Munster 2019/20

[Bart S]

Carbery at Munster and Lowry at Ulster are seen as 2 talented players but neither can get a run of games as it is one injury after another.

Ross Byrne may even start as Sexton must still be a doubt given he won’t be fit for any games beforehand apparently.

D4 - the one who has really impressed me when I have seen him is Frawley. Looks like he is behind the 2 Byrne brothers as well as Sexton, who will want to keep playing until 45 and will still be Ireland’s first choice then, for the 10 minutes he appears each season before getting injured.

If Frawley wants some gametime please send him north.

[Dublin4]

Frawley should move north. In fact, I would advocate Leinster picking their best 25 players for next season to keep and then saying to Nucifora take the next ten to other provinces who need them.
There is simply a ridiculous amount of talent pouring out of the elite private schools in Leinster, one in particular. No point wasting them on the thirds.
Frawley actually is from Skerries in north Dublin and went to a public school which has a tradition in rugby.

[Aird]

Dublin 4 Fawley if from Skerries should feel right at home alongside the O’Connor brothers who have both seen their future at Ulster and who are getting plenty of first team Rugby.

[Shan]

Poor old Joey is cursed. I hope the next time we kindly take players off Leinster's hands they will actually play more than a handful of games. You get away with being injured at Leinster as they have three or four guys good enough for most positions. When the trading starts we need to ensure they have the durability to go with the talent.

[Shan]

As for this season Munster is ballixed. Will be pretty much out of Europe after this weekend and will be lucky to get as far as semi final in the Pro 14.

Not sure if JVG should be given another season.

[Bart S]

Ye would hope the Stand Up and Fight mantra for Munster would show this weekend as they need it. Injuries, poor performances, players/coaches being questioned and basically written off for Europe this season by many. If they go down with a whimper this weekend then the knives will really be out for JVG.

Carbery has been desperately unlucky with injuries. In true. ireland style the meedya perception of him as the long term future 10 seems to have grown the less he has played. Personally i haven’t seen enough either way to judge. It is telling though that Leinster saw him as a 15. We’ve seen attempts to shoehorn players into positions which they are not best suited to before (Earls to 13, Paddy Wallace to 10). It is a risk with Carbery.

[Shan]

The only thing I'll say Bart is that on the occasions where Carbery was fit he performed with great promise at 10 for Munster. I don't think the position is an issue but of course we couldn't judge that fully until he has had a significant run in the team.

[Shan]

I think the biggest concern for Munster is that our pack is not performing up to the levels we expect. We are extremely light in the second row. Billy Holland will never let you down but we need an international class partner for him and we don't have one. Jean Kleyn certainly is not even ECC class no matter what the IRFU may think. Back row is not doing it. Stander should improve matters but really concerned about POM. He has the look of a guy who is done but hopefully he can come back. Jack O'D will be a great player in the future. The rest are meh. That f-cking eejit Cloete has a lot of rugby ability but an even greater ability for utter idiocy. Every time he goes on the field it is a potential yellow. Botha, despite his size, never seems to manage to do it above Pro14 level.

[Shan]

I love being p1ssed. Now I think Munster will win. Not looking foward to waking up.

[for dog and ulcer]

I love being p1ssed. Now I think Munster will win. Not looking foward to waking up.

Not a great day for you today. Munster did ok for a while but finally ran out of steam. Scoreline flattered Racing 92 but Munster only ever looked like scraping through. There will be better days ahead but possibly not with the current coach.

[Shan]

Yeah afraid it turned out as I feared it would. Munster fared better than I expected in the first half but ya always knew that when they went behind there was no way back.

We have a number of average players as well as a probable issue with JVG. This season is now about ensuring we finish no lower than 3rd in our conference and getting some good game time for some of the younger brigade.

I'll say it now to get it out of the way - If Murray is the starting 9 in the 6N it is a selection based on past glories only. He was terrible again today. Anytime Racing exerted a little pressure his passing fell to pieces. His kicking was even worse even without pressure.

Haley is a hopeless case. He fooled me in a couple of games earlier in the season but my initial analysis was correct. Need to get Daly proper gametime as he looks decent.

Kleyn not up to it and backrow is a disaster area. I also remain unconvinced about Rory Scannell.

[ladyboy696969]

Giving JVG the hook is a lot easier now with Larkham and Rowntree in-situ. Munster would hardly skip a beat.

[Amiga500]

I also remain unconvinced about Rory Scannell.

Unconvinced? There isn't one part of his game that is convincing!

He's not a heavy runner.
He's not fleet footed.
He's not a great passer.
His kicking is too inconsistent to be good.
Average in every facet of the game.


I'm not sure de Allende is the answer - that is 2 heavy runners in him and Farrell, but not much wide distribution coming from 10 or 15 to compensate. I suppose it suits the old Munster mindset of give 'er to Halstead... but that was 15 years ago and I'm not sure that is enough in the modern game.

Maybe Larkham can weave some magic.

[Shan]

Ah here Amiga500 I have to work my up to it. I can't just start off saying someone is utterly useless unless it is a non rugby player like GVDH or his probable relative, Haley. For actual Munster men I have to start by claiming doubts and in about 6 months I'll be ready to say they should be shot....or at least replaced.

[solidarity]

A lesson to us all in honourable and gracious self-discipline, Shan.