The IRISH RUGBY thread

[Walter Cronc]

Listen to this from Garret Fitzgerald. Pure shite. It's re. Andy Farrell's appointment and role.

Munster chief executive Garrett Fitzgerald has confirmed that the co-opting of Ireland defence coach Andy Farrell as a temporary consultant to the Munster coaches will see him link up with the squad about two days a week, with no involvement on match days. Nor did Fitzgerald envisage this in any way undermining the role of head coach Anthony Foley, who still has the offer of taking up the one-year extension to his contract.
"There's no change to the coaching structure," stressed Fitzgerald. "We've brought Andy in as a consultant to work with the coaching team, predominantly; to assist them, to have a fresh voice in there, to look at what they're actually doing, to see if it can be tweaked.
.....
.....
Nor will Farrell's advisory role be confined to his area of expertise, namely defence. "Any input he has is not specific to defence or atck, it's an overall thing. It could be the overall game plan, it could be meeting with the defence coach, the attack coach, everything like that. There is no specific plan, it's general and I think his background is he's well qualified. There's no specific function."


They are basically throwing shite against the wall, and hoping some of it will stick.

So in essence the role which Andy failed at with England (having too much influence) will be his new role at Munster??

That Fitzgerald seems a right moron. You's needa cut the head of the snake quick lads or you'll be Irelands 4th province before long!

[AZOffaly]

We probably are already!

[seafoid]

Axel is going to get a contract extension.. I wonder would the Cork players strike.

[screenexile]

Ulster getting their asses handed to them. They were good in the first half but a failure to execute the basics cost them scores and Saracens eventually found their mojo. They're a great side, Ulster would have no chance even if they do qualify they're a long way off!

[Walter Cronc]

Really pleasing performance from Leinster the other night against Bath. The young forward pack were excellent. Dooley, Tracey and McGrath excellent in the front row. Going by Dooleys performance perhaps they weren't overly concerned about the loss of Marty Moore?

Ross Maloney was superb in the second row and Josh VDF again a menace at 7. Ringrose made a couple of excellent breaks. Still feel it would be more beneficial if he got more game time with Leinster over the 6 Nations period and then toured with Ireland in the summer. Personally I'd prefer to see Henshaw, Fitz, McCloskey and Marshall battle it out for 12/13 positions in this 6 Nations. Ringrose will get him time and we dont want another Matthew Tait scenario happening.

Ulster made mistakes at key periods and that let them down. Now have to rely on results going their way in order to make the 1/4ers. The back row is definitely a worry. Would Dominic Ryan not be much better suited to moving north to Ulster?

Didnt see the Munster match but apparently Stander excellent yet again. Would love to see JS give him a run at 8!

[AZOffaly]

Munster were far, far better in attitude and fight. Dinny's favourite 'passion' was very much to the fore, and the fans really got behind them. Best atmosphere in Thomond Park in at least a year I'd say. I was delighted. I was determined I was going to go there and roar and shout, and everyone that turned up seemed to be of a similar mind. Defiant is the word I think.

The same old limitations were there. Incoherent attacking plan, over reliance on box kicking (to one of the best in the world at gathering them, Parisse) and silly execution errors out wide. In addition the scrum was destroyed and the lineout had a couple of malfunctions, including another overthrow leading to a try for the opposition. Almost a carbon copy of the Leicester disaster. However they really brought aggression to the rucks, tackled like they meant it, and refused to take a backward step. For Munster that *has* to be the starting point. I know professionalism requires a dispassionate eye, and a clear head, and following the process, but at the end of the day it is still a series of physical contests, and when you are up for them, and driving your opponents back in the tackle, and fighting for every ball on the ground, then you can be very competitive.

The problems they have won't be fixed quickly, but at the very least, that sort of fight and spirit will give them a chance to end the season on a positive note, and it will certainly help keep the fans happy. We know there's a lot wrong, but that sort of fight and guts is easy to cheer for, and it is the least we expect.

[Walter Cronc]

Good man AZ cheers for that. I think fight, pride and aggression has to be the baseline for any professional rugby team. Fans aren't stupid - they recognise when a team has the individuals and when they don't. At least showing that level of determination puts them in a position to compete.

Looking ahead to next year are there any rumours of a potential 10 to come in? Any chance at all Munster could get their hands on Henshaw or is he Leinster bound?

