Pro12: Munster vs Treviso, Sat 7 Jan 8:15pm; Live on RTÉ

thomond2006 · 04-01-2012 02:13PM #1

Included in that extended squad is newly appointed Irish captain Paul O'Connell who takes over from the injured Brian O'Driscoll, O'Connell also revealed today that he's signed a two year extension to his contract that will keep him with Munster until the end of season 2013/14.

Munster trained in UL yesterday and will complete theior preparation for the Treviso game tomorrow in Cork. Omissions from the squad named include Tom Gleeson (shoulder) and Tommy O'Donnell (knee) both injured in Ravenhill and Denis Leamy (hip) who was withdrawn ahead of that match but Damien Varley who also retired injured in Belfast is included and believed likely to feature in the match day squad.

Munster Squad:
Marcus Horan, Stephen Archer, John Ryan, Wian du Preez, BJ Botha, Damien Varley, Denis Fogarty,
Donncha Ryan, Paul O’Connell, Donnacha O’Callaghan, Ian Nagle, Mick O’Driscoll,
Peter O’Mahony, Niall Ronan, Billy Holland, Dave O’Callaghan, Paddy Butler, James Coughlan,

Duncan Williams, Conor Murray, Tomas O’Leary
Ian Keatley, Ronan O’Gara,
Denis Hurley, Johne Murphy, Will Chambers, Danny Barnes, Keith Earls, Lifeimi Mafi, Simon Zebo,

Not available due to injury:
Tom Gleeson (shoulder); Tommy O’Donnell (knee); Luke O’Dea (ankle); Denis Leamy (hip); Declan Cusack (shoulder); David Wallace (knee); Troy Smith (knee); Felix Jones (foot); Jerry Flannery (calf); Doug Howlett (Achilles); Darragh Hurley (back disc); Mike Sherry (ankle).

http://www.munsterrugby.ie/news/9935.php

O'Dea out? Hope it's not serious.

All the internationals are back for this, a strong side should be named. Borlase still not picked in the squad.

I'd like to see:
du Preez, Varley, Botha, Ryan, POC, POM, Ronan, Coughlan;
Murray, ROG, Murphy, Barnes, Earls, Zebo, Hurley

Bench: Fogarty, Horan, Archer, DOC, Butler, TOL, Keatley, Mafi

If Treviso come with a full side, this could be very tricky.

phog · 04-01-2012 02:22PM

=thomond2006;76313481

If Treviso come with a full side, this could be very tricky.

Treviso have couple of scalps (Biarritz in the H/C, drew with Ospreys and beat Ulster in PRO12, in Ravenhill) under their belt but realisticlly I cant see them beating Munster in Thomond Park, especailly, if we're fielding a stronger team than the last 2 weeks.

Cpt_Blackbeard · 04-01-2012 07:50PM

thomond2006 wrote: »

O'Dea out? Hope it's not serious.

All the internationals are back for this, a strong side should be named. Borlase still not picked in the squad.

I'd like to see:
du Preez, Varley, Botha, Ryan, POC, POM, Ronan, Coughlan;
Murray, ROG, Murphy, Barnes, Earls, Zebo, Hurley

Bench: Fogarty, Horan, Archer, DOC, Butler, TOL, Keatley, Mafi

If Treviso come with a full side, this could be very tricky.

I think that your side is just a hint too strong. I know that we need to be giving our HC starters a runout together but, I'd like to see 1-3 youngsters getting a runout alongside a full-strength team.

Ideally I'd like to see two of Archer/Nagle/DOC2/Butler getting a start, just to see how they fare. Were LOD not injured, I'd have liked to see his great form rewarded too.

PhatPiggins · 04-01-2012 08:22PM

Is Sean Scanlon injured thomond or simply being punished for being able to run more then two angles ?

thomond2006 · 04-01-2012 08:30PM

Cpt_Blackbeard wrote: »

I think that your side is just a hint too strong. I know that we need to be giving our HC starters a runout together but, I'd like to see 1-3 youngsters getting a runout alongside a full-strength team.

Ideally I'd like to see two of Archer/Nagle/DOC2/Butler getting a start, just to see how they fare. Were LOD not injured, I'd have liked to see his great form rewarded too.

I would have liked to see Scanlon and LOD play if they were available.

PhatPiggins wrote: »

Is Sean Scanlon injured thomond or simply being punished for being able to run more then two angles ?

I'm not gonna be in the UL gym so I won't be able to find out!

phog · 04-01-2012 10:14PM

PhatPiggins wrote: »

Is Sean Scanlon injured thomond or simply being punished for being able to run more then two angles ?

