The Province Formerly Known As Munster 2018-19

[blockhead]

Great news.

Ireland and Munster Rugby are delighted to confirm that Conor Murray signed an IRFU contract extension in early September which will see him play his rugby in Ireland up to at least the end of June 2022.

His injury is obviously not that bad so.

[paddyor]

As someone who does not enjoy or (edit: a bit harsh) follow GAA, I would not imagine that the Dublin dominance of the All Ireland is helping the Dublin centric narrative often espoused on here by our (exclusively) Munster compatriots.

We have advantages of... Lansdowne ... road network ... geography...team's feeder schools .... location... population... centrally contracted players...

Importantly though, I believe we have an ethos built on controllables like, planning for the future, respect, effort, team and method. Any given week Leinster put out a team built around a plan and the players selected are there because they are best suited to deliver to the plan. The skills have been practiced and the drills perfected.

And whilst I don't doubt that Munster have an appreciation of all of those things, I think they have come to that reality too late for where the game is currently at. They continue to rely on something extra, something you can't grasp but when it clicks on the pitch it's called passion, in preparation it's a "backs against the wall" mentality. It's like they are owed for the effort, not questioning the inputs and outputs to improve (across the organisation). The biggest problem with this is, that narrative is wholly embraced by the media and every swallow sighted is the return of summer, until it's not, it's a swallow that got lost from the flock and just happened to pass overhead, an anomaly.
The media is where Munster have excelled, the gra for Munster in print/on air is inescapable and it is a credit to them that they have monopolised the translation of loss into some kind of moral armoury for supporters and calls to action for the officials in the game, to protect Munster. Alas, they have become the faith healers of the devout, promising a cure without any real effort, psychic healers using slight of hand to extract chicken gizzards that look like tumours from that body of despair. Once cured of last weeks ailment the "backs against the wall" mentality is back, with a renewed passion.

The funny thing about that is they are convinced the media is biased against them down south(check the about part on threeredkings). Doesn't seem to register that they've done nothing since winning the league in 2011.

[deco]

Great news.

Ireland and Munster Rugby are delighted to confirm that Conor Murray signed an IRFU contract extension in early September which will see him play his rugby in Ireland up to at least the end of June 2022.

His injury is obviously not that bad so.

Super to see them signing an actual Munster man, like.

[tomthefan]

Neil Cronin looks to be fit again, I thought he was going to be out long term.

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/ ... -1.3657244

[tomthefan]

Great news.

Ireland and Munster Rugby are delighted to confirm that Conor Murray signed an IRFU contract extension in early September which will see him play his rugby in Ireland up to at least the end of June 2022.

His injury is obviously not that bad so.

Super to see them signing an actual Munster man, like.

It must have made you feel ill so, to see James Lowe playing on Saturday

[olaf the fat]

As someone who does not enjoy or (edit: a bit harsh) follow GAA, I would not imagine that the Dublin dominance of the All Ireland is helping the Dublin centric narrative often espoused on here by our (exclusively) Munster compatriots.

We have advantages of... Lansdowne ... road network ... geography...team's feeder schools .... location... population... centrally contracted players...

Importantly though, I believe we have an ethos built on controllables like, planning for the future, respect, effort, team and method. Any given week Leinster put out a team built around a plan and the players selected are there because they are best suited to deliver to the plan. The skills have been practiced and the drills perfected.

And whilst I don't doubt that Munster have an appreciation of all of those things, I think they have come to that reality too late for where the game is currently at. They continue to rely on something extra, something you can't grasp but when it clicks on the pitch it's called passion, in preparation it's a "backs against the wall" mentality. It's like they are owed for the effort, not questioning the inputs and outputs to improve (across the organisation). The biggest problem with this is, that narrative is wholly embraced by the media and every swallow sighted is the return of summer, until it's not, it's a swallow that got lost from the flock and just happened to pass overhead, an anomaly.
The media is where Munster have excelled, the gra for Munster in print/on air is inescapable and it is a credit to them that they have monopolised the translation of loss into some kind of moral armoury for supporters and calls to action for the officials in the game, to protect Munster. Alas, they have become the faith healers of the devout, promising a cure without any real effort, psychic healers using slight of hand to extract chicken gizzards that look like tumours from that body of despair. Once cured of last weeks ailment the "backs against the wall" mentality is back, with a renewed passion.

