The Province Formerly Known As Munster 2018-19

[ronk]

At least They built for the future with Hanrahan. Totally worth discarding Keatley.

[fourthirtythree]

There's a fair bit of chat on Twitter about how BT treated the Vunipola issue. I can see why people would disagree with him being given MOTM and think I agree. The optics just aren't good and I didn't think it was such a standout performance that he had to get it. I also think Healey always had it in mind to give it to him, seemed like he was making a point about it IMO. As Sinead O'Carroll said on Twitter, it gave him the chance to double down on his comments in the interview.

I can see both points of view on that one, but not the way they were treating the issue in general. It annoyed me that they were acting as if he had had a tough week because something terrible had happened him. That's bullshit tbf and they should have called out what he said and made a bigger deal of him being punished for it. I get that it's a tricky position to be in but they got the tone all wrong IMO.

I thought they made him look like a victim who shone through in adversity the way they talked which he isn’t.

It would have been more honest if instead of saying what a great guy he is they said he’s as thick as a plank, that way you could have some sympathy for him in that he is just thick and knows no better.

But he's not thick. Don't patronise him. He's a grown up man who knows what he is doing and he's a hero for Christian homophobes everywhere. Saracens also know what they are doing: the bare minimum in public. It's been a sh!t show of standard troll nopologies from the get go..

And munster went and raided our team for nothing as, just like last year, it wasn't the outhalf who was the losing of it, it was the pack. I hope Ketley feels somewhat vindicated. He was treated extremely unfairly. They can go shopping for another 5 outhalves and another 6 scrum halves and it won't make a blind bit of difference.

[Hippo]

Nice one 433, I'd agree with all of that!

[Dave Cahill]

Apparently the Munster media officer attempted to argue that it wasn't clear that the Munster jersey wearing Currabinny, Co. Cork man who entered the pitch to confront Vunipola was a munster supporter.

[domhnallj]

Apparently the Munster media officer attempted to argue that it wasn't clear that the Munster jersey wearing Currabinny, Co. Cork man who entered the pitch to confront Vunipola was a munster supporter.

Possibly pointed to his shoes and claimed it was a leinster plant.

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[Schumi]

Apparently the Munster media officer attempted to argue that it wasn't clear that the Munster jersey wearing Currabinny, Co. Cork man who entered the pitch to confront Vunipola was a munster supporter.

An easy mistake to make. How many people wearing Munster jerseys on that pitch were Munster men?

[deco]

Did anyone notice the lack of reporting of "Munsters" humiliation yesterday?

[Keith]

Anyone else worried that Munster will look straight to Leinster's squad now to try improve their powderpuff pack. Despite making a semi final, they have never looked as far away from winning a HC.

[tomthefan]

Did anyone notice the lack of reporting of "Munsters" humiliation yesterday?

Can't say I did Deco but then there could never be enough negative news about Munster for you.

[tomthefan]

Anyone else worried that Munster will look straight to Leinster's squad now to try improve their powderpuff pack. Despite making a semi final, they have never looked as far away from winning a HC.

You don't get to a Euro semi final three years in a row with a powderpuff pack

[tomthefan]

At least They built for the future with Hanrahan. Totally worth discarding Keatley.

Stupid comment in fairness

[TerenureJim]

Anyone else worried that Munster will look straight to Leinster's squad now to try improve their powderpuff pack. Despite making a semi final, they have never looked as far away from winning a HC.

You don't get to a Euro semi final three years in a row with a powderpuff pack

And yet.....

[sunshiner1]

Munster are 'rumoured to be in the market for a marquee backline signing.' Also Van Graan might be in the market for some 'short term signings'. You know some lad they can bring over on a 3 month contract and then extend for 2 years.

https://www.the42.ie/munster-signings-s ... 0-Apr2019/

Really wished that Munster trusted their youth more. Not all of them might be world beaters but parachuting in some Southern Hemisphere player in front is just stunting development.

[Twist]

Maybe its Zebo!

You're right about them not backing their young lads though. There's some very promising young players down there who've barely advanced at all this year


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[LeRouxIsPHat]

Folau might be cheap.

[ronk]

Munster are 'rumoured to be in the market for a marquee backline signing.' Also Van Graan might be in the market for some 'short term signings'. You know some lad they can bring over on a 3 month contract and then extend for 2 years.

https://www.the42.ie/munster-signings-s ... 0-Apr2019/

Really wished that Munster trusted their youth more. Not all of them might be world beaters but parachuting in some Southern Hemisphere player in front is just stunting development.

