Munster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread.

CatFromHue · 24-11-2011 11:29PM

Stringer's Munster contract is up at the end of the season and he'd some interesting comments to make. While we might have assumed he'd make them it's still interesting to hear him say them.

"My contract with Munster is up at the end of the season and there are a lot of decisions to be made between now and then," said the 98-times capped Irish international, who'll start alongside the likes of Brian Habana, Danny Cipriani, Victor Matfield and Jerome Kaino for the Barbarians in Saturday's game against Australia at Twickenham.

"I just want to be playing high-level rugby and that hasn't been the case so far this season. But I'll see how things go over the next couple of months.

"If I find myself in the same position, then I'll have to reassess, but it's difficult to know now. I love Munster and I wouldn't want to play anywhere else, but I want to be playing regularly, like every player does, so we'll have to wait and see."

Munster's Heineken Cup campaign has started with dramatic wins over Northampton and Castres inside the last fortnight and Stringer hasn't enjoyed the unfamiliar feeling of being on the outside looking in.

"Watching those games at home on TV has been pretty hard," he said. "It's the first time in a long while that I haven't been part of that, so it has been frustrating.

"I still love the game when I'm out there playing; all I've ever wanted to do is play at the highest level. Every player strives for that and I'll continue to do strive for it.

"I'd feel like I was letting myself down if I just gave up. I'm certainly keen to play for another couple of years. The ambition is still there."

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/heineken-cup/frustrated-stringer-could-walk-away-from-munster-2944563.html

Just looking through the provinces Leinster have Boss and Reddan, Connacht have Murphy and O' Donohoe, and Ulster have Pienaar and Marshall. Pienaars contract is up at the end of this season I think so depending on how Marshall and Stringers form holds up this could be an option.

GerM · 24-11-2011 11:40PM

Would there be anything to be said for him going to Connacht and playing alongside a young Irish outhalf? For example if McKinney or Jackson was to make the switch for a season? They both can't get game time with iHumph being first choice 10 and, as he's not an international, being available for every game.

totallegend · 24-11-2011 11:54PM

I suppose Stringer is limited to Ireland for tax reasons but that also excludes him from Ulster, so really we're talking about Connacht or retirement.

thomond2006 · 25-11-2011 12:20AM

Connacht or retirement really.

Depending on how Duncan Williams' season goes, Munster may well offer Strings another one year contract. However the terms would be greatly reduced given he's at best third choice now.

irishbucsfan · 25-11-2011 12:21AM

Stringer could do a good job for a year at Connacht I think. Might have a bit of a rennaissance.

ambid · 25-11-2011 12:39AM

GerM wrote: »

Would there be anything to be said for him going to Connacht and playing alongside a young Irish outhalf? For example if McKinney or Jackson was to make the switch for a season? They both can't get game time with iHumph being first choice 10 and, as he's not an international, being available for every game.

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Stringer could do a good job for a year at Connacht I think. Might have a bit of a rennaissance.

Agree with this. Surely his experience and absolute professionalism would help guys like Jarvis, NOC, O'Donohoe, Moore and the young Connacht back rows. Obviously Connacht already have an excellent and experienced core to their side, but a Heineken Cup winner and 98 times capped guy surely would help them.

25-11-2011 12:57AM

**** me Leamy's final pass there at the end is a thing of beauty.

#stillgotit

phog · 25-11-2011 09:33AM

totallegend wrote: »

I suppose Stringer is limited to Ireland for tax reasons but that also excludes him from Ulster, so really we're talking about Connacht or retirement.

Could he not do a Shane Byrne on it, go abroad for a couple of years then return to professional rugby here with an AIL Club to retire?

GerM · 25-11-2011 09:36AM

phog wrote: »

Could he not do a Shane Byrne on it, go abroad for a couple of years then return to professional rugby here with an AIL Club to retire?

Loophole was closed after Byrne exposed it. In fairness, it was a fairly ridiculous situation.

Annabella1 · 25-11-2011 09:54AM

No offence to Connacht(really) but you are going to get beat most weeks which won't be much fun for a thirty something scrum half.coaching maybe...he is the best passing scrum half since Robbie McGrath

munsterbear · 25-11-2011 10:08AM

For those Munster Rugby supporters in or around Dublin, the Dublin Branch of supporters club will be running a bus to the Ulster game in Ravenhill on 30th Dec.

Bus will cost €20 and match tickets are available on Ulster Rugby website.

Email mrscdublin@munsterrugby.ie to book your seats.

