Munster v New Zealand

[Dinny Breen]

You can't blame him for that alright, but I suspect it may be Quinlan's last meaningful season as well, so Coughlan and Ronan might be in with a chance of playing more games. Is Coughlan intending to head abroad?

Connacht should be getting some players like that. There's a young hooker up there, another Munster man who I can't remember his name now, that may come back into the fold when Frankie hangs up his boots as well.

Just giving up professional rugby period as far as I know. Sean Cronin is up in Connacht, class act and will be an Irish International some day.

Non-Interantional Professional rugby players in Ireland earn not a whole lot, Premiership soccer players they are not.

[AZOffaly]

Cronin, that's the buck. Was drawing a blank there.

I agree that the 'professional' lifestyle for non-internationally contracted players is overhyped. Once you get capped, it's a big step up, but lads like Ronan, Coughlan, Fogarty etc etc are not minting it by any stretch.

My ex-Neighbour who has moved on to Bourgoin, and now some lower league French team, on the other hand was on over €100k a year to play about 4 Magners League games. That's not a bad gig!

[Mentalman]

Coughlan, (who I refuse to pronounce Coholan) is another decent backup type back row, wit potential to advance. They'll become important for Munster as the likes of Wallace and Quinlan disappear.

Coughlan announced at the start of the season that this will be his last in a Munster jersey. Seems an awful waste but he's been playing AIL all season so you can't blame.

You can't blame him for that alright, but I suspect it may be Quinlan's last meaningful season as well, so Coughlan and Ronan might be in with a chance of playing more games. Is Coughlan intending to head abroad?

Connacht should be getting some players like that. There's a young hooker up there, another Munster man who I can't remember his name now, that may come back into the fold when Frankie hangs up his boots as well.

Part of the probelm isn't it? The under utilisation of Connaught to give Irish players with potential meaningful game time. Instead young players are snapped up, predominently by Leinster & Munster, not given game time outside of the odd Magniers match, get dissillusioned and sod off to England. I know there is a view that if they are good enough they will make it, but on the other hand with the number of foriegn players playing in the Heineaken cup chasing provinces they don't have much chance.

On another point why doesn't Warwick qualify for Ireland? I know he's Australian but he's been here a while, playing with Connaught previously. Has he represented the Aussies? Or is it a matter of needing more years for residency? I'm thinking of someone like Stephen Knoop, the South African prop who represented Connaught and is now at Leinster, but qualifies for Ireland.

[AZOffaly]

I think the rules changed recently, and both Warwick and Manning have played some form of representative rugby for Australia and New Zealand. I think Warwick played 7s for Australia, and Under 21 so one of them rules him out.

[GaillimhIarthair]

Coughlan, (who I refuse to pronounce Coholan) is another decent backup type back row, wit potential to advance. They'll become important for Munster as the likes of Wallace and Quinlan disappear.

Coughlan announced at the start of the season that this will be his last in a Munster jersey. Seems an awful waste but he's been playing AIL all season so you can't blame.

You can't blame him for that alright, but I suspect it may be Quinlan's last meaningful season as well, so Coughlan and Ronan might be in with a chance of playing more games. Is Coughlan intending to head abroad?

Connacht should be getting some players like that. There's a young hooker up there, another Munster man who I can't remember his name now, that may come back into the fold when Frankie hangs up his boots as well.

Sean Cronin is the hooker in question.  Played AIL with Shannon these past few years before heading up the road.  Massive potential and I have no doubt he will be a full international before too long.  Delighted for Warwick last night, he was superb during his time with us, but to be honest I prefer having young Keatley playing at 10 for us this season as he is the type of young Irish player that should be coming to the Sportsground and stepping up in grade from the AIL and hopefully to full international some day.

[Mentalman]

I think the rules changed recently, and both Warwick and Manning have played some form of representative rugby for Australia and New Zealand. I think Warwick played 7s for Australia, and Under 21 so one of them rules him out.

Ah right. That's going to make it much harder to pick up young talent from elsewhere. No point sending the lads to Argentina anymore to scour the place for Irish qualified prop forwards!

[AZOffaly]

This is the relevant rule I think, although I can't see Under 21 in this, and I thought that had an impact as well. Interesting that 7s is given such a high ranking in terms of representation.

REGULATION 8. ELIGIBILITY TO PLAY FOR NATIONAL
REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS
8.1 Subject to Regulation 8.2, a Player may only play for the senior fifteen-aside
National Representative Team, the next senior fifteen-a-side National
Representative Team and the senior National Representative Sevens Team
of the Union of the country in which:
(a) he was born; or
(b) one parent or grandparent was born; or
(c) he has completed thirty six consecutive months of Residence
immediately preceding the time of playing.
8.2 A Player who has played for the senior fifteen-a-side National
Representative Team or the next senior fifteen-a-side National
Representative Team or the senior National Representative Sevens Team
of a Union is not eligible to play for the senior fifteen-a-side National
Representative Team or the next senior fifteen-a-side National
Representative Team or the senior National Representative Sevens Team
of another Union.
8.3 For the purposes of this Regulation, a Player is deemed to have played for
the senior fifteen-a-side National Representative Team or the next senior
fifteen-a-side National Representative Team of a Union if:
(a) He is selected for such team to play in an International Match against
the senior fifteen-a-side National Representative Team or the next
senior fifteen-a-side National Representative Team of another Union
(or in a fifteen-a-side international Match against another Union's
senior or next senior Touring Squad during an IRB approved
International Tour) and is present at the Match played by that team
either as a replacement, substitute or a playing member of that team
and has, at the time of the Match, reached the age of majority; or
(b) He is selected to represent a Union's senior Touring Squad on an
International Tour which includes an International Match or Matches
approved by the IRB and is present at any fifteen-a-side Match
played on that International Tour either as a replacement, substitute
or a playing member of a team selected from the Union's senior
Touring Squad and has, at the time of the Match, reached the age of
majority; or
(c) He is selected to represent a Union's next senior Touring Squad on
an IRB approved International Tour and during that International
REGULATION 8
94
Tour he is present at a Match against the senior fifteen-a-side
National Representative Team or the next senior fifteen-a-side
National Representative Team of another Union either as a
replacement, substitute or playing member of a team selected from
the Union's next senior Touring Squad and has, at the time of the
Match reached the age of majority.
8.4 For the purposes of this Regulation, a Player is deemed to have played for
the senior National Representative Sevens Team of a Union if he is
selected to represent a Union's senior National Representative Sevens
Team in an International Match against the senior National Representative
Sevens Team of another Union and is present at the Match played by that
Team either as a replacement, substitute or playing member of that Team
and has, at the time of the Match, reached the age of majority.

