Munster v Dragons

[An Tarbh]

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Munster v Dragons

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The Dragons come to Musgrave Park on the back of 2 home defeats and a quick turn around from the Scarlets match so confidence can't exactly be that high travelling away to face the European Champions.

Munster for their part will certainly be high on confidence having taken 4 points from their trip to Edinburgh and will be looking to take the full haul come Sunday evening.

The Dragons have Dan Lydiate, Rhodri Gomer Davies and Ashley Smith back in the squad for the trip to Cork. For Munster there's only 1 change from the squad which went to Edinburgh with Rua Tipoki replaced by Dennis Hurley.

Should be a comfortable home win but is an upset on the cards???

Teams: TBC

 

[An Tarbh]

Munster: K Earls; D Howlett, B Murphy, L Mafi, I Dowling; P Warwick, T O'Leary; F Pucciariello, F Sheahan, T Buckley, D O'Callaghan, M O'Driscoll (capt), D Ryan, J O'Sullivan, D Wallace.
Replacements: M Horan, J Flannery, P O'Connell, J Melck, P Stringer, R O'Gara, Denis Hurley.

Dragons: James Arlidge; Rory Sidey, Rhodri Gomer Davies, Ashley Smith, Tal Selley; Shaun Connor, Wayne Evans; Hugh Gustafson, Tom Willis (capt), Rhys Thomas, Adam Jones, Luke Charteris, Dan Lydiate, Jamie Ringer, Grant Webb.
Replacements: Steve Jones, Adam Black, Gethin Robinson, Adam Brown, Joe Bearman, Richard Fussell, Rob Lewis.

 

[An Tarbh]

19-3 to Munster at half time. Earls yet again showing his class first with the dummy and then the pick up for his try. All too easy for Munster, understandable though.

 

[Sir Speedy]

Final score: Munster 50 - 6 Dragons.

Waste of time and embarrassing. Makes the concept of a 5th region seem ridiculous...

 

[Prestwick]

Keith Earls must be a contender for an Ireland jersey now surely. He's scored in all three ML games now, right?

 

[An Tarbh]

You'd think so but there's plenty of places for competition, certainly a headache for Kidney, although I suppose a lot for Earls will also depend on how he goes in the 2 HEC games before November.

 

[MunsterMan]

Very good performance. Earls was fantastic, Mafi and Warwick were good too. Neil Francis needs to f*** off! Calling Earls' second a fluke :lol:

9. Reddan
10. O'Gara
11. Fitzgerald
12. O'Driscoll
13. Earls
14. Bowe
15. Kearney

^the backline I would pick.

 

[An Tarbh]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MunsterMan @ Sep 14 2008, 08:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Very good performance. Earls was fantastic, Mafi and Warwick were good too. Neil Francis needs to f*** off! Calling Earls' second a fluke :lol:

9. Reddan
10. O'Gara
11. Fitzgerald
12. O'Driscoll
13. Earls
14. Bowe
15. Kearney

^the backline I would pick.[/b]

I'm no Franno fan but he didn't call it a fluke, he merely said that it could have easily skidded off his toe into the hoarding.

 

[dullonien]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Sir. Speedy @ Sep 14 2008, 07:42 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Final score: Munster 50 - 6 Dragons.

Waste of time and embarrassing. Makes the concept of a 5th region seem ridiculous...[/b]

Agree totally there speedy. The Dragon's pack must have been fuming with their backs today, I thought they showed up very well for most the game (tired towards the end), they dominated the breakdown, had good showings in the scrum and lineout also. Gustafson and Lydiate were stand out players.

Now we come to the backline, where to start? Wayne Evans was alright, didn't do much but ship the ball to Connor though who was dreadful in the first half, gave away the ball every time he got it, no wonder O's got rid of him! Gomer-Davies was very poor, losing the ball every time he took it into contact, not good enough tonight I'm sorry (pitty as he has good potential). Tal Selley proved why no region keeps him more than a season, did nothing right all game. James Alridge was also terrible, didn't appear to want to be there.

The Dragon's are gonna perform the same as least year, showing some good heart, but ultimately not good enough.

Congrats Munster, that's what I call a clinical display of counter attacking.

 

[shazbooger]

Its hard to Judge Earls at this stage. In the same way that I reserve judgement on Fitzgerald I'll do the same with Earls. Its still very early days and a bucket load of tries against a non-existent defense doesnt really say too much yet. However, the fact that both himself and Fitzgerald are willing to try something a little different, and pull it off, is great to see.

