Munster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread.

CIARAN_BOYLE · 09-02-2012 11:21PM

messi1985 wrote: »

is the bowe talk dead in the water so with lualala signing??

about 170 miles wide of the mark very likely signing in Ulster

Amazotheamazing · 09-02-2012 11:56PM

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

about 170 miles wide of the mark very likely signing in Ulster

I'd say Simon Zebo is a happy man with the news. A back three of Earls, Jones and Zebo will be great to look at going forward anyway, assuming Casey plays 13.

touts · 10-02-2012 07:03AM

I'm not sure how I feel about Laulala combined with Downey. It's good to see some solid recruits after the shambles of recent years but they are more solid than spectacular. As a partnership they won't strike much fear into opposition defences as there won't be a lot of Tries coming from that partnership. They are more an extension of the recent policy of having the centres act as glorfied backrow forwards. I think If Munster has genuine ambitions to win the HEC again we still need Bowe.

A line up of:
Earls, Jones, Zebo
Downey, Laulala
Keatley
Murray

isn't going to strike much fear into defences as the two biggest threats are isolated out on the wing and you can focus more attention on them confident that Munster's centres will be spending most of their time with the ball at the bottom of a ruck and not running at you. We are also heavily reliant on Jones and Zebo not having second season syndrome. If those two are off form its hard to see where our tries will come from.

Now a line up of
Bowe, Jones, Zebo,
Downey, Earls,
Keatley
Murray

is far more threatening because the opposition defence have a serious try threat right in the centre. They won't be able to drift out to defend the wings because the slightest gap will be exposed by the jinking speed of Earls.

So while I'm happy to see Downey & Lualala at the moment they strike me as more in the Johne Murphy mould of signings than the Doug Howlett mould.

chooochooo · 10-02-2012 07:50AM

touts wrote: »

I'm not sure how I feel about Laulala combined with Downey. It's good to see some solid recruits after the shambles of recent years but they are more solid than spectacular. As a partnership they won't strike much fear into opposition defences as there won't be a lot of Tries coming from that partnership. They are more an extension of the recent policy of having the centres act as glorfied backrow forwards. I think If Munster has genuine ambitions to win the HEC again we still need Bowe.

A line up of:
Earls, Jones, Zebo
Downey, Laulala
Keatley
Murray

isn't going to strike much fear into defences as the two biggest threats are isolated out on the wing and you can focus more attention on them confident that Munster's centres will be spending most of their time with the ball at the bottom of a ruck and not running at you. We are also heavily reliant on Jones and Zebo not having second season syndrome. If those two are off form its hard to see where our tries will come from.

Now a line up of
Bowe, Jones, Zebo,
Downey, Earls,
Keatley
Murray

is far more threatening because the opposition defence have a serious try threat right in the centre. They won't be able to drift out to defend the wings because the slightest gap will be exposed by the jinking speed of Earls.

So while I'm happy to see Downey & Lualala at the moment they strike me as more in the Johne Murphy mould of signings than the Doug Howlett mould.

Laughable idiocy.

Quote from Jamie Roberts:

Wales centre Jamie Roberts last night tweeted his disappointment at the departure of his Cardiff centre partner: "Gutted we haven’t resigned @LeCase23 Laulala for next season..winner in every sense of the word..world class player and even better bloke."

bamboozle · 10-02-2012 08:56AM

touts wrote: »

I'm not sure how I feel about Laulala combined with Downey. It's good to see some solid recruits after the shambles of recent years but they are more solid than spectacular. As a partnership they won't strike much fear into opposition defences as there won't be a lot of Tries coming from that partnership. They are more an extension of the recent policy of having the centres act as glorfied backrow forwards. I think If Munster has genuine ambitions to win the HEC again we still need Bowe.

A line up of:
Earls, Jones, Zebo
Downey, Laulala
Keatley
Murray

isn't going to strike much fear into defences as the two biggest threats are isolated out on the wing and you can focus more attention on them confident that Munster's centres will be spending most of their time with the ball at the bottom of a ruck and not running at you. We are also heavily reliant on Jones and Zebo not having second season syndrome. If those two are off form its hard to see where our tries will come from.

