Munster, The Money Pit Province 2019/2020

[Up Wexford]

Understand you completely, but as far as I know they self isolated (a la JLowe now) for 14 days on arrival on different timelines, now have some down time and are seeing the sights before starting into the PRO 14. Ideally you want everyone to be super vigilant but from what I can tell they have followed all the correct protocols in this instance, and presumably they will be land locked in Ireland for the foreseeable like the rest of us. Gotta get used to staycations

[ronk]

AFAIK, they’re back in full training. An outbreak now could scuttle preparations for the restart of the season.

Rugby players have to be more careful off the pitch because there are 46 people who’ll be on it, and everyone they’ve come in contact with.

[Up Wexford]

That's true. At the moment in Dublin there are three construction projects now shut down due to covid positive tests. There are similarities - people coming from different parts of the country to work on sites (and travelling back home again) and from what I hear workers from a covid shutdown site, but who didn't test positive/weren't tested worked on the next site etc. While not the exact same, pro rugby will involve travel, contact, transferring etc. One would hope there is a robust testing regime in place within PRO 14 but one positive test could scupper the lot

[ronk]

It’s a house of cards. It can come crashing down very quickly.

[dropkick]

First game in the aviva was played 10 years ago the other day.
Munster-Connacht 0-68 Leinster-Ulster

Teams were
Leinster/Ulster team
15. Sam Coghlan Murray (Leinster)
14. Craig Gilroy (Ulster)
13. Alex Kelly (Leinster)
12. Luke Marshall (Ulster) Captain
11. Andrew Boyle (Leinster)
10. Paddy Jackson (Ulster)
9. Peter du Toit (Leinster)
1. James Tracy (Leinster)
2. Jonny Murphy (Ulster)
3. Martin Moore (Leinster)
4. Iain Henderson (Ulster)
5. Robert Hynes (Leinster)
6. Steven Lecky (Ulster)
7. Mark McGroarty (Leinster)
8. David McGuigan (Ulster)
Replacements
16. Paddy Carroll (Leinster)
17. Andy Warrick (Ulster)
18. Mark Fallon (Leinster)
19. Paddy Marks (Ulster)
20. Conor Spence (Ulster)
21. Cathal Marsh (Leinster)
22. Michael McAuley (Ulster)

Connacht/Munster
15. Callum Boland (Connacht)
14. Tadhg Leader (Connacht)
13. Daniel Horgan (Munster)
12. Ben Sargent (Munster)
11. Shane Leydon (Connacht)
10. Johnny Holland (Munster)
9. Mark Dolan (Connacht) Captain
1. Aaron Spring (Connacht)
2. Kieran Stokes (Munster)
3. Paul Mullen (Munster)
4. Rob O’Herlihy (Munster)
5. David O’Mahony (Munster)
6. Shane Buckley (Munster)
7. Aaron Conneely (Connacht
8. Danny Qualter (Connacht)
Replacements
16. James Rael (Munster)
17. Sean Wooton (Connacht)
18. Ian Mullarkey (Munster)
19. David Heffernan (Connacht)
20. Ronan Barry (Munster)
21. Gareth Quinn-McDonogh (Munster)
22. Jack Costigan (Munster)
23. Cathal Quinn (Munster)


I suppose you could point to that match as a good example of where munster were going wrong for so many years. Only Johnny Holland came through from that bunch and he was very unfortunate to have to retire early.


I presume it was U18s so those players would all be in their prime now. If people are wondering why munster have to go outside the province to plug the gaps then that's a good example of why. Its not until 3 or 4 years after that that the academy started to improve and we can see that now with the 23 year olds and under.

[Dave Cahill]

Under 20s

[munster#1]

First game in the aviva was played 10 years ago the other day.
Munster-Connacht 0-68 Leinster-Ulster

Teams were
Leinster/Ulster team
15. Sam Coghlan Murray (Leinster)
14. Craig Gilroy (Ulster)
13. Alex Kelly (Leinster)
12. Luke Marshall (Ulster) Captain
11. Andrew Boyle (Leinster)
10. Paddy Jackson (Ulster)
9. Peter du Toit (Leinster)
1. James Tracy (Leinster)
2. Jonny Murphy (Ulster)
3. Martin Moore (Leinster)
4. Iain Henderson (Ulster)
5. Robert Hynes (Leinster)
6. Steven Lecky (Ulster)
7. Mark McGroarty (Leinster)
8. David McGuigan (Ulster)
Replacements
16. Paddy Carroll (Leinster)
17. Andy Warrick (Ulster)
18. Mark Fallon (Leinster)
19. Paddy Marks (Ulster)
20. Conor Spence (Ulster)
21. Cathal Marsh (Leinster)
22. Michael McAuley (Ulster)

Connacht/Munster
15. Callum Boland (Connacht)
14. Tadhg Leader (Connacht)
13. Daniel Horgan (Munster)
12. Ben Sargent (Munster)
11. Shane Leydon (Connacht)
10. Johnny Holland (Munster)
9. Mark Dolan (Connacht) Captain
1. Aaron Spring (Connacht)
2. Kieran Stokes (Munster)
3. Paul Mullen (Munster)
4. Rob O’Herlihy (Munster)
5. David O’Mahony (Munster)
6. Shane Buckley (Munster)
7. Aaron Conneely (Connacht
8. Danny Qualter (Connacht)
Replacements
16. James Rael (Munster)
17. Sean Wooton (Connacht)
18. Ian Mullarkey (Munster)
19. David Heffernan (Connacht)
20. Ronan Barry (Munster)
21. Gareth Quinn-McDonogh (Munster)
22. Jack Costigan (Munster)
23. Cathal Quinn (Munster)


I suppose you could point to that match as a good example of where munster were going wrong for so many years. Only Johnny Holland came through from that bunch and he was very unfortunate to have to retire early.


