Munster v Ulster

[An Tarbh]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (SportingNonsense @ Jan 3 2009, 10:12 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Wow - I would never have expected such a comprehensive victory for Ulster. Great news for the Ospreys [/b]

well the last team I'd want to be facing after taking a defeat like that is Munster and despite it being in Swansea I still don't envy them the task

 

[SportingNonsense]

Should make for a great game on Friday then

 

[MunsterMan]

That was sickening. Playing an expansive game all the time doesn't work. Very impressed with the Ulster midfield. It looked like Tipoki was brought back early to keep them in check, but they were too good.

Cave and Wallace are on course for nailing down the Irish 12 and 13 jerseys. It looks like Humphreys Vs Keatley for 2nd choice fly half(Or first choice depending on ROG's injury), but seeing as Keatley plays for Connacht he wont be in the squad, but Johnny Sexton will :huh:

I just don't see why Jennings is so highly rated, He has Sky to thank partially for all the hype when he played for Leicester, but he has never lived up to the hype in a blue Jersey.

 

[Sir Speedy]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (An Tarbh @ Jan 3 2009, 10:13 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (SportingNonsense @ Jan 3 2009, 10:12 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Wow - I would never have expected such a comprehensive victory for Ulster. Great news for the Ospreys [/b]

well the last team I'd want to be facing after taking a defeat like that is Munster and despite it being in Swansea I still don't envy them the task
[/b][/quote]
Saying that, when was the last time Munster put in an excellent performance? Sale away?
The ball's in their court, and has been for a while.

 

[Col]

Very impressed with Ferris? Whoever played 6 for Ulster, but their back line worked their socks off. I hope Munster play that badly when we visit.

 

[QLD]

Is this a huge upset? O'Rothlain will be happy.

 

[An Tarbh]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Dale @ Jan 4 2009, 03:29 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Is this a huge upset? O'Rothlain will be happy.[/b]

any side winning at Thomond Park regardless of the competition is a huge upset.

 

[An Tarbh]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MunsterMan @ Jan 4 2009, 01:04 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

That was sickening. Playing an expansive game all the time doesn't work. Very impressed with the Ulster midfield. It looked like Tipoki was brought back early to keep them in check, but they were too good.

Cave and Wallace are on course for nailing down the Irish 12 and 13 jerseys. It looks like Humphreys Vs Keatley for 2nd choice fly half(Or first choice depending on ROG's injury), but seeing as Keatley plays for Connacht he wont be in the squad, but Johnny Sexton will :huh:

I just don't see why Jennings is so highly rated, He has Sky to thank partially for all the hype when he played for Leicester, but he has never lived up to the hype in a blue Jersey.[/b]

Jennings was awesome for Leinster the season before he went to Leinster but obviously Kidney doesn't rate him as he was more than happy to drop him for a half fit Gleeson for the Leicester match. He's been excellent this season as well and bare in mind he has been injured on and off as well. Besides it's been proven time and time again that we need a proper openside and this season Jennings is the best of what we've got, Ronan and O'Brien are developping nicely but neither have the experience of Jennings

 

[durbutter]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (JohnBE @ Jan 3 2009, 09:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

As for Wallace I wouldn't pick him for ireland to start in a million years.. give me o'driscol, Fitzy, Earls, Darcy ahead of him in the centre anyday..[/b]

hmmmm, but he is in a fantastic vein of form and wasn't a slouch over the summer on tour. BOD is not playin great, D'Arcys only back so we'll have to see and for fitzy and earls i guess an argument could be made alright. but if saying that why not throw in Cave too?
There such a bias against poor Paddy i find (in Munster anyway)

 

[An Tarbh]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (noidsay @ Jan 4 2009, 01:09 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (JohnBE @ Jan 3 2009, 09:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

As for Wallace I wouldn't pick him for ireland to start in a million years.. give me o'driscol, Fitzy, Earls, Darcy ahead of him in the centre anyday..[/b]

hmmmm, but he is in a fantastic vein of form and wasn't a slouch over the summer on tour. BOD is not playin great, D'Arcys only back so we'll have to see and for fitzy and earls i guess an argument could be made alright. but if saying that why not throw in Cave too?
There such a bias against poor Paddy i find (in Munster anyway)
[/b][/quote]

I've been unconvinced previously against Wallace but he did do well during the Summer tour and could count himself a little unlucky not to be given a chance in the Autumn, I think he deserves a go in the Six Nations considering the form of the alternatives, the worrying thing for me is that I don't see Kidney making huge changes unfortunately.

