Cardiff Blues v Munster

So Munster come to town after Cardiff have been royally spanked by the boys in blue. Will they be motivated or will they lack confidence. They will be without 8 players. The big name trio of Jamie Roberts, Sam Warburton and Leigh Halfpenny will all miss the game as well as wingers Alex Cuthbert and Harry Robinson, scrum half Lloyd Williams, prop Scott Andrews and second row Bradley Davies.

CJ Stander has arrived in Munster but is not included:

Cardiff Blues:

01 Campese Ma'afu
02 Rhys Williams
03 Taufa'ao Filise
04 Lou Reed
05 James Down
06 Robin Copeland
07 Josh Navidi
08 Andre Pretorius
09 Lewis Jones
10 Jason Tovey
11 Tom James
12 Dafydd Hewitt
13 Gavin Evans
14 Tom Williams
15 Dan Fish

16 Andy Kyriacou
17 Sam Hobbs
18 Ryan Harford
19 Macauley Cook
20 Luke Hamilton
21 Rob Lewis
22 Ceri Sweeney
23 Owen Williams

Munster Rugby:
01 Marcus Horan
02 Mike Sherry
03 Stephen Archer
04 Dave Foley
05 Billy Holland
06 Dave O'Callaghan
07 Sean Dougall
08 Tommy O'Donnell
09 Duncan Williams
10 Ronan O'Gara
11 Luke O'Dea
12 Ian Keatley
13 Casey Laulala
14 Doug Howlett
15 Felix Jones

16 Damien Varley
17 John Ryan
18 Wian du Preez
19 Ian Nagle
20 Paddy Butler
21 Peter Stringer
22 Danny Barnes
23 Johne Murphy

Cardiff fans what team do you expect to see out and how would you feel about facing that Munster team?

That is a fairly decent Munster team given the International Squad players are missing.

Mind you Munster have fewer in the Ireland squad now they are only third best province

Who'd want to be a part of that thing anyway Rava

Nice return for LuaLala - Class act

Is VDP injured?

The Cardiff scrum (amongst other things) was dire last week, but Marcus Horan could still be in trouble against any moderately competant prop.

The Blues have moderately competent players littered all over the park And a moderately competent coach as well

Mick,

Yea Wian du Preez has been injured for a few weeks. He may actually be back for this one but Im not sure.

Now we will probably get Kilcoyne back from Ireland given that there are another 2 looseheads there but if Kilcoyne and du Preez are unvailable Horan will play unfortunately.

I remember him getting injured against us, but thought it was a short term thing.

No hasn't played since then.

For what its worth I see Cardiff will defnitely field a weakened team too.

They will be without 8 players. The big name trio of Jamie Roberts, Sam Warburton and Leigh Halfpenny will all miss the game as well as wingers Alex Cuthbert and Harry Robinson, scrum half Lloyd Williams, prop Scott Andrews and second row Bradley Davies.

Munster have lost four away games so far this season and have only ever won once in the Cardiff Arms Park.

However on the flip side this is the Blues worst set of results in 7 years and have lost 4 matches in a row to Munster.

Munster have announced their team:

01 Marcus Horan
02 Mike Sherry
03 Stephen Archer
04 Dave Foley
05 Billy Holland
06 Dave O'Callaghan
07 Sean Dougall
08 Tommy O'Donnell
09 Duncan Williams
10 Ronan O'Gara
11 Luke O'Dea
12 Ian Keatley
13 Casey Laulala
14 Doug Howlett
15 Felix Jones

16 Damien Varley
17 John Ryan
18 Wian du Preez
19 Ian Nagle
20 Paddy Butler
21 Peter Stringer
22 Danny Barnes
23 Johne Murphy

Very very unhappy that JJ Hanrahan fails to make the match day squad. This is far from the best we can do.

1 - 3
4 - 8
9 - 10
11 - 15
Subs
JJ

Looks weak. They are banking on Cardiff being as crap as they were last week.

RubyGuby wrote:The Blues have moderately competent players littered all over the park And a moderately competent coach as well

you are far too generous in your praise...........................

We have a decent 11-15. JJ should be in at 12, Keatley at 10 and Duncan Williams shouldn't come within an ass's roar of the Arms Park. This game could turn into a loss with that frontrow and weak enough pack.

