Will Chambers Arrives at Munster

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Queensland Reds centre/winger Will Chambers arrived in Cork Airport today and is ready to start playing for Munster.

He had apparently flown out to Edinburgh about 2 weeks ago to meet the team when they played there.

"I'm pretty excited to be over here." he continued. "It's a very prestigious club and when I was presented with the opportunity to come over I took it with both hands. Most footy players dream of playing with a club like Munster, pulling on that red jersey and it's something I'm looking forward to. To actually be over here now and getting in and mingling and meeting all the boys is something I'm very excited about."

"I did a bit of research and spoke to a few people and they made me aware it's one of the most prestigious clubs in the world. How the whole place is set up. How crazy the fans are!. Oh I know they love their footy over here, I know the fans get right behind them and I know it's something I'm looking forward to."

How do people think he'll do in his short time here. Will he play in the high profile games and if so in what position?

asoreleftshoulder wrote:Whats the story with Jones,is he just extremely unlucky or is he one of the unfortunate people who have the talent but their bodies just can't stand up to the rigours of professional sport?

I think all his injuries have been impact injuries so that would seem to suggest he's just been unlucky rather than say the problems Flannery is having lately.

Definitely unlucky, first serious injury which kept him out was a neck injury that was almost career injury. Then 2/3 weeks back and he does his cruiate in. Very very very unlucky. Great full back

Munster are much stronger this year in my mind and not because of the signings but rather the young talent coming through some of which are as good as top signings. Most of these players had their break through year last year but are now settling in nicely.

1. Conor Murray - great experience gained at WC

2. D. Ryan - powerful backrow / 2row as above has now come into his own

3. Mike Sherry - great end to last season. Great darts, good scrummager and good in the lose. Will be HC hooker imo

4. Danny Barnes - proving himself well. I would prefer to devlop him rather than Cambers who I know nothing about

5. POM - Captain and showing himself to have International potential

6. Felix Jones - one of most exciting FBs in the northern Hemisphere.

Other improvements - Archer, Nagle, Duncan Williams, Keatley, Botha, Zebo, Hurley coming back into form

Blue Muff I agree Munster have a lot of young talent. People keep talking about Ulster and Leinster but for me Munster have as much young talent as anyone.

How do you think you will fair in the HEC though? There seems to be a lot of guys coming close to the end and talented young guys but not many experienced players at their peak compared to previous seasons.

Rodders would say that Wally will be the only guy retiring this year. Pauly, ROG and Donners will continue on for Munster.

Should qualify from tough group. Saints will be very tough but we are lucky to have them home first so a win here will set us up nicely. Then an away win in Castre should see us in a commanding position with a nice trip (for us fans) to Scarlets on 10 Dec.

Im really pleased with the development of the young players coming through which really have made their mark and are now more than just potential likes of Murray, Ryan and Jones.

We are also stronger in the front row which to me is where we lost the crucial games last year.

Isn't Wallace contracted to 2013? Don't you think he'll see that out?

It is a tough HEC pool and it would be a great effort to qualify from that but it would be great to see Munster be a big force in Europe again this season.

Do you think your front row is strong enough? BJ didn't play much for us last year and seems to be constantly injured.

Regards the front row I think we are a much stronger unit with Sherry and Archer. BJ will be a bonus if the f.....r ever plays!!!

Its hard to see Wallace coming back especially after a cruciate injury. He may make it back but doubt he will be the force he was.

Whether we make it out depends on my mind winning the first game against Saints. Lose that and we are as good as out before it starts

I think Wallace will be back. That guy is superhuman.

Good luck with the HEC....and getting BJ on the pitch

I have to say the swap of Afoa for Botha looks like a really good move from Ulster.

However Ulster were wanting to sign Botha on, so I guess they didn't think that he was too injury prone to look for a replacement, they only looked when he wouldn't sign, that makes me think that he's just unlucky rather than injury prone, and he'll play plenty of games for Munster.

Hoping for a good year for all 4 Irish Provinces in the H-Cup, with Connacht winning it, so every province can have held it.

BlueMuff wrote:Rodders would say that Wally will be the only guy retiring this year. Pauly, ROG and Donners will continue on for Munster.

Should qualify from tough group. Saints will be very tough but we are lucky to have them home first so a win here will set us up nicely. Then an away win in Castre should see us in a commanding position with a nice trip (for us fans) to Scarlets on 10 Dec.

Im really pleased with the development of the young players coming through which really have made their mark and are now more than just potential likes of Murray, Ryan and Jones.

We are also stronger in the front row which to me is where we lost the crucial games last year.

Wally won't be retiring any time soon, the man is a robot.

Munster have some excellent young players coming through but they don't have as many coming through as the other provinces so they will have to manage them better and hope that most of them become top class players.

I was really impressed by Docv2 against the ospreys, he had a huge workrate and looked very good at 6.
POM will probably play 7 until wally is back with coughlan and leamy in the backrow. From an Irish pov I
would like to see ryan in the row with Poc but I'm not sure if that is realistic.
DuPreez Sherry Botha is Munster's strongest front row and should be a match for most teams.

