Paul O'Connell to step down as Munster captain

First topic message reminder :

http://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/provincial/2012/0822/334474-oconnell-to-step-aside-as-munster-captain/

Paulie looks set to step down as Munster captain. He said in the Irish Examiner: "I really enjoyed doing it. I've done it for six years now. It’s something I thoroughly enjoyed, probably not as much in the first few years as I did in the last few years, but I think it might be time for a change at Munster."

O'Connell, who is recovering from a serious knee injury, admitted that without the captaincy he would have more time to concentrate on his own game saying: "When you’re captain, at times you are keeping an eye on everything else and maybe not keeping an eye on yourself as much as you’d like to."
"I've had six years of it now, I thoroughly enjoyed it and I loved doing it but it might be time for change and for someone else to take it on."

I know O'Driscoll found a new lease of life at Leinster when he passed the captaincy onto Leo Cullen.

The next question is who the new captain could or should be. I would imagine that Doug Howlett would be the main candidate followed by Ronan O'Gara and Peter O'Mahony.

I have to say its an exciting time for Munster. Really feels like the beginning of something. There is no doubt in my mind that in terms of starting XV we are behind Ulster and Leinster. However we have excellent depth and resources which should see us scramble up again in time.

Above all else we have a very very young squad. I think our under 25s team would fare quite well.

Munster Under 25 Team:

01 David Kilcoyne
02 Mike Sherry
03 Stephen Archer
04 Dave Foley
05 Ian Nagle
06 Peter O'Mahony
07 Tommy O'Donnell
08 CJ Stander
09 Conor Murray
10 Ian Keatley
11 Simon Zebo
12 JJ Hanrahan
13 Danny Barnes
14 Keith Earls
15 Felix Jones

16 Sean Henry
17 John Ryan
18 Dave O'Callaghan
19 Paddy Butler
20 Cathal Sheridan
21 Scott Deasy
22 Ivan Dineen
23 Luke O'Dea

Thats extremely exciting for the province.

Christ that is good! Didn't realise you had as much depth as that really.

At Leinster we'd have

01 Healy
02 Sexton
03 Hagan
04 Denton
05 Roux
06 Ruddock
07 Ryan
08 O'Brien
09 Cooney
10 Madigan
11 Fitzgerald
12 Macken
13 O'Malley
14 Kearney Jr
15 Conway

16 Byrne
17 McGrath
18 Moore
19 Flanagan
20 Murphy
21 McGrath
22 Reid
23 Hudson

I don't think John Ryan is under 25 Stag but sure he is only a bench player. I would expect that Munster team to beat Leinster but would be a good game.

Thomond, he is only 23.

http://www.munsterrugby.ie/rugby/squadprofiles.php?player=101106&includeref=dynamic

I might be thinking of another prop, or I might have lost the plot. Probably the latter.

In my opinion, Doug Howlett is a bad choce, its never a good idea to have a winger as captain, I would have gone for ROG.

Sambo, I think the type of thinking that you should "never" do something is a very very bad way to think.

You should always do what is right for you.

Howlett works on a number of levels and although I understand the reasoning (i.e. that he is slightly removed from the action) I think that he is the candidate that works best by a long shot.

red_stag wrote:Sambo, I think the type of thinking that you should "never" do something is a very very bad way to think.

You should always do what is right for you.

Howlett works on a number of levels and although I understand the reasoning (i.e. that he is slightly removed from the action) I think that he is the candidate that works best by a long shot.

Are you a fan of Justin Bieber too

Are you suggesting that Justin Beiber should be Munster captain?

Conor Murrays nickname is Justin Bieber. Maybe thats who he is referring to.

Murray does have a Bieber-ish like quality!

Apaprently Tommy Bowe started called him that during the RWC