URC 2022/23 - Other Sides

[Neill_M]

Tonight

Scarlets 7-42 Munster (0-5)
Zebre 19-24 Edinburgh (1-4)

[Columbo]

Just watched the scarlets - Munster game, good grief… we think we have problems??? Scarlets absolutely shocking, genuinely I think they could finish bottom this year - the thing is, Munster were actually pretty underwhelming, went out to 14-0 and then were just sloppy for half an hour, until Scarlets completely unravelled amid a flurry of subs in the final quarter. However good or bad Payne may have been for us, he has completely ended up in the gutter since he left…

Also interesting to watch Munster again, it’s easy to get taken up in the absolutely horrible vibes around Ulster at the minute and forget that actually Munster and Connacht are having pretty dire seasons. I have to say munsters run of form to the title last year always looked like a bit of an aberration - they had a weird second half of the season, where they were winning against the soft sides but not really convincing, then copped a couple of horrendous beatings to Glasgow at home and the sharks, and then out of nowhere went on the winning run in the URC. But this year they have been pretty mediocre, can count themselves lucky to have qualified for the knock outs in Europe and well behind us in the league. It’s just the fact that they scraped to qualify for the last 16, and the Irish rugby commentariat is dominated by Munster voices, that means a lot of heat is off them. But they’re really not a great side. The Munster over-weighting in the Irish pundit-ariat also leads to a huge amount of over-hyping of Mu steer players - prime example is Frisch, who is a genuinely awful player, but not a week goes by without Munster podcasters calling for an Ireland call up lol. The guy is about 10th in line at best.

All that said, they have more bottle than us, especially in Europe, and although I can’t see them getting anything in Northampton good luck to them!

[Columbo]

Just watched Connacht game, and despite the win (against 14 men, in fact 13 for a spell) they were absolutely terrible. Discipline, skills, decision-making all absolutely on the floor. Wilkins always got very good press, but this has been a tough season.

It’s actually quite impressive how good Ireland are given that 3 of the provinces are actually not in great shape at all this season.

[Neill_M]

Just watched Connacht game, and despite the win (against 14 men, in fact 13 for a spell) they were absolutely terrible. Discipline, skills, decision-making all absolutely on the floor. Wilkins always got very good press, but this has been a tough season.

It’s actually quite impressive how good Ireland are given that 3 of the provinces are actually not in great shape at all this season.

Yes Connacht were awful. Cardiff had a number of guys unavailable and Connacht were only missing a few + the numerical advantage they had.

[Neill_M]

Scarlets have sacked ex-Wales assistant Gareth Williams as defence coach following a disastrous start to the season.
Williams makes way as part of a shake-up of the Scarlets coaching team.
Assistant coach Jared Payne takes over the defence role and will share the attack job with head coach Dwayne Peel.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/68300309

[Jetstream]

Scarlets have sacked ex-Wales assistant Gareth Williams as defence coach following a disastrous start to the season.
Williams makes way as part of a shake-up of the Scarlets coaching team.
Assistant coach Jared Payne takes over the defence role and will share the attack job with head coach Dwayne Peel.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/68300309

Should we offer them Bell? I am sure there would be enough volunteers on this site to pay his fare.

[justinr73]

POM and CM have been offered contracts by Munster plus an IRFU top-up.

[Neill_M]

After an act of foul play by Cardiff Rugby player No 12 (Reynold Lee-Lo), referee Andrea Piardi showed the Player a Red Card in the 14th minute of the game under Law 9.13 – A player must not tackle an opponent early, late or dangerously. Dangerous tackling includes, but is not limited to, tackling or attempting to tackle an opponent above the line of the shoulders even if the tackle starts below the line of the shoulders.

In the Player’s responses to the Judicial Officer overseeing the disciplinary process (Mr. Achille Reali), he had accepted that he had committed an act of foul play which warranted a Red Card. Mr. Reali found that the incident met the Red Card threshold, with entry of mid-range warranting six weeks. The Player received an increase of one week for aggravating factors (previous offender of the same Law 9.13) and received three weeks mitigation due to his acceptance of guilt, immediate remorse and apology which will result in a four game suspension.

Fixtures Reynold Lee-Lo is unavailable for:

Cardiff Rugby v Leinster 2 March 2024, BKT URC
Newport v Cardiff 9 March 2024, Welsh Premiership
Glasgow Warriors v Cardiff Rugby 22 March 2024, BKT URC
Munster v Cardiff Rugby 30 March 2024, BKT URC

Need to close the discipline loop hole where you can use games which the player would never play in to soak up a ban.

[Jetstream]

POM and CM have been offered contracts by Munster plus an IRFU top-up.