WeeBushy · 25-11-2011 01:13PM

thomond2006 wrote: »

Connacht or retirement really.

To hell or to Connacht!

I think it would be a good move for a year. They don't have any stand out SHs, so he wouldn't really be blocking a future Irish SH, and would be able to pass on a huge amount of experience and knoweldge to the players who are there. Maybe in a sort of player/coach role, if he wants to take that direction after he retires?

ambid · 25-11-2011 06:20PM

Deleted User wrote: »

**** me Leamy's final pass there at the end is a thing of beauty.

#stillgotit

I always thought Leamy didn't get enough credit for his role there. Plenty of guys fluff the pass when the pressure is on, but his pass was good.

Cpt_Blackbeard · 25-11-2011 07:00PM

Deleted User wrote: »

**** me Leamy's final pass there at the end is a thing of beauty.

#stillgotit

Much better than TOL's pass for the drop against Castres anyway.

durkadurka · 26-11-2011 11:30AM

thomond2006 wrote: »

For some reason kermit is even funnier than the cookie monster.

Amazotheamazing · 27-11-2011 09:54PM

What's the verdict on the AIL guys like Butler and O'Dea after last night? Seems to be a few more youngsters coming through.

CIARAN_BOYLE · 27-11-2011 10:07PM

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

What's the verdict on the AIL guys like Butler and O'Dea after last night? Seems to be a few more youngsters coming through.

I've seen two assesments of their performance
They had a very good game and McGahan showed his stupidity for not blooding them earlier in the season when the internationals were missing and the WC was on

They are young yet and have it all to prove

Holland TOD and Fogarty are the players most pressurised last night. Fogarty failed to impress, TOD and Holland were outshone by Butler.

Zebo was very good and put a real claim in, with earls missing my back three would be Zebo Hurley Howlett and leaving Murphy in the 23 shirt.

LOD is put in a good showing and I would like to see more of him.

Fireball07 · 27-11-2011 10:38PM

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

I've seen two assesments of their performance
They had a very good game and McGahan showed his stupidity for not blooding them earlier in the season when the internationals were missing and the WC was on

They are young yet and have it all to prove

Holland TOD and Fogarty are the players most pressurised last night. Fogarty failed to impress, TOD and Holland were outshone by Butler.

Zebo was very good and put a real claim in, with earls missing my back three would be Zebo Hurley Howlett and leaving Murphy in the 23 shirt.

LOD is put in a good showing and I would like to see more of him.

Woah, I disagree with that. I thought Butler was good but TOD and Holland outshone him.

Fogarty was decent around the field and seemed to be getting some plaudits at the scrum but his darts were poor once again.

I agree about LOD, he was good enough but we'll need to see him a bit more to judge him.

And yeah, I think I'd start Zebo too.

After last night, I want to see Keatley get a game at 12 even more, I think he could be really good there. But Barnes was very impressive and tbh going off the season so far, I think he deserves to be ahead of Mafi alongside Chambers.

CIARAN_BOYLE · 27-11-2011 10:43PM

Fireball07 wrote: »

Woah, I disagree with that. I thought Butler was good but TOD and Holland outshone him.

Fogarty was decent around the field and seemed to be getting some plaudits at the scrum but his darts were poor once again.

We'll agree to disagree about the backrow.

To be honest I agree with you about Fogarty he scrummaged well and was healyesque at times with ball in hand but I just can't rate a hooker when the lineout doesn't patricularly work. Especially when you have a 6 who often plays lock and a tall 8 who makes a good target.

phog · 27-11-2011 10:51PM

[

Fireball07 wrote: »

After last night, I want to see Keatley get a game at 12 even more, I think he could be really good there. But Barnes was very impressive and tbh going off the season so far, I think he deserves to be ahead of Mafi alongside Chambers.

Why are some calling for Keatley to play 12, we need him at outhalf and he should be getting gametime there, if he starts getting games at 12 then when he's really needed he may not be up to it at 10. We can try the experiment at 12 when he has polished the position of outhalf.

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

We'll agree to disagree about the backrow.

To be honest I agree with you about Fogarty he scrummaged well and was healyesque at times with ball in hand but I just can't rate a hooker when the lineout doesn't patricularly work. Especially when you have a 6 who often plays lock and a tall 8 who makes a good target.

I think Fogarty is getting a lot of flak for the lineouts last night but he wasn't soley responsible for them. There was at least 2 if not three occasions when the ball was almost in the hand of the receiving player only to be claimed by Edinburgh. If those lineouts was reversed and MOD snapped the ball, we'd be saying Micko is great he robbed a couple of lineouts but when the thrower is Fogarty we're blaming the hooker.