Listed as being injured after the Connacht game.

Edited to add

exciting young full-back Sean Scanlon, a try scorer on his full debut against Connacht on St Stephen's Day, are also facing a race against time to be fit for Saturday's game as Munster's injury list soars beyond double figures.

taken from an injury update that I posted on the Munster thread.

durkadurka · 04-01-2012 10:16PM

These extended squads are a bit pointless aren't they?

thomond2006 · 04-01-2012 10:48PM

durkadurka wrote: »

These extended squads are a bit pointless aren't they?

I assume they're announced so that the papers can print something. It facilitates discussion too.

Leinster don't announce them though do they? They just have a "squad update" on a monday/tuesday.

CIARAN_BOYLE · 04-01-2012 10:57PM

durkadurka wrote: »

These extended squads are a bit pointless aren't they?

I'm not certain but I believe that the AIL clubs are told that players outside the extended squad are fair game for the weekend and you will find out abou the others when the team is announced

Amazotheamazing · 04-01-2012 11:13PM

durkadurka wrote: »

These extended squads are a bit pointless aren't they?

they are but at least this they've started doing the bits about who's injured.

phog · 04-01-2012 11:42PM

durkadurka wrote: »

These extended squads are a bit pointless aren't they?

Only if you look at it from a team naming exercise, I think the idea of the extended squad is to allow the remaining players to be available to their clubs if required, bar I suppose the likes of ROG, POC, etc.

Edit: Beaten to it by Ciaran Boyle Post #9 ^^^

durkadurka · 05-01-2012 12:22AM

thomond2006 wrote: »

I assume they're announced so that the papers can print something. It facilitates discussion too.

Leinster don't announce them though do they? They just have a "squad update" on a monday/tuesday.

Yeah the Leinster squad updates are also dubious, although sometimes you can read between the lines.

I think the main purpose is to get something in the news bulletins etc.

Hopefully we'll get decent team selections this week.

buck65 · 05-01-2012 04:03PM

So, we're all agreed that Munster have a better squad anouncement policy than Leinster?;)

Anyhoo, back to the game, I assume we'll see the big guns rolled out for this one. Looking forward to seeing Treviso, seem to be improving at a rate of notts.
Still though Munster should be too much.

Podge_irl · 06-01-2012 12:13AM

Leinster used to be big on announcing pointless 35 man squads consisting of every fit player when Cheiks was there.

phog · 06-01-2012 12:12PM

Munster Team

Mun v Trev Team: Hurley; Murphy, Earls, Mafi, Zebo; O'Gara, Murray; du Preez, Varley, Botha; Ryan, O'Connell (c) O'Mahony, Ronan, Coughlan.

Replacements: D Fogarty, M Horan, S Archer, Donncha O'Callaghan, B Holland, T O'Leary, I Keatley, D Barnes.

profitius · 06-01-2012 12:29PM

Looks like the HEC starting team. Good to see POM back but pity about TOD and LOD getting injuries.

phog · 06-01-2012 02:03PM

The Treviso Team

Treviso: Luke McLean, Ludovico Nitoglia, Tommaso Benvenuti, Alberto Sgarbi, Brendan Williams; Kristopher Burton, Tobias Botes; Michele Rizzo, Franco Sbaraglini, Lorenzo Cittadini; Antonio Pavanello (captain), Corniel Van Zyl; Gonzalo Padrò, Alessandro Zanni, Manoa Vosawai.

Replacements: Diego Vidal, Matteo Muccignat, Ignacio Fernandez Rouyet, Valerio Bernabò, Enrico Pavanello, Simon Picone, Edoardo Gori, Alberto Di Bernardo

Fireball07 · 06-01-2012 03:09PM

Very strong team for Munster. Treviso are a good side but there should be no excuse for not winning the game tbh.

phog · 06-01-2012 03:21PM

Fireball07 wrote: »

Very strong team for Munster. Treviso are a good side but there should be no excuse for not winning the game tbh.

12 of starters for Treviso beat Biarritz in the H/C, in saying that, if Treviso were playing Munster in the H/Cup in Thomond Park I'd very unhappy with anything less than a win.

thomond2006 · 06-01-2012 03:53PM

Munster: D Hurley; J Murphy, K Earls, L Mafi, S Zebo; R O'Gara, C Murray; W du Preez, D Varley, BJ Botha; D Ryan, P O'Connell capt; P O'Mahony, N Ronan, J Coughlan.

Replacements: D Fogarty, M Horan, S Archer, Donncha O'Callaghan, B Holland, T O'Leary, I Keatley, D Barnes.

Basically the Heineken Cup team. I'm disappointed that Holland is backrow cover over Butler.

