Munster Rugby 2021/2022 - Search for the Holy Grail

[enby]

You'd wonder why they are waiting so long to bring on Murray and De Allende

[Laighin Break]

Similarly to Glasgow's first try yesterday, Munster's came from a terrible penalty decision against Ospreys called by the TMO.

[Barry]

Ó Mahony not mouthing at the ref as much as usual. Think he's intimidated by having a female ref!!

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[cormac]

This may be worse than our performance in Newport

[ronk]

Turning into farce.

[enby]

Dire match won by the less dire team. Just as Carty gave Farrell something to think about in the earlier so too did Casey, who should not be near the Irish squad. Fair dues to Stringer, he isn't holding back

[cormac]

zero line breaks from Munster

[Blue not red blood]

Dire match won by the less dire team. Just as Carty gave Farrell something to think about in the earlier so too did Casey, who should not be near the Irish squad. Fair dues to Stringer, he isn't holding back

What did he say
Was watching on Premier as opposed to Munster tv

[Oldschool]

Dire match won by the less dire team. Just as Carty gave Farrell something to think about in the earlier so too did Casey, who should not be near the Irish squad. Fair dues to Stringer, he isn't holding back

What did he say
Was watching on Premier as opposed to Munster tv

Let me guess you don't watch the games on TbaG either.
Shame on you says the leopard as he changes his spots.

[munster#1]

Clearly that was Munster holding back not only all of their best plays, but all of their plays.

My kids often play the floor is lava, and today it looked like Munster were playing the ball is lava.

The only positives I can take from that was that when we did actually win the ball, Casey was very good, and Crowley had a very good first half.

[Oldschool]

Dire match won by the less dire team. Just as Carty gave Farrell something to think about in the earlier so too did Casey, who should not be near the Irish squad. Fair dues to Stringer, he isn't holding back

What did he say
Was watching on Premier as opposed to Munster tv

EOS had a new one.
All duck and no dinner.
It must be something he heard from Andy Friend or he's been in Oz recently. A menu with only one option.
Meaning they kept doing the same thing over and over.

[riocard911]

Ó Mahony not mouthing at the ref as much as usual. Think he's intimidated by having a female ref!!

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Perhaps. But maybe it was her not taking any of his cr@p. She laughed in his face, when he tried to question her disallowing the Munster try off a line-out maul after the video footage revealed to the world and his brother that John Ryan was ahead of the ball carrier Tadhg Beirne at the formation of said maul. All went downhill for Munster after that.....

[ronk]

Ospreys were smart. Kicked points and chipped away, played territory and tried to limit Munsters platform, especially their rolling maul.

[Ruckedtobits]

Interesting to look at the rugby intelligence in the Ospreys backroom. Toby Booth is nominally the Head Coach, Mike Ruddock is Development Director, Duncan Jones is one of the First Team coaches, Brock James is attack Coach and James Hook is one of the Skills Coaches as is Andrew Bishop.

This is a high quality group of diverse experiences and a lot of winning culture. Not surprised at their victory or the manner in which they depowered and picked Munster apart, particularly missing at least five very experienced starters who were with the Welsh Squad. If they continue on this path they will emerge as contenders by the end of the next sector of the competition.

[Oldschool]

Interesting to look at the rugby intelligence in the Ospreys backroom. Toby Booth is nominally the Head Coach, Mike Ruddock is Development Director, Duncan Jones is one of the First Team coaches, Brock James is attack Coach and James Hook is one of the Skills Coaches as is Andrew Bishop.

This is a high quality group of diverse experiences and a lot of winning culture. Not surprised at their victory or the manner in which they depowered and picked Munster apart, particularly missing at least five very experienced starters who were with the Welsh Squad. If they continue on this path they will emerge as contenders by the end of the next sector of the competition.

Good post.
All the provinces have been up and down so far this season but the top three have been beating all comers.
Perhaps a bit of complacency has set in down south.

[ronk]

Interesting post. I hadn't noticed the extent to which they'd changed.

I've posted before about how important investing in coaching is and it seems that they've done that in spades.

Another thing we've seen proof of is that URC opposition are actually much better teams when they get a bit of belief. Benetton won the Rainbow Cup, Connacht had a big win against Ulster, Dragons scare Leinster, Ospreys beat Munster with their Lions. When they get a realistic chance of winning they suddenly look much better.

[Dexter]

Ospreys were smart. Kicked points and chipped away, played territory and tried to limit Munsters platform, especially their rolling maul.

It was interesting to see the Welsh punditry on Munster, they were pretty dispariging about Munsters style of play in general. Jamie Roberts: "You know what Munster are going to do. They basically bore you to death". They recognized that Ospreys just played a pragmatic, boring, game without worrying about scoring tries, avoiding pens as much as possible.
Totally different punditry than you would have seen on Irish tv.

[dropkick]

Don't give munster a chance to use their maul and you're half way to winning. The ospreys were streetwise alright and frustrated munster and when you frustrate a team the errors start flowing.


It wasn't all bad. Hodnett returned which was a welcome sight. Crowley had a cracking match. Just played 63 min in total before yesterday. Hit a cracking 50/22 early on and looked very comfortable despite those around him not playing well. Defensively put in a few good hits and showed his footwork once.


I'm far happier losing to that Ospreys when playing poorly than beating a very weak Ospreys 60 - 0. The league is better this season with teams able to field stronger squads overall. You're not going to learn anything by mauling weak sides to death. Everyone has to raise their game and that includes coaches. Looks like Leo Cullen has learned that lesson too.

[riocard911]

One of the defensive hits Crowley put in was on the Munster line, when the Ospreys were threatening to crash over from one metre out. He was the best Munster player on the pitch yesterday, IMO. His 50-22 kick was sublime.

[hugonaut]

Crowley has a hell of a lot of talent. He didn't have much to do with Munster losing that game, despite his name being on the tin.

I think that centre combination of Goggin and Coombes is not good. Not good at all. Coombes is a winger and Goggin is a player who I just don't rate. Never have. All I see are the holes in his skillset, and I'm surprised that he still sees so much gametime for Munster.

I don't understand why van Graan doesn't pick Shane Daly at No13, his preferred position ... especially when he picks Liam Coombes, a winger, at centre. I thought that picking Earls at No13 ahead of Daly previously was another odd decision. Earlsie is a small, 34-year old wing. What's the thinking behind moving him inside a slot?

Just pick Scannell and Daly in the centre together.