Now a line up of
Bowe, Jones, Zebo,
Downey, Earls,
Keatley
Murray

is far more threatening because the opposition defence have a serious try threat right in the centre. They won't be able to drift out to defend the wings because the slightest gap will be exposed by the jinking speed of Earls.

So while I'm happy to see Downey & Lualala at the moment they strike me as more in the Johne Murphy mould of signings than the Doug Howlett mould.

i think you'll be suprised, Downey will suit munster pefectly

they should compliment each other. Downey sucking in defenders, Lualua exploiting the extra space.

Podge_irl · 10-02-2012 10:40AM

What's Lualua's distribution like? It would want to be fairly good for Munster to get the best out of that back 3 cause they ain't getting the ball off Downey.

Amazotheamazing · 10-02-2012 11:17AM

touts wrote: »

So while I'm happy to see Downey & Lualala at the moment they strike me as more in the Johne Murphy mould of signings than the Doug Howlett mould.

While Murphy is only an ordinary player, he's not a bad one. He's improved I think, since he was settled in one position.

profitius · 10-02-2012 11:24AM

Opposition defenses will know how to stop them but stopping them is another thing. They're both big ball carriers and will draw in defenders. Their skills is the big issue here. I have seen Downey offload in the tackle a few times in one game and he looked good at it. Munster have the option of trying different combinations in the center next season.

Amazotheamazing · 10-02-2012 12:02PM

profitius wrote: »

Opposition defenses will know how to stop them but stopping them is another thing. They're both big ball carriers and will draw in defenders. Their skills is the big issue here. I have seen Downey offload in the tackle a few times in one game and he looked good at it. Munster have the option of trying different combinations in the center next season.

Mallinder said as much after the Saints game. Everyone knows what Munster will do but how do you stop it?

muscleshirt · 10-02-2012 12:38PM

felix jones playing to night with shannon against young munster ,hope all goes well for him...keatly and jonny murphy may also be playing for Y/M

CatFromHue · 10-02-2012 12:39PM

Is there not rules that full Munster guys like Murphy and Jones can't play in the Ulster Bank League?

CatFromHue · 10-02-2012 12:42PM

CatFromHue wrote: »

I was in the shop earlier and there was a solely rugby newspaper The Rugby News or something like that. I've never seen or heard of it before. According to it Munster are interested in Cardiff's Casey LuaLua. Seemingly he could be persuaded to leave Cardiff due to the new salary cap in the Welsh regions.

Don't know how true this is though.

CatFromHue wrote: »

Munster are linked with Casey Lualua according to some random Rugby paper I saw in the shops on Sunday. What truth is in this I've no idea though, I can't find a link for it either as I've forgotten the paper's name.

Seemingly they approached him before he signed for Cardiff, and this I do have a link for!
"There were a few teams including Munster who approached me, but having spoken to Dai Young and Bob Norster I was impressed with the way they went about the whole process and the way things were conducted."
http://www.cardiffblues.com/news/3461.php

The salary cap comes into place next season so financially it could be beneficial for him to move.

What was that paper!

irishbucsfan · 10-02-2012 01:08PM

CatFromHue wrote: »

CatFromHue wrote: »

I was in the shop earlier and there was a solely rugby newspaper The Rugby News or something like that. I've never seen or heard of it before. According to it Munster are interested in Cardiff's Casey LuaLua. Seemingly he could be persuaded to leave Cardiff due to the new salary cap in the Welsh regions.

Don't know how true this is though.

CatFromHue wrote: »

Munster are linked with Casey Lualua according to some random Rugby paper I saw in the shops on Sunday. What truth is in this I've no idea though, I can't find a link for it either as I've forgotten the paper's name.

Seemingly they approached him before he signed for Cardiff, and this I do have a link for!
"There were a few teams including Munster who approached me, but having spoken to Dai Young and Bob Norster I was impressed with the way they went about the whole process and the way things were conducted."
http://www.cardiffblues.com/news/3461.php

The salary cap comes into place next season so financially it could be beneficial for him to move.

What was that paper!

It'd called the rugby news or something. It's rubbish. (It got the laulala rumour right in.fairness though)

It's a league thing mostly

muscleshirt · 10-02-2012 02:16PM

CatFromHue wrote: »

Is there not rules that full Munster guys like Murphy and Jones can't play in the Ulster Bank League?

think they are allowed play 2 pros

phog · 10-02-2012 09:47PM

Shannon hosted Young Munster tonight in a packed Thomond Park (

packed for a UBL match anyway

)

Johne Murphy, Ian Keatley at 12 for YM and Felix Jones, Luke O'Dea and Paddy Butler for Shannon.