Fireball07 · 27-11-2011 11:59PM

phog wrote: »

[

Why are some calling for Keatley to play 12, we need him at outhalf and he should be getting gametime there, if he starts getting games at 12 then when he's really needed he may not be up to it at 10. We can try the experiment at 12 when he has polished the position of outhalf.

I don't want him playing ahead of ROG in the big games. But I think he could offer something to the team, he's a talented player. Playing at 12, he'll get experience in the high-intensity games and will have ROG playing beside him, so I suppose he can get to watch the master at work.

phog · 28-11-2011 08:07AM

Fireball07 wrote: »

I don't want him playing ahead of ROG in the big games. But I think he could offer something to the team, he's a talented player. Playing at 12, he'll get experience in the high-intensity games and will have ROG playing beside him, so I suppose he can get to watch the master at work.

He was brought in as a 10 and that's where he will be needed, ROG is 34 and we need to ensure that we have a suitable replacement, the only way we'll know that is having Keatley playing 10 not centre.

phog · 28-11-2011 08:09AM

Plan to honour Munster rugby with bronze statues of Stringer and O’Gara

By Simon Lewis, Rugby Correspondent

TALKS are at an advanced stage with Cork City Council to erect a pair of statues in the city centre honouring Munster rugby.

Full story in the Examiner here

GerM · 28-11-2011 09:09AM

phog wrote: »

He was brought in as a 10 and that's where he will be needed, ROG is 34 and we need to ensure that we have a suitable replacement, the only way we'll know that is having Keatley playing 10 not centre.

I think a lot of people (I know it goes for myself anyway) would like to see Keatley at 12 when ROG is on the field learning from him and bringing another dimension to Munster's play. When ROG doesn't play i.e. the bulk of Pro12 games, let Keatley gain his experience at 10 but I'd rather see him on the field learning alongside ROG than sitting on the bench gaining no big match experience. There's the possibility still looming that if ROG shipped an injury Keatley, at this point, would have to come in and do a job without ever having played a minute of HEC rugby.

I don't think too many people want Keatley in the centre and someone else at 10 when ROG is unavailable.

GerM · 28-11-2011 09:56AM

phog wrote: »

Full story in the Examiner here

Mayor of Limerick has also spoken of his plan to request that ROG's right boot be put on public display in Limerick within a glass case.

d-gal · 28-11-2011 10:03AM

Anyone think that the likes of Holland, Nagle, Butler, TOD, Sean Henry should have a stint at Connacht? Must be awful frustrating to be getting damn all game time. Personally think McGahan is holding them back, a lot of them should be getting a lot more gametime but seems like they have no hope at the moment

Amazotheamazing · 28-11-2011 10:31AM

d-gal wrote: »

Anyone think that the likes of Holland, Nagle, Butler, TOD, Sean Henry should have a stint at Connacht? Must be awful frustrating to be getting damn all game time. Personally think McGahan is holding them back, a lot of them should be getting a lot more gametime but seems like they have no hope at the moment

Hard to know really, Connacht could use them.

Who should McGahan drop to play them?

CatFromHue · 28-11-2011 10:37AM

GerM wrote: »

Mayor of Limerick has also spoken of his plan to request that ROG's right boot be put on public display in Limerick within a glass case.

One boot to rule them all!

touts · 28-11-2011 10:48AM

GerM wrote: »

Mayor of Limerick has also spoken of his plan to request that ROG's right boot be put on public display in Limerick within a glass case.

Bandwagon!. Look at me! Out of my way! There's a bandwagon! For the love of god won't someone look at me as I jump on this bandwagon. Look! Look! I'm on the Bandwagon. Look at me! Look at me! Look at me! (now what was the idea I put on that rushed press release again?)

Amazotheamazing · 28-11-2011 12:30PM

touts wrote: »

Bandwagon!. Look at me! Out of my way! There's a bandwagon! For the love of god won't someone look at me as I jump on this bandwagon. Look! Look! I'm on the Bandwagon. Look at me! Look at me! Look at me! (now what was the idea I put on that rushed press release again?)

While there is an element of bandwagon jumping, the HEC is fairly much the only show in town when it comes to tourism for Limerick. It's massively important to Limerick's economy as much as anything else.

That being said, I think Limerick should have pushed for a National Muesum of Sport of some sort or other, not necessarily because we're all that good at sport but because no where else in Ireland has one, afaik.

Munster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread.

Comments