I would say that POM probably has the most potential of any young Irish backrower and it is very
important for Ireland that munster manage his development properly. At underage he always played 8
and hopefully he will move their when wally gets back but he seems capable of playing any of the three
backrow positions well.

Will O'Mahoney play at 8 with Coughlan playing so well?

I agree with DOC v2 looking like a very exciting prospect especially as we seem to like having the tweener on the blindside. The player I'm excited about is Zebo. He doesn't have blinding pace but is quick. It's his footballing skills I like though and I hope they find ways of getting him onto the ball often.

Id hope they find ways getting him onto the team often. He seems to be behind Denis Hurley and Johne Murphy at the minute

Can Coughlan not play at 6/7? He is actually smaller than POM, and for POM's development and his potential future internationally I think he should be starting 8 for Munster as it looks like his best position.

MBTGOG wrote:Will O'Mahoney play at 8 with Coughlan playing so well?

I agree with DOC v2 looking like a very exciting prospect especially as we seem to like having the tweener on the blindside. The player I'm excited about is Zebo. He doesn't have blinding pace but is quick. It's his footballing skills I like though and I hope they find ways of getting him onto the ball often.

If POM stays playing well he will be accommodated in the backrow and someone will be left out. I think he is good enough to play any of the three positions quite well so I would say that a leamy-pom-coughlan backrow is likely for the hec.


On Zebo, I'm not sure if his defensive postioning is up to it yet but he needs games in the rabo league to improve.

MBTGOG wrote:Will O'Mahoney play at 8 with Coughlan playing so well?

I agree with DOC v2 looking like a very exciting prospect especially as we seem to like having the tweener on the blindside. The player I'm excited about is Zebo. He doesn't have blinding pace but is quick. It's his footballing skills I like though and I hope they find ways of getting him onto the ball often.

Zebo has superb footwork that makes him difficult to put down. Think Im a little concerned that with the WC going on he hasnt yet started a Pro 12 match. Maybe they are developing him slowly but he is definitely not bursting onto the scene. Is there a reason why this is happening?

BlueMuff wrote:

MBTGOG wrote:Will O'Mahoney play at 8 with Coughlan playing so well?

I agree with DOC v2 looking like a very exciting prospect especially as we seem to like having the tweener on the blindside. The player I'm excited about is Zebo. He doesn't have blinding pace but is quick. It's his footballing skills I like though and I hope they find ways of getting him onto the ball often.

Zebo has superb footwork that makes him difficult to put down. Think Im a little concerned that with the WC going on he hasnt yet started a Pro 12 match. Maybe they are developing him slowly but he is definitely not bursting onto the scene. Is there a reason why this is happening?

He is competing with players who are not at the world cup like Denis Hurley & Johne Murphy who need gametime as well for the Heineken Cup. Howlett is needed for his experience and pure class!

Howlett is the man. Awesome player even now.

What age is Hurley? He always impresses me, I wonder could he yet make ot for Ireland?

I don't ever see Hurley making it internationally personally. Maybe he could get a look in if we got a few injuries some time. He's just turend 27.

roddersm wrote:Howlett is the man. Awesome player even now.

What age is Hurley? He always impresses me, I wonder could he yet make ot for Ireland?

Rodders Im guessing but Hurley has been around for a few years now and started in the 08 HC final so I would say he is around 26ish. Always shows great promise but just quiet hasnt delivered on his full potential. Has been unlucky with injuries and hes not sure if hes a full back or a wing.

He is also poor under the high ball

roddersm wrote:Howlett is the man. Awesome player even now.

What age is Hurley? He always impresses me, I wonder could he yet make ot for Ireland?

Howlett is seriously underated. 29 tries in 86 games for Munster. And rarely injured. Probably one of Munster's best signings. To put in context, Nacewa scored 15 tries in 81 games for Leinster and everyone thinks he is JC.

Hurly is just gone 27. He is a big, powerful runner, but has had a few injuries and seems to have got over his complete loss of confidence after the '08 HC Final.

red_stag wrote:He is also poor under the high ball

Yep probably his biggest weakness that was exposed in some big games that ultimately cost him his place at full back. He was then thrown a life line as almost a utility winger.

Sin é wrote:

roddersm wrote:Howlett is the man. Awesome player even now.

What age is Hurley? He always impresses me, I wonder could he yet make ot for Ireland?

Howlett is seriously underated. 29 tries in 86 games for Munster. And rarely injured. Probably one of Munster's best signings. To put in context, Nacewa scored 15 tries in 81 games for Leinster and everyone thinks he is JC.

Hurly is just gone 27. He is a big, powerful runner, but has had a few injuries and seems to have got over his complete loss of confidence after the '08 HC Final.

You may call him iósa,

Howlett has been the perfect signing bought into the province/club wholeheartedly

Sin é wrote:
Howlett is seriously underated.

Not by me he isn't. Fantastic all round winger and still one of the best in europe. There's been some great overseas signings in Irish rugby and Howlett is right at the top of the pile and would still walk into most international sides.