That article mostly says there won't be signings.

Disappointingly it's because they will stick with the same squad rather than occur to them that they could use young or academy players.

[blockhead]

Seriously, can anyone please explain what is the beef with this guy. He hates rugby, soccer, GAA(dubs anyway).
Is he just self promoting stephen jones type troll? Or is their something actually wrong with the guy, mental health issues or whatever?

Ewan MacKennaVerified account @EwanMacKenna
One last thing on Munster's bullshit. Remember the Gardai would intervene if someone sneezed during a penalty. Even Brazilian commentary talked about the roars during Saracens kicks yesterday. Give respect, but we will throw a massive tantrum when we are destroyed. Odious club.

Ewan MacKennaVerified account @EwanMacKenna
A lot of Munster fans (more than were at game tellingly) throwing out veiled defences of their behaviour as Vunipola is a cretin. Funny that when it comes to hiring dopers they were all about forgiveness of their fellow man. Hypocrits can be added to the list of prominent traits.

Ewan MacKennaVerified account @EwanMacKenna
The shoes! This being rugby country he was of course one of the 72,000 Munster fans in a half empty medium sized ground for a supposedly giant game that they got thumped in. The arswholery around Munster surmises more. "But Anthony, it's not a weekend in Bordeaux." #SUAF

[Oldschoolsocks]

Seriously, can anyone please explain what is the beef with this guy. He hates rugby, soccer, GAA(dubs anyway).
Is he just self promoting stephen jones type troll? Or is their something actually wrong with the guy, mental health issues or whatever?

Ewan MacKennaVerified account @EwanMacKenna
One last thing on Munster's bullshit. Remember the Gardai would intervene if someone sneezed during a penalty. Even Brazilian commentary talked about the roars during Saracens kicks yesterday. Give respect, but we will throw a massive tantrum when we are destroyed. Odious club.

Ewan MacKennaVerified account @EwanMacKenna
A lot of Munster fans (more than were at game tellingly) throwing out veiled defences of their behaviour as Vunipola is a cretin. Funny that when it comes to hiring dopers they were all about forgiveness of their fellow man. Hypocrits can be added to the list of prominent traits.

Ewan MacKennaVerified account @EwanMacKenna
The shoes! This being rugby country he was of course one of the 72,000 Munster fans in a half empty medium sized ground for a supposedly giant game that they got thumped in. The arswholery around Munster surmises more. "But Anthony, it's not a weekend in Bordeaux." #SUAF

Basically he’s a Wally

[hugonaut]

Munster are 'rumoured to be in the market for a marquee backline signing.' Also Van Graan might be in the market for some 'short term signings'. You know some lad they can bring over on a 3 month contract and then extend for 2 years.

https://www.the42.ie/munster-signings-s ... 0-Apr2019/

Really wished that Munster trusted their youth more. Not all of them might be world beaters but parachuting in some Southern Hemisphere player in front is just stunting development.

That article mostly says there won't be signings.

Disappointingly it's because they will stick with the same squad rather than occur to them that they could use young or academy players.

I think that they'll turn over 8 or so players from their senior squad and largely replace them from within [with the exception of Nick McCarthy]. When I say within, I mean current academy and development-contract players being promoted up one step. I also think that the number of players in their squad will drop by three [or maybe four].

They've 14 players in their senior squad who have played under 300 mins this season. A few of those are long-term injuries [Jack O'Donoghue, Liam O'Connor], but a significant proportion of them are players that van Graan inherited. He only took over the Munster job officially at the end of November 2017, i.e. 18 months ago, so there are players who were on two year deals at the time of his arrival that he has had a look at and decided to move on from - the likes of Ian Keatley, Dave O'Callaghan, Jaco Taute, James Hart, Stephen Fitzgerald etc. Not picking those players is part of van Graan organising his squad for next year.

If he does what I think he's going to do, van Graan will have a smaller, marginally younger squad with more Munster academy-produced players in it. Two more of their imports [Kleyn and Marshall] will become Irish-qualified, which opens up recruitment options for them; they will only have three NIQs on the books in Mathewson, Botha and Cloete, and only two after Christmas. These are all steps in the right direction for the province.

[ronk]

Ulster had 1 NIQ + 1 temp NIQ. There are no guanantees that Munster will be allowed fill their quota.

If van Graan was going to promote his young players, why would he not make hay out of it?