Pro12: Munster vs Edinburgh - Friday 29th April

Form:
Munster
16/4/16 Connacht 35 - 14 Munster
2/4/16 Leinster 16 - 13 Munster
25/3/16 Munster 47 - 0 Zebre

Edinburgh
15/4/16 Leinster 30 - 23 Edinburgh
1/4/16 Edinburgh 29 - 0 Zebre
27/3/16 Dragons 15 - 16 Edinburgh

Head to head
Not including all the stats here, but this one caught my eye:
Played 27
Munster Wins: 21 vs Edinburgh wins: 6.  

First of all, it is ridiculous that this game has been bumped online in favour of the Weegies being at home to Zebre going on Alba.  That is going to be a massacre, this game will decide whether Edinburgh make the Top 6 or not.

In other news, Matt Scott and Nasi Manu are expected to be back fit for this game. I'd be surprised if they started so I suspect they may be on the bench - Manu replacing Bradbury but we all know it should be Ritchie that he's replacing!

I fear that we're going to see the same thing as we did against Leinster - keep it close ish in the opening 40 minutes through some dire rugby.  Munster will build up a bit of a lead and we bring on the cavalry, play some good attacking rugby and claw back a LBP but ultimately it won't be enough.  We will then be left to reflect on why (once again) we only started playing rugby when we were desperately chasing the game.

Good news for you - Donnacha Ryan is out with concussion.

Sin é wrote:Good news for you - Donnacha Ryan is out with concussion.

Too little, too late to help the MFL. Munster taking 5 points.

As long as TG4 captures in slow motion Cornell Du Preez crushing Simon Zebo's smug face into the mud, I couldn't give a flying proverbial what the final score is*.

* I obviously don't mean this, it's just that it's 11pm here and I'm still at work.

George Carlin wrote:As long as TG4 captures in slow motion Cornell Du Preez crushing Simon Zebo's smug face into the mud, I couldn't give a flying proverbial what the final score is*.

* I obviously don't mean this, it's just that it's 11pm here and I'm still at work.

I would like to see this too, if that helps.

Pot Hale wrote:

George Carlin wrote:As long as TG4 captures in slow motion Cornell Du Preez crushing Simon Zebo's smug face into the mud, I couldn't give a flying proverbial what the final score is*.

* I obviously don't mean this, it's just that it's 11pm here and I'm still at work.

I would like to see this too, if that helps.

It did. 1am and heading home. Living that dream.

Just to note the game is on in Cork and not Thomond Park. Just in case any Edinburgh supporters end up in the wrong city (or any Munster supporters for that matter).

George Carlin wrote:

Pot Hale wrote:

George Carlin wrote:As long as TG4 captures in slow motion Cornell Du Preez crushing Simon Zebo's smug face into the mud, I couldn't give a flying proverbial what the final score is*.

* I obviously don't mean this, it's just that it's 11pm here and I'm still at work.

I would like to see this too, if that helps.

It did. 1am and heading home. Living that dream.

More time to do match threads!

Geen sport voor watjes wrote:Just to note the game is on in Cork and not Thomond Park. Just in case any Edinburgh supporters end up in the wrong city (or any Munster supporters for that matter).

I always find Munster less intimidating when they're not at Thomond. Here's hoping it works in our favour!

Geen sport voor watjes wrote:Just to note the game is on in Cork and not Thomond Park. Just in case any Edinburgh supporters end up in the wrong city (or any Munster supporters for that matter).

Cheers, updated accordingly

RDW_Scotland wrote:

Geen sport voor watjes wrote:Just to note the game is on in Cork and not Thomond Park. Just in case any Edinburgh supporters end up in the wrong city (or any Munster supporters for that matter).

I always find Munster less intimidating when they're not at Thomond. Here's hoping it works in our favour!

Munster have (had) a better record at Musgrave Park (or the Mardyke) in Cork in terms of Interprovincial games and against touring sides. The crowd is less forgiving.