Shannon lead 20 - 3 at one stage, YM got a penalty try late in the 1st half and never looked back though they made very hard work of getting the wining try at the 79th minutes.

They were superior in the scrum and had a great maul, as a result nearly every penalty they got they opted for lineouts and mauled from there then they decied to let it out and let Shannon turn over their ball.

I think YM were illegal in setting up the maul from the lineouts as the lifters were in front of the ball carrier as the formed the maul.

Felix Jones looked the best of the 5 (mentioned above) in the first half and Keatley probably shaded him in the 2nd half but it was game for the forwards from about the 35th minute so hard to tell. Butler does look a decent No8 but he was in the wrong scrum tonight to showcase anything.

Final score 20 -23.

ed7890 · 10-02-2012 09:58PM

Was Alan Cotter playing for Young Munster?

[Jackass] · 10-02-2012 09:59PM

Tox56 wrote: »

Considering Munster can get as far as they have in the HEC this year with the team they currently possess, they could be a big contender for the title next year.

Particularly looking forward to seeing that Back 3 in action, whatever form it takes (Zebo/Howlett, Jones, Earls or something similar)

Given the home quarter and the semi-final draw, they're strong contenders this year. Any "top" team should never lose at home, which is a path to the final and a straight shoot out. I think Munster will be there, I just hope and pray Leinster can be there with them, as the semi draw has not been as kind to us, and an away semi is a massive ask, no bad teams left at that level.

For what it's worth Lualala is always a player I've admired at Cardiff, I think he's a real threat and better than anyone who's played centre for Munster in the past decade (ahead of Tipoki, the only 13 of Munsters I've rated in 10 years), so I'd be delighted with this signing, and Downey made a joke shop out of D'Arcy in the Heineken Cup final last season (although McFadden should be first choice 12 imo), so all in all, Munster backline looks very strong, with a solid back 3 also, especially with Zebo stepping up in Howletts absence.

Munsters main problem is half-backs. Not far off (somehow) being a great team again. O'Gara still producing, but nowhere near the level he once was (bar kicking at goal), and Keatley is a shockingly poor replacement, his career has collapsed since moving to Munster imo, he's exposed as incapable of carrying a "big" team, whereas with Connacht, strong displays were almost taken in context of him carrying a "small team". Carr has experienced the same failure at Leinster, where he's a small fish in a big pond now, and thus struggles to stand out. And Murray, no matter how much he looks like, and Munster fans wish him to be Mike Phillips, he's an appauling scrum-half, and will meet the same fate as O'Leary. i.e. coaches will suddenly admit to themselves that he's a horrible player, and he'll fall from first choice international (and Lions!!!!) scrum half, to out of his club team altogether, and replaced by a new young pretender.

All in all though, things looking up for Munster. If I was a fan, I would be concerned with the lack of home grown talent still. Also, O'Mahony is a good player, but not even within an asses roar of where people think he is, but the usual hype and expert coaching in Irish camp and presumably Lions if deccie gets the nod, will try their best to bring him to the level they build him up to be....worked, in some respects, with Earls.

phog · 10-02-2012 10:05PM

ed7890 wrote: »

Was Alan Cotter playing for Young Munster?

I didn't have a programme but I thinks he's a prop and if yes then I think it was him. They'll surely be a YM fan on here that can confirm it later.

irishbucsfan · 10-02-2012 10:07PM

In fairness, Munster's path to the final is not easy.

Ulster are in good form. And then they'll probably have to play Toulouse. Not exactly an easy path. Although I think Leinster will play weaker teams (unless Clermont get through) you'd still have to say they have the tougher path to the final. Then against Leinster are a better team. I would give both teams about the same chance of reaching the final. (Unless Clermont get through... Clerrmont in the Michelin in a H Cup Semi would be a pretty impossible task).

