Munster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread.

profitius · 12-05-2011 07:04PM

Cpt_Blackbeard wrote: »

Exactly what a group of underpowered youngsters needs, the strength and conditioning coach of a woman's non-contact sport... :rolleyes:

As long as he knows his stuff all should be fine. He might know techniques to help build up the players quicker than normal.

PhatPiggins · 12-05-2011 07:50PM

Cpt_Blackbeard wrote: »

Exactly what a group of underpowered youngsters needs, the strength and conditioning coach of a woman's non-contact sport... :rolleyes:

Aussie rules a non contact sport :pac:

Ever try playing it?

GerM · 12-05-2011 08:14PM

Cpt_Blackbeard wrote: »

Exactly what a group of underpowered youngsters needs, the strength and conditioning coach of a woman's non-contact sport... :rolleyes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qh5hNY83UA4

Swifts are a netball side. He's coming from the Swans who are Sydney's AFL side; Tadhg Kennelly's side.

Very high combined levels of fitness, power and athleticism required that would translate very well to rugby.

GerM · 12-05-2011 08:18PM

profitius wrote: »

Rumours on MFs is that Dave Kearney is joining Munster. Havn't a clue whether its true or not.

Would be very disappointed if true. He has a lot of talent and some decent gas. Possibly more versatile than his brother having already played wing, centre and full back for Leinster. He does have a queue in front of him and Carr's arrival will have him wondering.

With all that said, he only signed his first pro contract last summer. I would be surprised if he had only signed for a single year.

ambid · 12-05-2011 09:22PM

profitius wrote: »

Rumours on MFs is that Dave Kearney is joining Munster. Havn't a clue whether its true or not.

Really hope this isn't true. He has the potential to be a top class player.

However, if I was him, I'd want to get out of Rob's shadow. That would be much harder to do if both stayed in Leinster. A move would make some sense for him.

Jemo · 12-05-2011 09:31PM

He's better than a lot of the options at Munster, would be tough on Zebo though. I'd imagine he'll stay with Leinster, Smidth seems to like him and he has been growing into the team. Then again with the signing of Carr, it may be prudent to move, he wouldn't be alone down there as a Leinster graduate with Keatley and Jones there too. I'm surprised though, I would rather have held onto him at Leinster and let Carr go to Munster.

profitius · 12-05-2011 10:07PM

From a Munster and D Kearney point of view it would be a good signing and I'd say Leinster won't mind seeing him go either because of all the options they have. Earls will be away with Ireland for much of the season and Howlett won't go on forever. If he does come Munster will be sorted in the wing position. Center is a different matter.

CatFromHue · 12-05-2011 10:14PM

Bryce Cavanagh used to be the strength and conditioning coach at the nsw waratahs previous to his role with the sydney swans.

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/bryce-cavanagh/14/a66/b80

13-05-2011 11:12AM

Kearney would be an unreal swoop for Munster. As a Leinster fan I hope it's untrue, but I can see how it makes sense for all involved!

irishbucsfan · 13-05-2011 11:20AM

With Carr going to Leinster and Rob coming back to fitness as well as Conway coming through Leinster could certainly afford to lose D. Kearney.

He was being written off by a few Leinster fans earlier this season (seems strange now) but I think he's done very well in his time in the team this year and would be a big contributor for Munster straight away.

justsomebloke · 13-05-2011 11:26AM

We could always pull the ol switch a roo on Munster and send them Rob instead!!!

touts · 13-05-2011 11:36AM

Jemo wrote: »

He's better than a lot of the options at Munster, would be tough on Zebo though. I'd imagine he'll stay with Leinster, Smidth seems to like him and he has been growing into the team. Then again with the signing of Carr, it may be prudent to move, he wouldn't be alone down there as a Leinster graduate with Keatley and Jones there too. I'm surprised though, I would rather have held onto him at Leinster and let Carr go to Munster.

Zebo should be pushing for a move to Connacht. He could develop into a top class palyer with a couple of years there.

However I would be very surprised if there are any more movement of players between the provences before the HEC final. If Leinster win then Connacht will be in next year and the IRFU will have to divert some players there.

