The UAFC

http://eamorugby.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08 ... e-has.html

31-7 loss to La Rochelle

SparkyClarky wrote:http://eamorugby.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08 ... e-has.html

31-7 loss to La Rochelle

Munster 3 London Irish 34 , some unhappy posters on the Red Army site.

Aird wrote:Munster 3 London Irish 34 , some unhappy posters on the Red Army site.

Lucky it is only some

Meaningless games but it will be interesting to see how their season pans out. They are still in transition and will be for the next few seasons.

A lot of Pro12 season predictions I've read have been putting Munster well down there. BelTel had them in 5th, while the worst I saw was 7th below Leinster, us, the Ospreys, Embra, Glasgie and the Scarlets

Bookies have them in the top 4 though, wouldn't go much on the preseason results either as Leinster are not exactly tearing up their opposition

Agree that Pre season is not exactly reliable but in this case I feel it may just be an indication of trouble ahead.
It will be interesting to see how their fan base stands up to a few dodgy results.

Munster have been putting out their second xv much the same as Ulster (esp. second row forwards and back-row ) the conclusion to drawn from their 3 games would appear to be that below their front line pack the cupboard is looking bare . Injuries and International call ups of their forwards could well be their undoing over the season but NO MUNSTER team should be taken lightly .

Munster since 2000 have had a solid pack which over the last two seasons has started to implode Hayes and Flannery from the front row M o'Driscoll from the second row Wallace from the back row all very influential players . Plus the fact that PoC has become injury prone as he gets older means the Munster fans have some hard days a head of them.

Let's see how their fanbase stays after this. They were beaten 10-34 at home by London Irish in a friendly with what I would call a semi-strong side out:

(15-9) Hurley, Howlett (c), Laulala, Downey, Murphy, Keatley, Williams (1-8) du Preez, Varley, Botha, Foley, Holland, O'Donnell, Dougall, Coughlan. Subs: Henry, Archer, Horan, Donnellan, Butler, Stringer, Dineen, Deasy, Scanlon.

No ihumph for Irish but Gaston was among the subs.

Ihumph injured has been for all pre season afaik

Excellent opening win for Munster. Especially in the second half they played some really good stuff. A good start to the season with lot of promise.


This is a post made back in April.

Shan wrote: Nice to see Shannon man Luke O'Dea continuing his great form. Potentially the best winger in the country.

Great to see Luke doing the business again last night. I think he could really come into his own this year if he is allowed to get good gametime. Far better player than Zebo in my opinion.


As I was one who was under-impressed by the signing of Downey I have to admit I was hugely encouraged by his efforts last night. Laulala looks top class and these two together could very well make an excellent centre pairing. We may have seen the end of Earls at 13, unless the IRFU demand he is played there. I wouldn't be surprised to see him at 15 now.

Even DOC played well and he usually doesn't awaken from his slumber until November so it is a very positive sign. Front row and back row did well enough although Varley still can't throw a ball straight.

Williams not great but improved as the game wore on and I think Keatley did well enough but has a fair way to go to show he can take on the mantle at 10.

Good graft & stuck with it after TV got his second. Thought it was getting
away from yez at that stage.

Was very surprised the Meds left Laulala on after his tackle in the 1st.
He was out cold for 30-40secs, complete Lala land! Meds should always
make the call in such cases and not go by the players "I'm all right".
Can never take a chance with head / injuries, the consequences are
always too much. Aka the sad case of school boy Ben Robinson.

Shan Downey may not be the most exciting centre in the world but he is sound and won't lose the script . Earls never was and in my estimation be a 13 . He's has pace but is too line hungry be a natural 13 and is too independent in defence -- he fails to act in tandem with his team mates. On the wing or at full back allows him the scope to to do what he is good at running at pace ball in hand.

I'll have wait to see if the game is available on I /Player

Watched part of the LEINSTER game the score line somewhat flatters the Scarlets who got away with plenty at the breakdown and made the most of Leinster's inability to hold on in the tackle. But the result and scoreline undermines the myth of the depth of talent in Leinster and puts out the warning signs that the Scarlets are for the moment the best side in Wales .

This was a pretty good performance from Munster, after a bad pre-season. Great to see Dougie Howlett back, he's such a class player - great percentage chip for Keatley's try. O'Dea's try was a peach too, Downey taking it up and LOD hitting a great line off him to skate through.. Interesting to see Sean Dougal - I thought he did pretty well, he was very present at the breakdown and got in some good positions, might prove to be a very good signing for them