Although I really really really really am hoping for an all ireland H Cup final.

phog · 10-02-2012 10:14PM

This may have been posted on the Leinster thread but here goes

B&I Cup Semi-final Date Confirmed
10 February 2012, 2:38 pm
By The Editor

The B&I Cup semi-final between Leinster 'A' and Munster 'A' will take place at the RDS, Dublin on Good Friday, 6th April ko 6pm. Both sides will compete for a spot in the final which will be hosted in Ireland for the first time in the competition.

Munster will be hoping to win through to their second British & Irish Cup final, having lost to the Cornish Pirates in the inaugural final in 2010.

In the second semi-final, newcomers Cross Keys have made their first year in the competition a successful one, finishing top of Pool 2 and will face the Cornish Pirates.

The Pirates are the only team in the line-up to have won all four of their pool matches, securing their path to the semi-finals with a win over fellow RFU Championship contenders

I wonder will this get TV coverage, if not I might try and head up for it.

profitius · 10-02-2012 10:46PM

[Jackass] wrote: »

Munsters main problem is half-backs. Not far off (somehow) being a great team again. O'Gara still producing, but nowhere near the level he once was (bar kicking at goal), and Keatley is a shockingly poor replacement, his career has collapsed since moving to Munster imo, he's exposed as incapable of carrying a "big" team, whereas with Connacht, strong displays were almost taken in context of him carrying a "small team". Carr has experienced the same failure at Leinster, where he's a small fish in a big pond now, and thus struggles to stand out. And Murray, no matter how much he looks like, and Munster fans wish him to be Mike Phillips, he's an appauling scrum-half, and will meet the same fate as O'Leary. i.e. coaches will suddenly admit to themselves that he's a horrible player, and he'll fall from first choice international (and Lions!!!!) scrum half, to out of his club team altogether, and replaced by a new young pretender.

All in all though, things looking up for Munster. If I was a fan, I would be concerned with the lack of home grown talent still. Also, O'Mahony is a good player, but not even within an asses roar of where people think he is, but the usual hype and expert coaching in Irish camp and presumably Lions if deccie gets the nod, will try their best to bring him to the level they build him up to be....worked, in some respects, with Earls.

Big difference between TOL and Murray. Murray hasn't completed a season yet and people are writing him off! He has things he needs to work on but to call him an appauling scrum-half makes no sense.

As for POM, the hype came AFTER his performances. There wasn't too many people who knew much about him at the start of the season.

danthefan · 10-02-2012 11:18PM

profitius wrote: »

Big difference between TOL and Murray. Murray hasn't completed a season yet and people are writing him off! He has things he needs to work on but to call him an appauling scrum-half makes no sense.

As for POM, the hype came AFTER his performances. There wasn't too many people who knew much about him at the start of the season.

Indeed, as "appauling" isn't a word.

I think Murray is a servicable scrum half as it stands, not as good as the hype but not as bad as others would say. A team could certainly win the HEC with him at 9. Not sure he's made a huge improvement since he broke through though.

Flincher · 10-02-2012 11:49PM

danthefan wrote: »

Indeed, as "appauling" isn't a word.

I think Murray is a servicable scrum half as it stands, not as good as the hype but not as bad as others would say. A team could certainly win the HEC with him at 9. Not sure he's made a huge improvement since he broke through though.

I can't get my head around some of the stick he has been getting on here. From reading the match thread you'd get the impression we would have been better off starting Tom Tierney with no hands at 9. I didn't really buy the idea that bringing on Reddan would result in instantly quick ball, given how little protection Murray was given by the pack.

I thought he was ok, and the ratings on more neutral sites such as the BBC had him around the 6.5 or 7 out of 10 mark.

He's grand at HEC level, and finding his feet at international. It took Reddan long enough to hit any sort of height with Ireland, even though he was doing fairly well at Wasps.

Flincher · 10-02-2012 11:57PM

phog wrote: »

I didn't have a programme but I thinks he's a prop and if yes then I think it was him. They'll surely be a YM fan on here that can confirm it later.

Yes, Cotter started at loosehead.

irishbucsfan · 10-02-2012 11:58PM

Flincher wrote: »

danthefan wrote: »

Indeed, as "appauling" isn't a word.

I think Murray is a servicable scrum half as it stands, not as good as the hype but not as bad as others would say. A team could certainly win the HEC with him at 9. Not sure he's made a huge improvement since he broke through though.