Monty Burnz · 13-05-2011 11:39AM

touts wrote: »

If Leinster win then Connacht will be in next year and the IRFU will have to divert some players there.

Which will be great for Irish rugby in the longer term.

Tomtom364 · 13-05-2011 11:43AM

touts wrote: »

Zebo should be pushing for a move to Connacht. He could develop into a top class palyer with a couple of years there.

I don't agree.
Zebo is now getting blooded and been given chances to prove himself, making the bench for the Semi this weekend.
Earls will be gone to the world cup at the start of next season, opening up a space for Zebo to further prove himself. I reckon Zebo is right at the oppertunity to nail down the 3rd choice winger slot in Munster.
And Zebo with Munster means he still can learn an awful lot from Howlett.

JustinDee · 13-05-2011 01:10PM

Cpt_Blackbeard wrote: »

Exactly what a group of underpowered youngsters needs, the strength and conditioning coach of a woman's non-contact sport... :rolleyes:

Since when was AFL a "non-contact" sport? Give it a whirl sometime.

Cpt_Blackbeard · 13-05-2011 01:29PM

JustinDee wrote: »

Since when was AFL a "non-contact" sport? Give it a whirl sometime.

I only watched the video and jumped to the conclusion that it was a strength and conditioning coach of woman's basketball team we were getting.

Even though its been pointed out that he has experience with the Waratahs I think it looks like a step backwards for the team. We appointed Foley as forward's coach which should help us get back to a stage where we can bully other team's packs and then we go and hire a strength and conditioning coach that seems to specialise in agility rather than strength. It looks like a step backwards to the fannyball that Fisher had our forwards playing.

It may well turn into a brilliant signing for the club but, I would rather have a coach that can have our youngsters (mainly forwards) able to cope with the physicality of the HC before they hit 25.

We look to be trying to have the best backline in the HC and completely ignoring the forwards. As we saw with Leinster before Rocky arrived, backs win you nothing.

irishbucsfan · 13-05-2011 01:38PM

Cpt_Blackbeard wrote: »

we go and hire a strength and conditioning coach that seems to specialise in agility rather than strength.

What are you basing this on?! :pac:

You clearly don't know anything about the guy, other than the fact he was a Strength and Fitness coach in two of the most physically demanding sports on the planet. Yet you are bemoaning his signing?

A little early to be commenting on him, I would imagine.

profitius · 13-05-2011 01:40PM

The Aussies have some of the best strength and conditioning coaches in the world and having coached super rugby team I'd say he knows whats required to improve the Munster players.

GerM · 13-05-2011 02:15PM

Cpt_Blackbeard wrote: »

Even though its been pointed out that he has experience with the Waratahs I think it looks like a step backwards for the team. We appointed Foley as forward's coach which should help us get back to a stage where we can bully other team's packs and then we go and hire a strength and conditioning coach that seems to specialise in agility rather than strength. It looks like a step backwards to the fannyball that Fisher had our forwards playing.

It may well turn into a brilliant signing for the club but, I would rather have a coach that can have our youngsters (mainly forwards) able to cope with the physicality of the HC before they hit 25.

I don't know where you're coming from on this one. Because he has worked with netball teams and AFL teams as well as his spell during the most successful period in Waratahs Super Rugby history, he should have a greater knowledge base in terms of achieving results with the players in relation to rugby union's demands. Darbyshire came from a league background which is perfectly well and good but in no way anymore beneficial than Cavanagh's.

BC has a proven track record in the strength and conditioning area with more experience in rugby union than Darbyshire had when he joined Munster I believe and also in depth knowledge of the conditioning aspect which would be bolstered by his work with the AFL. He has worked with some of the top players of the past decade and, on paper, looks to be an excellent addition to the Munster set up.

PhatPiggins · 13-05-2011 03:01PM

irishbucsfan wrote: »

What are you basing this on?! :pac:

You clearly don't know anything about the guy, other than the fact he was a Strength and Fitness coach in two of the most physically demanding sports on the planet. Yet you are bemoaning his signing?

A little early to be commenting on him, I would imagine.