[MaroonAndWhite]

Coughlan, (who I refuse to pronounce Coholan) is another decent backup type back row, wit potential to advance. They'll become important for Munster as the likes of Wallace and Quinlan disappear.

Coughlan announced at the start of the season that this will be his last in a Munster jersey. Seems an awful waste but he's been playing AIL all season so you can't blame.

You can't blame him for that alright, but I suspect it may be Quinlan's last meaningful season as well, so Coughlan and Ronan might be in with a chance of playing more games. Is Coughlan intending to head abroad?

Connacht should be getting some players like that. There's a young hooker up there, another Munster man who I can't remember his name now, that may come back into the fold when Frankie hangs up his boots as well.

Sean Cronin is the hooker in question.  Played AIL with Shannon these past few years before heading up the road.  Massive potential and I have no doubt he will be a full international before too long.  Delighted for Warwick last night, he was superb during his time with us, but to be honest I prefer having young Keatley playing at 10 for us this season as he is the type of young Irish player that should be coming to the Sportsground and stepping up in grade from the AIL and hopefully to full international some day.

I'd say we will have Keatley, Fionn Carr and Sean Cronin for at most 2 more years before one of the big two whip them back home.....

While I understand that Munster and Leinster are the big money spinners for the IRFU, I dont see why they require the size of squad they have. Munsters 2nd string being so strong that they almost bear an All Blacks team.....theres strength in depth but thats plain ridiculous!! Surely the likes of Manning, Ronan, Coughlan, Denis Hurley and others would be better served playing rugby week in week out with Connacht rather than gathering splinters in Musgrave Park/Thomond. If Coughlan is allowed to retire without Connacht talking to him its a disgrace.....

And John Fogarty/Stephen Knoop headed up to the capital to warm the bench when they were first teamers in Connacht. It must be the money cos Galway aint that bad!

[GaillimhIarthair]

I'd say we will have Keatley, Fionn Carr and Sean Cronin for at most 2 more years before one of the big two whip them back home.....

While I understand that Munster and Leinster are the big money spinners for the IRFU, I dont see why they require the size of squad they have. Munsters 2nd string being so strong that they almost bear an All Blacks team.....theres strength in depth but thats plain ridiculous!! Surely the likes of Manning, Ronan, Coughlan, Denis Hurley and others would be better served playing rugby week in week out with Connacht rather than gathering splinters in Musgrave Park/Thomond. If Coughlan is allowed to retire without Connacht talking to him its a disgrace.....

[/quote]
Agrre with you there M&W 100%.  Its madness the way Connacht is under utilized for the development of these players.  And we are supposed to be a development provence    We are never going to win a Heineken Cup, but competing in it is achieveable with a little bit more support from the IRFU, instead they prefer shafting us at every opportunity 

[Mentalman]

I'd say we will have Keatley, Fionn Carr and Sean Cronin for at most 2 more years before one of the big two whip them back home.....

While I understand that Munster and Leinster are the big money spinners for the IRFU, I dont see why they require the size of squad they have. Munsters 2nd string being so strong that they almost bear an All Blacks team.....theres strength in depth but thats plain ridiculous!! Surely the likes of Manning, Ronan, Coughlan, Denis Hurley and others would be better served playing rugby week in week out with Connacht rather than gathering splinters in Musgrave Park/Thomond. If Coughlan is allowed to retire without Connacht talking to him its a disgrace.....

Agrre with you there M&W 100%.  Its madness the way Connacht is under utilized for the development of these players.  And we are supposed to be a development provence    We are never going to win a Heineken Cup, but competing in it is achieveable with a little bit more support from the IRFU, instead they prefer shafting us at every opportunity 
[/quote]

The Knoop situation is slightly ridiculous, he's barely featured. Connacht getting the likes of Duffy & O'Connor is great but thinking about Ireland long term it's the place young guys should be earning their stripes.

[Main Street]

Maybe it's for the best that we don't have to suffer another 30 years of crowing.

But it is really bad form from Leinster to moan about the Munster bandwagon.
The allex les bleus bandwagon has gathered a bit of pace itself since those 3k attendances just a few years ago.

Both of the provinces have done good for Rugby but it's hard to tell which one makes the rest of us suffer the most.

[sammymaguire]

http://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2008/1119/munster_nz_tv_av.html

[Main Street]

RTE must have bought up some quality audio surveillance equipment.

Did you notice when the kicker was lining up his penalty kicks you could almost hear him think as well as hear his breathing?

[amallon]

I really enjoyed last nights game it was fantastic and what an atmosphere.  I'm an Ulster man but I love watching Munster almost as much as supporting Down.  I know I'm a bandwagon jumper but they are great to watch and its hard not to be rooting for them.  Just a pity they couldn't have hung on.