Munster Away, Saturday Dec 28, 18:00, Eir Sports 1

[leinsterforever]

Should be a tough test, even with most of Munster's World Cup players absent. Jack O'Donoghue's defending of the maul has been very impressive lately, and Ferreira's defence system is oppressive, so finding ways to still generate forward momentum will be key. Carbery might be back for them as well.

I'd like to see something like:

1. Ed Byrne, 2. James Tracy, 3. Michael Bent, 4. Devin Toner, 5. Scott Fardy, 6. Josh Murphy, 7. Will Connors, 8. Max Deegan, 9. Jamison Gibson-Park, 10. Ross Byrne/Ciaran Frawley, 11. James Lowe, 12. Conor O'Brien, 13. Jimmy O'Brien, 14. Dave Kearney, 15. Hugo Keenan; 16. Sean Cronin, 17. Peter Dooley, 18. Jack Aungier, 19. Oisín Dowling, 20. Caelan Doris, 21. Hugh O'Sullivan, 22. Ciaran Frawley/Harry Byrne, 23. Fergus McFadden

Wouldn't mind seeing Baird in for Fardy if he's fit, but I don't think he is? I'm also assuming Cronin will be allowed play, seeing as how he's missed a lot of time through injury (and isn't in the next Ireland squad anyway).

[cormac]

Molony and Ross Byrne should be available for this one.

https://www.leinsterrugby.ie/squad-upda ... mond-park/

[outcast eddie]

Leinster's incentive (if they needed one) don't be the first 22 to lose a game this season. and don't repeat last year's humiliation at Thomond

Munster's incentive (if they needed one) be the first team to beat Leinster this season.and don't get humiliated at Thomond

[neill_m]

Munster v Leinster – KO 18.00
Thomond Park, Limerick
Referee: Frank Murphy (IRFU, 29th Championship Appearance)
AR1: George Clancy (IRFU) AR2: Chris Busby (IRFU)
TMO: Olly Hodges (IRFU)

Interesting referee appointment for the game to say the least.....

[cormac]

Munster v Leinster – KO 18.00
Thomond Park, Limerick
Referee: Frank Murphy (IRFU, 29th Championship Appearance)
AR1: George Clancy (IRFU) AR2: Chris Busby (IRFU)
TMO: Olly Hodges (IRFU)

Interesting referee appointment for the game to say the least.....

2nd year in a row. Clancy on the touchline too.

[artaneboy]

Munster v Leinster – KO 18.00
Thomond Park, Limerick
Referee: Frank Murphy (IRFU, 29th Championship Appearance)
AR1: George Clancy (IRFU) AR2: Chris Busby (IRFU)
TMO: Olly Hodges (IRFU)

Interesting referee appointment for the game to say the least.....

Ah here! Murphy I can take on his own. But when combined with Clancy... Jaysus!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[D4surfer]

Munster v Leinster – KO 18.00
Thomond Park, Limerick
Referee: Frank Murphy (IRFU, 29th Championship Appearance)
AR1: George Clancy (IRFU) AR2: Chris Busby (IRFU)
TMO: Olly Hodges (IRFU)

Interesting referee appointment for the game to say the least.....

2nd year in a row. Clancy on the touchline too.

I hope Clancy doesn't read this forum. He'll think we don't respect his refereeing ability. I'm sure every other rugby forum sings his praises.

[blockhead]

Munster v Leinster – KO 18.00
Thomond Park, Limerick
Referee: Frank Murphy (IRFU, 29th Championship Appearance)
AR1: George Clancy (IRFU) AR2: Chris Busby (IRFU)
TMO: Olly Hodges (IRFU)

Interesting referee appointment for the game to say the least.....

Ah here! Murphy I can take on his own. But when combined with Clancy... Jaysus!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This is from 2010, not condoning it mind you but.........

Shannon’s appeal date set over €25,000 fine for referee rant
By Barry Coughlan
Saturday, January 16, 2010

AIB League champions Shannon will have their appeal against a €25,000 fine heard by the Irish Rugby Football Union in Dublin on Wednesday.
The massive fine was imposed when stormy scenes flared at Coonagh after a crucial AIL Division 1 game on December 5 between Shannon and Cork Constitution.
Referee George Clancy and his touch judge Tommy O’Donoghue claimed in their official reports that they were verbally abused following a controversial decision to award the visitors a penalty five metres out in front of the post in the last play of the game which led to Shannon, who led up that stage, losing the game 9-8.

In his report, Clancy stated: “As might be expected, Shannon were very disappointed at losing this crucial match. However, as I was walking off the pitch to the changing room, I was subjected to severe verbal abuse from the Shannon supporters. In particular, Cllr Gerry McLoughlin repeatedly accused me of being ‘a cheat’.

“After I entered the referee’s changing room the door burst open as Mr Martin Clancy (Shannon RFC president) tried to gain admittance. He was restrained by my assistant referees Olly Hodges and Tommy O’Donoghue, and I eventually left, but not before saying that I was a ‘f**king disgrace’. I must acknowledge that, until that point, I have always been on excellent terms with Shannon RFC and officers of their club.”

Assistant referee O’Donoghue, in his report stated: “It was quite evident that Gerry McLoughlin was leading an amount of verbal abuse at George Clancy calling him a cheat, a c*** and a b$&%@#d. This gave way to people coming behind McLoughlin and join in the verbal abuse.”

O’Donoghue said Martin Clancy called the referee a “Bruff b$&%@#d, a f**king disgrace and a no-good cheat ... this was repeated a number of times as myself and Olly Hodges tried to guide Mr Clancy out the door”.

The champions were hit with a heavy fine and a six-point deduction in league points, suspended until the end of 2010/2011 by the IRFU.

