Munster v Connacht

[MunsterMan]

Munster:

15. Felix Jones
14. Denis Hurley
13. Tom Gleeson
12. Jean de Villiers
11. Ian Dowling
10. Ronan O'Gara capt
9. Peter Stringer

1. Julien Brugnaut
2. Damian Varley
3. Tony Buckley
4. Mick O'Driscoll
5. Donnacha Ryan
6. Billy Holland
7. Niall Ronan
8. Nick Williams.

Replacements: Mike Sherry, Wian du Preez, James Coughlan, Tommy O'Donnell, Duncan Williams, Paul Warwick, Scott Deasy.

Connacht:

15. Gavin Duffy capt
14. Troy Nathan
13. Niva Ta'auso
12. Keith Matthews
11. Liam Bibo
10. Miah Nikora
9. Conor O'Loughlin

1. Brett Wilkinson
2. Adrian Flavin
3. Jamie Hagan
4. Michael Swift
5. Bernie Upton
6. Mike McComish
7. Johnny O'Connor
8. George Naoupu.

Replacements: Dermot Murphy, Ronan Loughney, Andrew Browne, Ray Ofisa, Ian Keatley, Kierran Campbell, Aidan Wynne.

 

[MunsterMan]

Not one bit happy with Bradley, after back to back wins over Worcester he rests Carr, Cronin, Keatley. Muldoon etc.

Instead of building momentum with a win over Munster in Thomond Park (which I'm confident would have happened if they had picked a full strength team against an understrength Munster the day after Christmas and a few days after an almighty **** up at Donncha O'Callaghan's wedding), they are going to get beaten by 25+ points if it is a dry day.

Good to see Donnacha Ryan, Damian Varley and Felix Jones start with Deasy on the bench though!

Big game for Ian Dowling, but a huge game for Nick Williams.

 

[feicarsinn]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MunsterMan @ Dec 24 2009, 04:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Connacht:

15. Gavin Duffy capt
14. Troy Nathan
13. Niva Ta'auso
12. Keith Matthews
11. Liam Bibo
10. Miah Nikora
9. Conor O'Loughlin

1. Brett Wilkinson
2. Adrian Flavin
3. Jamie Hagan
4. Michael Swift
5. Bernie Upton
6. Mike McComish
7. Johnny O'Connor
8. George Naoupu.

Replacements: Dermot Murphy, Ronan Loughney, Andrew Browne, Ray Ofisa, Ian Keatley, Kierran Campbell, Aidan Wynne.[/b]

AHHHHHHH MICHAEL BRADLEY YOU ABSOLUTE MORON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111!!!ONE!!!! Well that's that I guess. Munster by 1000.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Both teams are missing the bulk of their top players. No Warrick, Howlett, Earls, Mafi, O'Leary, Du Preez, Fogarty, Hayes, O'Connell, O'Callaghan, Quinlan or Wallace in addition to the injured Horan, Flannery and Leamy in the Munster team. Connacht are missing their holy trinity of Carr, Cronin and Keatley. Had Connacht picked a full strength team, they'd fancy their chances of getting something from this game given Munster's selections. As it is, Munster will win by 15 points or more.

For Munster, it's a big chance for Jones, Varley, Williams and Ronan to force their way into Heineken Cup reckoning. Have Mike Sherry, Duncan Williams and Scott Deasy made their Munster debut in a competitive game yet?

 

[MunsterMan]

Deasy has been on the bench a few times with no game time this season, after absolutely Carving it up from FB in preseason. Really think he could make an excellent 12, which is where he has been playing for the A's and for Con (I think). Not sure about the other two, Williams has been around for ages but is always injured so he might have.

Bradley really does need a slap for his selection alright, Imagine the boost a win in Thomond would have given Connacht?

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MunsterMan @ Dec 24 2009, 05:09 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Not sure about the other two, Williams has been around for ages but is always injured so he might have.[/b]

I first came across Williams when he was part of an excellent Ireland schools team. He and Rob Kearney were the two players on that team who I'd have put my mortgage on becoming international players. Hopefully he gets an injury free run and can live up to his early potential.

I'm intrigued by Deasy. He was cack for the Ireland u20 team as outhalf a couple of years ago. It would be a testament to the coaching he's received in the Munster academy and also to his own self belief if he reinvents himself in another position. Every time I read an AIL match report, his name crops up as one of Cork Con's star players. Good luck to him.

 

[munstermuffin]

Williams can be an excellent scrum-half although shoulder injury he suffered dented his progression.

As for Deasy he is going to be a serious back IF he lives up to potential.

As for game Saturday I kinda like Munster team and disappointed Connacht seem to surrender already but now I expect to go in freeze my ass off and see 2 teams in a christmas hang-over period.

