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Munster vs Connacht, Fri 5th March 7:35pm, Eir Sport 1

  • 04-03-2021 12:01pm
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 45,433 ✭✭✭✭


    Munster:
    Mike Haley; Andrew Conway, Chris Farrell, Rory Scannell, Shane Daly; Ben Healy, Craig Casey;
    James Cronin, Niall Scannell, Stephen Archer; Fineen Wycherley, Billy Holland (C); Jack O’Donoghue, Chris Cloete, Gavin Coombes.

    Replacements: Kevin O’Byrne, Jeremy Loughman, John Ryan, Jean Kleyn, Jack O’Sullivan, Nick McCarthy, Joey Carbery, Damien de Allende.

    Connacht:
    15. Tiernan O’Halloran (189)
    14. John Porch (33)
    13. Tom Daly (40)
    12. Bundee Aki (108)
    11. Matt Healy (145)
    10. Jack Carty (151)
    9. Caolin Blade (124)
    1. Denis Buckley (194)
    2. Dave Heffernan (138)
    3. Finlay Bealham (152)
    4. Ultan Dillane (108)
    5. Gavin Thornbury (52)
    6. Jarrad Butler (68) (C)
    7. Conor Oliver (14)
    8. Paul Boyle (52)

    Replacements
    16. Shane Delahunt (92)
    17. Matthew Burke (19)
    18. Jack Aungier (11)
    19. Niall Murray (11)
    20. Eoghan Masterson (104)
    21. Kieran Marmion (178)
    22. Sean O’Brien (Acad) (4)
    23. Alex Wootton (15)

    This is the pivotal matchup to decide the potential finalist from Conference B. Connacht trail Munster by nine points and it's a must win fixture.
    The Munster lineup seems some rotation as Jean Kleyn and DDA are named amongst the replacements and Ben Healy starts instead of JJ Hanrahan.


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Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 7,499 ✭✭✭Sabre0001


    That's a bench with a lot of impact for us (Munster). Strong starting 15 too. Hopefully Healy grabs this game by the scruff of the neck - been delighted with his sub appearances and taking some serious kicks when it mattered, but needs to control from the off. Joey with Casey could be an interesting combination.

    🤪



  • Registered Users Posts: 3,496 ✭✭✭arsebiscuits1


    JJ dropped altogether. Big call.

    Connacht fully locked and loaded.

    Can't see anything past a Munster win. Connacht are lacking too much in set piece and tight play to mitigate I think.

    Although Munster have hardly looked convincing the last few weeks


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 11,749 Mod ✭✭✭✭Cookiemunster


    I wouldn't say it's a pivotal matchup. In reality Munster need to lose all three for Connacht to overtake them.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,083 ✭✭✭SqueakyKneecap


    It's an awful shame Connacht ballsed up that scrum at the death against 13 men in the previous fixture. Would've made this a much bigger game.


  • Registered Users Posts: 45,433 ✭✭✭✭thomond2006


    I wouldn't say it's a pivotal matchup. In reality Munster need to lose all three for Connacht to overtake them.

    Don't jinx it. :(


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  • Subscribers Posts: 40,722 ✭✭✭✭sydthebeat


    Munster by about 13.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,366 ✭✭✭yerrahbah


    JJ dropped altogether. Big call.

    Connacht fully locked and loaded.

    Can't see anything past a Munster win. Connacht are lacking too much in set piece and tight play to mitigate I think.

    Although Munster have hardly looked convincing the last few weeks

    I wouldn't say dropped, more like rotated.

    Joey was always going to be a sub to help regain fitness.

    When I said I'd give Healy a start this W/E it was on the assumption that DDA would be outside him to help him out

    Aki running down 9/10/12 channel of Casey, Healy and Scannell is worrisome


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 14,166 Mod ✭✭✭✭Zzippy


    Conference B, Thomond ;)

    Connacht scraped past Treviso last week. Our maul defence has been dire, which Munster will be looking to exploit again. Munster are red hot favourites for me. I mean, if they don't win by at least 20 are they even worthy of winning the conference? Scrap that, 30! I probably won't even watch it, it will be such a hammering.










