Munster Thread 2011-2012

[dropkick]

I also hear O'Dea got injured the other week. I'm not sure how serious it is. If he is fit I presume they'll add him to the squad.

As Hugonaut said, theres not point adding Flannery to any future squad. Let him get a run in the Pro 12 and get him ready for next season.

Some Munster fans keep on holding him up as their first choice hooker even though he has only started 5 games in almost two and a half seasons.

Even if Sherry & Fla ended up in wheelchairs, no Munster fan would ever call Varley or Fogs first choice.

Thats true!

[tackle-bag]

Ashton has been banned until the 4th of January which is a big blow for Northampton. I can't see them winning in Castres without scoring a few tries and he's their main supplier of that particular commodity. If the Saints and Castres split the forthcoming games one apiece, the group becomes a two horse race between the Scarlets and Munster. I genuinely believe that, with their injury crisis, Munster should opt for a positively foul 10-man game, with a view to sneaking a bonus point in Wales before securing a win in Thomond the week after. If they can achieve this, they will remain favourites to top the group.

[[Jackass]]

9. Murray
10. ROG
11. J. Murphy
12. Chambers
13. Mafi
14. Hurley
15. Keatley

21. O'Leary 22. Gleeson 23. Barnes

[ronk]

9. Murray
10. ROG
11. J. Murphy
12. Chambers
13. Mafi
14. Hurley
15. Keatley

21. O'Leary 22. Gleeson 23. Barnes

Swap Chambers and Mafi, then they'd both be in their favoured positions.

[[Jackass]]

True, Chambers has been really unimpressive so far though I think. They'd work better switched around imo, Mafi is hardly a great distributor for a 12, but can run in open space like a 13.

[hugonaut]

Some Munster fans keep on holding him up as their first choice hooker even though he has only started 5 games in almost two and a half seasons.

Even if Sherry & Fla ended up in wheelchairs, no Munster fan would ever call Varley or Fogs first choice.

I appreciate the sentiment, but Varley has been Munster's first choice hooker over the last season and a half: 32 starts in all competitions, including all 8 HEC games and 2 Amlin Cup games in that period, as well as last year's Magners League SF and GF. In contrast, Mike Sherry has started 8 games over the same period, all of them league matches [and Flannery has started none].

When a guy has missed as much rugby over 2+ seasons as Flannery has, it's a bit ridiculous to regard him as first choice. He's simply never available for selection.

[munster#1]

9. Murray
10. ROG
11. J. Murphy
12. Chambers
13. Mafi
14. Hurley
15. Keatley

21. O'Leary 22. Gleeson 23. Barnes

Swap Chambers and Mafi, then they'd both be in their favoured positions.

Also move hurley to full back as he is in good form there, and keatley hasn't even played a league game there for munster. Then put barnes on the wing, where he could do a bit of damage imo.

[hugonaut]

Farrelly has Sherry as missing for another six weeks, which will make it a 12-week injury layoff since his injury at the end of October.

[munster#1]

Farrelly has Sherry as missing for another six weeks, which will make it a 12-week injury layoff since his injury at the end of October.

Have to feel for the lad, he could well be 1st choice for munster right now, and in with a good chance of picking up a cap in the 6n.

[TerenureJim]

Farrelly has Sherry as missing for another six weeks, which will make it a 12-week injury layoff since his injury at the end of October.

Have to feel for the lad, he could well be 1st choice for munster right now, and in with a good chance of picking up a cap in the 6n.

Feel sorry for the lad but he's nowhere near the Irish squad at the moment IMO when you have Best, Cronin, Flannery (fair enough mighn't be back) and then there's Strauss coming up on qualification.

[munster#1]

Farrelly has Sherry as missing for another six weeks, which will make it a 12-week injury layoff since his injury at the end of October.

Have to feel for the lad, he could well be 1st choice for munster right now, and in with a good chance of picking up a cap in the 6n.

Feel sorry for the lad but he's nowhere near the Irish squad at the moment IMO when you have Best, Cronin, Flannery (fair enough mighn't be back) and then there's Strauss coming up on qualification.

With flannery out and strauss not yet qualified, varley is 3rd choice, 1 injury and varley is on the bench. Imo sherry would have passed varley out by now, which would have made sherry 3rd choice straight away? And given a run as first choice at munster he will pass out cronin imo

[fourthirtythree]

With flannery out and strauss not yet qualified, varley is 3rd choice, 1 injury and varley is on the bench. Imo sherry would have passed varley out by now, which would have made sherry 3rd choice straight away? And given a run as first choice at munster he will pass out cronin imo

Yeah but you think that because you think that a hooker playing for Munster is a shoe in for the Irish no. 2. Magical thinking. Cronin's shaping up quite nicely for us. Don't know about his scrummaging but his darts have been excellent so far, and he's getting back his confidence while fitting in with our systems. You have to realise he is currently well ahead of Sherry, even if he terrified the Irish camp. And Best is way out in front after the world cup. Sherry is still pure hypothesis, and Flannery is unfortunately a distant memory.