If Munster lose out on 6th spot, maybe the IRFU should consider making them the development province and move resources and monies into Connacht.

I presume Pat 'Claudio'Lam is going to receive Freeman of The Wesht after this season he's had.

Geen sport voor watjes wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:

Geen sport voor watjes wrote:Just to note the game is on in Cork and not Thomond Park. Just in case any Edinburgh supporters end up in the wrong city (or any Munster supporters for that matter).

I always find Munster less intimidating when they're not at Thomond. Here's hoping it works in our favour!

Munster have (had) a better record at Musgrave Park (or the Mardyke) in Cork in terms of Interprovincial games and against touring sides. The crowd is less forgiving.

I'm not claiming we're any more successful there - we tend to lose at both!

My prediction is that Edinburgh will be largely dominant but forget to use that to score any points and then lose by 2 scores. Now where have I see that before this season?

My prediction is that we'll lose and lose big. Despite us still being in the top 6 hunt (in theory), I've seen nothing to suggest we'll trouble the Munster defence, other than the odd scrum penalty.

funnyExiledScot wrote:My prediction is that we'll lose and lose big. Despite us still being in the top 6 hunt (in theory), I've seen nothing to suggest we'll trouble the Munster defence, other than the odd scrum penalty.

Our only hope is the munster defence get so complacent they forget we're actually trying to score tries (much like our team do) and we can sneak over.

Edinburgh have a good chance of winning this. Munster morale is very low, the team are badly coached and they're sliding down the league table. Donnacha Ryan looks to be out and if the in form Johnny Holland isn't fit, Ian Keatley will be playing 10 and his confidence is shattered.

It would be lovely if somebody could organise a 9-9 all draw for this game.

Thanks.

profitius wrote:Edinburgh have a good chance of winning this. Munster morale is very low, the team are badly coached and they're sliding down the league table. Donnacha Ryan looks to be out and if the in form Johnny Holland isn't fit, Ian Keatley will be playing 10 and his confidence is shattered.

That gives me a bit more confidence.

I would be more confident if our form was better - we really have been awful since we won the 1872 games at Christmas. The games since then have left us in this position - scrapping for 6th place when really we should have been pushing on for Top 4.

RDW_Scotland wrote:

Geen sport voor watjes wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:

Geen sport voor watjes wrote:Just to note the game is on in Cork and not Thomond Park. Just in case any Edinburgh supporters end up in the wrong city (or any Munster supporters for that matter).

I always find Munster less intimidating when they're not at Thomond. Here's hoping it works in our favour!

Munster have (had) a better record at Musgrave Park (or the Mardyke) in Cork in terms of Interprovincial games and against touring sides. The crowd is less forgiving.

I'm not claiming we're any more successful there - we tend to lose at both!

I'm not claiming Munster are going to win either. They are crap at both.

2 bald men fighting over combs then...

Will be interesting to see who is the most follicly challenged on Friday then.

Edinburgh Rugby travel to Cork today with three changes to the starting XV who secured a losing bonus point on their last outing, to the RDS, in the penultimate Guinness PRO12 match against Munster (Friday 29 April, kick-off 7.35pm).
Fullback Blair Kinghorn retains his spot, the teenager’s 16th appearance for the club in his debut season, while Damien Hoyland and Tom Brown continue their partnership on the wings.

A change at centre sees Matt Scott return at outside centre with Andries Strauss at inside, following injury to Phil Burleigh last time out. On-loan Jason Tovey remains at stand-off with Sean Kennedy moving from the bench to start in the number nine jersey.

The pack, meanwhile is unchanged, the Scotland front row of Alasdair Dickinson, Ross Ford and WP Nel bookended by the back row of Jamie Ritchie on the blindside, John Hardie at openside and Cornell Du Preez at no 8.
The lock combination of Anton Bresler and Ben Toolis is retained, with the former set to make his 50th appearance in the black and red.

