Munster Rugby 2021/2022 - Search for the Holy Grail

[sunshiner1]

by Dave Cahill

Brilliant interview piece with Keith Earls here

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/ ... r-disorder

+1 Highly recommended.

[munster#1]

Don't know about Larkham or not but I said it a year ago and I'll say it again: based on ability and need (i.e. other players available to us) Healy should be closer to the Irish squad than Casey.

We have plenty of good scrum halfs, at least three not from Leinster or Munster that are currently better than him, this is not the case with outhalfs and Healy. I'm sure JvG will be happy to keep him for the next while but I'd have him flying off to Portugal.

Why should one dictate the other.
Why should Casey’s inclusion mean that Healy is not picked and visa versa?

IMO Healy should have been involved in a lot more squads than he has to date, but my opinion is irrelevant in this.

Healy needs to make it impossible for Farrell to leave him out of the squad, he needs to put a string of performances together over the next few weeks and months.
If Healy can play at the same level he did on Sunday on a regular basis then he will be getting capped.

[dropkick]

Don't know about Larkham or not but I said it a year ago and I'll say it again: based on ability and need (i.e. other players available to us) Healy should be closer to the Irish squad than Casey.

We have plenty of good scrum halfs, at least three not from Leinster or Munster that are currently better than him, this is not the case with outhalfs and Healy. I'm sure JvG will be happy to keep him for the next while but I'd have him flying off to Portugal.

I don't think we see the best of Casey. He's mainly playing a game that doesn't match his strengths. If ireland want to play a fast passed game then Casey is a good option.


Doak is the player everyone is talking about but he is very similar to Murray and I bet many of the same people calling for Doaks inclusion want Murray out.


At least we have all these options now. It wasn't too long ago that scrum half was a problem area for ireland.

[fourthirtythree]

I wasn't really thinking of Doak who is, still, pretty much potential.

I do think that if you want an all action continuity game with a sniping scrum half who is, I believe, world class at offloading Marmion is your man.

Casey may be small but he's also slow. Antione Dupont is not the kind of ceiling he can realistically aim at unfortunately. I know that's the highest bar but I just don't see him in that kind of conversation.

[ronk]

The Ireland outhalf squad is Sexton and Carbery. They’ll play if fit. Carty is there as backup on the back of good form. There are experienced easy options in Burns and R Byrne. There’s an up and coming option who hasn’t played enough lately in Harry Byrne. Scrum half was different, there was Murray who is recognised as top level and a load of okay guys. Casey came in as a higher potential player.

Putting Healy in hurts him as he’ll miss Munster games. He’s a young player improving with game time and Munster don’t have the depth to lose him easily. It’s similar with Harry Byrne.

It’ll always be a bit harder for an outhalf playing in a team that plays the way Munster have been to break through. Summer tour becomes a different conversation.

[fourthirtythree]

I don't know if Casey has higher potential than Marmion or Cooney for example. I don't see it.

I think Healy has at very least a higher ceiling than Burns and R Byrne. Sexton and Carbery are both always injured. Not just Carbery, Sexton doesn't play too many games in a row and hasn't for a long time. And neither of the "experienced" options have really done well for Ireland. Unlike for example Marmion.

[blockhead]

IT
Munster and Irish tighthead prop John Ryan is set to join Wasps from next season onwards after agreeing a deal with the Premiership club. The 33-year-old Corkman has played 184 times for Munster, as well as winning 24 caps for Ireland, but is moving on after 11 seasons with his native province.
It is understood that in retaining Stephen Archer, Keynan Knox and Roman Salanoa, Munster had not offered Ryan a new contract.

[munster#1]

IT
Munster and Irish tighthead prop John Ryan is set to join Wasps from next season onwards after agreeing a deal with the Premiership club. The 33-year-old Corkman has played 184 times for Munster, as well as winning 24 caps for Ireland, but is moving on after 11 seasons with his native province.
It is understood that in retaining Stephen Archer, Keynan Knox and Roman Salanoa, Munster had not offered Ryan a new contract.

I will try my best not to contradict myself, as I run the risk of an attack from my pedantic follower.

I am very sorry to see Ryan leave, he has been a great servant to Munster for a long time, and has been one of those players that seems to always be available despite dealing with his own health issues.
I have had the privilege of meeting him on a couple of occasions at Munster matches when I’ve been with my kids.
I have a photo of himself and Cronin with my daughter hanging proudly on my wall.

Both of them were great, they went out of their way after a game to come over and chat with her and even pass a ball around.
That to a 6 year old Munster mad fan was amazing.

Whilst I am sorry to see him go, and I would have loved to see him see out his career with Munster, Munster do need an improvement at TH.
Both Archer and Ryan offer great stability in the scrum, to the stage where it is extremely rare to see the scrum under pressure when either play, however, I do think Munster need a more dynamic option if they want to really compete with the best.

[blockhead]

My Favourite John Ryan moment.
Skinned by Rory O'Loughlin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59CXhmwMStA
Hands on his head, oh dear.

[ronk]

I always liked Ryan. Not the most dynamic but he worked hard around the park, scrummaged hard and played clean. I especially appreciated the way he was able to move across from loosehead to tighthead and really help out Munster (and Ireland).

There's a good gap before the Heineken Cup resumes to work on developing his replacement and I hope Munster take full advantage.

