Edinburgh v Munster

[An Tarbh]

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Munster prop Darragh Hurley makes his first start of the season alongside Brugnaut and Fogarty after Marcus Horan was injured in the Treviso match. Stephen Archer is on the bench after injuries to Tony Buckley and Dave Ryan as well as the suspension of John Hayes.

Doug Howlett is also ruled out with the hamstring injury he picked up at the weekend. Dowling and Earls start on the wings.

The only other changes sees Niall Ronan in for Alan Quinlan.

For Edinburgh Chris Paterson is back having missed the Ulster match with a viral infection. Ben Cairns is back at centre and Ali Hogg misses out with his place going to Scott Newlands.

Edinburgh: Chris Paterson, John Houston, Ben Cairns, Nick De Luca, Tim Visser; Phil Godman, Mike Blair (captain); Kyle Traynor, Ross Ford, Geoff Cross, Steve Turnbull, Scott MacLeod, Alan MacDonald, Roddy Grant, Scott Newlands.

Replacements: Andrew Kelly, Allan Jacobsen, Craig Hamilton, Allister Hogg, Greig Laidlaw, Andrew Turnbull, Steve Jones.

Munster: P Warwick; I Dowling, L Mafi, J de Villiers, K Earls; R O'Gara, T O'Leary; Darragh Hurley, D Fogarty, J Brugnaut; D O'Callaghan, P O'Connell (captain); N Ronan, D Wallace, D Leamy.

Replacements: D Varley, S Archer, M O'Driscoll, D Ryan, P Stringer, D Hurley, F Jones.

 

[MunsterMan]

McGahan obviously thinks our key players need game time, good to see such a strong side out for an away ML game on a Friday night.

Big day for Darragh Hurley obviously, but also for Niall Ronan. He wants that 7 jersey fulltime! Wallace, Ronan and Leamy is a nicely balanced back row, mobile, powerful, quick, good hands, good on the floor, should be too much for Edinburgh.

Archer on the bench is a promising one too, hope he sees some gametime

 

[shazbooger]

I have a sneaky suspicion Edinburgh might turn you over in this one. You looking a bit too fragile up front.

 

[munstermuffin]

Glad to see a strong team and happy Dowling in from start think i'd prefer him over Dougie at moment anyway.

Think it was always going to be strong team for this game and Ulster (revenge for last years result) after that it into camp for internationals.

Also I like front-row, it valuable experience for Hurley and Brugnaut impressed me alot last week and made major difference when he came on and boosted our scrum.

Also another game for Mafi/JDV to learn each-others habits

 

[MunsterMan]

I'm not worried about our pack Logo, the back 5 is as good as any at this level.

The front row is weaker, but I am still pretty confident. Fogs game is flawless apart from the Lineout, and Edinburgh do't have what it takes to disrupt him rifle-ing it at DOC all day. Darragh Hurley is a fantastic player who has been terribly unlucky with injuries, did well last week and hopefully can keep it up. Brugnaut hasn't been great for us but it is still early days, I have faith (there is that word again ) he will go on to be a good player.

This should be a Munster win.

 

[shazbooger]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MunsterMan @ Oct 22 2009, 11:09 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

I'm not worried about our pack Logo, the back 5 is as good as any at this level.[/b]

I dont know if thats true anymore. Leamy is a shadow of the player he was and both O'Connell and especially O'Callaghan have been out of sorts (early days of course). Add an entirely new front row into the mix and you look really really fragile.

You got hammered up front by Leinster, Northhampton and for a good 30-40 mins, Treviso! There are problems up front, and optimism wont make it go away.

Still you imagine every game they play they will improve.

 

[MunsterMan]

Let me be optimistic you *******!

Munster are yet to produce a properly good performance this year. I have a feeling it will be next weekend against Ulster, but the performance tonight will be an improvement on the shite we have offered so far this season. You are correct, I do think we will get better with every game we play, especially the forwards.

 

[shazbooger]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MunsterMan @ Oct 23 2009, 02:43 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Let me be optimistic you *******![/b]

Nahhh Optimism (when successful) breeds arrogance which leads to success.

No one wants a successful Munster anymore do they?

 

[An Tarbh]

given the lack of gametime for Ferris we need Leamy to step up to the mark, tonight would be a good start.

 

[An Tarbh]

Edinburgh 9-0 up at half time, can consider themselves very fortunate they didn't concede a try when it was 3-0 on 30 minutes, looked like Wallace got it down before he was turned but Grant made a great effort but the tmo got it wrong for me, hometown decision from him. Even still though, not sure why there wasn't a penalty for Munster after the tmo call as there was advantage played and none accrued.

 

[An Tarbh]

another strange one there, no question it wasn't a try but it certainly wasn't a 5m scrum to Edinburgh, should have been a 22 as the ball was out before Dowling knocked on. Ensuing scrum Edinburgh all over the place and Munster score off the lineout.

9-7 Munster 53 mins

 

[Jockstap]

O'Gara's having an awful game. Terrible game of Rugby really.

 

[Jockstap]

OK O'Gara off, lets see if Munster get any better.

 

[crispy]

Sounds like both sides were poor, but Edinburgh had Paterson to keep to scoreboard ticking over.

 

[AlisterLees]

Poor game, shame with another decent crowd at the game. After too many mistakes early on both sides played very safe. And still made too many mistakes! First game with excessive pingpong that I've seen Edinburgh play in and hopefully the last for at least a wee while.

Think the card could have done with a couple of cards to open it up a bit; both teams seemed to get repeatedly penalised for certain offences (Edinburgh for scrummaging in first half and Munster for offences at the breakdown) without ever the ref having a word.

Predicted an away win so will take the result and live with the performance

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

Congrats to Edinburgh. Might not have been a classic, but at least Munster lost another game.

 

[munstermuffin]

What a poor game ....
Think Warwick deserves a run of few games at 10 as that'll benefit him and ROG will realize he not up to standard required at moment.

I can accept the loss as Edinburgh kicked well with Patterson just hope it a matter of us peaking at end of season when it is required.

It set up nicely for us going poorly but we do need to improve.