I presume it was U18s so those players would all be in their prime now. If people are wondering why munster have to go outside the province to plug the gaps then that's a good example of why. Its not until 3 or 4 years after that that the academy started to improve and we can see that now with the 23 year olds and under.

That’s a stark eye opener alright.
Interesting to see how many of the Ulster lads went on to play a high level of rugby.

On a side note, I always feel for Holland.
He was a very promising player, and just prior to his career ending injury he looked like he was going to be a real contender for becoming Munster’s starting 10.

[ronk]

Didn’t work out that well for Leinster. 1 guy still in the squad, and he had to switch positions.

[Oldschoolsocks]

Didn’t work out that well for Leinster. 1 guy still in the squad, and he had to switch positions.

Cathal Marsh and Marti Moore have had reasonable careers

[ronk]

They haven’t fulfilled their early potential.

[Oldschoolsocks]

.

[Oldschoolsocks]

They haven’t fulfilled their early potential.

Dunno, Moore fulfilled his lifelong ambition of being mentored by the genius that is Dai Young...

Show Spoiler:

if you have ever read any of my posts (ever) you know that’s not what I think at all

[Up Wexford]

Back from a staycation in the second capital and I had to notice the popularity of Munster rugby in Cork. At a time when there couldn't be less rugby, plenty of people were out in their Munster clobber and every pub/restaurant we went into has some form of munster memoribila in it. The newspaper clippings of the miracle match were particularly popular- Thornley at his absolute peak!

Perhaps rumors of a Cork-Limerick split amongst supporters have been exaggerated to suit my Leinster bias - anecdotal from one weekend of course but it seems this rounds to you Mr munster#1

[johng]

You went to Cork?........




On purpose?!!!!!!!



Well i hope it was the good bit... West Cork.

[wixfjord]

Shur isn't Cork producing the majority of the Munster born Munster players (who are increasingly a minority) these days!

[hugonaut]

Shur isn't Cork producing the majority of the Munster born Munster players (who are increasingly a minority) these days!

Yep. They have been for quite a long time.

Limerick
1. Craig Casey [21]
2. Neil Cronin [27]
3. Keith Earls [32]
4. Dan Goggin [25]
5. Dave Kilcoyne [31]
6. Conor Murray [31]
7. Calvin Nash [22]

Cork
1. Stephen Archer [32]
2. Gavin Coombes [22]
3. Liam Coombes [23]
4. James Cronin [29]
5. Shane Daly [23]
6. Billy Holland [35]
7. Alex McHenry [22]
8. Kevin O'Byrne [29]
9. Liam O'Connor [25]
10. Peter O'Mahony [30]
11. Jack O'Sullivan [21]
12. John Ryan [32]
13. Niall Scannell [28]
14. Rory Scannell [26]
15. Darren Sweetnam [27]
16. Fineen Wycherly [22]

[munster#1]

Back from a staycation in the second capital and I had to notice the popularity of Munster rugby in Cork. At a time when there couldn't be less rugby, plenty of people were out in their Munster clobber and every pub/restaurant we went into has some form of munster memoribila in it. The newspaper clippings of the miracle match were particularly popular- Thornley at his absolute peak!

Perhaps rumors of a Cork-Limerick split amongst supporters have been exaggerated to suit my Leinster bias - anecdotal from one weekend of course but it seems this rounds to you Mr munster#1

In fairness Munster have managed to penetrate all 6 counties fairly well.
I am a Clare man, and you will find the same thing in most towns and villages in Clare despite the fact that there are no senior teams in Clare.

I definitely think that the whole Cork / Limerick thing is over played.
Munster could definitely do more to get more Cork people to games, but like any county, a large percentage of Cork people would have some interest in Munster Rugby.

[Sugary tae]

I think to the ordinary joe soap supporter In cork there’s no issue with a cork limk split.
The biggest issue was housing for the players when we started to fully train in ul. Particularly for younger Cork academy lads who would have Lived at home with mammy and mammys cooking.

Musgrave is a great spot for games, easy to get to. Parking easy and with an 8k capacity it’s a great packed in atmosphere(not great in a covid world)
TP is great for big games but a hole when empty and the cork limerick road is an absolute headwreck. That motorway can’t come fast enough.

[neiliog93]

I suppose rather than bothering to develop their own out-halves they're suddenly going to need Frawley or Harry Byrne now. All in the interests of Irish rugby...

[ronk]

They still have Scannell. And he’s been demoted at 12.