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What's gone wrong with Munster?
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<blockquote data-quote="snoopy snoopy dog dog" data-source="post: 284461"><p><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Logorrhea @ Oct 25 2009, 07:55 PM) <a href="http://index.php?act=findpost&pid=417909" target="_blank"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div></p><p>I agree with almost everything you've posted here.</p><p></p><p>The pack have changed the way they've played since early last year. In the first 6 months of McGahan's reigh, the forwards were running from deep as first receiver and smashing over the gainline. They barged their way through rucks with reckless abandon freeing space for their backs to operate out wide. I doubt John Hayes ever carried as much ball as he did before Christmas last season. This year, Marcus Horan and Denis Leamy in particular have gotten back into old habits of waiting statically on the wing and between the centres respectively. The results is slow ball and a cluttered midflield neutering the backline. </p><p></p><p>O'Gara's total loss of form is a massive issue. It'll be interesting to see who Declan Kidney picks next month. For the last 5 or so years he's been the only viable international option at 10 thus the IRFU would never allow Munster replace him. If Sexton and/or Humphreys show they've up to it at international level over the next 6 weeks, it might afford Munster the opportunity to drop ROG. Right now, Paul Warwick is a better option to run that backline. Hell, even the eternally average Jeremy Manning played better early this season.</p><p></p><p>The signing of Jean De Villiers was great on paper but may have upset the balance of the team. Both he and Lifeimi Mafi operate best as 12s. Perhaps Munster may be better off picking one or the other (likely De Villiers for big games) inside Keith Earls. Mafi would make one hell of an impact offthe bench.</p><p></p><p>I've no issue with Tony McGahan as head coach and think he's done a terrific job. He recognised that he was inexperienced so he brought in a head coach (Laurie Fisher) as assistant to help him along. He got David Wallace, Alan Quinlan and Tomas O'Leary playing the best rugby of their careers. He gave Keith Earls a chance when Declan Kidney wouldn't. He cleared out a lot of dead wood from the squad and recruited very well - Brugnaut, Morland, Jones, De Villiers and Varley all look like good additions. He's actively trying to improve the academy from it's previously inadequate level. I think he's failing in one major area though.</p><p></p><p>In an almost Eddie O'Sullivanesque manner, McGahan is taking too much work upon himself. When he took the job as head coach, he was the backs coach and defense coach. Neither role has been adequately replaced. As backs coach he put in a video analyst without any experience, Jason Holland. I suspect McGahan is still very much in charge of this area. They still haven't brought in a defense coach. Paul McCarthy wasn't a great scrum coach but he hasn't been replaced. Fisher doesn't seem capable of fixing the lineout problems yet he hasn't gotten any outside help in that area.</p><p></p><p>In short, Munster will improve when they fix their problem at 10 and their coach delegates responsibility a bit more. Longer term, they need to find some players to replace Hayes, O'Connell, Wallace, Quinlan and O'Gara. They have some talent in their academy but I doubt any are as good as the players they've going to replace over the next 2 or 3 seasons.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="snoopy snoopy dog dog, post: 284461"] <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Logorrhea @ Oct 25 2009, 07:55 PM) [url='index.php?act=findpost&pid=417909']<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/url]</div> I agree with almost everything you've posted here. The pack have changed the way they've played since early last year. In the first 6 months of McGahan's reigh, the forwards were running from deep as first receiver and smashing over the gainline. They barged their way through rucks with reckless abandon freeing space for their backs to operate out wide. I doubt John Hayes ever carried as much ball as he did before Christmas last season. This year, Marcus Horan and Denis Leamy in particular have gotten back into old habits of waiting statically on the wing and between the centres respectively. The results is slow ball and a cluttered midflield neutering the backline. O'Gara's total loss of form is a massive issue. It'll be interesting to see who Declan Kidney picks next month. For the last 5 or so years he's been the only viable international option at 10 thus the IRFU would never allow Munster replace him. If Sexton and/or Humphreys show they've up to it at international level over the next 6 weeks, it might afford Munster the opportunity to drop ROG. Right now, Paul Warwick is a better option to run that backline. Hell, even the eternally average Jeremy Manning played better early this season. The signing of Jean De Villiers was great on paper but may have upset the balance of the team. Both he and Lifeimi Mafi operate best as 12s. Perhaps Munster may be better off picking one or the other (likely De Villiers for big games) inside Keith Earls. Mafi would make one hell of an impact offthe bench. I've no issue with Tony McGahan as head coach and think he's done a terrific job. He recognised that he was inexperienced so he brought in a head coach (Laurie Fisher) as assistant to help him along. He got David Wallace, Alan Quinlan and Tomas O'Leary playing the best rugby of their careers. He gave Keith Earls a chance when Declan Kidney wouldn't. He cleared out a lot of dead wood from the squad and recruited very well - Brugnaut, Morland, Jones, De Villiers and Varley all look like good additions. He's actively trying to improve the academy from it's previously inadequate level. I think he's failing in one major area though. In an almost Eddie O'Sullivanesque manner, McGahan is taking too much work upon himself. When he took the job as head coach, he was the backs coach and defense coach. Neither role has been adequately replaced. As backs coach he put in a video analyst without any experience, Jason Holland. I suspect McGahan is still very much in charge of this area. They still haven't brought in a defense coach. Paul McCarthy wasn't a great scrum coach but he hasn't been replaced. Fisher doesn't seem capable of fixing the lineout problems yet he hasn't gotten any outside help in that area. In short, Munster will improve when they fix their problem at 10 and their coach delegates responsibility a bit more. Longer term, they need to find some players to replace Hayes, O'Connell, Wallace, Quinlan and O'Gara. They have some talent in their academy but I doubt any are as good as the players they've going to replace over the next 2 or 3 seasons. [/QUOTE]
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What's gone wrong with Munster?
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