Munster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread.

Munster are riding high at the top of the RaboDirect PRO12 after the opening three rounds of matches. Forwards coach Anthony Foley has been encouraged by the side's displays to date but knows that next weekend's trip to Cardiff will be a testing one.

Munster resumed training at the University of Limerick on Monday morning, buoyed by their bonus point win over the Scarlets in Cork on Saturday.
"We were delighted with the outcome (of the Scarlets game)," admitted the province's forwards coach Anthony Foley, reflecting on the 35-12 triumph.

"Okay, at times it was sloppy. At times we lost our flow. At times we didn't play the way we'd planned. But look, you can't always get it spot on much as you'd like.

"Everyone strives for perfection and fluid play but unfortunately when conditions deteriorated to the state they did in the second half, the ball became a bar of soap and that made things very difficult."

Once again there was much to like about the younger players on show for Munster, two of whom, replacements Duncan Williams and Tommy O'Donnell, scored tries while Dave Foley was impressive particularly in the lineout.

"As I said before, there's a good mindset, there's a good attitude in the side. They don't give up. They don't give anything to the opposition without them having to earn it.

"For the young lads they're learning their trade and applying their trade very well out there. If you judge them off the first three league games you'd have to be impressed. But we want more.

"We're kind of selfish in that manner in that we want bigger performances from these guys. And by demanding more in training and by them being self critical hopefully we can push it on to another level."

phog wrote: »

What a shot

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

http://yfrog.com/15m8boz

Flannery will surely be a throwing coach when he has to retire, is there any better thrower in the Northern Hemisphere?

Munster made it two wins out of two in the Schools A Inter Provincial series with a deserved victory over Leinster at Musgrave Park.

Munster 30, Leinster 11.

Leinster elected to play with the strong wind and got off to a great start when full back Jamie Scanlon waltzed his way through the Munster defence to touch down in the corner after four minutes for a 5-0 lead.
From the kick off the Munster pack took control with skipper Niall Fitzgerald leading by example and they were ahead after ten minutes when scrum half Jaco Oosthuysen picked up a loose ball just inside the Leinster half and weaved his way through the visitors defence to touch down under the posts and Tip Delaney converted for a 7-5 lead.

Stephen Carey was dominating in the loose and James Reeves, Ryan Meaney and Richard Kingston were prominent in the front row exchanges for Munster.

A great break by Ben Mitchell nearly produced a second try but a last ditch tackle by Leinster full back Jamie Scanlon saved the day for the visitors.

Delaney and Ben Porter for Leinster exchanged penalties to leave Munster 10-8 ahead at half time.

Munster made full use of the strong wind on the resumption and extended their advantage with a try after a minute when following great drives by Fitzgerald and Reeves, Delaney touched down and added the extras for a 17- 8 lead.

Porter kept Leinster in touch with a penalty on forty one minutes but constant pressure by Munster saw Delaney kick two of four penalty attempts in the next ten minutes.

As both sides began to empty the bench, Oosthuysen completed the scoring with a try in the final minute and Delaney converted.

Next up for Munster is a trip to Donnybrook next Wednesday where they will face Leinster in the reverse fixture and this game will kick off at 2.00.

Munster: Kerry Desmond (Bandon Grammar), Stephen Scallon (Newtown School), Tim Tobin (Vocational School Abbeyfeale), Ben Mitchell (Midleton College), Andrew Walsh (Newtown School), Tip Delaney (Pobal Scoil Chorca Dhuibhne), Jaco Oosthuysen (High School CBS Clonmel), Niall Fitzgerald (Capt.) (Villiers School), Christopher O’Meara (St. Anne’s C.C. Killaloe), James Reeves (CBS Sexton Street), Stephen Carey (High School CBS Clonmel), Stuart O’Sullivan (Midleton College), Michael Cooke (John The Baptist, Hospital), Richard Kingston (Bandon Grammar), Ryan Meaney (Gael Cholaiste Luimnigh)
Replacements: Andrew Gardiner (Gael Cholaiste Luimnigh), Michael O’Neill (Pobal Scoil Youghal), Aaron Hogan (Pobal Scoil Youghal), Bryan Moore (Midleton College), Rossa Taylor (St. Anne’s C.C. Killaloe), Stephen Murphy (St. Nessan’s C.C.), Gareth Molloy (De La Salle, Waterford), Conor Rafferty (St. Clements College)

Leinster: Jamie Scanlon (Sandford Park); Micheal Fennelly ( Ard Scoile Na Tridnoide), Fergal Howley ( Newpark ), Ben Porter (De La sale Wicklow ), Tyron Pretorius (St. Pats Navan); Colm O’Reilly (St. Pats Navan), James Orr ( Sandford Park); Eanna Brennan (Dunshaughlin C.C), Jason Byrne (Abbey C.C), Padraig Maher (Colaiste Bhruide); Sam Gibney ( Mount Temple ), Darragh Smith (Dunshaughlin C.C); Jordan Ahern (Gorey C.C), Gavin Vincent (Mount Temple), Judd Byrne (De La Salle Wicklow).
Replacements: Kevin Brown (Good Counsel), Darren Brady (Wilsons Hospital), Harry Connor ( Newpark), Shane Keogh (Ashbourne C.C), Ben Mackey (Ard Scoile Na Tridnoide), Jamie Boyd (St. Columbas), Ben Mangan (East Glendalough).

Referee: R Horgan (MAR)