Must be money in the IRFU purse. But I can't see them throwing anything but crumbs in our direction

[Columbo]

POM and CM have been offered contracts by Munster plus an IRFU top-up.

Must be money in the IRFU purse. But I can't see them throwing anything but crumbs in our direction

In fairness Hendy also got an IRFU top-up but the broader point stands, Ulster are nowhere near confrontational enough in fighting their corner. Munster are the original financial basket case in Ireland but constantly get bailed out in one way or another, dispensations in the past for medical jokers etc, all of the U20 games sited there etc. in fact you have to wonder if the IRFU are deliberately hiring patsies as Ulster CEO to give themselves an easy life.. certainly hard to imagine the case on merit for Logan and Petrie

[Neill_M]

The appointments for the United Rugby Championship fixtures in Round 11 have been confirmed and are available below.

FRIDAY, MARCH 1

Edinburgh Rugby v Ospreys
Hive Stadium, Edinburgh – KO 19.35 IRE & UK / 20.35 ITA / 21.35 SA
Referee: Chris Busby (IRFU, 37th league game)
AR 1: Rob McDowell (SRU) AR 2: Calum Worsley (SRU)
TMO: Calum Worsley (IRFU)

Munster v Zebre Parma
Virgin Media Park, Cork – KO 19.35 IRE & UK / 20.35 ITA / 21.35 SA
Referee: Adam Jones (WRU, 33rd league game)
AR 1: Andrew Brace (IRFU) AR 2: Sam Holt (IRFU)
TMO: Sean Brickell (WRU)

SATURDAY, MARCH 2

Emirates Lions v Hollywoodbets Sharks
Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg – KO 13.00 IRE & UK / 14.00 ITA / 15.00 SA
Referee: Aimee Barrett-Theron (SARU, 6th league game)
AR 1: Cwengile Jadezweni (SARU) AR 2: Christopher Allison (SARU)
TMO: Ben Crous (SARU)

Benetton v Glasgow Warriors
Stadio Monigo, Treviso – KO 15.00 IRE & UK / 16.00 ITA / 17.00 SA
Referee: Eoghan Cross (IRFU, 13th league game)
AR 1: Filippo Russo (FIR) AR 2: Alex Frasson (FIR)
TMO: Olly Hodges (IRFU)

Vodacom Bulls v DHL Stormers
Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria – KO 15.05 IRE & UK / 16.05 ITA / 17.05 SA
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen (SARU, 20th league game)
AR 1: Griffin Colby (SARU) AR 2: Sean Muller (SARU)
TMO: Marius Jonker (SARU)

Connacht v Scarlets
Dexcom Stadium, Galway – KO 17.05 IRE & UK / 18.05 ITA / 19.05 SA
Referee: Federico Vedovelli (FIR, 6th league game)
AR 1: Andrew Cole (IRFU) AR 2: Paul Haycock (IRFU)
TMO: Stefano Roscini (FIR)

Cardiff Rugby v Leinster
Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff – KO 19.35 IRE & UK / 20.35 ITA / 21.35 SA
Referee: Mike Adamson (SRU, 77th league game)
AR 1: Ben Whitehouse (WRU) AR 2: Ben Breakspear (WRU)
TMO: Dave Sutherland (SRU)

[Neill_M]

"Munster Rugby and the IRFU are pleased to announce that Academy trio Tony Butler, Ethan Coughlan and Mark Donnelly will be promoted to the senior squad in the summer.

We can also confirm that hooker Scott Buckley, who graduated from the Academy to the senior squad in 2022, has signed a contract extension.
Out-half Butler, scrum-half Coughlan (both 21) and 22-year-old prop Donnelly have all signed on for the next two seasons after impressing over their three years in the Academy.

As previously confirmed, Academy lock Edwin Edogbo (21), who also came up through the Munster Youths system with Cobh Pirates, will graduate from the Academy to the senior squad on a two-year deal next season.

Hooker Scott Buckley (23) has signed a one-year contract having made 25 appearances for Munster to date."

That is Munster well stocked at hooker for next season and the Grobbelaar rumours may just be rumours.

In other Munster related news, La Rochelle announced a lot of contract renewals AND Dillane wasn't one of them. He also been rumoured for next season, time will tell.

[justinr73]

JP talking about ins and outs, rumours about Ewers and AOC….

Come on Ultan, you know it makes sense!

[Neill_M]

JP talking about ins and outs, rumours about Ewers and AOC….

Come on Ultan, you know it makes sense!

Hadn't heard the AOC one, he is contracted till Summer 2025.

[justinr73]

Some talk of retirement but could be horlix.

Heard on the Left Wing pod that Munster probably had to write off a NIQ to keep POM and CM so likely the hooker.