Following on from here
New Munster chat thread folks. warning deserved there. https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=109477571#post109477571
Gavin Coombes makes the Midi Olympique's team of the weekend
Gavin Coombes was outstanding (again)
If he wasn't playing, Munster lose that game and don't even get a LBP
From start, to the literal last moment of that game he was an engine of power and determination
I'd also like to praise Niall Scannell
His lineout throwing was fantastic in difficult conditions, and he put in an enormous amount of work for the full 80 minutes with multiple big moments in that game and very few errors
The hookers did a warm up before the game in front of us with Andi Kyriacou holding the net, the amount of balls that went astray was unreal but in fairness Niall got his target during the game
Ref did his best to avoid giving a red card to the Northampton hooker. There was head contact on Carbury which was drawn to his attention.
JOD was a RC all day
ref missed a late front shoulder on Coombes in the last movement before JOD scored
Never mix water and electrical goods.
You were at the right side for the action so, phog. Anyone down the town end only had 3 points scored in front of them, the other 47 were all scored down the Ballynanty end.
A few thoughts on that one after getting to watch it back:
The very last play, Nash ran in behind the catcher and joined the maul from behind, which is perfectly legal but would have needed to be pre-planned. It was a stroke of genius that they must have worked on in the training field. I think Munster's coaching ticket are properly smart, and able to translate that into fully executed moves on the pitch.It's very encouraging.
It begs the question - why don't teams do it the whole time? Very clever play
Probably because it's a maul from a kick & the team in possession would get the scrum. Yesterday, that didn't matter because it was full time. All we wanted to do yesterday was make the ball unplayable.
I jokingly suggested to our group that we should move up to the Mayorstone end for the second half to get a closer look at all the scores 🤭
I think that's spot on tbh, wasn't there a law change around that recently or something?
I thought the ref could have called held up for a choke tackle sooner- and before the 80 elapsed on the stadium clock - I had hopes of us even still going for the bonus. He let that go on longer than I thought (or was it because it was moving?)
Just had a look at Coombes' stats for the last 8 games, all of which he's started. He's averaging 42.9m off 16.6 carries and 12.7 tackles a game.
6 tries in those 8 games as well. He's in a brilliant vein of form.
They gave coombes the plaudits for that play on the TV because his strength secured the maul, but it was nash that made it possible in the first place.
It wouldnt have been a muster scrum had he called it sooner.
That's correct, the team that catches the ball from a kick retains the possession if the ball becomes unplayable.
I'm a bit confused though as I thought a maul couldn't be formed from a re-start.
His try assist for JOD try is worth noting too, that's the kind of stuff a coach likes to see and it wasn't just a pass, it was sublime.
There's definitely a case to use Coombes as a decoy in some situations. He will draw in more than one defender who are fearful of him making a big carry. He could be used to put others into space as a variation. He has a good pair of hands as shown for that try yesterday.
Loved seeing Crowley's eagerness to enter a ruck. Even better when he got a whollop from Jean Kleyn and told to get the fck out of there sharpish!
Youthful enthusiasm!
There is that but you don't really want your playmaker getting involved in rucks especially if you want your team to attack from turnovers
Ah yeah I know. It was just funny to see happen in real time too.
Which is exactly what he did against the lions recently in musgrave park, he was being very well marshelled by their 8, a great player as well, and put his hands to good use many times. There was a very good example posted here which linked TRK or some twitter account
Unreal to think we are not even missing a player of CJ Standers quality!!!
Think he was used as a decoy off a lineout that nearly had Jack away, on their 22, ball was tapped down to Jod who threw a massive dummy to his left, all the saints players bought it, and he peeled around the front, was a cracking move and I reckon we'll see it again, closer to the line and its a try
The new format makes it very interesting.
All teams chasing either Qualification or a Home round of 16.
Leicester at home Friday night should beat Ospreys.
Northampton at home could upset La Rochelle, but expecting La Rochelle to go all out for the best ranking they can get.
Stormers at home should beat Clermont, a draw would be ideal.
Ulster at home should be able to beat Sale, after the 39-0 spanking from the reverse fixture it's doubtful though. This result alone would send Munster through to the last 16.
Montpellier at home should beat London Irish.
Toulouse should be favourites to beat Munster, but hopefully Munster could at least get a LBP, or just keep the points difference better than teams chasing us, playing last might give an advantage.
Interesting from a Toulouse point of view, if the Ospreys don't win, and the Stormers don't win, Toulouse will have a Home round of 16 wrapped up before playing Munster.
Ya, I think that was the lineout just prior to the 5m tap for the 2nd try. As far as I remember, Casey stood at the front of the lineout with someone else as 9, Casey looped around as the decoy with Coombes trailing him, and JOD was away down the blindside.
I think JOD even had someone outside him that he maybe should've passed to, would've been almost certain try. Fwiw, I thought JOD was having a really good game, that mistake excepting, up until he got the red.
The hooker was outside him and I think he was a decoy too to draw their guy closer to the corner flag but their defence followed the ball carrier.
I'd need to see it on TV but I think Scannell was initially out of the field of play.
Also, we've Bennetton the week after Toulouse, and then the break for the 6 Nations; it's possible only at that point will Jean Kleyn get a very well deserved break. He's started every week for us going back to Connacht on 26th November.
Ospreys could surprise Leicester , but think they'll have enough at home but probably won't get a BP.
Not a chance that Northampton will beat La Rochelle , they might stop them picking up a BP though.
Stormers should win comfortably , Clermont are a shadow of the side they used to be - The sacking of Gibbes might prompt a response , but don't see it making a difference.
You'd hope that Ulster will get a response at home , both from the dreadful performance in the earlier fixture but also from the near miss but hugely improved performance at the weekend but it will be tight either way.
Montpelier will be well up for it and London Irish can't seem to keep 15 on the pitch these days so MTP to collect all 5 I think.
Toulouse should win , but a good performance from Munster could see them picking up a BP and maybe prevent Toulouse from getting one. A good start will be essential..
All that means that it could be very tight indeed for the last couple of slots for the last 16 in the Group.
La Rochelle, Toulouse , Leicester and Stomers have the Top 4 locked and any/all of the 1st 3 could finish on 18 points so places will come down to PD.
Think Montpelier are locked in for 5th place , but the order of the last few slots are absolutely up for grabs
I see both Ospreys and Munster getting a LBP which puts them in 6th/7th place respectively with Sale and Ulster basically playing for 8th place.
But if either Munster or Ospreys don't get the LBP and Sale win then they could leap frog above them.
Yes, our lock injury list must be taking it's toll on him, we'll surely be without JOD for those games too.
Short turn around too for those games considering we're traveling away for both of them.
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