For long term planning reasons it probably made sense to start the move earlier and he was fading in my opinion but I didn't think he was done. Glad he gets to continue in Wasps and should have a few years. There's always a market for a prop who can hold a scrum.

I'm a little bit unsure of the way Munster aggressively move on players as their international careers wind down, but that's maybe one for a different day.

[munster#1]

by Dave Cahill

Brilliant interview piece with Keith Earls here

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/ ... r-disorder

+1 Highly recommended.

I didn’t get a chance to read this until now.
That is one hell of an interview to give.

Earls deserve massive credit for not only going through what he has and is going through, but also for having the strength to speak publicly about it.

Reading interviews like this really puts a human side to issues like this, and to players.
Too often things are written about players online that take things way too far, without a thought given to the fact that said player or his family may be reading these comments.

Earls is one of my favorite players of all time, not just for his obvious abilities on the field, but also how he handles himself off of it.
I really hope we see him hit cap number 100 during the 6 nations, along with him closing the try scoring gap between himself and BOD.

[Ruckedtobits]

I always liked Ryan. Not the most dynamic but he worked hard around the park, scrummaged hard and played clean. I especially appreciated the way he was able to move across from loosehead to tighthead and really help out Munster (and Ireland).

There's a good gap before the Heineken Cup resumes to work on developing his replacement and I hope Munster take full advantage.

For long term planning reasons it probably made sense to start the move earlier and he was fading in my opinion but I didn't think he was done. Glad he gets to continue in Wasps and should have a few years. There's always a market for a prop who can hold a scrum.

I'm a little bit unsure of the way Munster aggressively move on players as their international careers wind down, but that's maybe one for a different day.

IMO, he was always a Class ahead of Archer as a THP. How the latter keeps getting contracted is a mystery to me. Stupid penalties, minimal carrying ability, and no lateral movement in defence, are three areas in which John Ryan out-performed him week after week. However, Wasps will be hard work.

[ronk]

I always liked Ryan. Not the most dynamic but he worked hard around the park, scrummaged hard and played clean. I especially appreciated the way he was able to move across from loosehead to tighthead and really help out Munster (and Ireland).

There's a good gap before the Heineken Cup resumes to work on developing his replacement and I hope Munster take full advantage.

For long term planning reasons it probably made sense to start the move earlier and he was fading in my opinion but I didn't think he was done. Glad he gets to continue in Wasps and should have a few years. There's always a market for a prop who can hold a scrum.

I'm a little bit unsure of the way Munster aggressively move on players as their international careers wind down, but that's maybe one for a different day.

IMO, he was always a Class ahead of Archer as a THP. How the latter keeps getting contracted is a mystery to me. Stupid penalties, minimal carrying ability, and no lateral movement in defence, are three areas in which John Ryan out-performed him week after week. However, Wasps will be hard work.

It's probably worth considering why Ryan got so many international caps and Archer didn't. Ryan is a stronger scrummager and has better discipline. Archer has improved to solid at scrum time and does some things well but he gives away so many bad penalties. Munster tolerate that, they celebrate it even but at international level you can't carry that and refs are tougher. There was a stage at the weekend where Archer really did some good work across multiple phases in defence bouncing back onto his feet and slowing down the ball. But then he went that bit further and fell right over the ball for no reason and stayed there way too long after he'd already slowed slow ball. He just can't help himself.

I don't know, some fans seen to think that's what unseen work is and they love him (and players who do the same) more for it. Against better teams (or ones who give a toss) that's 3 points, 3 points, 3 points. And he doesn't get you that back.

[riocard911]

by Dave Cahill

Brilliant interview piece with Keith Earls here

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/ ... r-disorder

+1 Highly recommended.

I didn’t get a chance to read this until now.
That is one hell of an interview to give.

Earls deserve massive credit for not only going through what he has and is going through, but also for having the strength to speak publicly about it.

Reading interviews like this really puts a human side to issues like this, and to players.
Too often things are written about players online that take things way too far, without a thought given to the fact that said player or his family may be reading these comments.

Earls is one of my favorite players of all time, not just for his obvious abilities on the field, but also how he handles himself off of it.
I really hope we see him hit cap number 100 during the 6 nations, along with him closing the try scoring gap between himself and BOD.

+1. I take my hat off to the guy - big time!!! Great interview - thanks for the link, Dave.

[mildlyinterested]

DOR - Kidney
HC - Rowntree
Forwards - Milton Haig
Backs/Attack - Mike Prendergast
Defense/Skills - Noel McNamara

[ronk]

DOR - Kidney
HC - Rowntree
Forwards - Milton Haig
Backs/Attack - Mike Prendergast
Defense/Skills - Noel McNamara

Is that confirmed, a rumour, a suggestion or a wind up?

[mildlyinterested]

a rumour.

[ronk]

DOR - Kidney
HC - Rowntree
Forwards - Milton Haig
Backs/Attack - Mike Prendergast
Defense/Skills - Noel McNamara

Recruiting 3 experienced coaches from overseas with existing contracts all of whom have experience at the job level already. Seems like a pricey way to get in a team.

[munster#1]

Rumours that Munster are also in contact with Holland, Wayne Smith and Tony Brown.

[dropkick]

I think Milton Haig was a half back in his playing days and currently in Japan with the team that finished second last season. It would seem a step down for him to move to munster as anything below a head coach.

Rumours that Munster are also in contact with Holland, Wayne Smith and Tony Brown.

Fantasy stuff I'm afraid.