Munster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread.

Auvers · 28-12-2011 10:40PM

durkadurka wrote: »

I admit it. I'm Jamie heaslip.

take those stupid headphones off Jamie ffs

Podge_irl · 28-12-2011 10:56PM

Ruddock either needs to get ahead of KMcL or get some indication that he will soon and neither of them look likely (not helped by Ruddock's own performances it should be added) so I think he'll scarper. It's not like he grew up wanting to play for Leinster.

Brian P · 28-12-2011 11:47PM

PhatPiggins wrote: »

I totally did and I hold my hand up for that but since then he's been close to man of the match in each of the 4 HC pool games. I didn't think he was up to HC standard but he's been the most consistent Irish backrow this season.

I agree.Ronan has greatly impressed me this season. I hadn't much time for him before but he seems to have become far more confident in himself and his game is more aggressive. He seems to have discovered a physical presence which he lacked before. He was just too quiet and deferential but not anymore.

Amazotheamazing · 29-12-2011 12:22AM

PhatPiggins wrote: »

He's going to be in Irelands 6N's squad in January and based on how he's played in every game this season, deservedly so.

Yeah I said it, its out there :eek:

It'd be some incredible trolling by Kidney to name a Ferris, Ronan, SOB backrow. He's had a great season but I can't see him getting in the team, he'll make the extended squad alright.

MCannon77 · 29-12-2011 04:48AM

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

It'd be some incredible trolling by Kidney to name a Ferris, Ronan, SOB backrow. He's had a great season but I can't see him getting in the team, he'll make the extended squad alright.

I would defo have him in ahead of Heaslip... SOB's emergence has coincided with Heaslips loss of form

danthefan · 29-12-2011 09:24AM

MCannon77 wrote: »

I would defo have him in ahead of Heaslip

Niall Ronan!?

Good lord.

GerM · 29-12-2011 10:09AM

Ronan has been very good this season and shut a lot of detractors up but I would say it has to be taken in context. He is yet to play against a really good back row unit. I think he still doesn't have what it takes to play international rugby and never will. A good unit simply blows him away. All the same, he's in great form and deserves praise for his showings. Saved Munster's bacon on one notable occasion against the Scarlets when he won a penalty in his own 22 and they looked like they were going to concede a try in the closing stages.

Teferi · 29-12-2011 10:41AM

MCannon77 wrote: »

I would defo have him in ahead of Heaslip... SOB's emergence has coincided with Heaslips loss of form

This is an absolute myth. Heaslip had a great world cup. Look again at all the unseen work he done, it was incredible. He freed up Ferris and SOB to do what they do best.

I really wish this spoof would stop being propagated by certain areas of rugby fans.

AtItAllDayRef · 29-12-2011 10:43AM

Teferi wrote: »

This is an absolute myth. Heaslip had a great world cup. Look again at all the unseen work he done, it was incredible. He freed up Ferris and SOB to do what they do best.

I really wish this spoof would stop being propagated by certain areas of rugby fans.

Jamie Heaslip - the new Simon Easterby

PhatPiggins · 29-12-2011 11:08AM

GerM wrote: »

Ronan has been very good this season and shut a lot of detractors up but I would say it has to be taken in context. He is yet to play against a really good back row unit. I think he still doesn't have what it takes to play international rugby and never will. A good unit simply blows him away. All the same, he's in great form and deserves praise for his showings. Saved Munster's bacon on one notable occasion against the Scarlets when he won a penalty in his own 22 and they looked like they were going to concede a try in the closing stages.

No I'd imagine it'll be the 30 man squad for him. He wouldn't start ahead of the world cup trio and he can only play 7 so he'll hardly make the bench. Considering Leinster have 6 international class backrowers, Ulster 2 and Munster 1 (+ 1 injured) and Connacht 1 thats no mean feat on Ronan's part.

For what its worth I hate seeing SOB at 7 for Ireland its easily his worst position but he gets away with it because Ireland don't need a link man as we apparently don't have any backline moves that don't involve Bowe coming into the the 10/12 channel

GerM · 29-12-2011 11:14AM

AtItAllDayRef wrote: »

Jamie Heaslip - the new Simon Easterby

That's quite a compliment in all honesty. Easterby was probably the single most underrated player in Irish pro rugby. If he was playing for a province he'd have been worshipped.

wixfjord · 29-12-2011 11:44AM

MCannon77 wrote: »

I would defo have him in ahead of Heaslip... SOB's emergence has coincided with Heaslips loss of form

Welcome to the forum George!
Munsterfans would suit you better I'd say with those type of comments.

ed7890 · 29-12-2011 11:48AM

I don't think Heaslip had a great world cup, he had a good one. He did some great work at times, but some of the time he was just 'unseen'.

