Leinster vs Munster March 29th

[AdamK]

Ah it was just tongue in cheek. I giggled at it.

[vienne86]

Can someone tell me who is the ref for this match?

[simonokeeffe]

Avenge openside wing forward cover from the England game!

[No23]

Will not be surprised if McFadden does not make the 23 for this game or next week.
He has been pretty ordinary since his return from injury

[Raydollard]

Not only will Munster face the 6N champs but the champs with the ever great Jimmy Gopperth on board also- an impossible task for mere mortals.

[Peg Leg]

Will not be surprised if McFadden does not make the 23 for this game or next week.
He has been pretty ordinary since his return from injury

Playing out of position, hard to judge. I'd have him start on the wing with Do on the bench.

[baaba maal]

Can someone tell me who is the ref for this match?

Anyone? It's not on the Rabo website......

[[Jackass]]

Can someone tell me who is the ref for this match?

Anyone? It's not on the Rabo website......

Ah come on, Pro12 isn't in the habbit of handing out useful information like that! They like to make you wait and see who comes out from behind the curtain, kind of like on The Chaser.

Will not be surprised if McFadden does not make the 23 for this game or next week.
He has been pretty ordinary since his return from injury

Really? Wouldn't agree at all! I think he's looked razor sharp! I'd have him starting at the weekend, in fact, it would be Dave who'd miss out for me, as I think a back three of Luke, McFadden and Rob is our most potent and Kirchner probably offers more off the bench.

I'd go with

1. Healy 2. Strauss 3. Ross 4. Toner 5. McCarthy 6. Ruddock 7. Jennings 8. Heaslip
9. Reddan 10. Gopperth 11. Fitzgerald 12. D'Arcy 13. O'Driscoll 14. McFadden 15. R. Kearney
16. Cronin 17. McGrath 18. Moore 19. Cullen 20. Murphy 21. Boss 22. Madigan 23. Kirchner

That's serious impact off the bench!

[goreyguy]

1. Healy
2. Strauss
3. Ross
4. Toner
5. McCarthy
6. Ruddock
7. Jennings
8. Heaslip
9. Reddan
10. Madigan
11. Fitzgerald
12. Darcy
13. BOD
14. Kearney
15. Kearney
16. Cronin
17. McGrath
18. Moore
19. Denton
20. Murphy
21. Boss
22. Gopperth
23. McFadden

If McGrath can't make it, i'd pick JOC over Bent.

[simonokeeffe]

am with GG on Madigan starting, but for the reason that Gopperth is too old
think his better defence makes a difference

[[Jackass]]

GG some tasty calls. I definitely don't agree with Mad Dog. No matter what, I am DYING to love him to bits and have him first on the team sheet, but I just think his impact off the bench is immense, but he still hasn't shown the type of maturity at 10 this season that we have asked of him. Always a massively talented player and a massive prospect off the bench, even for Ireland, he's that "X-Factor" player (to use that knoby cliche) but I like to use boxing analogies in things in life, playing Madigan is like playing a brawler, who just comes out swinging and hopes to land a hay maker, just relentless attack but leaving yourself open to be absolutely sucker punched. Playing Gopperth, there just seems to be more control, more precision and waiting for that opportunity to swing. Madigan is one of my favourite players, I think the guy is incredibly talented, but he's not there yet. Having said that, no better stage for him to prove me wrong and I'd love if he did.

McFadden no way I wouldn't start him, he's been on absolute fire, along with Fitz, one of the only players who provided a spark last time out, DK has done great and ZK was poor last time out, but I'd bench ZK on the basis of him potentially having a better impact in attack off the bench. DK is as solid as solid can be and has great footwork and I know there was flack about the Irish selection, but he's a left sided player and he's not ahead of Fitz at this moment in time. The Irish selection is a 8 week camp, whole thing, this is different.

I think only other change you had was Denton, which is fair enough, but tbh I don't think he'd make much of an impact and just Leo, the leader he is, I'd like him in the squad and on the field in the last 15 minutes, just that calming, intelligent leader. Would be good experience for Denton, would have no problem with him getting the nod if we were sure we were holding on to him and he had the potential, I think MOC is big into that too, unlike Schmidt who seemed more about the here and now and deal with tomorrow tomorrow (which is entirely ok too, and I'm referring to Conway) but 6 of one, half a dozen of the other on that call I think, but I'd go for the old head of Cullen, and certainly wouldn't deny him one more (at least) dig at Munster.

