2020/21 Guinness Pro 1?: Round 1

[collace]

Cracking game of rugby between Ulster and Benetton, particularly the first half. Both teams looking to run the ball and offload.

Defensively Ulster a bit shaky at times but not entirely unexpected with such an inexperienced 10, 12, 13 axis.

Highlight of the night - Ferris "Marty Moore has looked like he's enjoyed lockdown"

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Johann van Graan earlier this week:

"We believe that we have got a very good crop of youngsters coming through that will not only play in these games but perform in these games," said van Graan. "Because there is a big difference between being selected and actually performing in a big game."

Somebody like, I don't want to name-drop certain guys, but someone like John Hodnett will definitely come close to our starting European team, someone like Craig Casey, Ben Healy, Jack Crowley, and Jake Flannery.

"We've added to the squad with Roman Salanoa, Keynan Knox is a year further along the line, Matt Gallagher is with the team, someone like Liam Coombes performed on the weekend.

Craig Casey in the team only because Conor Murray is injured. Ben Healy on the bench because there's no more experienced option. No sign of John Hodnett, Jack Crowley, Jake Flannery, Roman Salanoa, Keynan Knox, Matt Gallagher or Liam Coombes in the 23.

There's a belief that the Munster coach has his favourites and won't deviate from them. This selection adds fuel to that particular fire.

 

[Al Bangor]

Cracking game of rugby between Ulster and Benetton, particularly the first half. Both teams looking to run the ball and offload.

Defensively Ulster a bit shaky at times but not entirely unexpected with such an inexperienced 10, 12, 13 axis.

Highlight of the night - Ferris "Marty Moore has looked like he's enjoyed lockdown"

I just watched the full replay and the first half was crazy good fun! Too bad that Benetton player was injured in the second half, it looked very serious. I hope he pulls through OK.

 

[Groundhog]

Genuinely a combined IQ of 5 in the Munster pack. Ref has been poor so far but O'Donoghues penalty was the most obvious and needless penalty to give away. Bit of on field leadership would be nice.

 

[Groundhog]

We will win absolutely nothing of note with Hanrahan at 10. He has been absolutely shocking today.

Edit: he's off. I don't like slating players, but it's been terrible watching. We again give away a pointless penalty. No captaincy in sight.

 

[Groundhog]

GET THE **** IN BEN HEALY YOU GINGER LITTLE SEX MONSTER. Absolute balls of steel. Great comeback.

 

[Groundhog]

I've calmed down a bit now. If any neutrals watched that I'm sorry. We should never have let Scarlet's score 27 points from the T. They had very little to offer in reality and were happy to let us kill ourselves. Our subs had great impact off the bench and just played direct rugby. Stringer said it best when he said we shouldn't have had to come back into this game. Van Graans game plan is still non apparent to me. We do not need to play hoof the ball crap rugby, we have the players in the squad.
I am absolutely delighted with that result, but there is serious work needed. Good performers were Healy for being a beautiful young man inside and out, with great hair and nice legs. Cronin was really good, scrummaged and tackled well. Wycherley was good bar his idiotic penalty. Coombes showed well when he came on. De Allende had some great moments for us and does great just to put the ball in two hands and fix guys. Casey was very mixed. The constant box kicking is not his game and he had a few poor ones. He has bags of ability though again and snipes well. Also had some great tackles.

 

[big ginger 8]

Connacht's back showing the forwards how to maul.

 

[Groundhog]

Absolutely cracking try from Connacht, they're playing extremely well. Aki is just ridiculous. He's the big kid who hit puberty earlier than everyone else at an under 12s game.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Saw this in the comments section of the42.ie report on the Munster game:

The legend of POM continues…. 0 carries , 0 meters , 0 defenders beaten , 0 turnovers won , 1 turnover conceded , 3 penalties conceded , 1 yellow card , 1 red card , 1 pass , 5 tackles

Having not seen the game, I can't accurately comment on how Peter O'Mahony played. If those stats are correct, it doesn't make for pretty reading.

 

[munstermuffin]

Johann van Graan earlier this week:

Craig Casey in the team only because Conor Murray is injured. Ben Healy on the bench because there's no more experienced option. No sign of John Hodnett, Jack Crowley, Jake Flannery, Roman Salanoa, Keynan Knox, Matt Gallagher or Liam Coombes in the 23.

There's a belief that the Munster coach has his favourites and won't deviate from them. This selection adds fuel to that particular fire.

Alot of this is false. Well documented before Conor got a slight injury Craig Casey was starting. John Hodnett was injured and also namechecked as serious chance of starting in Europe this year. Keynan Knox and Matt Gallagher were unavailable today for isolation reasons. Liam Coombes wasntin but Sweets back and Conway.

If you watched Munster you'd know Scannell was being selected to cover 10. Croqley also was unavailable due to isolation reasons.

Roman Salanoa will get chances

 

[munstermuffin]

GET THE **** IN BEN HEALY YOU GINGER LITTLE SEX MONSTER. Absolute balls of steel. Great comeback.

The Sherminator strikes back

 

[munstermuffin]

Saw this in the comments section of the42.ie report on the Munster game:

Having not seen the game, I can't accurately comment on how Peter O'Mahony played. If those stats are correct, it doesn't make for pretty reading.

Will call it straight. Pete was poor today and not a captain. CJ was more calmer.
Craig Casey was poor due to box kick isn't in his locker here. DAA and Farrell really stood today

 

[sugary tae]

Saw this in the comments section of the42.ie report on the Munster game:

Having not seen the game, I can't accurately comment on how Peter O'Mahony played. If those stats are correct, it doesn't make for pretty reading.

Alot of this is false. Well documented before Conor got a slight injury Craig Casey was starting. John Hodnett was injured and also namechecked as serious chance of starting in Europe this year. Keynan Knox and Matt Gallagher were unavailable today for isolation reasons. Liam Coombes wasntin but Sweets back and Conway.

If you watched Munster you'd know Scannell was being selected to cover 10. Croqley also was unavailable due to isolation reasons.

Roman Salanoa will get chances

what's the issue with hodnett muff. Guy seems to have the goods

actually think Casey will gain from a game like that.

 

[munstermuffin]

what's the issue with hodnett muff. Guy seems to have the goods

actually think Casey will gain from a game like that.

Hodnett has had issues with knee/hamstring but is on the mend. Seems to be a link between 2 and is being managed but will see alot of time.
He is a true 7. TOD, JOD and even POM can play 7 but aren't true 7s. Last true 7 I think we had was Dougall.

Craig will learn but I think he is not a box kicking 9. Got turned over running in to traffic but will learn 100%

 

[Tooting Carmen]

Brilliant performance by the Ospreys in such heavy rain. The big question remains: what happens when their internationals are gone? Because the shadow team is somewhere between Dragons and Zebre in quality. As for Scarlets, I didn't watch it, but to throw away such a big lead against 14-man Munster was appalling.

 

[Al Bangor]

Glasgow @ Connacht was a close game (28-24) and fun to watch, although it would have been better if the Warriors had won.

 

[Al Bangor]

I just watched the replay of Scarlets vs Munster. The Scarlets kicker Leigh Halfpenny was 9 out 9 and accounted for all of the Scarlets 27 points in the game. I've never seen that before in the four years I've been watching PRO14 rugby. Too bad it wasn't enough because Munster won it 30-27.