Munster Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread.

Mafi leaving opens up an NIQ spot at least. I wonder who Munster will sign? They have Downey, Laulala, Earls and Barnes as centers for next season and Keatley can play 12 and 13 as well. Still seems a little light there though.

Awful to see Flannery gone!

As for TOL i think it's a good thing for Irish rugby. The fact that he was near the 6N squad on current form was an insult to the jersey and hopefully he can get his act together with LI. I'm not sure why LI want him though! Perpignan seemed to be put off by the gleeful smiles of Irish rugby fans when they had their bid in and I am surprised LI would want to pay such money for a 9 who cant/wont pass and box kicks so badly/inappropriately as TOL.

Fair play to TOL. Takes a brave man to take a step like this especially considering Munster offered him a contract.

Could be the (re)making of him. Wish him the best.

Im sorry to see both guys leaving. Fla was some player when fit and his darts have been missed for a while. I wish Tomas all the best and really hope he gets back to form. Really felt sorry for him last weekend it London.

Guys where is mafi off to? I seem to have missed this.

thomond2006 wrote: »

Mafi is rumoured to be replacing Mermoz at Perpignan.

So he's not gone yet then. Was just thinking during the 6 nations that earls looked far more competent at 13 when he didn't have mafi beside him. Mafi has done some good stuff for munster over the years he was been here but i always felt he was a disaster waiting to happen, a rush out of the line or swinging arm could happen at anytime

Flincher wrote: »

I think a lot of that is due to improvement on Earls' part. It'll be interesting to see how they link up over the next month.

I'm gutted to see Mafi go to be honest. He has been with us since 06, and never looked anything less than 100% committed, which is hardly something that can be said of all our imports. If we are not bringing in another NIQ, then we're losing out swapping him for Downey.

For all his flaws, both real and perceived (he's actually a fantastic passer of the ball, its the preference for contact that is a killer), he has been a great servant.

I can't remember a better performance by a centre in Thomond than his against the Ospreys in 2009.

He looked a more competent 9 in his recent cameo there, than either Williams or TOL consistently do.

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

Mafi isn't creative enough for a team with an outhalf who can't break.

Neither is Downey. Mafi likes the contact but at least he's able to vary his game. Downey can only run into defenders, I hope he doesn't limit our attack too much.


If Mafi goes, I wouldn't mind getting a NIQ scrum-half to be backup for Murray. Not happy with Williams benching for HC games and Stringer is nowhere near as good as he used to be. Of course it would seem like a waste of a spot only getting someone who is good enough to bench... but we need Murray to start and to develop.

Fishooks12 wrote: »

Downey is a far better ball carrier than Mafi

Yeah he's better but he's very predictable. If he gets the ball, it's 90% certain he'll run straight with the ball into the first tackler.

Fishooks12 wrote: »

Thing is at Raboo and HC level Downey gets over the gainline more often than not doing that

I'd rather that than Mafi

Will he do that playing outside a 10 who offers 0 running threat though? VEry easy to defend against in the middle of the park.

CatFromHue wrote: »

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Will he do that playing outside a 10 who offers 0 running threat though? VEry easy to defend against in the middle of the park.

If it fixes the defence it can be effective for the wider players. While Downey may or may not offer a Jason Robinson sidestepping threat or an Aaron Mauger passing game he is still a big unit that has to be stopped and so should in theory tie in one or two defenders. Or in theory slow down or stop a drift defence. Of course it depends on how you use him.

Not hard at all when you can ignore the threat inside him. The only issue is keying out the kicking game and that's not a massively difficult thing to do against OGara these days. You can easilly get your line up quick enough to negate the crash ball. And the problem with Downey is he offers nothing else.

I think we'll see a lot of skip ball out to Earls/Laulala and even more shortened lines with the 13 at 2nd receiver, which is something Northampton do when Downey gets his game.

Maybe Laulala/Earls might be an option as a center pairing as well?

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Not hard at all when you can ignore the threat inside him. The only issue is keying out the kicking game and that's not a massively difficult thing to do against OGara these days. You can easilly get your line up quick enough to negate the crash ball. And the problem with Downey is he offers nothing else.

I think we'll see a lot of skip ball out to Earls/Laulala and even more shortened lines with the 13 at 2nd receiver, which is something Northampton do when Downey gets his game.

Maybe Laulala/Earls might be an option as a center pairing as well?

Theoretically that sounds good, but has Laulala played much at 12? Could be weak defensively but in attack those are two players who will cause defences massive problems. And it would allow Zebo/LOD to start on the wing alongside Howlett.

Flincher wrote: »

I'm gutted to see Mafi go to be honest. He has been with us since 06, and never looked anything less than 100% committed, which is hardly something that can be said of all our imports. If we are not bringing in another NIQ, then we're losing out swapping him for Downey.

But the rules changed and from next season on you can only have 4+1 NIQs afaik. That is Botha, WDP, Lualua, and Howlett. Would you have Mafi ahead of one of those?

All Munster can sign is a project. TBH I'm really curious about what they are going to do there. I doubt they would be allowed another prop and thats the area where they are most stuck for IQ talent. All the backrowers being renewed means no point in another signing there, we all know the talent at lock in Munster so no need for a project there.

Maybe a SH, with Murray regularly being away on international duty, Stringers age and TOL's departure there is a genuine need there. At least to me since I honestly don't rate Williams.

While OH isn't a great situation Munster really need to show faith in Keatley in the short term. The back three is in a good position with Zebo and LOD coming through and Howlett staying for another year.

Could we see a project center. If there is no project 9 its quite possible I think. Downey and Lualua are both stop gap and Downey due to his age and Lualua won't stay for more than his two year contract due to new rules. Apart from those two its Earls and Barnes its squad players like Gleeson and Dineen in the center and youths like Hanrahan who could end up at 10.

So I think should Munster sign a project 9 or center might be the most likely positions, or maybe Borlase will be renewed.