[goreyguy]

wouldn't mind cullen over denton, the drop off to both is steep.
I'd give madigan the chance to step up, if it's not going well haul him off after 50.
can't justify not having DK on the bench at the very least.

[paddyor]

From theScore

Henry expanded on the issue a little further, indicating the lengthy time Ireland have spent on their rucking at Carton House.

“In training throughout this whole campaign, there has been a massive focus on our rucking out, our technique and making sure the person who carries the ball does his role and the two support players hit the right areas and target the right men.”

The final part of that quote is of most relevance here, and perhaps goes some way to explaining why Ireland offloaded relatively infrequently during the Six Nations.

We saw just 27 offloads from Ireland over the course of their five games, a low total, especially compared with France’s [84]. While there were some stunning examples of excellent offloading from Irish players [O'Driscoll, we're looking at you!], they simply didn’t look to offload repeatedly in contact.

Henry goes into a little more detail, again referring to the ball carrier being in a specified role.

I think Joe wouldn’t be as pro-offloading as other teams, because I think he wants to make sure there’s a clear, definite carrier who’s going to carry straight to form the ruck well.

“It’s worked very well for us, it means you get quick ball. He’s not a coach that says you can’t offload, it just has to be on.”

I think this has been one of the biggest problems this year. Either we turn it over with a bad offload of fail to clear the ruck in search of the offload. Hugely frustrating! Especially after 10+ phases. Maybe teams have learned to counter ruck better and concede penos better(Is this our individual errors or teams knowing our attacking patterns and adjusting accordingly?) but, Madigan hasn't turned from gold to sh*t in a season because Nacewa, HVDM and Hagan left....IMO it's the above! We aren't protecting the ball well enough or using it well enough to give him(or Gopperth) a proper platform.

Maybe a better OH gets his team moving forward better when they're making sh*t of these basics and Madigan needs to learn how to do that. Last Friday though it was Boss chewing up a lot of the good ball and negating Madigans attempts to get his back line organized(I wasn't at the game and have - I know - only Hugh Cahills word for it). Having watched him the past 2/3 season, I''m a big fan and think he'll come good for us!

On Boss his form seems to have dived recently. Reddan has made more breaks than all his time under Schmidt and he seems to be trying to compensate.He was definitely trying too hard against Wales with his offload when all he had to do was spread it wide.

I'd happily loose to Munster if we beat Toulon then beat Munster in the P12final. Sans SOB, McLaughlin, Hagan, HVDM and Cullen with an improved Ruddock, Murphy, , Moore, McGrath and Toner it's the same pack. F*ck the Sybils!

[Xanthippe]

Can someone tell me who is the ref for this match?

Anyone? It's not on the Rabo website......

It's Pascal Gauzere

[simonokeeffe]

Can someone tell me who is the ref for this match?

Anyone? It's not on the Rabo website......

It's Pascal Gauzere

licence to spoil for both teams, negates POM winning turnovers though
scrum momentum rather than legality comes into play
definitely will need Cullen and Jennings in the 23 for skullduggery

am still of the opinion mad dog thrived more under Joe as he had more licence to play what was in front of him

[OTT]

Donnacha Ryan would appear to be doubtful...

http://www.munsterrugby.ie/news/18158.php

[glenageary]

Donnacha Ryan would appear to be doubtful...

http://www.munsterrugby.ie/news/18158.php

mind games - mind games - mind games - did he hurt himself walking on Saturday

[glenageary]

Do anyone have any good photoshopped Munster Cartoons and stuff as we build up for the game, it has been a while since i have see our creativity!

[simonokeeffe]

Donnacha Ryan would appear to be doubtful...

http://www.munsterrugby.ie/news/18158.php

mind games - mind games - mind games - did he hurt himself walking on Saturday

I heard Zebo stood on it at a disco

[[Jackass]]

Do anyone have any good photoshopped Munster Cartoons and stuff as we build up for the game, it has been a while since i have see our creativity!

Ask and ye shall receive!! I'd usually charge an arm and a leg for my photoshop skills, but looks like D'Arce found a little buddy on his post Six Nations pish up!



edit: Jesus, I really need to learn how to photoshop