Munster Team Talk Thread - Beirne After Reading

It has been a very competitive league this year. So many games are going down to the wire and even Zebre are giving teams a game. They will become better too with some good Italian u20 players coming through.

Milne played well. Nash was very good as he has been all year. Casey played well as did Farrell again. I think Nankivell has been poor this year. I just think Munster have always been a better team with a big 12 who can get over the gainline. He doesn't really offer what Munster need.

When you see Milne down making an impact having hardly played all year the irfu really need to start shifting some of the Leinster lads down. Penny has gone backwards at Leinster over the last couple of years. He looked like a future star coming out of the u20s but really needs to move.

Hopefully Munster can sneak through.

Penny is of no use to Munster. Backrow is not an issue compared to elsewhere. And the solution can't be to keep taking players out of Leinster.

Front row is a long standing issue and a lack of class at lock outside of Beirne.

Salanoa, Milne, Barron, Loughman, Patterson have all moved south with others joining via stints elsewhere. Plenty of others are at Ulster and Connacht.

Munsters single biggest issues are in the coaching box. The lineout is an utter shambles all season. How many did they lose v leinster in croker, IIRC it was something ridiculous like 9 and it was not a lot better at xmas in Thomond. It's now the end of April.

I've also never seen so many passes end up in touch, on the ground or over a players head.

They said on commentary that that was the first try Nash had scored in the league since October. You need more than that from your wings.

He has 6 tries this season. That doesn’t strike me as a poor return for a winger.

Did he not miss some of the season through injury? And then was away with Ireland too.

I was merely pointing out that the lineout has been a problem all season and games at the start of the season were just as bad which indicates there is a major coaching issue IMO given that those games were 4 and 6 months ago and the lineout is still a mess.

Someone else bought up the solution being to move more Leinster players down to Munster. I simply don't see that as a solution because it's not going to be Caelan doris, Dan sheehan and James Ryan moving south. And Scott penny isn't going to solve Munster biggest issues which are in the tight 5.

Investment In pathways and coaching. It's being done but will take time. The IRFU forcing a move for Scott Penny or anyone else most certainly isn't the solution. Milne and Barron are two good players who will improve Munster but at THP, bar Jager (if he can remain fit) it's quite a threadbare scenario.

In the short term, I've no idea. Maybe they will take someone from connacht as has been rumoured for a few months now. Other then that, is there any prospect in the academy worth investing in?

As for the lineout. Are the players really that bad that they cannot figure a way out? Surely if it goes awry in game the default is to secure the ball at 2 instead of constantly turning it over at the back etc? Looking at the starting pack tonight there was enough experienced heads in there to think they could have adjusted on the fly (wycherley, JOD, Beirne, scannell) but it hasn't happened. Repeatedly.

What are the coaches in situ doing? They may not be forward coaches per se but if they are holding such a senior position at one of the 4 pro rugby teams on the island surely they should be expected to have some semblance of positive influence here?

He has 6 tries in 18 games this season and 8 in 26 last.

That doesn’t strike me as a particularly poor return to me. And that’s independent of everything else he offers us.

Tbh, this is difficult to take credibly given your recent proclamations on Crowley and ROG.

yes we’ve had a crap season injury wise …poor form …some questionable refreeing decisions but we just havnt played well enough …coaching ticket for me need to hold there hands up too …yes good loyal Munster servants a long time but they are out of there depth ….rowntree leaving was massive too ….he obviously had his reasons but he was a big loss…rumours some players didn’t get along with him …if so they havnt exactly covered themselves in glory….hopefully next season with new coach ,few new players and better injury profile things will improve bc….

Posters on here bemoaning the fact that Munster might have to play Challenge Cup Rugby next year so what. No team has a given right to play in Champions Cup if you don't finish in the top 8 tough luck you make sure you finish in the top 8 the following season. Regards this season Munster have been a shambles our only win of note was against La Rochelle a team struggling big time. All the coaching staff are unable to provide a game plan for their players to implement which for a professional team is mind blowing. The Players performances too leave a lot to be desired making basic errors and when analysed really are pretty average players when compared to the Top teams in the URC never mind those in the Top Leagues in Europe. Take away Jack, Beirne and Casey we are left with a bang average squad. The facts are quite stark as the results show at this time. I really hope we get into to Top 8 for the sake of our Irish squad players. I know we have a new Head Coach coming in but he must cringe when he sees how Munster play compared to the Chiefs. As a Munster supporter all I can do is wish him well for the mammoth task that lies ahead.