The 6ft 6in Namibian-born second row arrived at the club at the start of 2014/15 making 26 appearances – 23 starts – last season and 23 to date, just one off the bench, this term.

Bresler said: “It’s a huge honour to be named in this side to earn my fiftieth cap for Edinburgh.
“Since the day I arrived, the club have really welcomed me and I love the family environment we’ve created. I’m really enjoying my time here.
“We have a really challenging game tomorrow. We know how tough the Irish provinces are at home – we were reminded of that last time out against Leinster – but we’ll be going all out to ensure we stay in the top six going into our last game.
“With the final match of the season at home, it would be fantastic to have a great home crowd at BT Murrayfield cheering us on to reach the upper level of European competition next season.”

Edinburgh currently sit in sixth place in the Guinness PRO12 and must retain that position to achieve the aim of moving into the European Champions Cup mix for 2016/17.  Last season the club beat Munster in the opening away fixture, at Thomond Park, however were edged at BT Murrayfield, 14-16, the last time the sides met.

Players not considered due to injury: Michael Allen (shoulder),Phil Burleigh (leg),Mike Coman (calf), Jack Cuthbert (knee), Grant Gilchrist (arm), Nasi Manu (neck), Fraser McKenzie (neck), Jade Te Rure (knee).

Edinburgh Rugby v Munster, Irish Independent Park, k/o 7.35pm (live streaming on BBC Sport Scotland)
15            KINGHORN Blair
14            HOYLAND Damien
13            SCOTT Matt
12            STRAUSS Andries
11            BROWN Tom
10            TOVEY Jason
9              KENNEDY Sean

1              DICKINSON Alasdair
2              FORD Ross (C)
3              NEL WP
4              BRESLER Anton
5              TOOLIS Ben
6              RITCHIE Jamie
7              HARDIE John
8              DU PREEZ Cornell

16            MCINALLY Stuart
17            SUTHERLAND Rory
18            ANDRESS John
19            TOOLIS Alex
20            BRADBURY Magnus
21            HIDALGO-CLYNE Sam
22            DEAN Chris
23            FIFE Dougie


Strauss

Surely Scott at 12 and Dean/Allan at 13 would have been much better?

Oh dear, Strauss & Kennedy. Dream team!

What does Bradbury have to do to start? What does Berghan have to do to bench? What does Strauss do that justifies him ahead of Burleigh/Dean/Allen?

This is a minor thing, but what partnership do Hoyland and Brown have? They play on opposite wings, they can't surely link up often enough to suggest they have a partnership. Can they?

Jeez that Edinburgh side could win the league if the backs were even half as good as their forwards.

The decision to select Scott out of position to accommodate Strauss is utterly cretinous. Dean may have not set the world on fire thus far, but as a young SQ player (and more importantly a specialist 13) there is no question he should be starting this game with Scott at 12.

The Bradbury decision I can better understand. He's a number 8 by trade whereas Ritchie is a 6, and Solomons likes Du Preez from the base of the scrum. Tell you what, another anonymous display from Du Preez and it could well be him that gets dropped for Bradbury.

Otherwise it's as expected from Solomons, as usual.

Hazel Sapling wrote:What does Bradbury have to do to start? What does Berghan have to do to bench? What does Strauss do that justifies him ahead of Burleigh/Dean/Allen?

Agree on Bradbury starting, he has been very good off the bench in all of the last games.

Allen and Burleigh both injured for this one, which probably answers that last part of the question. Dean has done ok, without setting the heather on fire either on his performances and maybe Strauss is considered a bit more defensively solid.

Bit of a conflict of interest for Andress here. Munster need a win to keep in the hunt for the top 6, he's going to want to play in Europe next season...

Not saying he'd let this play on his mind, but given he's pretty average anyway I would have left him out for this game (and most others if I'm honest).

Strauss is baffling, and moving Scott to 13 to accommodate is just painful. Some questionable decisions here.

