Munster v Ulster URC round 7 Match thread

Akrasia

The clash of the Titans whoever's available to play and medical jokers

Teams will be announced at 12pm

Kickoff in Limerick, Saturday at 17:15 (Limerick time)

Stakes are high for Munster with qualification for Europe in 2023/24 on the balance (proper Europe, not Connacht Europe)

A severely depleted Munster side will take on a severely dehydrated Ulster team on a severely overhydrated Thomond park

phog

Has Thomond Park got a new surface, a hybrid similar to the Aviva Stadium?

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119803798#Comment_119803798

Yep, I believe so, I remember hearing something about that recently.

Akrasia

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119803798#Comment_119803798

Yep. Hybrid pitch just installed. The weather forecast is for rain tomorrow though so could be slippy

Akrasia

Ulster

(15-9): Stewart Moore, Ben Moxham, James Hume, Luke Marshall, Ethan McIlroy, Billy Burns, Nathan Doak;

(1-8): Andy Warwick, Tom Stewart, Marty Moore, Alan O’Connor (Captain), Sam Carter, David McCann, Sean Reffell, Duane Vermeulen.

Replacements: John Andrew, Rory Sutherland, Gareth Milasinovich, Cormac Izuchukwu, Jordi Murphy, John Cooney, Angus Curtis, Craig Gilroy

Akrasia

Munster: Mike Haley; Shane Daly, Malakai Fekitoa, Rory Scannell, Patrick Campbell; Jack Crowley, Paddy Patterson; Dave Kilcoyne, Diarmuid Barron, John Ryan; Edwin Edogbo, Eoin O’Connor; Jack O’Donoghue (C), John Hodnett, Alex Kendellen.

Replacements: Niall Scannell, Josh Wycherley, Roman Salanoa, Evan O’Connell, Cian Hurley, Neil Cronin, Ben Healy, Simon Zebo.

Munster: Mike Haley; Shane Daly, Malakai Fekitoa, Rory Scannell, Patrick Campbell; Jack Crowley, Paddy Patterson; Dave Kilcoyne, Diarmuid Barron, John Ryan; Edwin Edogbo, Eoin O’Connor; Jack O’Donoghue (C), John Hodnett, Alex Kendellen.

Replacements: Niall Scannell, Josh Wycherley, Roman Salanoa, Evan O’Connell, Cian Hurley, Neil Cronin, Ben Healy, Simon Zebo.

aloooof

Kendellen back? That's timely. Not a bad 15 all things considered. Evan O'Connell on the bench too, you'd be delighted for him.

Akrasia

Thank christ Edogbo is fit,

Eoin O Connor starts for the first game since Wasps last year, Evan O Connell, Nephew of Paul, looks set to make his Munster Debut at the tender age of 6

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119803895#Comment_119803895

He's Paul's nephew I thought?

sydthebeat

ulster gone from -1 to -6 after the teams named

Shehal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119803878#Comment_119803878

O'Connell would beat Ruadhan Quinn's record he only set afew weeks ago? O'Connell is still a u19 player so possibly.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119803929#Comment_119803929

He'd beat him by quite a bit! Ruadhan Quinn was born in October 2003, and O'Connell was born in May 2004! 😲

ulsteru20s

I think we should win this one realistically even with the bug. So much more experience and quality.

Famous last words maybe.

Akrasia

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119803898#Comment_119803898

You're right

snotboogie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119803895#Comment_119803895

Combined 8 competitive professional rugby appearances for the 4 second rows named in the Munster match day squad!

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119803966#Comment_119803966

I love the way FTD took issue with the "Paul's son" and not the "tender age of 6" bit :D

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119803963#Comment_119803963

The one unknown is how much the bug will have, em, taken out of Ulster, if you will. They look stronger on paper, but a 1 score game seems about right. Could be a good one.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119803963#Comment_119803963

You speaking for Ulster or Munster there?

ulsteru20s

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119803988#Comment_119803988

Ulster.

ulsteru20s

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119803977#Comment_119803977

True, that’s the x factor. I’m just seeing an 18 year old lock on the bench, another lock that i dont think has player much.

We get the maul going… could be a long night for them. Depends on conditioning.

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119804008#Comment_119804008

Maul does seem a huge weapon for Ulster and it's an area we've struggled in when Kleyn hasn't been on the pitch.

Will be interesting to see if we contest (JOD probably our best option there) or just get set for maul d earlier.

Akrasia

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119803963#Comment_119803963

Ulster absolutely should win this game given the two teams that are announced

But I can feel something special might happen tomorrow

Dubinusa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119804064#Comment_119804064

Ulster coming back from a dose of the scutters could help Munster. Hopefully, Ulster can keep their shite together, no pun intended.

Haley and Kendellen back for Munster! Crowley at 10! Should be a good watch.

ulsteru20s

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119804064#Comment_119804064

Yea, Munster really need a win and conditioning after illness could be an x factor.

I just dont want to pull that bs that leinster fans do where they pretend that an OBVIOUSLY much stronger selection was actually ravaged by injury just like the other team!

We have selected a team that should win. We are a really good team. Go out there and win it. Try not to poop yourself.

aloooof

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119804143#Comment_119804143

I remember in the last 2-3 seasons of the JvG era, there were probably 4-5 games where the match thread would contain at least 1 Leinster fan proclaiming Munster as favourites. The bookies invariaby had an entirely different view....

Great to see James Hume back.

Akrasia

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119803969#Comment_119803969

Our most experienced lock is still in the Academy

shootermacg

There were 15 players that didn't get the shites, so will have been rested for 2 weeks.

lawrencesummers

I most looking forward to klendennen schooling vermuelen. Worth the entry price alone that one.

And then there is the forever overhyped ulster backline to get over excited by only to be left down miserably by burns on every occasion.

Munster BP by halftime and empty the bench on 60 minutes in a 32- 12 win.

Akrasia

I rewatched the Leinster Munster game from last week.

I think Munster need to get a really good start and build up a lead early on. If we don't, we'll be hammered in the 2nd half when the benches come into play

Munsters' accuracy and defence were huge last week. I think with Crowley and Patterson as halfbacks, we can negate a lot of the power in the Ulster pack, and Haley is rock solid at 15 who can put the likes of Pa Campbell into space for breaks on counter attack

Doak is a really good player, but he's slow from the ruck. Doak is the Ulster version of Conor Murray. I don't think Ulster will be able to unlock us with Doak Box kicks off slow ball.

Having Patterson playing, means faster ball, less time for the big guys to get into position to smash plays off 9

Patterson is not as technically skilled as Casey or Murray, but Casey's not available, and he makes up for precision with speed, and that's ok with me.