Puke - do any of that 15 have a realistic chance of starting the final do you think? (apart from Stringer?)
barring injuries no…if everybodies fit then it will be the same 15 irregardless of what happens in the next 3 and a half weeks…but in saying that its good to see such strength in depth if we do have injuries…
a big chance for some of these boys to impress who ever is watching especially with kidney as good as having the irish job…i would rate neil ronan and donnacha ryan both as serious prospects as they are both around 24/25 and will be the backbone of this team for years to come…the likes of o sullivan and coughlan are tasty as well but might have missed the provencial boat in some regards as they are both in there late 20s…while cronin and hurley are very good young lads in the front row(not 100% sure but think that cronin is going to connacht for the season next year)
From rte.ie
Ulster 19-9 Munster
Wednesday, 30 April 2008 21:40
Munster’s already wafer-thin chances of challenging Leinster for the Magners League title evaporated as Ulster took the points.
The result crucially keeps the Ravenhill side eight points ahead of Connacht with two home games remaining, as they bid to guarantee Heineken Cup rugby next season.
First-half tries from Rob Dewey and Ryan Caldwell gave Ulster a half-time lead that they did not surrender against a second string Munster outfit who failed to be inspired even by the presence of Peter Stringer and skipper Anthony Foley’s 200th appearance for his province.
Ireland international Andrew Trimble grabbed the decisive score just after the hour mark and, from there, the Heineken Cup finalists had no way back into the game.
Scotland international centre Dewey got Ulster under way when he broke through two tackles to make the line, with Wallace adding the extras to give Ulster a 7-0 lead after 10 minutes.
However, the visitors immediately struck back after Matt McCullough was penalised for taking out Niall Ronan from the restart - and Paul Warwick landed the penalty.
The Munster outside-half missed a chance to further narrow the scores on the half hour when he was wide with a long-range penalty attempt.
But it was Ulster who finished the half strongly, despite the fact that their lineout was struggling to function, when lively second row Ryan Caldwell burst through to score deep in injury-time before Wallace landed his second conversion to make it 14-3 at the break.
Ulster crucially survived when Caldwell was binned four minutes after the restart, the turning point of the game duly arriving when Warwick ignored a kickable penalty to go for the corner.
The Munster pack were then camped on Ulster’s line for several minutes but despite Mick O’Driscoll and Tony Buckley being held up inches short, Ulster turned the ball over and managed to survive being reduced to 14 men, Justin Harrison replacing Caldwell after the 10 minutes had elapsed.
Just past the hour mark, Trimble cut through from first phase possession after Wallace put him in space. Although the Ulster outside-half was wide with the conversion, Ulster were looking comfortable with a 19-3 lead.
Two late Paul Warwick penalties narrowed the home side’s winning margin - but Ireland coach-in-waiting Declan Kidney had nothing to show for his side’s efforts.
didnt see the match last night as i was training…heard barry murphy had to go off injured after 7 or 8 minutes and horgan got injured early in the second half…hopefully they are nothing serious…
from rte.ie
With just one exception on the bench, Munster take the same squad to Wales for the Magners League clash with Llanelli Scarlets, as the one that accounted for Saracens in the Heineken Cup semi-final.
The change on the bench sees Anthony Horgan replace Barry Murphy, who suffered a dislocated thumb in the game in Ravenhill on Wednesday night.
Horgan’s inclusion comes on foot of an impressive first half showing against Ulster before he was forced out of the game just after the break with presumably the same stomach ailment that sidelined Keith Earls earlier in the day.
Munster team v Llanelli in the Magners League, Saturday, 2.45pm:
D Hurley; D Howlett, L Mafi, R Tipoki, I Dowling; R O’Gara, T O’Leary; M Horan, J Flannery, J Hayes, D O’Callaghan, P O’Connell (capt), A Quinlan, D Wallace, D Leamy.
Replacements: F Sheahan, F Pucciariello, M O’Driscoll, D Ryan, P Stringer, P Warwick, A Horgan.
disappointing loss at the weekend only saw the last half an hour of it…glad to see slurpy score a try in his last home appearance and possibly his last appearance in the red of munster…fair play to him an absolute legend and owes munster rugby nothing shame he is a miserable fucker in person…
think kidney has his 22 picked for saturday week pretty much the same as against saracens with the exception of barry murphy who is injured…disappointing for murphy who missed the last final through injury as well…
if i gat a chance in the next few days/over the weekend i will write up a preview to the final…
Puke- did foley steal your biscuits or something?!!! ;D
anyone think its a bit unhealthy and a bit incestous that one club on the other side of the world has had such an effect on Leinster and irish rugby.