[AZOffaly]

The thing is, the personnel aren't chronic either. Keatley is average, and really should be a backup to a good 10, but there aren't many good 10s out there that Munster could afford. Maybe Andy Farrell can get Owen to come over There's a young Holland lad that might be a decent outhalf, but he's red raw and not ready.  They need a tight head, probably a hooker. The second row is light as well. A 10, and maybe a centre, although I have high hopes for Rory Scannell.

The rest of the personnel is not bad. Kilcoyne and Cronin, Dave Foley has potential. Donnacha Ryan. The back row with O'Donnell, O'Mahoney and Stander would be decent, and they have options at backup then with the likes of Copeland and Jack O'Donoghue. Murray is fine, and Tomás O'Leary is adequate as backup. Saili is frustrating as hell for 500k, but I'm inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt because the attacking gameplan is so poor. Scannell, as I've said, has a chance. Earls, Zebo, Conway are fine, and Ronan O'Mahoney is an adequate backup.

[Walter Cronc]

That's true. That back row you listed on form is as good as there is in the Pro 12/Aviva!

Owen Farrell would be some signing haha

Will Zebo stay or go?

[rosnarun]

is Saili recall on 500K  and if reports are right they nearly lost Cronin because he wanted 60K instead of 50K
cork Hurdlers would definitely strike over that

[AZOffaly]

According to reports (ahem), Saili is on €1,000,000 for a two year contract.

I'd say Zebo will go if Foley takes on the extra year option. In fact he might go anyway. He's obviously not a favourite of Schmidt's and I think he'd enjoy France.

[rosnarun]

who even is Saili not exactly Carter or Ma Nonu or even a Charles Piutau
I thought the same last week watching Zebo that his heart wasn't in it and he'd be better off away some where for at least a break . but then he go Man of the Match so what do I know

[Dinny Breen]

Dinny's favourite 'passion' was very much to the fore

I think fight, pride and aggression has to be the baseline for any professional rugby team

This.

What happens when you get out passion a team, or you're too up for a game and give a flat performance?

Bottom line Munster fail to perform when it mattered, in the 22 in both games against Leicester and away to Stade. That has nothing to do with lack of passion, that is just poor coaching when the same mistakes are repeated over and over.

[AZOffaly]

Dinny's favourite 'passion' was very much to the fore

I think fight, pride and aggression has to be the baseline for any professional rugby team

This.

What happens when you get out passion a team, or you're too up for a game and give a flat performance?

Bottom line Munster fail to perform when it mattered, in the 22 in both games against Leicester and away to Stade. That has nothing to do with lack of passion, that is just poor coaching when the same mistakes are repeated over and over.

You won't get an argument from me about the coaching. But you can't tell me they were at the requisite level of intensity against Stade last week? The way they fell off tackles and got bullied showed that.

You have to start with the right level of intensity and aggression. Call it passion if you like, but if you don't have it, all the coaching in the world won't win a physical game like Rugby. Leinster took a long time to cotton onto that, and when they finally did, with lads like Leo Cullen leading the charge, they became the best in Europe.

It takes both, but you can at least be hard to beat with aggression and intensity, and work from there on the stuff you really need to get to the top.

[Dinny Breen]

Dinny's favourite 'passion' was very much to the fore

I think fight, pride and aggression has to be the baseline for any professional rugby team

This.

What happens when you get out passion a team, or you're too up for a game and give a flat performance?

Bottom line Munster fail to perform when it mattered, in the 22 in both games against Leicester and away to Stade. That has nothing to do with lack of passion, that is just poor coaching when the same mistakes are repeated over and over.

You won't get an argument from me about the coaching. But you can't tell me they were at the requisite level of intensity against Stade last week? The way they fell off tackles and got bullied showed that.

You have to start with the right level of intensity and aggression. Call it passion if you like, but if you don't have it, all the coaching in the world won't win a physical game like Rugby. Leinster took a long time to cotton onto that, and when they finally did, with lads like Leo Cullen leading the charge, they became the best in Europe.

It takes both, but you can at least be hard to beat with aggression and intensity, and work from there on the stuff you really need to get to the top.

I'm not disagreeing but you still need skills and a game plan to compliment that intensity and there will be games where you can't perform at a high intensity level. It's about managing energy and the two weeks previous to the Stade game Munster would have put a lot of energy into the Leinster and then the Ulster game, it was inevitable they would hit a wall. I wasn't surprised to see their performance in France.

I think Foley is just a poor coach in how he manages his squad, his limited game plan and his lack of accountability.

A loss for Munster would have been better in the long term, all that win does is reinforce Foley's belief that's about "passion". Meh!