JJ is available to play outhalf for UL Bohs against Garryowen now.

Good squad rotation there. Must be difficult for Stringer - he sure isn't getting much gametime.

Duncan Williams needs the time - he was good at the start of the season, but has gone back a bit now.

Sin é wrote:JJ is available to play outhalf for UL Bohs against Garryowen now.

Oh goody. Just what he needs.

Sorry to say lads but Penney is way out of his depth at Munster, ROG has him in his pocket. Wrong guy in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Time to take your sexy rugby and go home Rob ... .

Must try harder Rodders.

Superb rotation from Penny here. Young JJ gets his just reward for an excellent performance by lending his experience to some amateur rugby. He must be exhausted after playing one game so best to wrap him in cotton wool. Sure at least they have the sixth best Irish 10 to show them the way.

I'll have you know Hookey, that JJ & David Kilcoyne & Cathal Sheridan are collecting their battle scars with UL Bohs.

What would you know about the AIL top division anyway - not even one Ulster club in it.

Sin é wrote:I'll have you know Hookey, that JJ & David Kilcoyne & Cathal Sheridan are collecting their battle scars with UL Bohs.

What would you know about the AIL top division anyway - not even one Ulster club in it.

That's about as childish a comment as I have seen on here for some time. Grow up man ffs.

Another embarassing defeat on the cards for the Blues IMO

Rava wrote:

Sin é wrote:I'll have you know Hookey, that JJ & David Kilcoyne & Cathal Sheridan are collecting their battle scars with UL Bohs.

What would you know about the AIL top division anyway - not even one Ulster club in it.

That's about as childish a comment as I have seen on here for some time. Grow up man ffs.

Inferring that playing AIL Div. 1 rugby is pointless (when like his namesake, he knows nothing about it) deserves a childish retort.

Sin é wrote:I'll have you know Hookey, that JJ & David Kilcoyne & Cathal Sheridan are collecting their battle scars with UL Bohs.

Why the flip would you want one of the best young play making backs in the country getting battle scarred playing against amateurs and part timers?....

He is running the show for UL Bohs (not just a cog in the wheel). The experience has helped David Kilcoyne's propping career no end. Lots of Munster players have made a seamless transition to Munster and a lot of that is due to playing AIL Div. 1.

Sin É you have at best a nostaglic view of the AIL. It is not the cauldron it once was in the 1990s when it prepared you for provincial rugby.

Hanrahan has played his part in the AIL, he has done the B&I Cup scene and he has now played Pro 12 and Heineken Cup rugby, where he took his chance scoring tries, creating attacking plays, winning man of the match and proving he is not out of his depth.

Any momentum earned last week has been lost. This is without a doubt the most annoyed with Munster I have been in a long long time.

The AIL is nowhere near what it was 15 years ago, it helps to a point but Hanrahan showed he is a step above that and it is of no benefit to him to be playing there. Putting Keatley at 12 infuriates me as does the IRFU decision to play the old timer at 10.

Stag, I'm just going on what JJ said himself about how much it has helped him playing for UL Bohs (and it does accommodate him getting playing experience at outhalf). JJ rarely played for Munster at outhalf, so its down to playing for UL Bohs in that position that he looked so good with the U20s (and had plenty of experience with kicking the points - remember that crucial pt to win away against France).

He won't get a lot of those opportunities with Munster.

Thomond wrote:The AIL is nowhere near what it was 15 years ago, it helps to a point but Hanrahan showed he is a step above that and it is of no benefit to him to be playing there. Putting Keatley at 12 infuriates me as does the IRFU decision to play the old timer at 10.

Were you infurated when Penney played the old timer at 10 for the Racing game?

edit Just to add, Keith Earls was on the bench (unused) for Munster in the Heineken Cup final. We didn't see him again for a season as he was sent back to play AIL to sort out his defence. The following season he was a starter for Munster when fit.

Same with Zebo & O'Mahony, Coughlan, Murray & Sherry and a few others. They had no problems settling into and retaining their spot from the AIL.