Randwick have provided Ella, Williams (90% sure) Cheika, Gaffney, Knox to the leinster coaching structure take Kidney out of it and there isnt much other influence there over the last 10 years.
Gaffney brought ella in, gaffney presumably had a major pert in bringing in Cheika and Knox, Finnegan Whitaker and Warner at very least are all Randwick boys too…
if it was Shannon or Cork Con there would be fair roaring and shouting
slurpy never did anything to me but did you ever meet the man and have a conversation with him…for all that he is a fine rugby player he is devoid of charisma and personality with monotone voice…his father brendan on the other hand is one of the gasest fuckers you would ever meet…polar opposites…
probable teams:
munster toulouse
hurley- heymans
howlett- medard
tipoki - fritz(injured last day presume he will be fit)
mafi - jauzion
dowling - donguy
rodge - ellisalde
o leary - kelliher
leamy - sowerby/maka
wallace - nyanga
quinlan - duisator
paulie- pelous
o callaghan- albacete
hayes - perugini
flannery - servat
horan - human
looking at in on a whole…think munster have the upper hand slightly in the backs as jauzion is gone off the boil and seems to be lacking pace while fritz has been injured(not even sure if he will be back for the final) with howlett up against medard would fancy doug to win that battle although medard has a lot of potential…heymans at the back holds the key a smashing runner with ball in hamd and a boot like a mule on him…
at half back think o gara is a better out half than ellisalde but ellisalde is more than capable of controlling the game…nothing between either players goal kicking either…kelliher has the experience over o leary…
back row is interesting as i rate nyanga and dusetoir very highly and i think this is where the winning and lossing of the match is for both teams…
think we have a better second row as pelous isnt up to this level anymore while albacete can be erratic at the best of times…definate advantage at line out time…
would fancy toulouse to have the upper hand in the scrum…while servat is powerful in the loose but his line out throwing can leave him down at times…
again hard to call so manny individual battles on the pitch cant see either team running away with…hopefully it will be an epic encounter…
prediction:
munster 19
toulouse 17
Toulouse have two excellent flankers - like you say that could be key. Other than that think Munster have the edge too. Interesting how the Toulouse centres have regressed - you’d have been way more fearful of them a couple of years ago. Don’t really rate Fritz and Jauzion is definitely not the force he was - seems more plodding now.
26 man squad named
from rte.ie
There were no surprises in Munster’s 26-man squad for the Heineken Cup final against Toulouse on Saturday, kick-off 5.00pm.
Ronan O’Gara, Doug Howlett and Lifeimi Mafi all came through the double training session at the University of Limerick.
Scrum-half Tomas O’Leary is expected to be available for selection despite a hamstring strain.
Frederico Pucharello didn’t train because of a stomach bug, while Mick O’Driscoll also sat out the session due to a back strain.
Coach Declan Kidney believes the match will go down to the wire and dismissed all thoughts of Munster as favourites ahead of their fourth appearance in a European final.
He also rejected the notion that French teams don’t travel well and pointed to Toulouse’s recent successes at Lansdowne Road, Cardiff and Murrayfield.
The roof will be closed at the Millenium Stadium for the match.
The match-day 22 will be finalised at lunchtime on Friday.
Munster squad v Toulouse, Heineken Cup final, Saturday, 5.00pm:
Forwards: M Horan, F Pucciariello, J Hayes, T Buckley, F Sheahan, J Flannery, P O’Connell, D O’Callaghan, M O’Driscoll, D Ryan, D Wallace, A Quinlan, D Leamy, A Foley.
Backs: P Stringer, T O’Leary, R O’Gara, P Warwick, I Dowling, D Howlett, R Tipoki, K Lewis, L Mafi, K Earls, D Hurley, S Payne
would expect foley buckley payne and earls all to miss out…disappointed for foley and payne as both have been munster legends but kidney wont pick on sentiment…
if i find a link for toulouses squad i will put it up…
toulouse’s 25 man squad:
Novs has announced a 25 player squad from which the team to face Munster on Saturday at the Millennium Stadium will be selected.
