The Munster Rugby Thread 24/25

[Barry K O Bama]

I'll tell you this lads, the atmosphere in that Dexcom Stadium is second to none in my experience of Irish grounds. Probably down to the fact that the terraces were grossly oversold, but it felt like a proper cauldron when the Connacht fans got going. So handy for town too, we walked back to Eyre Square in around 10 minutes and then up to Tigh Neachtain for a scelp of pints.

I felt like a gobshite after around 35 minutes. I had been loudly cheering for Munster in amongst the Connacht fans, and I left my spot to get a beer before the crowds. This lad saw me and said "heading away already are you?".

I am now 100% convinced that Claymac will be gone at the end of the season.

Clayton will be aware that he's been caught in a cross fire between waring factions in MR.

It seems to me that there is a group with Flanagan, Cossie & Ors at odds with a group with Prendergast, some that resigned & Ors. I'd guess that the latter group has been leaking information to their contacts in the press (O Connor, Treacy & Thornley)

We had 2 separate issues in the recent debacle - (1) The controversy on RR's past and (2) The failure to follow due process in the appointment

It looks as if the resignations were due to (2) but O Connor & Treacy grabbed the opportunity to report on the two issues as one.

Details of the resignations were fed to the Journos (and Linehan) and Clayton was caught in the crossfire.

I'd guess that the IRFU pulled the plug on the RR appointment - they have form here (The Ulster player firings)

Clayton feels that he was shafted - that he will see whether he gets the backing to do his job and this will inform his decison.

It's reported that IRFU & MR want to retain Clayton - If so, they must communicate this to him (presumably already done) and then give him the coaching staff and players that he needs to turn around MR.

I'm told that heads will roll - we will have to wait and see.

I think that another factor will also inform Claytons decision - whether the players respond and get CC qualification.

 

[Barry K O Bama]

I was just checking there and while the Lions form in SA has been impressive (both home and away) they haven't won a game this season outside of SA. The closest they have come was a draw with the Ospreys in Wales.
There should be enough motivation there to get the job done but I think that'll be as good as it will get for the remainder of the season.
Missing out on a home QF (barring a huge upset between the Bulls and Treviso) is a big loss both in terms of progressing and financially.

Yes - The biggest certainty of next weeks results is Bulls to get 5 pts v Treviso.

Next is probably Leinster to win at home v Ospreys (but Leinster will field a 2nd string as they have the CC final coming up)

Fortunately, we play late on Sat and there are 3 key ties on Fri evening ( Cardiff v Stormers : Ulster v Glasgow : Edinburgh v Connacht )

Lions and us will know what's what. (Bulls play at 3pm on Sat)

Worst case scenario is that Cardiff, Ulster & Connacht all get 5 pts - then the Lions will need a result against us. If Connacht get 4 pts then the Lions don't need anything as they are 4 pts ahead with a much better pts diff.

Richie Murphy has a dilemma also - does he rest players v Glasgow due to the challenge final ?

We'll be watching, with interest, the team selections and the Fri results.

Our second half showing v Connacht offers some encouragement. If we can produce that, from the off, then we should get a win.

 

[Barry K O Bama]

It's odds on that the top 4 will be Glasgow, Stormers, Leinster & Bulls (not necessarily in that order) Lions could overtake Leinster but very unlikely.

With our depleted squad - I could not see us win a QF but we definitely need to avoid a trip to South Africa.

 

[Cormac]

Clayton will be aware that he's been caught in a cross fire between waring factions in MR.

It seems to me that there is a group with Flanagan, Cossie & Ors at odds with a group with Prendergast, some that resigned & Ors. I'd guess that the latter group has been leaking information to their contacts in the press (O Connor, Treacy & Thornley)

We had 2 separate issues in the recent debacle - (1) The controversy on RR's past and (2) The failure to follow due process in the appointment

It looks as if the resignations were due to (2) but O Connor & Treacy grabbed the opportunity to report on the two issues as one.

Details of the resignations were fed to the Journos (and Linehan) and Clayton was caught in the crossfire.

