The Official Munster Rugby Thread™

[How bad boy]

Yerrah yeahhhhhhhhh. La Rochelle famously play shit rugby and get by on pashun.

It's like saying attitude got real Madrid the CL this year, and they'd be Stoke in the Sun otherwise

Not really.

They are, of course a big, skilled team.

But their attitude was probably what won the day, they were determined not to give an inch in the rucks and threw absolutely everything physically at Leinster.

Maybe your opinion is different but what I saw was a winner's attitude, they were going to go down swinging if they lost that.

Leinster, on the other hand, looked like they thought they were going to win due to their skills. They almost did but IMO lost because La Rochelle wanted it more.

And Munster, even in the glory years, never had a team of superstars. But if they were down by less than 5 points with 10 minutes to go, you might as well turn it off, they were going to win.

It was all down to attitude, they knew how to win come hell or high water

 

[Barry K O Bama]

Missed it, fortunately. Any news on Aherne’s injury?

Nothing yet

Hobbled off, looked like an ankle injury

Fingers crossed

 

[Meridian]

Nothing yet

Hobbled off, looked like an ankle injury

Fingers crossed

Not good but he has plenty of time now to recover.

 

[Handy Run]

HBB, I really hope you're not inferring that this Munster team are an attitude adjustment away from silverware???

 

[jeepers]

HBB, I really hope you're not inferring that this Munster team are an attitude adjustment away from silverware???

I doubt it. But they are certainly an attitude adjustment away from having beaten Ulster.

 

[How bad boy]

HBB, I really hope you're not inferring that this Munster team are an attitude adjustment away from silverware???

I'd say an attitude adjustment and a clean bill of health from an injury point of view could potentially have won them the URC this year.

That's not a ridiculous position, if they hadn't shat the course against Leinster 3rds, then they'd have been at home for the quarters and semi. That quarter would have been against an SA or Scottish team, much easier pickings.

After that, they'd probably have had to beat a full strength Leinster if they made the final but that's where attitude comes into it. Can always win a once off game

 

[nelly sham]

McHenry, French, Osborne, and Wren all confirmed as gone.

 

[Coogee]

Good riddance to Van Graan. He wont be missed and should have been shown the door in January when he announced the bath deal.

Larkham was very disappointing too but perhaps he was hamstrung by Van Grann and lets be honest we have a lot of dross in that backline too

There has been a big focs on Van Graan but i also think the players need to take a long hard look at themselves. Some of them are underperforming especially when it comes to the big games against Leinster/Ulster etc

We also have to be realistic and admit that alot of that squad are no where near the level required to compete for european or even URC success.

The likes of Scannell, O Byrne, archer, Ryan, F Wycherley in the pack are not up to that level. I'd reserve judgement for another season or two on the likes of J Wycherley, Barron, Knox, Aherne but they are showing good signs

Of the pack for next season only Kilcoyne, Kleyn, Beirne, POM, Hodnett, JOD & Kendellen are up to the level required and hopefully Snyman will be in the mix too.

Murray is septic at 9 and just needs to be dropped. Im not convinced that Casey is the messiah either but just give the guy a season to prove himself

10 is crucial and Carberry just isnt doing it but im not sure Ben Healy is the answer either. Maybe crowley could be the answer

Fekitoa and Farrell will be the centres and beyond that the options are limited. Goggin and Scannell are AIL standard. Maybe this new french guy who is irish qualified might be okay

back 3 isnt great either. Earls and Zebo best years are behind them and Daly isnt good enough. Haley is okay but again wouldn't get his game for the top 4 or 5 teams in Europe. Conway si the only outside back that will be playing international rugby

So all in all while i think there are some positives with young forwards unless they sign some beef for the front row and another centre/back 3 option i dont think we'll be doing much better next season

 

[Stacky]

Good riddance to Van Graan. He wont be missed and should have been shown the door in January when he announced the bath deal.

Larkham was very disappointing too but perhaps he was hamstrung by Van Grann and lets be honest we have a lot of dross in that backline too

There has been a big focs on Van Graan but i also think the players need to take a long hard look at themselves. Some of them are underperforming especially when it comes to the big games against Leinster/Ulster etc

We also have to be realistic and admit that alot of that squad are no where near the level required to compete for european or even URC success.

The likes of Scannell, O Byrne, archer, Ryan, F Wycherley in the pack are not up to that level. I'd reserve judgement for another season or two on the likes of J Wycherley, Barron, Knox, Aherne but they are showing good signs

Of the pack for next season only Kilcoyne, Kleyn, Beirne, POM, Hodnett, JOD & Kendellen are up to the level required and hopefully Snyman will be in the mix too.

Murray is septic at 9 and just needs to be dropped. Im not convinced that Casey is the messiah either but just give the guy a season to prove himself

10 is crucial and Carberry just isnt doing it but im not sure Ben Healy is the answer either. Maybe crowley could be the answer

Fekitoa and Farrell will be the centres and beyond that the options are limited. Goggin and Scannell are AIL standard. Maybe this new french guy who is irish qualified might be okay

back 3 isnt great either. Earls and Zebo best years are behind them and Daly isnt good enough. Haley is okay but again wouldn't get his game for the top 4 or 5 teams in Europe. Conway si the only outside back that will be playing international rugby

So all in all while i think there are some positives with young forwards unless they sign some beef for the front row and another centre/back 3 option i dont think we'll be doing much better next season

Niall Scannell should be no where near that squad but yes the players also need to stand up and get a reality check. Zebo has hardly played since his return and every time Carbery plays you are just waiting for him to be carried off injured and he is not even getting the backline going anyway while Murray is just phoning it in.

Aherne really needs to start to dominate next season as sometimes he just looks lost (Compare where Ryan was at the same age)

The front row is a serious concern for Munster and also for Ireland with limited options for replacement 15 months out from a world cup.

The I.R.F.U. need to get the finger out as Van Graan was offered another 2 years afaik.

 

[nelly sham]

Agree with all that, Coogee. Except for Haley, I thinks he’s been really good.

Larkham is heading to the Brumbies and I’m not sure they’re in a good place at all. I’m sure it will all come out in the wash but he had the backline playing some decent stuff early on, Daly and Goggin in particular looked different players. How the media just accepted the “oh the international players couldn’t adapt that style of play” 2 years in a row makes no sense.

Gallagher and Flannery gone now too.

Over 100 players out of work in England now too. Interesting times. Many ex Munster players laughing these cuts weren’t that extreme years ago.