Munster sign seven new players

demac

21/05/2005 from www.rugby.ie

Munster have reacted to an up-and-down season by announcing seven new signings to their squad for next season, including the sevens-times capped Springbok Trevor Halstead.

The 28-year-old Halstead said: "The reports were really very good about the Munster side, the set-up and the people over there. I only heard very positive things about everything. The vibe was really good.

"Then again you only have to look at some of the players they have - (Ronan) O'Gara, (Peter) Stringer, Paul O'Connell - guys like that who I knew about from the internationals. Then there is Christian Cullen who travelled across the world to play there.

"So when the opportunity came to play with Munster I took it, I made my mind up very quickly."

Connacht number 8 John O'Sullivan, former Munster lock Mick O'Driscoll, Shannon prop Tony Buckley, Ireland Under-21 scrum-half Tomas O'Leary, Bourgoin's Italian prop Federico Pucciariello and Old Crescent prop Eugene McGovern have also joined Declan Kidney's new revolution.


MUNSTER Squad 2005/06:

Tony Buckley, Paul Burke, Christian Cullen, Paul Devlin, Anthony Foley, Jerry Flannery, Trevor Halstead, John Hayes, Rob Henderson, Trevor Hogan, Marcus Horan, Anthony Horgan, John Kelly, Stephen Keogh, Mossy Lawlor, Denis Leamy, Eugene McGovern, Mike Mullins, Donncha O'Callaghan, Paul O'Connell, Ronan O'Gara, Tomas O'Leary, John O'Sullivan, Shaun Payne, Federico Pucciariello, Alan Quinlan, Frank Roche, Frank Sheahan, Peter Stringer, David Wallace.

Nukem

Jaysus thats some shopping spree - Buckley is bigger than Hayes:D
Federico Pucciariello is an animal and an SA well knock me over sweet.
Need a world class back though. They still have two places to fill i hear link

Nukem

Downtime

Nukem wrote:

Buckley is bigger than Hayes

6ft 5in and 294lbs - Buckely is bigger than most world class second rows.

Only one word for this guy - BIG

Bri

Anyone seen O'Leary play? It would be great to have some competition for Stringer.

Lets just hope Leinster sign wisely.

RuggieBear

Downtime wrote:

6ft 5in and 294lbs - Buckely is bigger than most world class second rows.

Only one word for this guy - BIG

hopefully proffessional training can turn him into a good player....looked a little lazy to me in the AIL final....admitedly the only time i saw him play this season.

Halsteads a centre isn't he?

Teg Veece

Halsteads a centre isn't he?

Yeah, typical South African centre. He's great at off loading so can't wait to see Cullen running all sorts of angles off him.

Saw O'Leary playing a few times. He went to my secondary school. He's a much more complete package than Stringer, but then again, so are most other scrum halves. He captained Cork's minor hurling team a few years back too i think, but was forced to make a decision between sliotar and the oval ball.

Nukem

Reckon if Holwell comes back for Leinster Munster might push for a certain Argentine playing for Leinster?
Munster need more backs,what happened with Lima that is still up in the air.

Nukem

Teg Veece

Last I heard, Lima was released. Think he might be playing for the Barbarians or something. Then its back to Fiji with him. Would have liked to have seen him in a munster jersey..

Peter B

Lima was only bought on a short term loan til the end of the season.

Born in 72 so I suppose that would make him a a but old to buy. It probably wouldn't be the best long term purchase for Munster but would love to see him play a few games for them.

Halstead, Lima, Cullen and Payne would be a great backline.

Hmmm... wonder who the other 2 are....

Nukem

Thinking Latham and Contepomi would look good in Munster Colours

RuggieBear

so will there be anybody born in ireland in the Munster Backline.....?;)

Nukem

RuggieBear wrote:

so will there be anybody born in ireland in the Munster Backline.....?;)

Ye keep the backs coming outta Leinster an we will supply the forwards;)
Anyways we still have Irish backs. What i want to know is Paul Wallace or Leamy worth the convert to the back,saw wallace in the backs in the CL final and he looked ok,Leamy caught a ball that he had no right to be anywhere near in the centres and looked comfortable mixing with backs at pace (yes i know that the role of an openside is to support)

May be worth some experimanting but with Kidney back i doubt it to concervative.Shame

Nukem

daveirl

This post has been deleted.