He's had some great games since he came back though. I am a small bit concerned that a pattern seems to be forming, where he plays great for Leinster in the HEC, and then is a bit tepid for Ireland.

Still I don't really see the argument for dropping him while he's 8 and SOB is flanker for Leinster. Happy enough with the backrow being as is, injury permitting, for the 6 nations.

On Ronan, I have to say I'm delighted to be wrong about him this season, he's been great. He still has his weaknesses, but he's a real asset to the team. I used to bemoan him being on the starting team, now I'd be concerned if he wasn't there.

Amazotheamazing · 29-12-2011 11:53AM

GerM wrote: »

Ronan has been very good this season and shut a lot of detractors up but I would say it has to be taken in context. He is yet to play against a really good back row unit. I think he still doesn't have what it takes to play international rugby and never will. A good unit simply blows him away. All the same, he's in great form and deserves praise for his showings. Saved Munster's bacon on one notable occasion against the Scarlets when he won a penalty in his own 22 and they looked like they were going to concede a try in the closing stages.

Well, people are saying Heaslip is back in good form after a poor world cup based on showings in a weak enough HEC pool, if you're going to apply that criteria to Ronan you should also apply it to Heaslip.

Like I said, I don't think he's good enough for Ireland, but it's only Heaslip's collapse in form that's opening up the debate.

danthefan · 29-12-2011 11:55AM

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

Heaslip's collapse in form

Laughable.

There is no debate other than from the most one eyed. Heaslip will start all the games in the 6N and rightly so.

Amazotheamazing · 29-12-2011 12:00PM

danthefan wrote: »

Laughable.

There is no debate other than from the most one eyed. Heaslip will start all the games in the 6N and rightly so.

I don't expect Kidney to drop one of his favourite players, but to say Heaslip's form has dropped a lot for Ireland over the last 18 months is nonsense.

danthefan · 29-12-2011 12:02PM

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

but to say Heaslip's form has dropped a lot for Ireland over the last 18 months is nonsense.

Agreed, good man.

PhatPiggins · 29-12-2011 12:04PM

danthefan wrote: »

Niall Ronan!?

Good lord.

Thats some fairly obvious bait you're swallowing

Amazotheamazing · 29-12-2011 12:13PM

danthefan wrote: »

Agreed, good man.

Typo, but do you think Heaslip is playing as well as he can for Ireland? You don't think he's been in decline?

Remember when people used to say he was the best 8 in the world? Seems a long way off now.

GerM · 29-12-2011 12:15PM

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

Well, people are saying Heaslip is back in good form after a poor world cup based on showings in a weak enough HEC pool, if you're going to apply that criteria to Ronan you should also apply it to Heaslip.

Like I said, I don't think he's good enough for Ireland, but it's only Heaslip's collapse in form that's opening up the debate.

What collapse? Can you specify? Heaslip had a mixed WC with very good showings against Australia and Russia, and poor against USA and Wales with an average Italian game too. Since then, he has been very good consistently.

Heaslip also has a record of consistently delivering against top class opposition with a list of MOTM awards to rival anyone at international and HEC level. Ronan doesn't and never will. Ronan is doing well and, as I said, all credit to him; he deserves his plaudits but he's not good enough or powerful enough for international rugby. This has been shown in the past. Einstein's definition of insanity comes to mind.

Amazotheamazing · 29-12-2011 12:22PM

GerM wrote: »

What collapse? Can you specify? Heaslip had a mixed WC with very good showings against Australia and Russia, and poor against USA and Wales with an average Italian game too. Since then, he has been very good consistently.

Heaslip also has a record of consistently delivering against top class opposition with a list of MOTM awards to rival anyone at international and HEC level. Ronan doesn't and never will. Ronan is doing well and, as I said, all credit to him; he deserves his plaudits but he's not good enough or powerful enough for international rugby. This has been shown in the past. Einstein's definition of insanity comes to mind.

I think he'd a poor six nations too, tbh.

It's all well and good to be consistent in the HEC, but up against what standard?

Tox56 · 29-12-2011 12:23PM

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

Well, people are saying Heaslip is back in good form after a poor world cup based on showings in a weak enough HEC pool, if you're going to apply that criteria to Ronan you should also apply it to Heaslip.

Like I said, I don't think he's good enough for Ireland, but it's only Heaslip's collapse in form that's opening up the debate.