[munster#1]

With flannery out and strauss not yet qualified, varley is 3rd choice, 1 injury and varley is on the bench. Imo sherry would have passed varley out by now, which would have made sherry 3rd choice straight away? And given a run as first choice at munster he will pass out cronin imo

Yeah but you think that because you think that a hooker playing for Munster is a shoe in for the Irish no. 2. Magical thinking. Cronin's shaping up quite nicely for us. Don't know about his scrummaging but his darts have been excellent so far, and he's getting back his confidence while fitting in with our systems. You have to realise he is currently well ahead of Sherry, even if he terrified the Irish camp. And Best is way out in front after the world cup. Sherry is still pure hypothesis, and Flannery is unfortunately a distant memory.

Not at all what i think, imo best is way out in front of the chasing pack. I would also like to see cronin make the next step as a player and become international standard, he made a good carrer decision moving to leinster despite his feelings towards the club.

Imo sherry is a way more complete package that both of the other limerick men. He is not international standard yet, but imo he has the assets to be a much better player than both cronim and varley. Time will tell and i may be wrong, so who knows

[TerenureJim]

Not at all what i think, imo best is way out in front of the chasing pack. I would also like to see cronin make the next step as a player and become international standard, he made a good carrer decision moving to leinster despite his feelings towards the club.

Imo sherry is a way more complete package that both of the other limerick men. He is not international standard yet, but imo he has the assets to be a much better player than both cronim and varley. Time will tell and i may be wrong, so who knows

Can I ask what exactly were his feelings that you're refering to towards moving province or about Leinster as a province? Surely as a professional rugby player and an adult those sort of things would be behind him and left on the school yard.

Also while I think Sherry looks to be doing a decent job for you guys he's not really as dynamic as Cronin. I can't recall any searing runs of the like we've seen from Cronin over the last few seasons in both green (Connaught & Ireland) and blue.

[ronk]

If and when Sherry starts playing at international standard, we can start worrying about selecting him in the 16 jersey for Ireland.

If he's ahead of Varley for Munster then he should be 3rd choice for Ireland, probably.

Any discussion beyond the next 6N and summer tour has the looming issue of Richardt Strauss and the likelihood of the Flannery situation being resolved one way or the other. It's far enough in the future that we don't really know how it will play out.

[munster#1]

Not at all what i think, imo best is way out in front of the chasing pack. I would also like to see cronin make the next step as a player and become international standard, he made a good carrer decision moving to leinster despite his feelings towards the club.

Imo sherry is a way more complete package that both of the other limerick men. He is not international standard yet, but imo he has the assets to be a much better player than both cronim and varley. Time will tell and i may be wrong, so who knows

Can I ask what exactly were his feelings that you're refering to towards moving province or about Leinster as a province? Surely as a professional rugby player and an adult those sort of things would be behind him and left on the school yard.

Also while I think Sherry looks to be doing a decent job for you guys he's not really as dynamic as Cronin. I can't recall any searing runs of the like we've seen from Cronin over the last few seasons in both green (Connaught & Ireland) and blue.

Iirc sherry did a fair bit of damage against leinster when he came on in the ml final. Sherry is a very good and dynamic ball carrier, but imo where he has the edge over the other 2 is smarts, he is very good at off loading in the tackle, and rather than head down running like varley and cronin, he looks for other options. When it comes to the basics of a hooker, he has a much crisper throw, rather than the lob type throw of cronin and sherry.

Don't get me wrong, i do rate cronin, he is a very good ball carrier, he just annoys me the way he is blind to what's around him when he makes the breaks. He's a good guy, and any of ye that's had a few jars with him will agree he is very down to earth, so i do hope he comes good, then moves home.
I think cronin's attitude towards leinster has gotten enough air time, and i agree with you that that attitude belongs in the school yard

[Apocrypha]

Sherry has a lot of potential, but talk of playing in the 6N, at this stage, is fantasy talk.

Varley/Fogs are honest pros who can't throw darts - something Cronin/Best have also struggled with but seemingly overcome.

Against Scarlets, Varley should be instructed by POC to not throw beyond 2, because he is simply incapable of doing so. Hopefully, the weather will be putrid and we can 'stick it up the jumper', as it were.

[ronk]

and i agree with you that that attitude belongs in the school yard

Or not at all

[TerenureJim]

I think cronin's attitude towards leinster has gotten enough air time, and i agree with you that that attitude belongs in the school yard

Have to say I'm in the dark on this one? What was his attitude? I don't seem to recall any big bust ups or handbags but may have missed it/forgotten. Seems like a decent chap and he's not just out of school so honestly suprised if there is an attitude there.

That's fair enough on your view re the qualities of players, I guess we'll agree to disagree. Have to say I just like the dynanism of Cronin and have been very impressed at how he's come along in terms of darts for lineouts and distribution when he makes those breaks. Also seems to have a nose for taking a good line. If he continues along the same lines IMO he'll start to approach Keith Wood levels of quality, I think he has that potential.

[fourthirtythree]

Don't get me wrong, i do rate cronin, he is a very good ball carrier, he just annoys me the way he is blind to what's around him when he makes the breaks.

Which is why he's in the right place. Did you see him play recently for us?