Munster Team Talk Thread - Snymans are(n't) Forever - Page 854 (2024)

You'd have to say, both this season and last, the S&C coaches deserve credit for getting the best out of him at the right time of the season. Often previously much maligned, but he's been great the last 2 seasons.

POM, Murr and Earls were the obvious guys that you'd be delighted for with last year's win, but Archer well up there on that list for me too.

This was some achievement of Archer’s from that announcement:

“Archer started last season’s URC quarter-final, semi-final and final as Munster clinched the title, also playing back-to-back 80 minutes away to Stormers and Sharks in the final rounds of the regular season.”

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It's mentioned on MFs too but not sure how reliable it is

Jackman has it too..

As has Kinsella

https://x.com/Murray_Kinsella/status/1795168587017023563?t=nLHXFCqz96Ts6nycB8Lz_g&s=19

Good signening considering we cant reslly sign anyone elsewhere. Plenty of upside and youd trust the coaches to get the best out of him

Joey Carbery, John Hodnett and Peter O’Mahony as they all return to training this week.

Mike Haley is completing the return to play protocols and on track to return this week.

Antoine Frisch had a scan on a leg injury last week and his availability will be determined later this week.

Frisch and Nankivell both being missing could be disastrous. Those guys are so critical to our attack.

Scannell and O'Brien have big boots to fill.

Definitely, losing both Nankivell & Frisch for these run of games is disastrous.

Round 18 Match Officials Announcement

Munster v Ulster

Thom*ond Park, Limerick – KO 17.15 IRE & UK / 18.15 ITA & SA

Referee:Frank Murphy (IRFU, 86th league game)

AR 1:Robbie Jenkinson (IRFU)AR 2:Andrew Fogarty (IRFU)

TMO:Andrew Brace (IRFU)

https://www.unitedrugby.com/latest/match-officials/round-18-match-officials-announcement

Christ on a bike - Frank Murphy is the ref

Okeke has signed for Coventry

https://x.com/CoventryRugby/status/1795440497168888041?t=aH1fIi1eCfWK3xQ1pan9XA&s=19

Unfortunately can't make the Ulster game now but can resell 2 tickets through ticketmaster - seated, section 202, I'll list them for €75 for the 2, plus whatever service fees TM charge so will cost you around €90 in total. That's c. a tenner less than buying comparable seats direct from TM. PM if interested and I'll send you the ticketmaster secure link so you buy them direct

Edit: Just realised I probably am breaching the charter but can't see how to delete this so mods, do it whenever you can and apols

Thaakir Abrahams joins from Lyon on a two year deal.

https://www.munsterrugby.ie/2024/05/29/thaakir-abrahams-to-join-munster-on-two-year-deal/

I'll be honest, I don't think I'd ever heard of him before this week. Seems a strange place to use an NIQ spot, but what do I know?

By all accounts we are not allowed to sign a front row or a half-back and we already have an NIQ lock, we’re stacked in the back row, we already have an NIQ centre, so an NIQ wing/fullback was the best we could hope for.

From a few video clips he looks like a Cheslin Kolbe style player, and we will be glad of him if Nash is tied up with Ireland duty and we’ve lost Earls, Conway and Zebo so we probably have a deficit of top quality in the back three.

Campbell and Coombes have been injured a while and McCarthy is a bit green yet.

I think it makes sense, we have a lot of back 3 players in a similar mould; good footballers who lack elite pace. Adding someone as quick as Abrahams has the potential to add a new dimension to our attack.

It only makes sense because where wert most at need we're not allowed sign an NIQ. We've lost Zebo, Conway and Earls in the last year so we were a bit light there anyway but my guess is that if we had a NIQ in the front row we'd have managed with the backs.

He's supposed to be super fast so hopefully that will pay dividends but I hope his tracking is better than GvdH

GvdH

Exactly who I thought of as well when I heard he has top end pace.

He had a cracking game against Leinster at the RDS back in October '22 (a wild game Leinster won 54-34). He scored two tries that day and looked like the fastest player on the pitch by miles. His second try that day was an absolute cracker.

He's very small but very quick and a good footballer. Was predominantly seen as a winger in SA, but seems to have played a good bit at FB for Lyon. He think he'll definitely bring another dimension to Munster's backline.

It won't be until start of next season so august/september

URC fixtures out here. The games vs Ulster away and Leinster at home are still to be finalised. Only 1 Friday K.O in Thom*ond as far as I could see vs Ulster. https://www.munsterrugby.ie/2024/05/30/munster-rugbys-2024-25-urc-fixtures-confirmed/

Leinster in Round 4 followed by the SA tour, I'd imagine the EI tour players will start being integrated back in from just before that onwards?

I don't know why the MR editor can't do this, but here are the Munster fixtures only.

R1 Sat 21 Sep | Munster v Connacht – Thom*ond Park | 17:30 | RTÉ

R2 Sat 28 Sep | Zebre Parma v Munster | 15:00 | RTÉ

R3 Sat 5 Oct | Munster v Ospreys – Virgin Media Park | 19:35 | RTÉ

R4 Sat 12 Oct | Leinster v Munster | 17:45 | RTÉ

R5 Sat 19 Oct | DHL Stormers v Munster | 17:00| RTÉ

R6 Sat 16 Oct | Hollywoodbets Sharks v Munster | 15:00 | TG4

R7 Sat 20 Nov | Munster v Emirates Lions – Thom*ond Park | 19:35 | TG4

R8 TBC | Ulster v Munster | TG4

R9 TBC | Munster v Leinster - Thom*ond Park | TG4

R10 Sat 25 Jan | Dragons RFC v Munster | 19:35 | RTÉ

R11 Sat 14 Feb | Munster v Scarlets – Thom*ond Park | 17:15| RTÉ

R12 Fri 28 Feb | Munster v Edinburgh Rugby – Virgin Media Park | 19:35 | TG4

R13 Fri 21 Mar | Glasgow v Munster | 19:35 | RTE

R14 TBC | Connacht v Munster | TG4

R15 Sat 19 Apr | Munster v Vodacom Bulls – Thom*ond Park | 17:15 | RTÉ

R16 Fri 25 Apr | Cardiff Rugby v Munster | 19:35 | TG4

R17 Fri 9 May | Munster v Ulster – Thom*ond Park | 19:35 | RTÉ

R18 Fri 16 May | Munster v Benetton – Virgin Media Park | 20:00 | TG4

No dates for three interpros and the Leinster game looks to be on New Years rather than St Stephens Day.