Toulouse have named a 25 player squad made up of 15 forwards and 10 backs. The centre Manu Ahotaeiloa has returned from injury and has been included in the group.
Forwards - Hasan, Human, Perugini, Servat, Vernet-Basualdo, Albacete, Millo-Chlusky, Pelous, Bouilhou, Dusautoir, Lamboley, Nyanga, Maka, Sowerby.
Backs - Courrent, Elissalde, Kelleher, Ahotaeiloa, DOnguy, Heymans, Mdard, Fritz, Jauzion, Kunavore.
take heymans out of the backs and they are ordinary enough…but they have 15 serious forwards to pick from…think that noves will go with a 5-2 split and look to dominate up front as toulouse should have the upper hand in the front row…
Does the order of those posts mean Fritz is no longer definitely out?
I think Foley might sneak a bench spot ahead of Ryan. Not just for sentiment but Munster are unlikely to hammer Toulouse and if they get ahead then Foley is the man to close out a lead. They lacked that option against Saracens and the back row went very loose near the end.
no he is in…was informed earlier that he is out but just after seeing his name there good man rock…thats what i get for using second hand information…
yeah think that is the only call that declan has to make foley or ryan…to be honest i would have both of them on the bench before mick o driscoll but i dont see this happening…
Good interview with Jim Williams in the Times today.
Moving time for part of the furniture
Jim Williams reflects on his time in Ireland and tells Gerry Thornley why he is confident the Munster team will continue to prosper
AMID THE impending departures of Deccie and Axel, it’s almost gone unnoticed that “Samus” is on his way too. Jim Williams may not have been part of the Munster fabric for as long as their departing coach and former captain, but it’s remarkable to think that despite not arriving until he was 32, Williams has ended up staying here for seven years. In his own inimitable way, first as a force of nature and captain on the pitch, then as an increasingly astute coach for three campaigns, he became part of the furniture too.
Alas, he is heading home next Wednesday, to start work as the Wallabies’ new assistant/forwards coach the following Monday, June 2nd. His first challenge will be to help the Australian pack in their seasonal opener in Melbourne, against Ireland, on June 14th.
“You wouldn’t believe it, would you? Of all the countries in the world that play rugby, it has to be Ireland,” declares Williams in loud and not entirely mock despair, paraphrasing Bogey in Casablanca and smiling broadly, but clearly as annoyed as was Rick Blaine in encountering Sam by his piano in that particular gin joint.
“It’s not right. It’s not fair on me and it’s not fair on them. I suppose I’ll have to work my way through it.”
He returns to what he calls “a clean slate and a new direction” in light of Australia undergoing significant change, from ARU personnel to a new coaching ticket under Robbie Deans and the retirements of stalwarts such as Stephen Larkham and George Gregan, not to mention the exodus of others in their prime.
“We’re going to be light on the ground initially and there’s going to be plenty of work with the guys that I’ve got there,” he says.
Among ex-pat Aussies here in Ireland there’s a palpable concern that Australian rugby, without the promised financial backing of the new government and with a failed attempt to provide a regional competition under its four Super 14 franchises, has hit a wall.
“Guys who have played 10 or 15, maybe 20, tests are looking to go overseas, so it’s certainly going to be a difficult time for us,” he agrees.
He cites the impending appointment of the former Springboks forward coach Gert Small to the Irish set-up as an example of how other countries no longer go native either, but agrees that having been at the cutting edge, a golden generation of coaches have also moved on, leading to an admittance that Australian rugby had become a little “insular”.
Williams’s return, along with the Waratahs’ attempts to bring Michael Cheika home, highlights the ARU’s desire to rectify that.
Williams has assuredly benefited from exposure to the greater intensity of the setpieces and forward play from his three seasons cutting his coaching teeth at Munster, not to mention his four as a player in the Northern Hemisphere.
"It’s difficult to put into words what I’m leaving behind. It’s a whole lifestyle. It certainly changed me as a player. It moulded me as a coach and changed my outlook on life completely, which is great.
“That’s why you come overseas, to get that different aspect on life and different style; not to try to bring your style of rugby over, just bring parts of it in, and row in with what they’re doing. That’s what I’ve done and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.”
Injured on arrival, he can still vividly recall witnessing his first day of training, in summer 2001.