Because girls are generally more agile then boys

I think he's basing his opinion of the youtube link

Cpt_Blackbeard · 13-05-2011 03:58PM

I'm delighted to see that everyone else here is so positive about the appointment but, I'm sorry if I'm a bit cynical when it comes to our ability to appoint the best coaches available. Even Axel - The man who is tasked with turning Munster into a European force again -is completely inexperienced. The rest of the backroom team seem to have been hired due to their connections with the club without any qualifications of experience ever considered.

I'll admit that I know nothing about about Bryce Kavanagh and I've already admitted that he could turn out to be brilliant. But I would feel much more confident if we were getting a coach that has been proven to be able to get the most out of young forwards wrt to them bulking up for professional rugby.

As is we are getting an Aussie with an extremely broad background in different sports that rely more on speed and agilty and less on power and mass. Even the Aussie mind-set towards rugby is completely different to the Munster one, they rely on their backs whereas we were always a 10-man team who would pummel opposition packs.

One of the biggest issues in the Munster setup at present is the inability of our young forwards to compete at a higher level due to their lack of mass and strength (It has nothing to do with skills levels). It would just be easier to feel confident about the appointment of a strength and conditioning coach if he had tonnes of experience dealing with big SA packs who look to destroy their opposition up front.

It looks like the man that McGahan wanted to get us to play his brand of ineffectual league-style rugby and not our traditional game.

Again, I hope I'm wrong (I know nothing about the man) and Bryce Kavanagh turns out to be the man who can get our pack back to a level where they can compete in Europe.

jacothelad · 13-05-2011 04:38PM

PhatPiggins wrote: »

Because girls are generally more agile then boys

Correct. There is no way I'd have ever been able to get my feet behind my head.

CIARAN_BOYLE · 14-05-2011 06:58PM

Just noticed on Aertel that 180,000 people watched the Magners League match between Munster and Ospreys on the 23rd of April

Great news for the league that RTE can attract that kind of audience

ambid · 14-05-2011 07:43PM

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

Just noticed on Aertel that 180,000 people watched the Magners League match between Munster and Ospreys on the 23rd of April

Great news for the league that RTE can attract that kind of audience

According to RTE, Ospreys sold 14 tickets for today's semi. Yep, 14. Maybe they need to work on that.

ALH-06 · 14-05-2011 07:45PM

ambid wrote: »

According to RTE, Ospreys sold 14 tickets for today's semi. Yep, 14. Maybe they need to work on that.

What was the overall attendance in Thomond?

Apparently it was very disappointing...

Jemo · 14-05-2011 08:16PM

I heard a chant of 'Olé Olé Olé Oléééé Ospreys Ospreys!' on the tv so there must have been more than 14 there surely.

CIARAN_BOYLE · 14-05-2011 10:28PM

Jemo wrote: »

I heard a chant of 'Olé Olé Olé Oléééé Ospreys Ospreys!' on the tv so there must have been more than 14 there surely.

The club had an allocation and most of the tickets went on sale through ticketmasters online so it was easy enough for Ospreys fans to buy there without touching there allocation

phog · 15-05-2011 11:59AM

Jemo wrote: »

I heard a chant of 'Olé Olé Olé Oléééé Ospreys Ospreys!' on the tv so there must have been more than 14 there surely.

Some of that chant were Munster fans, we had about 10 Ospreys fans near us and got them singing and we joined it at times.

thomond2006 · 15-05-2011 12:19PM

Maybe they should have left combined season ticket holders in for free or something to boost the attendance. The Ospreys had a similar issue last year where season ticket holders refused to show up because they expected a free entry.

I'd be fairly confident Munster vs Leinster will sell out, but it will depend a lot on how many away fans travel to Thomond. If Leinster are on for the double I think that will boost the Leinster attendance. There seems to be an air of disillusionment around the Munster support at the minute.

danthefan · 15-05-2011 12:21PM

thomond2006 wrote: »

Maybe they should have left combined season ticket holders in for free or something to boost the attendance. The Ospreys had a similar issue last year where season ticket holders refused to show up because they expected a free entry.

I'd be fairly confident Munster vs Leinster will sell out, but it will depend a lot on how many away fans travel to Thomond. If Leinster are on for the double I think that will boost the Leinster attendance.

I'd be surprised if it's more than 2k.

Munster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread.

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