Agreed on Andress. Berghan is staying with us next season and could surely use some exposure to this sort of rugby. He's SQ as well. Andress is a nothing player, leaving us and adds virtually nothing off the bench anyway.

BigGee wrote:

Hazel Sapling wrote:What does Bradbury have to do to start? What does Berghan have to do to bench? What does Strauss do that justifies him ahead of Burleigh/Dean/Allen?

Agree on Bradbury starting, he has been very good off the bench in all of the last games.

Allen and Burleigh both injured for this one, which probably answers that last part of the question. Dean has done ok, without setting the heather on fire either on his performances and maybe Strauss is considered a bit more defensively solid.

Actually Dean has proved to be a very useful defender. I think people consider Strauss to be solid defensively because that's all he does. In fact I think he's no more than average in that regard.

If there's a defensive question mark it's probably over Scott guarding the 12 channel, although I personally think defending at 13 is the tougher job.

I just can't get my head around the love Solomons has for Strauss. His lack of pace and ball skills is terrifying for a professional rugby centre.

funnyExiledScot wrote:Agreed on Andress. Berghan is staying with us next season and could surely use some exposure to this sort of rugby. He's SQ as well. Andress is a nothing player, leaving us and adds virtually nothing off the bench anyway.

If I was Berghan or Bradbury I would be royally peed off, what do they have to do to get a start? I actually quite like old Alan, he is a good rugby man and has made progress at Edinburgh; however, his selection process is fundamentally flawed - until he becomes more flexible and progressive, Edinburgh will continue to just fall short.

Solomons values experience over all else - he will have looked at it and said Strauss is more experienced than Dean, therefore he starts.

RDW_Scotland wrote:Solomons values experience over all else - he will have looked at it and said Strauss is more experienced than Dean, therefore he starts.

He should coach Glasgow. Sean Methuselah Lamont would get a game every week.

MUNSTER: Simon Zebo; Andrew Conway, Francis Saili, Rory Scannell, Keith Earls; Johnny Holland, Conor Murray; Dave Kilcoyne, Niall Scannell, Stephen Archer; Dave Foley, Billy Holland; Dave O’Callaghan, Tommy O’Donnell, CJ Stander (capt). Subs: Mike Sherry, James Cronin, John Ryan, Robin Copeland, Jack O’Donoghue, Duncan Williams, Ian Keatley, Ronan O’Mahony

That is a urine poor Munster tight 5, Edinburgh should really be targeting that. Well it's always their gameplan anyway!

I think Hardie needs to be given a one man mission to stop Stander at source as much as possible - almost man marking!

On that point I've just noticed Watson has been completely dropped - harsh on the man and he made a real impact off the bench last game.

I like the impact both Watson and Bradbury bring but given the issues we had with backline re-shuffling last time (and question marks over Scott's fitness) he perhaps doesn't want to risk only having 2 backs subs again.

I think Edinburgh have it in the pack but Munster in the backs. Being that this match is one that both teams seriously need to win, I feel it will be a very tight fought affair. Just hope that Munster get the win.

I don't think there's many teams in the Pro 12 that don't have an advantage over Edinburgh in the backs!

Going for a home win but I agree that Munster pack is not the strongest.

A full strength Edinburgh pack and first choice Glasgow backline would take over the world.

Does anyone know if this is on Alba*

*Online

Will be on the BBC Scotland sport website apparently.

Can see this being a dour game as most Edinburgh games tend to be - 18-13 Munster

choice of coverage here

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/rugby-union/36159166

Should be a great game, with both sides fighting for top 6. Think Munster will edge it, but they must lift their game.

Pitch looks really small...

Promising start from Edinburgh but too many turnovers in their 22 - we aren't doing much with it when we get there either

Classic Edinburgh - cough up possession and lose a try within a minute!

All too easy for Munster

Matt Scott makes a line break and no one supports him because we're so used to no one making line breaks!