I'd guess that the IRFU pulled the plug on the RR appointment - they have form here (The Ulster player firings)

Clayton feels that he was shafted - that he will see whether he gets the backing to do his job and this will inform his decison.

It's reported that IRFU & MR want to retain Clayton - If so, they must communicate this to him (presumably already done) and then give him the coaching staff and players that he needs to turn around MR.

I'm told that heads will roll - we will have to wait and see.

I think that another factor will also inform Claytons decision - whether the players respond and get CC qualification.

If they don't give McMillan the backing and resources he needs to stay then we are royally f*cked because what half decent head coach in their right might would touch the MR job now with everything that has transpired over the last couple of months!
Poisoned chalice is such a cliché at this point but there is no better way to describe it.
If McMillan walks, I wouldn't be surprised if we ended up with Leamy as head coach.
Mossie will get his backs gig.
It'll be "jobs for the boys" central out of pure necessity as no one outside of the clique would touch it.

 

[Barry K O Bama]

If they don't give McMillan the backing and resources he needs to stay then we are royally f*cked because what half decent head coach in their right might would touch the MR job now with everything that has transpired over the last couple of months!
Poisoned chalice is such a cliché at this point but there is no better way to describe it.
If McMillan walks, I wouldn't be surprised if we ended up with Leamy as head coach.
Mossie will get his backs gig.
It'll be "jobs for the boys" central out of pure necessity as no one outside of the clique would touch it.

Yes - all the infighting and back stabbing will be doing the rounds.
Add in the terrible financial position and the poisonous Dublin Media, the Leinster/IRFU Clique, the Humphries Ulster bias, the two centre scenario and you would have to think that a lot of head coaches might decide to pass on the opportunity to coach Munster.

Saturday evenings game is huge - I think that if we fail to get CC then Clayton might walk - we could be on a downward spiral then.

You'd be fearful that 'a perfect storm' is brewing

 

[outdagap]

If they don't give McMillan the backing and resources he needs to stay then we are royally f*cked because what half decent head coach in their right might would touch the MR job now with everything that has transpired over the last couple of months!
Poisoned chalice is such a cliché at this point but there is no better way to describe it.
If McMillan walks, I wouldn't be surprised if we ended up with Leamy as head coach.
Mossie will get his backs gig.
It'll be "jobs for the boys" central out of pure necessity as no one outside of the clique would touch it.

Just worth mentioning that bar an absolute max of one, maybe two, McMillan knows what his playing squad would be next season.

The only positive is that getting a decent Randall replacement is possible, they shouldn't to fall back on Mossie as the replacement, and if that's who they end up with, it'll say a lot about the power within Munster....and that won't be McMillan.

 

[outdagap]

Yes - all the infighting and back stabbing will be doing the rounds.
Add in the terrible financial position and the poisonous Dublin Media, the Leinster/IRFU Clique, the Humphries Ulster bias, the two centre scenario and you would have to think that a lot of head coaches might decide to pass on the opportunity to coach Munster.

Saturday evenings game is huge - I think that if we fail to get CC then Clayton might walk - we could be on a downward spiral then.

You'd be fearful that 'a perfect storm' is brewing

And the blocking Limerick clique.

I would be more hopeful of a 'perfect storm' rather than fearful. I called it nearly 20 years ago, and it's coming to pass finally.

 

[thomàs anderson.]

Can ROG not just come back and clean house?

 

[How bad boy]

If McMillan walks, then i would question him as well as the IRFU/MB

What happened here is a media shit storm happened as a result of the appointment of an assistant coach, so they decided to recind the offer.

Appointments go wrong all the time in the corporate world, offers get withdrawn, budgets cut, etc. From the NZ press, it looks like Randle wasn't mad keen on coming over into a media shit show either.
Pain the arse, but these things happen.

It's a set back, there's plenty other attack coaches out there.

Unless someone has seriously pulled rank and made the decision on Randle against both McMillan and Randle's wishes, I would expect he stays on. Suspect the counter reaction from the outside to Randle not coming in is massively overblown.

 

[jeepers]

Bulls have confirmed that Abrahams is joining them. I don't think we came close to getting the most out of him. He's fast, but we very rarely got the ball in space to him, our attack is just so 1D.