Munster V Scarlets

At Musgrave Park , 5.15pm SUnday 25th November
Referee: Laurent Cardona (FFR, 1st competition game)
Assistant Referees: M Patton, Eanna O'Dowd (both IRFU)
Citing Commissioner: John West (IRFU)
TMO: Seamus Flannery (IRFU)

Munster:

F Jones;
D Howlett capt,
C Laulala,
J Downey,
L O’Dea;
I Keatley,
D Williams;

W du Preez,
M Sherry,
S Archer;
I Nagle,
B Holland;
Dave O’Callaghan,
N Ronan,
P Butler.

Replacements:
D Varley,
M Horan,
BJ Botha,
D Foley,
CJ Stander,
P Stringer,
JJ Hanrahan,
D Hurley.

Scarlets

M Stoddart
N Reynolds
G Maule
G Owen
A Fenby
A Thomas
G Davies

P John
E Phillips
J Adriaanse
J Ball
R Kelly
G Earle
J Edwards capt
C Price

Replacements:
K Myhill
S Hopkins
S Lee
J Snyman
D Thomas
R Williams
D Newton
A Warren



Munster have won their last three games in all competitions. The Munstermen's only home defeat in the PRO12 since October 2011 was 18-9 to Leinster at Thomond Park on 31 March.

Munster have won their last 15 games at Musgrave Park since Glasgow won there 21-18 on 10 May 2008.

Scarlets have won their last three matches in the RaboDirect PRO12 and are unbeaten in their last four encounters with Irish provinces in the competition.

Munster are unbeaten in their last 15 clashes with Scarlets in all competitions since the European Cup quarter-final in March 2007. Scarlets have lost on all their seven previous visits to Musgrave Park.

Head to head

Munster - Scarlets
27 Played 27
20 Wins 6
6 Losses 20
1 Draws 1
57 Tries 43
36 Conversions 30
66 Penalties 62
2 Drop Goals 1
561 Points 464
27 Avg. Age 23
5 Champions 1

Live on TG4 and S4C

Is it just me or (second row excepted) do Munster actually look stronger minus their Irish contingent?...... certainly the backline looks more dangerous and balanced.

They're not a bad bet for the Rabo title actually......

Wow. How times have changed for "The Brave and the Faithful"....

A match thread started by a Scarlet 2 days before the match and not a Munster man in sight....

Explains the half empty stadium I guess....

Scarlets team now up. Not really looking forward to this one (and next week is going to be even worse). Munster look pretty good without their Irish lads, but the Scarlets back row is decimated. We're playing a lock at blindside, and an openside at number 8. The backs look a bit better, but we are still playing a centre on the wing. The sooner Wales hurry up and get their AI whitewash over and done with (an hopefully not injuring any more Scarlets) the better.

That's is a very patchwork pack with the Scarlets - by my count we have our 3rd choice hooker, (soon to be) 3rd choice LH (when Rob Evans returns and continues to improve), 5th choice lock and 3rd/4th choice locks in, a lock at 6 (even though, all being available, we have around 5 6's in the team), and a flanker at 8 (as both our 8's are missing).

At least we've still got pen-machine Edwards at 7!

I'm still really please every time I see Stodds name on the team sheet, and glad that they've dropped Phillips, though big ask from Reynolds. Be interesting to see how many times Owen goes down injured this game, but all in all it look a pretty good backline - though with Howlett, Jones and Lualua opposing them they'll have to be.

Kris wasn't dropped, he is apparently injured. That said even though Reynolds is a centre I guess he has played enough on the wing.

I think we have a versitile back line, depending on the play we could shuffle them around with Reynolds slipping into the centre, Owen dropping to fullback and Stodds taking over on the wing.

This will be a very good test of strength in depth for us. Hopefully we can come away with some points, as I think (and apparently the squad do too) that this next fortnight will either make or break our play-off hopes.

Who have we got next week? I haven't looked at the fixtures.

This is going to be a really tough game for us, but if we can somehow get a win it'll really show we can compete - but TBH I'm expecting us to get a LBP or maybe totally fluff our lines and come away empty handed again.

That Munster team looks very strong to be honest the call ups have had less affect on Munster than Scarlets, don't know if its strength in depth, or what, but i'd expect Munster to win, and Scarlets to maybe get a LBP.

Surprised how strong th eMunster team looks, they have a better team this weekend that Ulster (did Munster manage to get the players not called up to Ireland duty back while Ulster decided to only jet two out to Italy?)

Kingshu wrote:That Munster team looks very strong to be honest the call ups have had less affect on Munster than Scarlets, don't know if its strength in depth, or what, but i'd expect Munster to win, and Scarlets to maybe get a LBP.

Surprised how strong th eMunster team looks, they have a better team this weekend that Ulster (did Munster manage to get the players not called up to Ireland duty back while Ulster decided to only jet two out to Italy?)

Munster have probably the biggest squad in the Pro 12, kingshu, with the exception of tighthead and scrumhalf. Thats why they should be picking up wins this time of the year. I don't think any of those players were called up to the Ireland squad.

