does have a try.

He had about 4 lads hanging off him, and still barrelled thru, carrying in one hand, iirc. It was pretty exciting, and a glimpse of what he might bring to us, but sure then he got injured again in the next game…

lawrencesummers

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119799743#Comment_119799743

..