Oh Sin you scallywag. I've actually played AIL division 1 (before reorganisation and when it was better than it is now) before I ingloriously injured my back. The standard is poor. But sure what would I know, I only played in it. Sure you think its great. Our poor wee Ulster players have to slum it in 1B and we are still a better side than Ireland's third finest Munster. Maybe we could send Keith Earls in there too so he could learn the skills he still hasn't learnt? Sure that spell really helped him sort out his defence

In fact that deserved another icon for its utter hilarity.

Well there you go Sin, its so bad even Hookie could play in it. Case closed. Can we drop this nonsence now please.

Sin é wrote:

Thomond wrote:The AIL is nowhere near what it was 15 years ago, it helps to a point but Hanrahan showed he is a step above that and it is of no benefit to him to be playing there. Putting Keatley at 12 infuriates me as does the IRFU decision to play the old timer at 10.

Were you infurated when Penney played the old timer at 10 for the Racing game?

edit Just to add, Keith Earls was on the bench (unused) for Munster in the Heineken Cup final. We didn't see him again for a season as he was sent back to play AIL to sort out his defence. The following season he was a starter for Munster when fit.

Same with Zebo & O'Mahony, Coughlan, Murray & Sherry and a few others. They had no problems settling into and retaining their spot from the AIL.

I was, I was also infuriated when ROG gave a shoite pass that led to the Racing Metro try. He is done at the top level and has been for over a year. People didn't listen to me a year ago, if they don't know then that's their perogative.

Away with the nostradamus stuff Thom, I've been saying it since 606v1...

Hookisms and Hyperbole wrote:Oh Sin you scallywag. I've actually played AIL division 1 (before reorganisation and when it was better than it is now) before I ingloriously injured my back. The standard is poor. But sure what would I know, I only played in it. Sure you think its great. Our poor wee Ulster players have to slum it in 1B and we are still a better side than Ireland's third finest Munster. Maybe we could send Keith Earls in there too so he could learn the skills he still hasn't learnt? Sure that spell really helped him sort out his defence

In fact that deserved another icon for its utter hilarity.

Pity Darren Cave didn't do a stint in it - 7 missed tackles against the Cardiff Blues
(not to mention some kicking practice for Paddy Jackson in the U20s 6Ns, and Annett the year before with his throwing in the JRWC).

rodders wrote:Away with the nostradamus stuff Thom, I've been saying it since 606v1...

My uncle said it 4 years ago Rodders, I was a fool back then not to listen. Sure I was saying it in the dying days of v1 that he was no longer an international and last he should no longer start any big game for Munster.

Sin é wrote:
edit Just to add, Keith Earls was on the bench (unused) for Munster in the Heineken Cup final. We didn't see him again for a season as he was sent back to play AIL to sort out his defence.

You sure about that? We didn't see him again for a season as he was sent back to play AIL?

The HEC Final was May 2008, Earls was on the bench. He then got his chance in the preseason of 2008. In September 2008 he got a hat trick in a Celtic League match and claimed man of the match. He went on to continue to impress for Munster and made his debut for Ireland in November 2008 against Canada. He continued to impress throughout the season scoring two tries in the quarter final against Ospreys. In fact he impressed so much he got picked for the Lions.

Thats the season following him being on the bench. At what point did he vanish for a season to play AIL.

Me thinks you are talking horse droppings.

rodders wrote:Well there you go Sin, its so bad even Hookie could play in it. Case closed. Can we drop this nonsence now please.

If its so poor, how come there isn't even one Ulster team in the Top 10?

Sin é wrote:

rodders wrote:Well there you go Sin, its so bad even Hookie could play in it. Case closed. Can we drop this nonsence now please.

If its so poor, how come there isn't even one Ulster team in the Top 10?

Because our coach isn't moronic enough to send players to a league where they learn nothing. We keep our good players in the first team squad. You know the one, thats the one thats top of the league and knocked you out of the european cup at Thomond. All those battle scars there in the AIL makes it all better.

I can imagine the conversation. 'Well done JJ, man of the match in your outing against Zebre. Your reward, how about a game for UL? You'll learn more there'. Maybe they have better coaches than Munster so its possible.

red_stag wrote:

Sin é wrote:
edit Just to add, Keith Earls was on the bench (unused) for Munster in the Heineken Cup final. We didn't see him again for a season as he was sent back to play AIL to sort out his defence.

You sure about that? We didn't see him again for a season as he was sent back to play AIL?