    Connacht by 1


  • Registered Users Posts: 45,433 ✭✭✭✭thomond2006


    Munster are just glad to be there and we'll see what happens.


  • Registered Users Posts: 45,433 ✭✭✭✭thomond2006


    That's a tasty looking Connacht backline, but Wootton only makes the bench? I'd have thought as underdogs that Connacht would look to get their best attacker on the pitch.

    Also who's the backup option at 10? SOB is a centre right?


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,836 ✭✭✭theVersatile


    Big test for Ben


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,486 ✭✭✭FACECUTTR


    That's a tasty looking Connacht backline, but Wootton only makes the bench? I'd have thought as underdogs that Connacht would look to get their best attacker on the pitch.

    Also who's the backup option at 10? SOB is a centre right?

    Daly has covered 10 slot quite a few times.


  • Registered Users Posts: 23,532 ✭✭✭✭phog


    I see we've rotated our hookers again with KOB starting off the bench this week. Once Joey was getting a spot int he 23 then JJ was always going to lose out. I'd like to see a bit of Casey and Joey at half back to see how we do.

    A big game for both teams but the pressure is really on Connacht here but I want a home win.


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 14,166 Mod ✭✭✭✭Zzippy


    That's a tasty looking Connacht backline, but Wootton only makes the bench? I'd have thought as underdogs that Connacht would look to get their best attacker on the pitch.

    Also who's the backup option at 10? SOB is a centre right?

    Jack Carty doesn't need backup ;)

    As for Wootton, still a suspicion that he might be a Munster agent, placed in our ranks for just such a game to offer a turnstile defence. Break in case of emergency, as it were.


  • Registered Users Posts: 24,742 ✭✭✭✭molloyjh


    Munster need a maximum of 6 points from 3 games to ensure they top the conference. Those are all home games against Connacht, Scarlets and Benetton. Munster haven't lost at home in the league to anyone other than Leinster since Edinburgh in November 2019. Before that was Scarlets in February 2017. There is no way that Munster will lose 3 games at home in a row. So even just 1 win from the 4 and 1 LBP means that Connacht would need 3 TBP wins to go ahead of them. Connacht are home to Edinburgh and away to Scarlets. It would take a pretty incredible run of results to see Connacht overtake Munster.

    TLDR: Munster already have the conference wrapped up. This game will be dressed as a decider, but it has already been decided. There's more of a chance of an upset in Conference A. And even that at this stage looks highly unlikely.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,091 ✭✭✭KBurke85


    That's a tasty looking Connacht backline, but Wootton only makes the bench? I'd have thought as underdogs that Connacht would look to get their best attacker on the pitch.

    Also who's the backup option at 10? SOB is a centre right?

    Bundee is gonna cover 10 to show Andy Farrell he is in fact the rightful heir to Sexton and not Carty and Ireland can keep the centre partnership of Ringrose and Henshaw in place :D:p


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,955 ✭✭✭Yeah_Right


    Ben Healy is going to put in a performance that knocks Carty further down the pecking order of Irish 10s. In fact, after the match Carty is going to announce that he is moving to France because he has no chance of playing test rugby ever again after seeing how brilliant Healy and Carbery are.


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 14,166 Mod ✭✭✭✭Zzippy


    Yeah_Right wrote: »
    Ben Healy is going to put in a performance that knocks Carty further down the pecking order of Irish 10s. In fact, after the match Carty is going to announce that he is moving to France because he has no chance of playing test rugby ever again after seeing how brilliant Healy and Carbery are.

    Unfortunately for Healy his 36 points with the boot are no match for the 6 (converted) tries scored by Paul Boyle, the first double hat-trick in Pro14 history, and he is immediately drafted into the Irish team ahead of yesterday's man, CJ Stander.


  • Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators Posts: 17,593 Mod ✭✭✭✭Henry Ford III


    I think Connacht will throw everything at tonight's game. Lose at the competitive season is over.

    Could be a very good game - conditions look perfect (so far).


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,547 ✭✭✭Jump_In_Jack


    Munster will be motivated to win this to wrap up the conference.

    Connacht have to win to keep the possibility alive of making the final.

    It's set up for a great match if it can live up to expectations.
    Connacht came so close to snatching the win last time, hoping for a similar nail-biter finish.


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  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 9,977 Mod ✭✭✭✭aloooof


    Another interesting wrinkle here is, if Munster win, what happens with Joey over the next 2 games? Do we look to give him a start, with a view towards the final? Or is it too soon for that?

    Looking forward to this one anyways.


  • Registered Users Posts: 21,601 ✭✭✭✭Squidgy Black


    aloooof wrote: »
    Another interesting wrinkle here is, if Munster win, what happens with Joey over the next 2 games? Do we look to give him a start, with a view towards the final? Or is it too soon for that?

    Looking forward to this one anyways.

    I would guess that the amount of minutes he gets against Connacht plays a part in that. If he comes on early enough and goes well it'd be a sign that he's likely ready, but if it's another 10 minute stint he's probably a bit off still.

    This should be a cracking game, must win for Connacht and I'm sure Munster would love to seal the place in the final.

    If it was in the sportsground I'd fancy a Connacht win, but gonna say Munster by 5, with some last minute drama.


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 11,749 Mod ✭✭✭✭Cookiemunster


    aloooof wrote: »
    Another interesting wrinkle here is, if Munster win, what happens with Joey over the next 2 games? Do we look to give him a start, with a view towards the final? Or is it too soon for that?

    Looking forward to this one anyways.
    I don't think the results will affect his game time in any way. JVG said earlier in the week that they're going to take it slowly with him.
    We've said it all along, we'll take it week by week with Joey. It's first of all how he feels and then taking the guidance from the medical team and the athletic performance team. "There's also a bigger picture. It's going to be no good to anybody if we just throw him in straight away, in terms of minutes.
    "He'll take his time over the coming weeks."
    https://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2021/0302/1200509-van-graan-munster-will-take-their-time-with-carbery/


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,800 ✭✭✭Tomtom364


    I would guess that the amount of minutes he gets against Connacht plays a part in that. If he comes on early enough and goes well it'd be a sign that he's likely ready, but if it's another 10 minute stint he's probably a bit off still.

    This should be a cracking game, must win for Connacht and I'm sure Munster would love to seal the place in the final.

    If it was in the sportsground I'd fancy a Connacht win, but gonna say Munster by 5, with some last minute drama.


    Could see Joey getting 20/30 minutes this week.

    A Half next week

    Then a start the week after

    Could then see him back on the bench for the Potential Final though


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 9,977 Mod ✭✭✭✭aloooof


    I don't think the results will affect his game time in any way. JVG said earlier in the week that they're going to take it slowly with him.

    https://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2021/0302/1200509-van-graan-munster-will-take-their-time-with-carbery/

    I think you're right tbh, he came straight back in for the SF in 2019, and that didn't quite work out. He's been out much longer as well this time.


  • Registered Users Posts: 23,532 ✭✭✭✭phog


    Match Program for tonight's game


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,667 ✭✭✭ionadnapokot


    Should be a good game this eve. Delayed coverage TG4 930.
    Think Connacht can win this time. Probably have the better halfback and centre pairings.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,667 ✭✭✭ionadnapokot




  • Registered Users Posts: 1,091 ✭✭✭KBurke85



    Once upon a time there was a young man from Antrim named Chris. He became a rugby referee.
    In March 2021 he was appointed to referee Munster V Connacht.

    One team will win and the other will probably blame him for the loss.

    The End :D:D:D


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,705 ✭✭✭The Inbetween is mine


    Ben "Mullet" Healy


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