Montpellier had an excellent backrow and whilst Bath as a team may be poor, their backrow is good enough, especially with players like Louw. Glasgow is a similar situation, with Barclay being a class player.

The pool may be weak, but the backrow competition for Heaslip wasn't, especially vs Montpellier.

GerM · 29-12-2011 12:37PM

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

I think he'd a poor six nations too, tbh.

It's all well and good to be consistent in the HEC, but up against what standard?

The standard of Toulouse where he was MOTM? I agree, he wasn't at the races in the 6N although was coming back to form against England where he was very good. He had been out following surgery though for the preceeding month and was rushed back in.

Anyway, Munster side named. Youthful team that will probably not have enough to beat an experienced Ulster outfit but I think will give them a good rattle. No Botha in 23. Think it could be a sign of things to come as coaches realise they need to focus on Irish tightheads with the new rulings.

premierstone · 29-12-2011 12:41PM

Teferi wrote: »

This is an absolute myth. Heaslip had a great world cup. Look again at all the unseen work he done, it was incredible. He freed up Ferris and SOB to do what they do best.

I really wish this spoof would stop being propagated by certain areas of rugby fans.

How do we look at unseen work??

But seriously, Heaslips alleged drop in form has been blown completely out of porportion, but also those claimng that he is playing as well as he was 2yrs/18 months ago are also deluding themselves.

GerM · 29-12-2011 12:51PM

premierstone wrote: »

Heaslips alleged drop in form has been blown completely out of porportion, but also those claimng that he is playing as well as he was 2yrs/18 months ago are also deluding themselves.

Fair enough point, I think. Heaslip's form the season before last though was off the chart. It was the Heaslip of the Match award for about 3 months. He's not back there and he might never be back at that level consistently. Look at Elsom since his 1 year at Leinster. Look at SOB so far this season compared to last. Or even Earls' try scoring ratio compared to the season he exploded onto the scene. You become a marked man and you're shut down. The players are all class and still perform but not consistently to such an eye catching level.

CIARAN_BOYLE · 29-12-2011 01:03PM

Much more appropiate to Ireland or Leinster team talk but the thing is imo that Heaslip isnt carrying as much so a lot of people have the excuse to claim he isn't doing well. SOB and Ferris are doing the carrying for Ireland so Heaslip has gone from being Ireland's number one ball carrier to their number three. Much less visible. That doesn't mean he is doing poorly during the WC he created more turnovers than any other Ireland player.

Hagz · 29-12-2011 01:05PM

I think BOD put it best when he said Heaslip has maybe not been playing to the high standards HE set for himself, but he's still an outstanding player and is playing well enough to make it into the Leinster XV. Bear in mind the guy has been recovering from ankle* surgery, and I'm sure it takes time to get back to your stride, which I think he's doing now. Fitzgerald was the same last year, although his dip in form was more notable, but a year on and he's the in form winger atm. I think Heaslip is about to hit his stride.

*ankle right?

Amazotheamazing · 29-12-2011 01:07PM

GerM wrote: »

Fair enough point, I think. Heaslip's form the season before last though was off the chart. It was the Heaslip of the Match award for about 3 months. He's not back there and he might never be back at that level consistently. Look at Elsom since his 1 year at Leinster. Look at SOB so far this season compared to last. Or even Earls' try scoring ratio compared to the season he exploded onto the scene. You become a marked man and you're shut down. The players are all class and still perform but not consistently to such an eye catching level.

I'm not so sure it's comparable between backs and forwards. Earls was carrying a groin injury that affected him, Fitz was coming back off an awful injury that would have finished his career in the amateur era. They can come back and improve.

On the otherhand, I genuinely think the pro game is so brutal to a backrower that their bodies just can't take it. Elsom will probably never be as good as he once was, and he was one of the best I've ever seen for about 2 or 3 three seasons. Same with Leamy, he'll never be the player he was, I suspect Ferris will be relatively finished in two or three seasons. I just don't think we can ask people to do what these guys do to their bodies for 7 or 8 years.

The pro game is littered with backrowers who had two or three truly great years, very few who'd have the longevity of McCaw, for example.

PhatPiggins · 29-12-2011 01:10PM

Jamie Heaslip has signed for Munster !

This is great news

Benny Cake · 29-12-2011 01:38PM

I think if Ireland had a world class 7 (ala Warburton) it would make the back row selection extremely interesting and Heaslip could be the one lose out. As things stand, we have no such player so the best use of the talent available is: Ferris, O'Brien & Heaslip...

I await the selection of the the Lions back row in 2013 with baited breath!!

Munster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread.

Comments