Munster 2014-2015

[Shan]

Opening game v Edinburgh. Extremely poor and another loss at home in the league.

But no point climbing into the depths of hell at this early stage. Will wait for another couple of matches to see how things are going.

[ladyboy696969]

3 defeats in a row at fortress Thomand!

[Russ]

Any word on crowd numbers last night?

Did they make a mistake chosing Limerick over Cork?

[ladyboy696969]

Any word on crowd numbers last night?

Did they make a mistake chosing Limerick over Cork?

13K+.
Very poor for Munster but probably a club record for anyone else bar youse'n'us.

[LegsLikeSausages]

Don't think any useful conclusions can be drawn from a match like that at the start of the season.

....other than, Munster were sh*te on the night but still got a losing bonus point.

[BaggyTrousers]

I'm very much pro-Munster but it has to be said losing to Embra at home is pretty shameful. I didn't see much of it as I was at the U20's game at the Hill last night. Crowd looked very sparse, 13000 amazes me, I'm guessing it includes all ST holders whether or not they were present.

Pity for Keatley that he missed the late penalty & this is how STV describe it:

Edinburgh pulled off a shock win - only their second in their last 24 visits to Ireland - as Anthony Foley's Munster fluffed their lines at Thomond Park.

I will not be shocked if both Ulster & Mexico go the same way. Both teams are considerably weaker than top strength against teams playing at their strongest barring injury & in Lee's case suspension.

Hope to be wrong but somewhat concerned for both. Ah well, sure give the Taffs & Jocks a wee start & then reel them in.

[BR]

Edinburgh impressed, probably should have been further ahead. Decission making for their final penalty was a mad though.

[Big Smoke Culchie]

Any word on crowd numbers last night?

Did they make a mistake chosing Limerick over Cork?

13K+.
Very poor for Munster but probably a club record for anyone else bar youse'n'us.

If there were 13k there I am Declan Kidneys love child. Apparently that number included season tickets whether they turned up or not.

[CIMANFOREVER]

Comfortably <10k from what I could see.. Should they have played it at MP? Poor and hardly a vote of confidence for Foley et al. Munster look very lightweight this year, given injuries, retirements, some average squad players, and the likes of Zebo who haven't moved on.

[Deckard]

13K+.
Very poor for Munster but probably a club record for anyone else bar youse'n'us.

There is no way on earth there were 13k there - 7 or 8 at most I'd say.

Seriously poor show by Munster - in fact they can be glad that Edinburgh weren't very ruthless, they could have been 15 points clear at HT. It's hard to see any progression from last year - the worrying thing is that I don't think the problem is really one of tactics, it's simply a lack of quality in the squad. Outside of Zebo and Stander, nobody on the pitch looked much more than (very) average - I think Keatley is a good player, but he didn't have a great game, and apart from those 3 would any of that squad have a claim to even a bench spot for Ulster or Leinster this w/e? I'm not sure they would, and for all the talk about the new coaching regime, I think this is the main problem - the squad simply doesn't look great. A dangerous thing to say, because I think the same was true last year, but by hook or by crook (thanks in part to some outrageous good fortune) they actually went pretty well in the league and made it to the semis in Europe, but I think they'll be doing very well to replicate that this year..

In fairness to Edinburgh, they looked like a much tighter side and really should have won by more.

[Shan]

I'm very much pro-Munster but it has to be said losing to Embra at home is pretty shameful. I didn't see much of it as I was at the U20's game at the Hill last night. Crowd looked very sparse, 13000 amazes me, I'm guessing it includes all ST holders whether or not they were present.

.

Correct Baggy. Nowhere near that figure. All ST holders are counted whether they turn up or not. About 8-9k were there I'd say.

[Russ]

Do Munter add Cark season ticket holders onto that too?

Said it before and will say it again, Munter backed the wrong horse in Limerick

[Shan]

Do Munter add Cark season ticket holders onto that too?

Said it before and will say it again, Munter backed the wrong horse in Limerick

Only TP and combined season tickets.


It's a difficult one Russ. The logical thing is to have the stadium in the biggest city but historically Limerick gets bigger crowds. It is not comparable to the rest of the island where each province has one obvious centre. That being said though there is no doubt that Limerick has been severely dented by the economic downturn and can no longer support the type of demand which Munster rugby needs.

Ultimately in hindsight they built the stadium with too much capacity.

[Loki]

I'm fairly unconvinced by Keatley. I can't quite work out what it is - he seems a relatively well rounded player, but I don't think of him as anything more than a 5.5/6 out of 10 and I don't see him ever being part of a team that can push for the levels Munster aspire to.

as Deckard says it's a foolish man who'd write off Munster at any point but it seems that for the past few seasons there's been a law of diminishing returns with player turnover. Stander certainly looks a player and I think Copeland is an excellent signing. Hanrahan I think should be backed to take the 10 on but I can understand why that needs to be managed given injuries, naivete of youth etc. Beyond that and the core of current internationals who is coming through? any bolters?

[Rooster]

Beyond that and the core of current internationals who is coming through? any bolters?

You don't want your turnips bolting, they go all stringy and tough for eating