Munster 2013/14

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Some news of players leaving Munster.

Doug Howlett has announced his retirement.

Other departures from the current squad - besides Peter Stringer who remains with Bath, Marcus Horan who announced his retirement recently, Sean Scanlon (Rotherham Titans) and Sean Henry (Connacht) - include Wian du Preez who returns to his native South Africa, Scott Deasy and Christy Condon.

BJ Botha will continue on with Munster having signed a two year contract extension while Danny Barnes has not been re-contracted but is understood to have negotiated an opportunity to play abroad and news of that will be confirmed in the coming weeks.

It's all a bit tight.

Absolutely outstanding try for Perp

Good try from Perpignan

Darn - very good try though

Looked forward to me on the replay

The French commentators are calling two forward passes in the try but it was still a great try.

The sky commentator said the ref was asking was it forward. Must have asked the touch judge instead of the TMO.

Interesting final minute here. Can munster replicate Perpignan

YES MUNSTER!!!!!

WOW!!!!!!! Did not expect that

Great step from JJ. That looks good to me

Oh My God!!! I can't believe it

Un-f***ingbelieveable

That will do Hanrahan the world of good after the murrayfield last ten. Excellent stuff

Wow, got out of that one. Really thought Perp were going to take that. Great step from JJ

Missed kicks cost Perp here.

Didnt think this Munster had that in them but just like their predecessors they just cant be written off.

What a finish!! Well done MUNSTER!!   

That classic Heineken Cup Munster right there.

MOTM?

Hanrahan   

POMs doing an interview so it could be him

Well done Munster - battled to the end and got the reward. Very impressive as I thought you were beaten.

Thee new lads are coming of age. They are filling the jerseys and continuing the Munster tradition of testing the cardiac strength of their fans.

why leave it so late?

Not the best of matches but boy what a finish.

Agree with Artful_Doger and Golden, a bit of the old Munster was out there today

Wow just caught the last 5 minutes there! Great win lads, well done!

How was TOD on his return?  I rate him very highly.

Hurley commits a howler stepping inside to tackle the player that Earls already has, and concusses him as well as letting in a try.

With Earls off, Hanrahan gets a chance to come on, makes a brilliant step and scores the winning try.

You couldn't make this stuff up.

Lucky you Rodders the last 5 was the only bit worth watching

So lads, Connacht or Leinster???

Huge forward power especially the scrum. Munster need to start trusting Jj more like ulster have done so with Jackson

Golden wrote:So lads, Connacht or Leinster???

I've a split screen going

Missed the game. Sounds like a brilliant finish.

Golden wrote:So lads, Connacht or Leinster???

I have used my quota of rugby for today according to herself so I will be watching the live scoring only

Hope that Connacht can repeat last weeks superb effort and I hope that Leinster get the win.

Rory_Gallagher wrote:How was TOD on his return?  I rate him very highly.

Dougall had been playing well. TOD did well coming on into quite an intimidating atmosphere. He made a few good tackles. However, by keeping himself in play in that final move leading to the try - I would have forgiven him ANY mistake he miht hv made before that. I was just really glad to see him back playing after such a long layoff.

Golden wrote:So lads, Connacht or Leinster???

Suppr first!!

But I have both on record, however I m sure Sky will spoil it by giving us updates on the other game. Relly wish they wouldn't do that. Gerry Thornley was complaining in today's IT about the scheduling which had all four Irish games on today. I doubt if Nachos is lone in being limited to the amunt he is watching today   .

Feckless Rogue wrote:Missed the game. Sounds like a brilliant finish.

As said above, Feckless, the rest was fairly tat.

What a step by JJ. Wow

That was cr.p from us but we got over the line with a bit of magic from TOD and JJ. Good thing is we beat USAP back to back while not playing well. We will not win a HC with Keatley.

Good win for Munster espeically when it seemed to be all over. Wouldn't you know it would be JJ to do it again and he was only on the pitch 2 minutes.


My MOTM was James Cronin. Munsters scrum dominated and although Botha was equally as good, it was Cronins first HEC start and just his fifth start in total for Munster.

Cronin had a great game. Has passed out Killer in the pecking order i would say

Is it time for JJ to start at Munster now?

LeinsterFan4life wrote:Is it time for JJ to start at Munster now?

I would say yes. I would have him over Keatley to see how he performs.

Any highlights?

LeinsterFan4life wrote:Is it time for JJ to start at Munster now?

Yes. No hangover from what happened with Edinburgh. He is a quick learner allright. He sure is a big game player. Kind of ROG like in that way.

All games are up on TG4 now:

http://www.tg4.ie/en/player/tg4-player.html?id=2936036067001&title=Rugba%C3%AD%20Corn%20Heineken

Starts with Ulster, then Munster etc.... Munster is in Pt 2. Interview with JJ & POM as well.

Donnacha Ryan has signed a new 3 year deal with Ireland & Munster.

As if there was any question that he would leave Munster!

Ye Sin I never thought Ryan would go, especially to LI. That would be a massive step down and he wouldn't have even been on much, if any more money.

LeinsterFan4life wrote:Ye Sin I never thought Ryan would go, especially to LI. That would be a massive step down and he wouldn't have even been on much, if any more money.

Yea, it was a bit mad any Irish player would want to do and play in England with no Heineken Cup opportunities!

I think it was the BBC who were saying that it was a done deal that he was going to London Irish!

Sin é wrote:

LeinsterFan4life wrote:Is it time for JJ to start at Munster now?

Yes. No hangover from what happened with Edinburgh. He is a quick learner allright. He sure is a big game player. Kind of ROG like in that way.

All games are up on TG4 now:

http://www.tg4.ie/en/player/tg4-player.html?id=2936036067001&title=Rugba%C3%AD%20Corn%20Heineken

Starts with Ulster, then Munster etc.... Munster is in Pt 2. Interview with JJ & POM as well.

Yes to JJ starting. Keatley went completely into his shell in the second half which he tends to do under pressure.

Just looked at the highlights again. Great work from Hurley, TOD and JJ , that step from JJ is outrageous....

Oh and forgot to say...nice win by Edinburgh today...

LeinsterFan4life wrote:Is it time for JJ to start at Munster now?

It's time for him to start at 13 outside Lualua for Munster and at 13 outside Luke Marshall and Paddy Jackson for Ireland....   

According to Penney in the Irish Times.

Rob Penney wrote:Penney put it better. “JJ’s a good lad. We love him to bits.”
“He’s well over Edinburgh. He came back and had a great match in Glasgow off the back of Edinburgh. He’s a great future. We’re giving him an opportunity to grow, steadily and surely. When he emerges with all his regalia intact and fully fledged he’ll be a great little player.”

Super result for us yesterday. A win against Edinburgh at home will see us qualify although we should be targeting 2 wins and a home QF. Be nice to get Ulster or Leinster at home in the QFs - score to settle on both fronts.

Overall squad coming along nicely with good competition for most places apart from 10 where I think Penney has told Keatley your my number 1 10 this season no matter what!! However he must now be rethinking that for a number of reasons regalia or no regalia!!!