Shannon officials have reiterated their admission that there was abuse of the referee and that the club could not condone such actions by supporters.

In a statement yesterday, Shannon’s public relations officer Andrew McNamara confirmed the club had appealed the severity of the penalty imposed and said: “Shannon RFC has never condoned abuse of match officials and apologises most sincerely for the actions of certain members/supporters on the occasion.”

[ronk]

Leinster's incentive (if they needed one) don't be the first 22 to lose a game this season. and don't repeat last year's humiliation at Thomond

Munster's incentive (if they needed one) be the first team to beat Leinster this season.and don't get humiliated at Thomond

It's 23. And there are still 4 points for a win. Mistake last year was making more of than it is. No point risking guys for it.

Im not thrilled that Carbery is straight in if he can be. He's been gone a while and he was hurt before in similar circumstances. Ireland need him.

[Dave Cahill]

Maybe a coach not from New Zealand doesn't automatically think that all players from new zealand are automatically better than players that are better than them

[Jonny tight lips]

Munster v Leinster – KO 18.00
Thomond Park, Limerick
Referee: Frank Murphy (IRFU, 29th Championship Appearance)
AR1: George Clancy (IRFU) AR2: Chris Busby (IRFU)
TMO: Olly Hodges (IRFU)

Interesting referee appointment for the game to say the least.....

Another amazing appointment by the AM14, it’s no wonder the French and English think it’s a joke. Leinster A played Munster A a few weeks ago and they managed to get a ref who not only didn’t play for one of the teams but wasn’t even from one of the provinces.

I wonder how many cards we’ll get this year (not the kind with a pic of Santa on the front)

[desperado]

Frank Murphy is just not good enough to ref such a high profile game; regardless of where he's from or who he has played for.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

[Dundalk 1]

Frank Murphy is just not good enough to ref such a high profile game; regardless of where he's from or who he has played for.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

Frank Murphy is a much better ref than George Clancy even if he is not yet at international level but remember he is very young and inexperienced

In the match last Christmas he lost control of the match by not yellow carding both Wycherley and Sexton for their little spat at the start of the match
There was no way back for him afte that and both teams started taking the law into their own hands - Particularly Kleyn for Munster and Fardy for us with Sexton not far behind
This all probably contributed to Lowe being over eager on Conway in the air and he was correctly by the interpretation of the laws sent off

I don’t think he is particularly biased compared to others but just had a bad game
It’s just not fair on him to put him in the position when every 50 50 decision against Leinster will be seen as bias

When Rolland famously reffed a similar fixture he was one of the best refs in the world and he still got abused by the fans

[Dave Cahill]

They were so busy f%~king Schmidt under a bus and going through their 50 point plan that they didn't have time to find different ref

[Jonny tight lips]

Frank Murphy is just not good enough to ref such a high profile game; regardless of where he's from or who he has played for.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

Ahh Franks alright, he just shouldn’t be allowed to ref Munster because he’s from there and used to play for them. Like I said in my previous post they managed to get somebody Neutral for an A game and they know this game happens every year.

[CiaranIrl]

Two yellow cards and a red card in the first half last year, wasn't it? We just need to be much more streetwise and make sure you don't give away soft points.

I'd go with a strong pack and keep some front line backs at home -- Something like:

1. Peter Dooley, 2. Sean Cronin, 3. Tadhg Furlong, 4. Devin Toner, 5. James Ryan, 6. Rhys Ruddock, 7. Will Connors, 8. Caelan Doris, 9. Luke McGrath, 10. Ciaran Frawley, 11. James Lowe, 12. Conor O'Brien, 13. Gary Ringrose, 14. Dave Kearney, 15. Hugo Keenan;

16. Byrne, 17. Byrne, 18. Michael Bent, 19. Josh Murphy, 20. Scott Penny, 21. Hugh O'Sullivan, 22. Harry Byrne, 23. Fergus McFadden

[Blue not red blood]

Word on the street is that Fitzgibbon is coming out of retirement to be the second AR.
We are seriously F+++ed with this appointment.
The keyboards will be busy on Sat night

[Oldschool]

Word on the street is that Fitzgibbon is coming out of retirement to be the second AR.
We are seriously F+++ed with this appointment.
The keyboards will be busy on Sat night

Bringing out the big guns to stop the drive for 32-0.

[wixfjord]

Aren't the RWC guys rested for this on both sides? I believe so.
Would like to see the following I think:

Dooley, Cronin, Bent, Molony, Toner, Deegan, Connors, Doris, JGP, Ross Byrne/Frawley, Lowe, COB, JOB, DK, Keenan

Byrne, Tracy, Aungier, Fardy, Murphy, HOS, Frawley/Harry Byrne, Ferg

With POM, Kleyn, Beirne, Scannell out and their lineout creaking a bit I think we could go after them their.

Probably wouldn't risk Ross Byrne for this personally but having him there does give the backline a different look.

[Jonny tight lips]

Aren't the RWC guys rested for this on both sides? I believe so.
Would like to see the following I think:

Dooley, Cronin, Bent, Molony, Toner, Deegan, Connors, Doris, JGP, Ross Byrne/Frawley, Lowe, COB, JOB, DK, Keenan

Byrne, Tracy, Aungier, Fardy, Murphy, HOS, Frawley/Harry Byrne, Ferg

With POM, Kleyn, Beirne, Scannell out and their lineout creaking a bit I think we could go after them their.

Probably wouldn't risk Ross Byrne for this personally but having him there does give the backline a different look.

Yeah it’s they need two consecutive weeks off so nobody can play the middle week. Team above looks about right, I’d be inclined to play Murphy at 6 for balance. JOD has looked a serious line out operator for them and I’d be worried about our scrum to be honest.