But it is a massive chance for Munster to see if Ronan, Ryan or Williams will put hand up for back-row spot.
Also JDV and Dowling can make statements too.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (munstermuffin @ Dec 25 2009, 12:25 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

As for game Saturday I kinda like Munster team and disappointed Connacht seem to surrender already but now I expect to go in freeze my ass off and see 2 teams in a christmas hang-over period.[/b]

This is something I don't entirely understand. You like Munsters decision to rest their starting team yet when Connacht do the same, it's as though they're surrendering and Michael Bradley should be damned for doing so? I accept that Munster have greater strength in depth to account for squad rotation but I can't criticize Bradley for resting some of his big guns.

Connacht will probably lose this game but their home game on January 2nd against Leinster represents a huge opportunity to pick up a scalp. Jamie Heaslip has already let the cat out of the bag by stating that Leinster are giving their top players a week off after the Ulster game i.e. they won't travel to the Sportsground. By resting Keatley, Muldoon, Cronin and Carr now, those players will be fresh to take on a weakened Leinster team.

 

[munstermuffin]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (snoopy snoopy dog dog @ Dec 25 2009, 07:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (munstermuffin @ Dec 25 2009, 12:25 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

As for game Saturday I kinda like Munster team and disappointed Connacht seem to surrender already but now I expect to go in freeze my ass off and see 2 teams in a christmas hang-over period.[/b]

This is something I don't entirely understand. You like Munsters decision to rest their starting team yet when Connacht do the same, it's as though they're surrendering and Michael Bradley should be damned for doing so? I accept that Munster have greater strength in depth to account for squad rotation but I can't criticize Bradley for resting some of his big guns.

Connacht will probably lose this game but their home game on January 2nd against Leinster represents a huge opportunity to pick up a scalp. Jamie Heaslip has already let the cat out of the bag by stating that Leinster are giving their top players a week off after the Ulster game i.e. they won't travel to the Sportsground. By resting Keatley, Muldoon, Cronin and Carr now, those players will be fresh to take on a weakened Leinster team.
[/b][/quote]
That was my point Snoop at Magners level we can afford to leave players out and give players experience and game time but Connacht can't as they don't have the same strength and for once Connacht have got momentum rolling

 

[munross]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

and the hosts' late adventure was rewarded when de Villiers powered his way over the line on a 20-metre burst, shrugging off Duffy, Michael Swift and Liam Bibo along the way.

www.magnersleague.com

Sounds like JDV is starting to find his feet at Munster...2 games and two line-break tries.Anyone know a link to the highlights of this game?Would really like to see this try

 

[MunsterMan]

Duncan Williams looks the total package doesn't he? Big, Physical and a sweet, sweet pass, easily better than Stringer's or O'Leary's.

Hope Felix is OK

2 debuts for young playerd and 5 points on the board, job done

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MunsterMan @ Dec 27 2009, 01:51 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Duncan Williams looks the total package doesn't he? Big, Physical and a sweet, sweet pass, easily better than Stringer's or O'Leary's.

Hope Felix is OK

2 debuts for young playerd and 5 points on the board, job done [/b]

I thought Duncan Williams did okay in his 10 or so minutes. He tried to get involved and wasn't interested in merely shifting the ball on to Paul Warwick. Hopefully he'll get a few more opportunities throughout the remainder of the season. Ireland badly need another scrum half to come through. It's great to see Williams finally make his debut.

What did you make of Scott Deasy in his 40 minutes. One pick up inside his own 22 apart, he looked nervy. On the evidence I've seen thus far (in the u19 World Cup and yesterday), he doesn't look particularly impressive. Time will tell.

Tom Gleeson was very good. Nothing flash but performed everything he had to do more than competently.

From a Connacht perspective, can somebody enlighten me as to what exactly Troy Nathan and Liam Bibo bring to their team? They're a pair of terrible wingers. If Connacht are going to "throw" a game, as seemed to be the case last night due to their selection, why not give Tiernan O'Halloran a run in the effort of gaining experience over a couple of diabolical wingers? He only has one game for connacht yet ended up scoring a try.

 

[munstermuffin]

Well on last night I must say in a very cold frosty Thomond we have to be happy with that.

JDV has surely shown he is the better option over Mafi at 12.

I thought Deasy and Gleeson both did well but as Snoop said about Deasy I think both need more ML game time before we can judge them as this was a poor Connacht team.

Duncan Williams did OK when he came on but well he is very injury prone and has to work twice as hard to prove he can be considered as a serious choice at 9.
Paul Warwick was brilliant and ROG did everything well without been super at 10 before that. Also ROG this season is throwing his body on the line a lot more which is good. He not knocking players back as his tackling isn't there yet but he is stopping them/slowing them to a near stop which is enough until a forward gets in.

In the forwards Nick Williams did well in patches but still needs to show more if he is to be #8. I thought 2 second-rows played well and Ryan really has improved greatly in past 18months.
As for front-row Varley played well and I think while Flannery's injury hurts us in 1 area and we do want him back ASAP but the 2 lads (Varley and Fogs) have really benefited and improved massively with the rotated game time. I said it always that i think Bruno should be on the bench at least in H'Cup games as he is such a steady prop. And Buckley had a good shift.