The funny thing about that is they are convinced the media is biased against them down south(check the about part on threeredkings). Doesn't seem to register that they've done nothing since winning the league in 2011.

Good post by Peg Leg.
Just a point on the Dublin GAA thing (from one who does love GAA - in a non Dublin setting!). If you change Dublin GAA to Dublin football - then mention hurling , it proves that point that its not just the usual location, population, funding etc that leads to excellence.

Dublin structures got the funding and improved the state of the games county wide - but real All Ireland dominance did not come until they adopted a more professional and process driven management team for their senior footballers. If it were as simple of the capital winning because its the biggest then Kerry would not have won the last 5 minor All Irelands.

Munster relying on being downtrodden and fighting against the powers that be/media just does ring true when put up to any inspection. They have passion, salt of the earth hero's, a great history, are always the good guys - what they just dont realise is that thats how every other team see themselves. It does not set you apart, it makes you the norm.

That being said - they are a bloody good team, we are just better!

[jimbobjoe]

It must have made you feel ill so, to see James Lowe playing on Saturday

I don't think anyone is too bothered to see any of Leinsters seven players (of 44), who aren't from the province, play. How do you feel about Munster's 18 non-Munster players (of 49) taking the spots of the brave and faithful? That's not including the two south African lads in the academy.

[Flash Gordon]

As someone who does not enjoy or (edit: a bit harsh) follow GAA, I would not imagine that the Dublin dominance of the All Ireland is helping the Dublin centric narrative often espoused on here by our (exclusively) Munster compatriots.

We have advantages of... Lansdowne ... road network ... geography...team's feeder schools .... location... population... centrally contracted players...

Importantly though, I believe we have an ethos built on controllables like, planning for the future, respect, effort, team and method. Any given week Leinster put out a team built around a plan and the players selected are there because they are best suited to deliver to the plan. The skills have been practiced and the drills perfected.

And whilst I don't doubt that Munster have an appreciation of all of those things, I think they have come to that reality too late for where the game is currently at. They continue to rely on something extra, something you can't grasp but when it clicks on the pitch it's called passion, in preparation it's a "backs against the wall" mentality. It's like they are owed for the effort, not questioning the inputs and outputs to improve (across the organisation). The biggest problem with this is, that narrative is wholly embraced by the media and every swallow sighted is the return of summer, until it's not, it's a swallow that got lost from the flock and just happened to pass overhead, an anomaly.
The media is where Munster have excelled, the gra for Munster in print/on air is inescapable and it is a credit to them that they have monopolised the translation of loss into some kind of moral armoury for supporters and calls to action for the officials in the game, to protect Munster. Alas, they have become the faith healers of the devout, promising a cure without any real effort, psychic healers using slight of hand to extract chicken gizzards that look like tumours from that body of despair. Once cured of last weeks ailment the "backs against the wall" mentality is back, with a renewed passion.

The funny thing about that is they are convinced the media is biased against them down south(check the about part on threeredkings). Doesn't seem to register that they've done nothing since winning the league in 2011.

Not universally true but there are a section of their support base who think everyone is against them. The media, the refs - Joe doesn't pick their players because of a Leinster bias, I even saw a thread bitching about the fact one of the Ireland alternative jerseys was blue. Back in the day they referred to us as Ladyboys and in fairness our perennial choking made that hard to refute. However, the constant whining and bitching is like listening to a spoilt millenial teenager who won't take any responsibility for anything.

The reality is that passion and all that cr@p is not enough to win trophies in professional rugby in 2018. Fitness, strength & conditioning, technical ability, pace and size have become the core of the game. There is of course a place for mental strength but it is never enough in itself to carry a team to win trophies.

Leinster's success is no accident. We put in place a plan in the mid 2000's to develop kids through club minis to schools/clubs through to the academy with clear building blocks and excellent coaching. I remember when the mini team I coached played the Limerick teams, they always had 2 or 3 big lads who carried constantly. Meanwhile we were doing as directed and replacing players who didn't play to a developmental game plan - didn't pass, didn't run straight lines etc. Eventually the big lads get caught in size and technical ability wins. I saw the same thing as my kids went through JCT/SCT rugby. This is Munster's problem, they can't replicate that model for another 10 years (same goes for Ulster).