I can't get my head around some of the stick he has been getting on here. From reading the match thread you'd get the impression we would have been better off starting Tom Tierney with no hands at 9. I didn't really buy the idea that bringing on Reddan would result in instantly quick ball, given how little protection Murray was given by the pack.

I thought he was ok, and the ratings on more neutral sites such as the BBC had him around the 6.5 or 7 out of 10 mark.

He's grand at HEC level, and finding his feet at international. It took Reddan long enough to hit any sort of height with Ireland, even though he was doing fairly well at Wasps.

I agree. He is a good player.

I would start Reddan. Reddan/Sexton.is a succesful partnership for Ireland (England, New Zealand, Australia performances) and has clearly produced the ONLY decent rugby from Ireland over the past 2 years.

However, there would certainly be merit to starting Murray/Sexton for a prolonged period to hopefully cultivate a similar partnership. That would of course be if we were rebuilding the entire team, which of course we aren't. I'm sure they'll flip flop on half backs again in future.

Murray will surely be a great option for Ireland for years. So long as he realises he's s scrum half at some point in the near future.

Flincher · 11-02-2012 12:15AM

irishbucsfan wrote: »

I agree. He is a good player.

I would start Reddan. Reddan/Sexton.is a succesful partnership for Ireland (England, New Zealand, Australia performances) and has clearly produced the ONLY decent rugby from Ireland over the past 2 years.

However, there would certainly be merit to starting Murray/Sexton for a prolonged period to hopefully cultivate a similar partnership. That would of course be if we were rebuilding the entire team, which of course we aren't. I'm sure they'll flip flop on half backs again in future.

Murray will surely be a great option for Ireland for years. So long as he realises he's s scrum half at some point in the near future.

Reddan/Sexton is the better combination, but I think we need to get Murray and Sexton on the same wavelength, and game time is the best way to do it.

If we were rebuilding the team, it would be the way to go, but like you said, we just can't figure out what Deccie is up to.

CatFromHue · 11-02-2012 01:23AM

phog wrote: »

Shannon lead 20 - 3 at one stage, YM got a penalty try late in the 1st half and never looked back though they made very hard work of getting the wining try at the 79th minutes.

They were superior in the scrum and had a great maul, as a result nearly every penalty they got they opted for lineouts and mauled from there then they decied to let it out and let Shannon turn over their ball.

I think YM were illegal in setting up the maul from the lineouts as the lifters were in front of the ball carrier as the formed the maul.

I wonder what would happen if Young Munster tried to use their backs...........!

Amazotheamazing · 11-02-2012 01:35AM

CatFromHue wrote: »

I wonder what would happen if Young Munster tried to use their backs...........!

Four horsemen would portend the end of days. There's a reason the red horse represents war.

phog · 11-02-2012 10:26AM

CatFromHue wrote: »

I wonder what would happen if Young Munster tried to use their backs...........!

actually, that's when Shannon seemed to have the upper hand when YM tries to speed the ball up. Luke O'De burned them twice with turnover ball and making huge yardage down the wing, I think one of these lead to Shannon's 2nd try. Every time they took the ball out of the maul they lost it when it was flung out wide.

CatFromHue · 12-02-2012 09:04PM

Munster full-back Jones makes successful return from injury

Felix Jones is back in contention for selection for Munster's upcoming RaboDirect Pro12 games after his return from serious injury.

The 23-year old has spent six months on the sidelines following ankle ligament damage to his right foot which he sustained during an Irish World Cup warm-up game with France at the Aviva Stadium.
The injury shattered the young full-back's chances of going to the World Cup and he is yet to make an appearance for Munster this season.

However, following his appearance for Shannon in their 20-3 defeat to Young Munster, the Dubliner will be hoping for inclusion in the Munster squad for their clash with Benetton Treviso on February 18.

The ex-Leinster youth collected his three Ireland caps after consistent performances for Munster last season as he ousted Paul Warwick from the number 15 shirt.

Jones' last appearance for Munster was in their Grand Final victory over Leinster last May and he will be hoping to continue his development after a frustrating period.

http://www.rabodirectpro12.com/news/12290.php

The game against Aironi being postponed was good news for Jones. He now has 5 games to get back up to speed before the Leinster Pro12 game. I say the Leinster game as this is usually the dress rehearsal before the HEC QF's.

Munster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread.

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