The Munster Rugby Thread 24/25

[outdagap]

Is there any hope of that happening or is it locked in to Thomond?

I love Thomond but the late kick offs are a disaster. It's past midnight when you get home, and parking up there is a mess. I haven't been in around three seasons.

Well, I've been calling for PUC to be used ever since it was re-done, but thought the stranglehold the incompetent Limerick shower have on Munster Rugby would block it, and yet here we are with a CC game in December. It's a process I suppose, so i would remain hopeful, as it's free money for MR. Clearly the Argentina game was a sop to Limerick for moving the Gloucester game to Cork, and they still could only get 15,000.

 

[How bad boy]

Munster to play in Páirc Uí Chaoimh due to low first-round attendances in Thomond Park

CEO Ian Flanagan says 'there is a lot of rugby at that time of year', with many Munster supporters attending three internationals in Dublin in November

www.irishexaminer.com

I know there's a lot of folk here that really kick back against the fact that Limerick got Thomond, but it's great that Munster have access to PuC, and it's handy that it doesn't overlap massively with intercounty, besides from at the very end of the season.

The Argentina match was pretty well attended for what was definitely a second string side playing a reserve Argentina side, but I would assume they had planned on more...

 

[Cormac]

Well, I've been calling for PUC to be used ever since it was re-done, but thought the stranglehold the incompetent Limerick shower have on Munster Rugby would block it, and yet here we are with a CC game in December. It's a process I suppose, so i would remain hopeful, as it's free money for MR. Clearly the Argentina game was a sop to Limerick for moving the Gloucester game to Cork, and they still could only get 15,000.

I'm actually shocked at how much the Limerick attendances have dropped off over the last 10 years.
Like I know poor performances and results play a factor but back when they were deciding between Limerick and Cork as Munster's training base they were blue in the face proclaiming how Limerick was the "spiritual home" of Munster Rugby and other such shite yet now they can't even sell out a HC group game in December.
Struggling the sell tickets to a European cup game in Thomond!!
Imagine even suggesting such a thing 10/15 years ago!

Flanagan then suggesting that the attendances have dropped because rugby supporters in Limerick are choosing to spend their money supporting Ireland instead of Munster while not realising the inference such a statement has on the priorities of rugby supporters in Limerick.
Bit of a brain fart by him imo.

Personally I think that's bs though, personally I think they just had their heads turned by the bigger and better show that rolled into town and as the hurlers were racheting up AI wins, "supporters" realised there was more fun to be had following a winning team.

Yet despite the struggle to sell tickets in Limerick, you'll still meet Limerick based Munster supporters who are salty about a HC game being moved out of the "spiritual home" and down to Cork. They get annoyed at the suggestion of a Leinster game or a knock out game being relocated here.

It harks back to the Cork/Limerick divide which was very real within Munster back in the day. I remember Paul O'Connell mentioning it during the celebrations in Limerick after the 06 final, that the reception ROG and Strings got in Limerick was amazing with them being from Cork and all.
Seems laughable now but it's still very much alive with a certain generation of supporter it seems.

 

[Jukka]

The crowd in Thomond is as much Clare and Tipp as it is Limerick. Axel, Wood, Quinlan - Limerick rugby was always built on the back on Clare and Tipp players.

Cork people have just got sick shit of travelling up to Limerick. I wouldn't entertain the notion of trekking up there unless you're taking a proper knock out season defining match.

The watering down of the European Cup is a factor. The massive 3 home European games is a thing of the past, and now they're not much more important than most regular URC games. I don't think that's a bad thing actually, a stronger URC getting 10K or more in for each game makes for a much more sustainable model than hanging everything on a few European games.

There is a bit of a disconnect from Cork following the limerick base call. Despite Cork players dominating the squad, POM and Archer were the last of the lot who actually lived in Cork, everyone since has had to move up.

 

[How bad boy]

Munster to play in Páirc Uí Chaoimh due to low first-round attendances in Thomond Park

CEO Ian Flanagan says 'there is a lot of rugby at that time of year', with many Munster supporters attending three internationals in Dublin in November

www.irishexaminer.com

I know there's a lot of folk here that really kick back against the fact that Limerick got Thomond, but it's great that Munster have access to PuC, and it's handy that it doesn't overlap massively with intercounty, besides from at the very end of the season.

The Argentina match was pretty well attended for what was definitely a second string side playing a reserve Argentina side, but I would assume they had planned on more...


Anyway, interesting interview. He's fundamentally of the opinion that rugby is an iffy business financially. Comment on the pro game saying they've saved €2M on the pro team. (which shows...) and that the focus is actually on building the infrastructure to develop the next generation.

There's bits I'd definitely quibble with but it's a pretty good discussion of the business side of Munster

 

[How bad boy]

I'm actually shocked at how much the Limerick attendances have dropped off over the last 10 years.
Like I know poor performances and results play a factor but back when they were deciding between Limerick and Cork as Munster's training base they were blue in the face proclaiming how Limerick was the "spiritual home" of Munster Rugby and other such shite yet now they can't even sell out a HC group game in December.
Struggling the sell tickets to a European cup game in Thomond!!
Imagine even suggesting such a thing 10/15 years ago!

Flanagan then suggesting that the attendances have dropped because rugby supporters in Limerick are choosing to spend their money supporting Ireland instead of Munster while not realising the inference such a statement has on the priorities of rugby supporters in Limerick.
Bit of a brain fart by him imo.

I don't think that's quite what he said. I think it's the other way around actually, that if you're from Cork and have spent money supporting Ireland, then your willingness to travel to Limerick for the early European matches is limited.

 

[nelly sham]

Interesting chat from Murray and Kikcoyne about Snyman and how much of a positive impact he was at Munster.
Sounds like he didn't want to leave either when the time comes.

Awfully handy how the Kleyn situation and Snyman "having to leave" happened so quickly.

 

[deeptek]

Was at the Connacht and Cardiff game recently. For the Connacht game for 2 adults and 2 kids it was nearly 180quid for tickets alone, add in a few hotdogs, cup of coffee, transport etc and its not a cheap evening out. The Leinster game over Christmas will be my next one, but I couldnt afford to be doing that too regularly. Might be an idea to try sell cheaper tickets and fill the place rather than that type of cost. And yes I know about season tickets etc.
Munsters marketing of games is shocking too tbh and they used to be ok at it.

 

[Cork4life90]

Was at the Connacht and Cardiff game recently. For the Connacht game for 2 adults and 2 kids it was nearly 180quid for tickets alone, add in a few hotdogs, cup of coffee, transport etc and its not a cheap evening out. The Leinster game over Christmas will be my next one, but I couldnt afford to be doing that too regularly. Might be an idea to try sell cheaper tickets and fill the place rather than that type of cost. And yes I know about season tickets etc.
Munsters marketing of games is shocking too tbh and they used to be ok at it.

They must have been very good seats at that price. For the Munster Champions cup game in Cork in Dec it’s €70 for 2 adults and 2 kids - it is the terrraces though.

Agreed though, with the full family it is something once or twice a season at most, especially if trekking to Thomond.

 

[deeptek]

They must have been very good seats at that price. For the Munster Champions cup game in Cork in Dec it’s €70 for 2 adults and 2 kids - it is the terrraces though.

Agreed though, with the full family it is something once or twice a season at most, especially if trekking to Thomond.

They weren't really. They were west stand about half way up. Sitting beside a few assholes who thought they were special because they were season ticket holders...and decided to make the point over and over like we were in the wrong seats. We moved at half time.