Fireball07 · 06-01-2012 04:05PM

phog wrote: »

12 of starters for Treviso beat Biarritz in the H/C, in saying that, if Treviso were playing Munster in the H/Cup in Thomond Park I'd very unhappy with anything less than a win.

That's what I mean. I think Treviso are a very good side but I'd be disappointed losing to anyone in Thomond Park, and we have to win this one.

buck65 · 06-01-2012 04:36PM

Well we don't really HAVE to win it, but should nonetheless. Munster obviously are concentrating on getting into the HCup playoffs this season regardless of what happens in the league, considering the anger and abuse about not making the last eight last year , McGahan was never going to fight on two fronts this season as we had done last 2 years.
I think Munster will earn it to make the top 4 this season.

profitius · 06-01-2012 04:44PM

buck65 wrote: »

Well we don't really HAVE to win it, but should nonetheless. Munster obviously are concentrating on getting into the HCup playoffs this season regardless of what happens in the league, considering the anger and abuse about not making the last eight last year , McGahan was never going to fight on two fronts this season as we had done last 2 years.
I think Munster will earn it to make the top 4 this season.

He should be fighting on 2 fronts. He has a massive squad as well as academy players to call on.

michelledoh · 06-01-2012 04:48PM

buck65 wrote: »

Well we don't really HAVE to win it, but should nonetheless. Munster obviously are concentrating on getting into the HCup playoffs this season regardless of what happens in the league, considering the anger and abuse about not making the last eight last year , McGahan was never going to fight on two fronts this season as we had done last 2 years.
I think Munster will earn it to make the top 4 this season.

So you reckon he's not fighting on the Rabo front this year?
Considering that Munster's is the biggest squad in the land, and possibly the Rabo, I think that's a little far fetched, they've just been poor in some games.

PhatPiggins · 06-01-2012 05:15PM

profitius wrote: »

He should be fighting on 2 fronts. He has a massive squad as well as academy players to call on.

He has a maasive squad but unfortunately it consists of about 70% of players of equal averageness. Its good enough to make the playoffs of the league and the semi of the HC though which would represent a good season for me seeing as the team is in transition.

buck65 · 06-01-2012 05:22PM

To me it seems he knows his team and is using the league to give a bit of gametime to a few lads and unearth a few others.
He basically rested all his first team in the past two weeks to be fresh for next week. Yes there were a few away in camp but alot more were rested or reported to be carrying knocks.
I'm not complaining, a semi final in the HCup with this team would be a massive success, what good is another League title if we are getting destroyed in Europe?

pappyodaniel · 06-01-2012 05:23PM

Can't wait to see Brendan Williams in action for Treviso, he's such an exciting player to watch.

michelledoh · 06-01-2012 05:28PM

buck65 wrote: »

To me it seems he knows his team and is using the league to give a bit of gametime to a few lads and unearth a few others.
He basically rested all his first team in the past two weeks to be fresh for next week. Yes there were a few away in camp but alot more were rested or reported to be carrying knocks.
I'm not complaining, a semi final in the HCup with this team would be a massive success, what good is another League title if we are getting destroyed in Europe?

Really? What about Player Welfare?
I don't think that they're glossing over the Rabo on purpose, just not winning tight games like last year. Such a huge squad should have more than enough older ML standard players.

phog · 06-01-2012 05:43PM

michelledoh wrote: »

So you reckon he's not fighting on the Rabo front this year?
Considering that Munster's is the biggest squad in the land, and possibly the Rabo, I think that's a little far fetched, they've just been poor in some games.

Injuries? For our last game (Ulster) we had a sqaud of 28 players available, for the Glasgow game during the W/C we had a squad of 27 players, those missing include the injured and the Irish players.

I still think we should be doing better in the PRO12 but this year of all years we seemed to have needed a big squad.

michelledoh · 06-01-2012 07:15PM

phog wrote: »

Injuries? For our last game (Ulster) we had a sqaud of 28 players available, for the Glasgow game during the W/C we had a squad of 27 players, those missing include the injured and the Irish players.

I still think we should be doing better in the PRO12 but this year of all years we seemed to have needed a big squad.

But you only need 22 to fill a squad!
The three other Irish provinces have suffered from this aswell, but Munster have a larger squad.

You say injuries, but that's nothing to do with the original point of not targeting the Rabo?

thomond2006 · 06-01-2012 07:26PM

Leamy's hip injury is to be assessed by a specialist, so it looks like he's out for the forseeable future.

Pro12: Munster vs Treviso, Sat 7 Jan 8:15pm; Live on RTÉ

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