This with the overlay of their coaching from within policy and poor recruitment abroad has got them into trouble. So rather than Van Graan bitching about a ref who didn't give scrum penalties (and we all know the truth on that issue now) he should have been asking Felix Jones why a team with 70% territory couldn't break us down. He might also be asking himself whether Felix Jones, a guy with playing experience from only Munster and with no coaching experience whatsoever is the right guy to bring new ideas to the club.

High performing teams are honest and they challenge themselves, Munster fans that have played the game seem to get that. The ones that appeared in O'Connell St in 2008 less so.

[blockhead]

E800k/year is the rumoured wage for Murray. Nice if true.
Wonder who will get the first Million Euro deal?

[domhnallj]

E800k/year is the rumoured wage for Murray. Nice if true.
Wonder who will get the first Million Euro deal?

Furlong.

[Peg Leg]

E800k/year is the rumoured wage for Murray. Nice if true.
Wonder who will get the first Million Euro deal?

This doesn't tally with the massive reduction in sponsorships. Club game on the up and up.

[blockhead]

E800k/year is the rumoured wage for Murray. Nice if true.
Wonder who will get the first Million Euro deal?

This doesn't tally with the massive reduction in sponsorships. Club game on the up and up.

Well the IRFU did have an increase in turnover of about E9M from last year.

[blockhead]

For the first time the Chiefs have been working specifically towards the Munster game for weeks, rather than cruising into Europe merely looking to replicate what they do in the Premiership. “Our home pool game against Leinster last year was the big influence,” Baxter said. “I don’t want that to happen again. I think what we do will work in Europe; it’s just we have to do it really well.”

Guardian.

Ye be Warned!

[fourthirtythree]

They've been making serious noises for a while now. Plus they've rotated. As have other English teams.

Makes sense after the English teams and league were derided by the media last year. It fits in with exeters trajectory that they would seriously focus on Europe this year, and not hide the fact either.

[blockhead]

Tyler Bleyendaal will be on the bench for the A game. That's feckin great news for the lad.

[Oldschool]

There has been a bit of 'discussion' about POM's binding in the scrum.
It's more than possible, given his shoulder injuries and related operations, that he has difficulty with binding in a conventional manner.
As a result he may well have adapted his binding without any intention of gaining an advantage in the scrum.

[Oldschoolsocks]

There has been a bit of 'discussion' about POM's binding in the scrum.
It's more than possible, given his shoulder injuries and related operations, that he has difficulty with binding in a conventional manner.
As a result he may well have adapted his binding without any intention of gaining an advantage in the scrum.

Both shoulders?

Anyways, as it’s an illegal bind does it matter?

[tomthefan]

It must have made you feel ill so, to see James Lowe playing on Saturday

I don't think anyone is too bothered to see any of Leinsters seven players (of 44), who aren't from the province, play. How do you feel about Munster's 18 non-Munster players (of 49) taking the spots of the brave and faithful? That's not including the two south African lads in the academy.

Giving opportunity to players denied it in their own province or country.
It's something to celebrate. We're proud of those players, past and present.

[tomthefan]

There has been a bit of 'discussion' about POM's binding in the scrum.
It's more than possible, given his shoulder injuries and related operations, that he has difficulty with binding in a conventional manner.
As a result he may well have adapted his binding without any intention of gaining an advantage in the scrum.

Both shoulders?

Anyways, as it’s an illegal bind does it matter?

As far as I can see, POM's binding only seems to matter on this forum.
Here all the commentary is about that, elsewhere it's about the officials' calls in the match.
For example, GT came down pretty hard on the linesman who called the deliberate knock on.

[Peg Leg]

There has been a bit of 'discussion' about POM's binding in the scrum.
It's more than possible, given his shoulder injuries and related operations, that he has difficulty with binding in a conventional manner.
As a result he may well have adapted his binding without any intention of gaining an advantage in the scrum.

Both shoulders?

Anyways, as it’s an illegal bind does it matter?

As far as I can see, POM's binding only seems to matter on this forum.
Here all the commentary is about that, elsewhere it's about the officials' calls in the match.
For example, GT came down pretty hard on the linesman who called the deliberate knock on.

Y'see its the bits Gerry doesn't say that is the interesting news these days.