The HEC Final was May 2008, Earls was on the bench. He then got his chance in the preseason of 2008. In September 2008 he got a hat trick in a Celtic League match and claimed man of the match. He went on to continue to impress for Munster and made his debut for Ireland in November 2008 against Canada. He continued to impress throughout the season scoring two tries in the quarter final against Ospreys. In fact he impressed so much he got picked for the Lions.

Thats the season following him being on the bench. At what point did he vanish for a season to play AIL.

Me thinks you are talking horse droppings.

Actually I posted that incorrectly. He made his first appearance for Munster against the Ospreys in April 07, it was after that he was sent back by Kidney to the AIL for most of the following season (148 mins worth). It was the 08/09 season (after the 08 HCUP) he was a certain starter in both Hcup & Magners.

It was an interview with Ger Earls who was a bit annoyed with Kidney for doing it at the time, but in hindsight said it was the right thing to have done with Keith.

No bother Sin E that makes sense.

Sin é wrote:

rodders wrote:Well there you go Sin, its so bad even Hookie could play in it. Case closed. Can we drop this nonsence now please.

If its so poor, how come there isn't even one Ulster team in the Top 10?

I don't know man...maybe our teams went down hill when Hookie hung up his boots?

I know the development officer actually so leave it with me, I'll check it out

Hookisms and Hyperbole wrote:

Sin é wrote:

rodders wrote:Well there you go Sin, its so bad even Hookie could play in it. Case closed. Can we drop this nonsence now please.

If its so poor, how come there isn't even one Ulster team in the Top 10?

Because our coach isn't moronic enough to send players to a league where they learn nothing. We keep our good players in the first team squad. You know the one, thats the one thats top of the league and knocked you out of the european cup at Thomond. All those battle scars there in the AIL makes it all better.

I can imagine the conversation. 'Well done JJ, man of the match in your outing against Zebre. Your reward, how about a game for UL? You'll learn more there'. Maybe they have better coaches than Munster so its possible.

Most your players are imports - I'd like to see how you would have done without Afoa, Muller, Pienaar, Tuohy, Court, Wannenberg & Pienaar (I've probably left out some there).

I think the present Munster Skills (& B+I cup coach) used to coach UL.

I really don't think Munster benefitted from having Rua Tipoki, Lifeimi Mafi, Doug Howlett in 2008


Just like Pucciarello, Trevor Halstead and Shaun Payne didn't help Munster in 06.

Thomond wrote:I really don't think Munster benefitted from having Rua Tipoki, Lifeimi Mafi, Doug Howlett in 2008

Just like Pucciarello, Trevor Halstead and Shaun Payne didn't help Munster in 06.

They would not have done it without Horan, Flannery, Hayes, POC, DOC, Leamy, Wally, Quinlan, Foley, Stringer, O'Gara, B. Murphy, Ian Dowling, Hoggy (I'm sure I left a someone out) who all served their time playing amateur rugby.

what does JJ have to do to get on the team. Is motm not good enough anymore?

Sin é wrote:
Most your players are imports - I'd like to see how you would have done without Afoa, Muller, Pienaar, Tuohy, Court, Wannenberg & Pienaar (I've probably left out some there).

Aye you left out Cave, Best, Bowe, Trimble, Marshall * 2, Ferris, Jackson, Wallace, Fitzpatrick, Henderson, Henry, Wilson, Gilroy, Stevenson and quite a few others but I suspect that was intentional

Well, listen Leinster4. He'd be wasted in the Munster team. He'll need to be earning his stripes in the cauldron of the AIL for another two years. At least!

You wouldn't want to back a talented player in form. It's just not the Munster way.

Notch wrote:Well, listen Leinster4. He'd be wasted in the Munster team. He'll need to be earning his stripes in the cauldron of the AIL for another two years. At least!

You wouldn't want to back a talented player in form. It's just not the Munster way.

Yes I'm sure we will hear that he is too 'inexperienced' that pathetic excuse coaches love to use.

In Penneys defense, he is planning for the long term. This season he has to get a look at all the players and Munster have a big squad of players.

Lualala and Downey have scored no tries this season in something like 20 games between them. Hanrahan has scored 2 tries in 1 game. He is made for Penneys style of play and Penney will know that.