Following on from here
New Munster chat thread folks. warning deserved there. https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=109477571#post109477571
Frisch and Haley are very good at attacking the line and breaking it, either of those could be involved in the Irish setup this year no problem.
Its a while since we had a hooker that was international standard.
I’m not sure on the backline at all. I don’t think we have any international starting standard players outside 10, except maybe Conway. We have a lot of 6/7 out of 10 options without a real game breaker. There are a lot of younger players 1 to 10 who have a great chance of being Ireland starters, I don’t see any players from the academy up from 11 to 15 who have much of a chance, Campbell is the only outside bet.
I'd urge caution on that rumour
I've heard rumours that Scannell is leaving. His contract is up.
I feel that would leave Munster needing to sign a player. If you need to sign a non Irish player it might as well be a marque.
I think so. I am slowly getting confident in our props, but sorry to say it, Niall Scannell is not the answer for us.
we will have a stacked amount of second rows and back rows... backline is fine..
Great player, but is it a position we need to sign a marque player for?
According to Rugbypass, Munster have made a contract offer to Malcolm Marx.
❤️❤️❤️
Earls hasnt done anything in the last two games to warrant selection. Thats not to say he wont be selected, but if selection was only based on recent form hes not starting
An Ulster win today might have been better for us but Benneton deserved their win, even if they were lucky to get that late penalty to re-take the lead.
Now we need to hope Stormers beat Glasgow
Agree with that. If there is little between the older and younger player, then the younger should be backed.
Saying that - coaches will need to take into account the added value a player may offer to the whole e,g. What role does Earls play on the field in respect to defence etc.
Daly has had a really quality year I think. He's a guy who I didn't rate at all when I saw him under the JvG era Munster, but he's getting way more ball in his hands this season, and looks a good athlete and good footballer.
I'd agree, on my viewing - Munster's two best wingers this year are Daly & Nash.
Zebo has no place in a big match 23 at the moment. Nash, Daly are the starting wings for me. Wouldn't argue too much if earls was parachuted in ahead of one of them
Actually, Stephen Kelly was his name
6'8 second row Pa Kelly pinning the ears back running hahahahahah what a sight that would be.
Pa Ryan is the name you're reaching for a think, phog.
Definitely, Liam was lacking some match sharpness but that try alone was worth the entrance fee.
Saw Zebo warming down and he looked ready for road again next week.
A few tough selection calls to be made.
He redeemed his performance with a great score ( albeit it against some terrible defending but thats not his fault) what was probably most impressive was being able to make that run so late in an energy sapping game on your first outing in a good while.
His performance outside of that try was nothing to be writing home about, it showed his match sharpness was lacking and its hard to see him playing much in the next while.
For anyone that wasnt at the game or came late Zebo was the 24th man and judging by his sprints once the teams had completed their warn ups he will be available for next weekend.
Jaysus 😉😉😉
That's a magnificent picture.
Absolutely brilliant photograph
Andy Farrell hasn't never seemed to be a fan of Coombes is the only issue. Maybe he lit a fire under him after his poor showing against the NZ XV in the autumn as he's been consistently excellent since. Certainly has the attributes to be 50 cap international if he gets his form right. The Irish back row is a very competitive place to be however. Maybe these few showings as a lock will help him, versatile players are always attractive come WC squad selection time.
Coombes, Kleyn, Frisch and Haley have all really stepped up in the last few weeks.
Kleyn is quietly having the season of his life in the tight and the kick in the arse Coombes got has meant he's churned out massive performances. He can do it all, carries, lineout (offensive and defensive), jackals, nice hands.
Would love to see them rewarded with getting a look-in for 6N
I doubt you’d be allowed two front row NIQs, so it might be hard to do too much reshuffling that is an actual major improvement .
Kelleher plus NIQ loosehead is a dream scenario i’d guess. Other than that, NIQ hooker plus ? IQ LHP seems realistic but i have no idea who that would be.
Edit: i will say that tonight’s front row plus edogbo with coombes in the back row prob has a better scrum showing. Even better with beirne in back row as well. I didnt see all of the game, but if your front row isnt dominant, you especially need that to come from the locks.
A very satisfying bit of business this evening.
Once again a very impressive crowd in Cork, braving some absolutely shocking weather.
Story of the night has to be Hodnett's carrying. In attack, I don't want to see him inside the 15m line. Ever. Just get the ball out to him and watch men desperately swipe at his disappearing shadow. Great awareness and hands too, always looking for offloads.
Main narrative going into the game was Healy, who was a bit meh in the first half, but came into it more as the weather improved in the second half. A comprehensive win, with him not really shining, is probably the perfect outcome, i.e., a good win, and nothing for the media to get too whipped up over regarding his departure. Hopefully they'll move on.
Usual suspects also mostly fired this evening - Coombes, Kleyn, Haley, Daly, JOD. Kendellen also had a very strong performance.
Massive shout out to the massive tight-head prop for Lions, <consults Google> Ntlabakanye. I counted at least 6 penalties attributable to him, including his jackal. Now, he was also almost certainly at fault for Patterson's try, but he's only 23. Slim him down a bit and who knows what the future might hold for him. May have just been the underpowered Munster scrum, but I'll certainly be keeping an eye on the Lions set pieces gong forward. Some man to put 65 minutes in as well. Did he fly economy?
And on that point, I'd hope Rowntree can use tonight as evidence that serious recruitment is needed in front-row depth. Shipping that many set piece penalties is a death sentence against even marginally better opposition.
Liam Coombes try reminded me of a guy (Pa Kelly, I think) who used to play Gaelic football with Limerick and a bit of rugby with Shannon, he'd pin back the ears and run. It was also a bit Iike Andrew Conway did in a Heineken Cup game in Thomond Park a few years back.
On the decisive runs, add Casey, Crowley and Frisch into that backline and that becomes a proper threat, Coombes carries to open space, Casey whips it to Crowley and Frisch does some magic.
Thought Scannell had a solid enough game, didn't do an awful lot with the ball in hand but his defence was good, not enough to get him the start next week though.
Great result and the big thing was the handling of the ball by all Munster players in such condition, also you see the coaching coming through in the players which is what we all should want to see for the betterment of MunsTer. Onwards and upwards Hayley was great tonight again
One scrum penalty that went against us that I thought was harsh too.
Fantastic result in what was a fairly miserable night. Aside from the scrum I think we had the upper hand everywhere else though I reckon ref got a few scrum calls wrong. Crazy that she penalised the last sealing off having ignored it a few times during the game.
I hope it's ok for a Munster fan to praise Ben on a Munster match thread without attracting seagulls but he was close to my motm.
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