 

[JohnBE]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (An Tarbh @ Jan 4 2009, 01:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (noidsay @ Jan 4 2009, 01:09 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (JohnBE @ Jan 3 2009, 09:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

As for Wallace I wouldn't pick him for ireland to start in a million years.. give me o'driscol, Fitzy, Earls, Darcy ahead of him in the centre anyday..[/b]

hmmmm, but he is in a fantastic vein of form and wasn't a slouch over the summer on tour. BOD is not playin great, D'Arcys only back so we'll have to see and for fitzy and earls i guess an argument could be made alright. but if saying that why not throw in Cave too?
There such a bias against poor Paddy i find (in Munster anyway)
[/b][/quote]

I've been unconvinced previously against Wallace but he did do well during the Summer tour and could count himself a little unlucky not to be given a chance in the Autumn, I think he deserves a go in the Six Nations considering the form of the alternatives, the worrying thing for me is that I don't see Kidney making huge changes unfortunately.
[/b][/quote]


I don't believe wallace has the international factor, however I think Humphreys does.. and I do hope that kidney will play humphreys in the 6 nations.. giving him atleast one start (Italy maybe?)

As good a fly half as O'Gara is , he's 31.. and it's not that he is past it.. but a long term replacement needs to be chosen.. and Humphrey's has 5 years on O'Gara.. just like O'Gara had 5 (ish) years on David Humphreys... funny isn't it?

heres an open question for you all based on yesterdays game:

Are O'Connell, O'Gara and Wallace really that fundemental to Munster's chances?

they can't seem to put a good performance in when those guys arn't all playing

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Tony McGahan should demand better out of Laurie Fisher or else tell his compatriot to ship out. Munster's lineout is a disaster while their scrum has disintegrated. While the ball carrying of the Munster tight five has improved and has lead to more space for the backrow and outside backs, the set pieces have been far below the standards expected of European champions. Unless they pull their fingers out of their asses, the season could fall apart. It looks as though they focused all their energy on peaking for the New Zealand game and have been flat since.

Having said all that, last night is about congratulating Ulster and to focus on Munster's lack of a performance would do the northern province a disservice. It was a great, great, great display by Ulster. Matt Williams has done a terrific job turning them around and rebuilding his own reputation as a top coach. They're a young side who'll only get better.

At the start of the season, I was delighted to see Darren Cave get a run in the centre. He seemed okay but a little sheepish before the November internationals but since that break he's been wonderful - confident with ball in hand, a solid defender (which was the main criticism levelled at him in the past) and always looking to attack space rather than blindly kick the ball or run into contact (are you watching Brian O'Driscoll?). Hopefully form is rewarded and he gets a call-up to the international team for the 6 Nations. A huge talent.

 

[JohnBE]

well we have to look at in context.. Munster don't really care about the magners league.. they didn't play a full team.. he's just mixing it around

Still I'd expect better and Ulster did play really really well

And yep I hope to see him get a run out (Cave).. in one game anyway

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (JohnBE @ Jan 4 2009, 05:44 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

well we have to look at in context.. Munster don't really care about the magners league.. they didn't play a full team.. he's just mixing it around[/b]

I disagree. Paul O'Connell was quoted as saying after the Heineken Cup victory in 2006 that for Munster to become a truly great team they need to be able to compete strongly in both the ML and HC. As far as I can recall, Ronan O'Gara echoed those sentiments recently. The 26,000 people who turned up at the game certainly cared about it. While the HC obviously takes precedence, the ML is a highly valued competition by those sides that compete in it.

If Munster lose, it's a handy excuse to say they "don't really care about the magners league". Every team rotates their squad, it's not a situation unique to Munster. It's not as though the guys brought in are mugs - Rua Tipoki makes the backline tick, Mick O'Driscoll, Freddie Pucciariello (sp?) and Donnacha Ryan are all internationals, Denis Hurley started the HC final last year, Keiran Lewis (also an international) is talented whereas Niall Ronan has been excellent this year. Ulster were also down first team players (Best, Caldwell, Del Fava, Pollock, Willis, Danielli and Cunningham were either injured or rested) yet they dealt with it better than Munster.

I hope this doesn't come across as Munster bashing for the sake of it. I hope they turn things around for the sake of the Irish international team. Fact is though that they're slumping at the moment (much like they did post-Christmas 2006 until the end of that season) and need to fix it quickly.

 

[shtove]

Uncomfortable for Munster, but I guess the best way to look at it is that two Irish teams have given them better beatings this season than any one else.

 

[MunsterMan]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (An Tarbh @ Jan 4 2009, 09:57 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

. Besides it's been proven time and time again that we need a proper openside and this season Jennings is the best of what we've got, Ronan and O'Brien are developping nicely but neither have the experience of Jennings[/b]

Wouldn't call Jennings or O'Brien "Proper" opensides to be honest, but I agree with you about trying something different at 7. 3 ball carriers in the back row does not work, So give Ferris (Or even Jonny O'Connor) a go at 7.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (JohnBE @ Jan 4 2009, 01:43 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Are O'Connell, O'Gara and Wallace really that fundemental to Munster's chances?[/b]

Of All the lads who weren't playing last night, I think Denis Leamy and Paul O'Connell were the most noticeably absent.

 

[An Tarbh]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (noidsay @ Jan 3 2009, 09:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

tolston lol[/b]

yeah so maybe he's not so useful, Tipoki is out for 4 weeks with a hamstring injury rather than a recurrence of his ligament injury