Stupid question but I havent really been paying attention to Munster's pre-season. Where is O'Gara, Leamy, O'Connell, Hurley, Buckley, Hayes, Quinlan. Injured? If so for how long?

 

[An Tarbh]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Logorrhea @ Sep 14 2008, 09:00 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Its hard to Judge Earls at this stage. In the same way that I reserve judgement on Fitzgerald I'll do the same with Earls. Its still very early days and a bucket load of tries against a non-existent defense doesnt really say too much yet. However, the fact that both himself and Fitzgerald are willing to try something a little different, and pull it off, is great to see.

Stupid question but I havent really been paying attention to Munster's pre-season. Where is O'Gara, Leamy, O'Connell, Hurley, Buckley, Hayes, Quinlan. Injured? If so for how long?[/b]

Leamy's had a shoulder problem if I'm not mistaken, O'Gara played last week as did O'Connell. Hayes was due to start last week but withdrew with a sore throat. Hurley was on the bench this evening but I don't know what the story is with Quinlan.

 

[MunsterMan]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (An Tarbh @ Sep 14 2008, 08:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MunsterMan @ Sep 14 2008, 08:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Very good performance. Earls was fantastic, Mafi and Warwick were good too. Neil Francis needs to f*** off! Calling Earls' second a fluke :lol:

9. Reddan
10. O'Gara
11. Fitzgerald
12. O'Driscoll
13. Earls
14. Bowe
15. Kearney

^the backline I would pick.[/b]

I'm no Franno fan but he didn't call it a fluke, he merely said that it could have easily skidded off his toe into the hoarding.
[/b][/quote]

He definatley used the word fluke. I just don't like his cynical attitude, 99% of people would have thought that the flick up was a nice piece of skill but Franno was trying wriggle out of the whole he dug in his pre-match talk.

 

[An Tarbh]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MunsterMan @ Sep 14 2008, 09:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (An Tarbh @ Sep 14 2008, 08:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MunsterMan @ Sep 14 2008, 08:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Very good performance. Earls was fantastic, Mafi and Warwick were good too. Neil Francis needs to f*** off! Calling Earls' second a fluke :lol:

9. Reddan
10. O'Gara
11. Fitzgerald
12. O'Driscoll
13. Earls
14. Bowe
15. Kearney

^the backline I would pick.[/b]

I'm no Franno fan but he didn't call it a fluke, he merely said that it could have easily skidded off his toe into the hoarding.
[/b][/quote]

He definatley used the word fluke. I just don't like his cynical attitude, 99% of people would have thought that the flick up was a nice piece of skill but Franno was trying wriggle out of the whole he dug in his pre-match talk.
[/b][/quote]

O'Brian was putting words in his mouth, heaven forbid someone say something remotely negative about mighty Munster. He was being a bit precious in fairness.

 

[MunsterMan]

When has this been about people criticizing Munster?? I actually agree with Franno that Earls is currently behind Kearney and Fitzgerald simply on the basis of game time and full International caps but the whole Ireland A thing was a bit much, I think that if he isn't in the 22 for at least the Canada match their is something wrong.

 

[An Tarbh]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MunsterMan @ Sep 14 2008, 09:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

When has this been about people criticizing Munster?? I actually agree with Franno that Earls is currently behind Kearney and Fitzgerald simply on the basis of game time and full International caps but the whole Ireland A thing was a bit much, I think that if he isn't in the 22 for at least the Canada match their is something wrong.[/b]

It's nothing to do with anyone criticising Munster, how could you given their start to the season, my point is about Dara O'Brian being overly precious and trying to stir up the remotest comment into something it wasn't.

You're spot on though I think the Canada match is perfect for Earls unless he really is spectacular in the HEC and the others aren't then he has to be considered for whatever our first match is.

 

[Cymro]

Embarrasing for a Welsh Region!

Tom Willis is a good player and he now must see what he has let himself in for! The Dragons need the money WRU, stop thinking of a 5th Region and give these guys the cash to improve their squad. Its simply stupid that Roger Lewis wants a 5th region! We need to help the ones that need it first!

 

[dangandan]

so what position is Keith earls going to settle into!?! First centre, then wing and now fullback? This guy is a great talent with a potentially bright future... I hope he doesn't become a waste and become a benched utility.

 

[shtove]

How's about that run and offload from O'Sullivan for the last (?) try? Brilliant, boy!