Great to see Ian Nagle back. He is the best second row prospect but he needs a bit of luck with injuries now. I hope Hanrahan gets more than a 10 min runout too.

Munster looking good early on.

Anyone got a good stream? The ones I've found so far are poor.

S4C

Wave after wave of Munster attacks, yet sloppy turnovers in the red zone means its still 0-0.

Scarlets aren't commiting anyone to the breakdown while Munster are sending in 3 or 4 players. That's probably why they aren't scoring tries.

What do Scarlets supporters make of their South African TH so far?

Wots the game been like so far? I just switchd on and missd half hour.

Great scrum by scarlets tho

Yeah Scarlets are finally fronting up with the help of these recruits. I'd love to see them beat Clermont in the H-cup. Am I the only one to think Munster have gone backwards under Rob Penney?

Wow that was a hell of a clearout. Worthy of South Sea Island recognition.

That was a huge hit by ball

Jerry Flannery thinks he'll be cited.

I think he had no intention of making contact with the head of Niall Ronan. He's just come flying in without binding though, which we've seen picked up on before. Like Bakkies Botha on Adam Jones in 2009. But not malicious.

Oh FFS he's only back from injury. Gutted for him

Notch wrote:Jerry Flannery thinks he'll be cited.

I think he had no intention of making contact with the head of Niall Ronan. He's just come flying in without binding though, which we've seen picked up on before. Like Bakkies Botha on Adam Jones in 2009. But not malicious.

True. But the charge against Biggar when Wales played Samoa didn't get picked up either. About 3 or 4 others also didn't get picked up in that game. If Jake Ball's charge is cited then I hope it sets a precedent for the future.

Stander is on for Ronan. This guy is one hell of a back-row forward.

Yeah looks nasty - not sure if illegal. U can make a strong argument that he didnt use his arms and it was dangerous but equally u can say he wasnt aimin for him and was binding into the ruck. Harsh on munster player, hope hes ok

Tense times - good defence by scarlets but not much imagination by munster. Think they could have scord if theyd gone wide

We have seen players using their bodies as missiles before e.g. Bakkies Botha against Adam Jones as mentioned above. I think it is definitely in the realm of dangerous play and should be stopped before a player is seriously injured. Impossble to say how bad Ronan's injury might be - taking him to hospital may be precautionary but I really think this way of "joining" a ruck should be stopped.

This wind is crazy, if the Scarlets can't capitolise here then it'll be unforgivable!!!

Havn't seen the 'clear out' was it that bad?

Great kick and chase

I think it was, bluesman - but you can see the comments above. Ref allowed play to carry on for a long time even though Ronan was flat out in the middle of the field. I was surprised he didnt blow up sooner. Ronan ws taken off on a stretcher and taken to hospital but news is that it was not as serious as first thought.

Whoever scores a try first in this game is the winner.

Scarlets are just allowing Munster out of the jaws of the shark here, missing a penalty, a very poor drop attempt and just failing to play smart!! Davies is hampering Scarlets and is a little headless.

Munster not being reffed at the breakdown as usual.

Conditions are pretty horrific.

thebluesmancometh wrote:Havn't seen the 'clear out' was it that bad?

It was reckless but not malicious. Essentially the Scarlets 4 has launched himself into the ruck without binding his arms and his head has collided with Niall Ronans. Ronan was down for a long time and has left the ground in an ambulance.

I think everyone would agree that the clash of heads was accidental and it was never the Scarlets locks intention to injure anyone, but these things can happen when you join a ruck in that fashion. He hasn't made any attempt to bind onto anyone or used his arms.

Great counter by Felix Jones.

Christ that was poor by the Scarlets.

Munster back and second rows need a slap hitting shuving their front row on 'touch' yet again.

Early engage by Scarlets and they didn't get pinged for it as Munster just did.

Scarlets should go for the corner and try and get a pushover try. Aled will probably miss another kick at goal.

Come on thomas

That was close 6-3

Scarlets try thanks to a fumble, which was in turn thanks to the conditions.

TRY! Fenby!

Bad fumble from jones, but u can tell its like trying to catch soap

Aled Thomas is a better flyhalf that RP on current form, but he also kicks the ball too far at times. Scarlets living off Munster mistakes so far.

Good convesion by thomas. Poor kick just now though lucky the rain caused another mistake

Playing with the wind Morgan, they are playing into a very strong wind. The fact Munster are playing into such a strong wind with the conditions as they are makes 10 points an insurmountable lead. They'll be doing well to leave their half.

Incredible conversion, horrible conditions. Do not envy them.

Thats a BIG 4 points for the Scarlets. Sets up next weeks game very nicely.

Disappointing to concede a LBP to Munster right at the death there. Could be a big point come the end of the season, but to go away to Munster, especially looking at the starting XVs, and come away with 4 points, is a great result.

Will Ulster have their Ireland internationals back? Is the game in Belfast?