"I’ll never forget it. Claw punching blokes, Quinny punching blokes, Dessie and Claw going at each other, and they’re brothers! I was sitting beside David Wallace and saying, ‘I don’t know what the hell I’ve done here.’ I rang the agent and said, ‘I don’t know what I’m doing here - these guys beat the crap out of each other as much as they beat the opposition up.’
“But it’s like I said . . . just the intensity and the competitiveness they bring, and it’s great to be a part of that set-up.”
There were heartbreaks along the way, losing the 2002 final in Cardiff, and narrow knock-out defeats in the three subsequent years - before joy at last in his first season as coach - and the many highs in games such as those against Gloucester and Sale.
“Plenty of both,” he says of the highs and lows. “It’s different, but they (playing and coaching) both give their rewards. It’s a natural progression from playing. You still miss it a bit but I’m enjoying it just as much.”
He’ll miss what he describes as the whole package. “It’s the supporters, it’s the set-up, it’s the players, it’s the attitude they’ve got towards games. It’s very one-in, all-in; no-one’s better than anyone else, but they’re all great individual players. They believe in each other and they and the fans have a great mutual respect.”
He cites the way those at the World Cup could seamlessly slip back into the Munster way and refocus - along with Leinster’s achievement in winning the Magners League in what was an underachieving international season. The stand-out, he says, was “the magnificent effort by the boys in the second half in Clermont to get a bonus point. That got us out of that pool.”
The presence of more gamebreakers at Munster has injected confidence though he also believes the key to Toulouse’s French renaissance is simply that they are enjoying their rugby again: "Nothing fazes them. They’ve won it before, they’ve been away, they’ve played Munster before. It’s just going to be whoever makes less mistakes, gets into field position and takes their points, because you need something when you get down there (in opposition territory). And make sure your defence is rock solid.
“They’ve got the all-round game. Scrum, lineout, they’ve got backs, they can pick and drive, they’ve got runners who can offload before contact. They’re certainly a complete team.”
Whatever happens tomorrow, there is a distinct end-of-era feeling in the air: “Yes, there is, but it’s one of those things that’s got to happen. Life rolls on. It is difficult us all leaving at once, but knowing the Munster set-up and the management of the players, they’ll ensure that they’ll still have some stability there.”
He has high hopes for young backrowers such as Tony O’Donnell and Billy Holland, “but there might be a call for an outsider to come in, to help influence them and guide them through, but certainly they’ve got the quality of player there.”
The one improvement he’d like to see in the Munster set-up is the production line from the academy, especially of backs.
“I’d like to see more home-grown players coming through . . . The Barry Murphys and Keith Earlses, these type of guys. They’ve got the quality of player (in the senior team) at the moment, and a good set-up below us, but I’d like to see them manage their academy players and I’d like to see a few more home-grown centres and backs, especially from Munster - and not so much from Leinster,” he smiles.
“But they need to keep rolling those backs out with the quality of forwards they have, because that’s what they need to do if they want to evolve - generate quality players from within.”
In the heel of the hunt though, he remains confident the good ship Munster will be steered in the right direction: “I’m not worried about Munster in the future at all. I never am. They know what’s right for Munster and I certainly think they’ll be okay and they’ll do well in Europe. I think the Munster management will have things in place.”
I’m hearing Fritz and Nyanga are on the bench with Kunavore in the centre and Bouilhon in the back row.
yeah surprised to see nyanga on the bench although boulihou i thought should have been man of the match against irish…thought he was immense…nyanga is a fairly decent impact sub to have…
not too surprised to see fritz on the bench has very little rugby played this year…
munster team is the same as against saracens…with two changes to the bench with mushie and keith earls on the bench…disappointed for puciarello and foley but delighted for the two boys especially earls as he has huge potential on to be honest kieron lewis isnt up to this level…very progressive move by kidney(even though he is leaving)…
on a side note…picture in the indo of mafi’s and tipoki wives today…2 decent bits of gear…
Bandage opens new internet window to check these units out
mafi’s wife is worth the look alone in my opinion…
Did ye see the life magazine that came with the Sindo last Sunday? Had a feature on Flannerys girlfriend and Quinlans (I think) wife. 2 hot bits of stuff. Both of them are models I think.
Paddy are 10-1 on munster’s 6,7 or 8 scoring the first try tonight. I think that’s pretty good and have had a pop with 5 europes.