Munster Vs Leinster Review

Leinster ascended to the summit of the Guinness Pro 12 with a nervy 16-13 win over Munster at the Aviva Stadium. Leinster welcomed back a number of key men no more so than Jonathan Sexton who led the way to the Leinster win by contributing all 16 points including a try that saw him bump into the padding around the post before touching down.

Leinster will say that a strong scrum and a resolute teak tough defence led them to a win that will give them huge confidence heading into to the last few games of the regular season. They just seemed sharper than Munster in particular at the breakdown even though this aspect of the game was an utter mess and it didn’t help either scrum half deliver good fast ball for both back lines.

Munster gave a start at out half to Johnny Holland who has been around the Munster squad for a few years although injury has slowed his progress and he did very well for a man restricted to a few cameo’s up until Zebre last weekend.

In the pack Munster welcomed back CJ Stander at the base of the scrum while Donnacha Ryan partnered Billy Holland in the engine room and Stephen Archer was preferred to the ever improving John Ryan at tight head prop.

Leinster for their part looked cagey at times in the opening half hour this wasn’t helped by some very poor line out play and a very suspect scrum that only improved when Mike Ross replaced Tadgh Furlong in the latter stages of the second half. Jonathan Sexton gave a vintage display at 10 while also making one or two errors with some wild passing.

Leinster will be disappointed to lose Ben Te’o at the end of this season as his partnership with young Gary Ringrose is developing into a fine partnership as this season begins to turn for home and with a home Semi Final still up for grabs every point still counts. Ringrose for his part showed glimpses of his undoubted talent with one or two breaks that would remind you of another much famed Leinster number 13.

He has a very unique running style that makes it extremely difficult to tackle him or deny space. He is also solid in defence as he had some work to do as both Francais Saili and Rory Scannell came down his channel, there is a future centre partnership for Ireland, Scannell and Ringrose!! that’s for another day…

Munster were 10-6 down at half time and could have been further behind had referee Ian Davies deemed Simon Zebo’s late intervention where he seemed to knock the ball into touch with his arm but even with Eoin Reddan in his ear referee Davies didn’t bat an eye lid and so at half time it was 10-6 to Leinster.

In the second half, Munster needed to start fast as they had been reduced to 14 men after Robin Copeland on for concussion victim Donnacha Ryan was binned for coming in at the side of an advancing Leinster maul.

Start fast they did at Munster upped the tempo with Murray and Holland leading the charge that ended in the left corner with Johnny Holland crashing over to put Munster in front 11-10 and Holland also converted from the touchline to put Munster 13-10 up and as it seemed in control but alas this dominance didn’t last long as Sexton knocked over a penalty to tie the game at 13-13 and at this point Ian Keatley came on for Johnny Holland he had a chance to push Munster 16-13 up but he pushed his effort wide of the mark and Johnny Sexton kicked a penalty on 63 minutes to put Leinster in front a lead they didn’t relinquish and although Munster pushed hard for a try  that would get them back in front and they had  a few late attempts to cross the Leinster line through  a resurgent maul that almost payed dividends but for Ben Te’o to come to the rescue with a huge hit on Dave Kilcoyne. Thus ended Munster’s last chance at a win over Leinster. Leinster go top while Munster are 6^th and seriously in danger of missing out on European Champions Cup next year with Edinburgh ready to pounce on any other Munster mishap.

A huge few weeks ahead for both sides for totally different reasons but none the less important. Coaches Foley and Cullen will earn their wages over the closing weeks of a mixed season for both teams…

By

Cian Mc Gibney

03/04/2016

Irish Rugby – What Next ??

Francis Saili has had some very interesting things to say about Ireland and the fact that they will face New Zealand twice in 2016. He believes that they are a long way from gaining a first victory over his fellow countrymen later this year either in Chicago or Dublin.

After the close calls of June 2012 or November 2013 , people felt that a win over New Zealand wasn’t too far away but against that the heavy defeat in the 3^rd Test in 2012 and the narrow two point defeat of November 2013 has set people thinking that they may never see the day an Irish team will beat New Zealand.

New Zealand are probably the greatest nation to play the game of Rugby Union since it came into being. They have won three World Cup’s in 1987, 2011 and 2015. In that time Ireland have failed to get passed the Quarter Final stage.

Francis Saili has pointed to the skill level of the players in this country along with the weather. This is an old argument that is brought up every four years or after a poor 5 or 6 Nations campaign. Sailli feels that although Ireland have come closer to getting that prized victory , they are still some distance from achieving that goal.

In Ireland of course , Rugby Union competes with the GAA and Football for its players along with a number of other sports. This particular issue isn’t exactly a problem in New Zealand as Rugby Union is the number 1 sport and only when you decide not to play the games are you guided to play other sports like Cricket , Rowing and Football.

Saili doesn’t seem to see this as a problem and I think while his argument has a few valid points he fails to recognise that in Ireland you have to compete with so many sports that you are not always going to entice the best players to play Rugby Union.

Another problem for Rugby in Ireland is that it is still fairly elitist in where it gets the majority of it players from. School Rugby still produces the majority of the players with only a small number of players coming through the club system.

In the last 20 years or so , Academies have been brought into each Province to try and help the production and introduction of young players into each team. Leinster and Connacht have had the most success in bringing players through and in Leinster’s case some of their players have moved South and West to add quality to the squads in Connacht and Munster. Lads like Andrew Conway and Fionn Carr have made the move with mixed results in both cases.

Back to the crux of Francis Saili’s point that a win over New Zealand won’t happen in the near future. Having spoken to players about this issue you will get two responses, one will say the win will happen and the other will tell you that Saili is spot on.

Some Ex Pros have pointed to the fact that the skill level is not what it should be and that if you still have to practice passing drills on your weaker side, we as a rugby playing nation have a way to go before we can really think about challenging for the games to prize……

Ireland have two new chances to defeat New Zealand in November 2016 in Chicago and Dublin , I have a feeling that certain Irish players will want to make Francis Saili regret ever saying  that a win over New Zealand may never come for those that run and play the game in Ireland.

By

Cian Mc Gibney

23/03/2016

Ireland Six Nations Review

Ireland ended their 6 Nations campaign with a 35-25 win over Scotland in the Aviva on Saturday. This was the second win of a Championship that has left a lot to be desired with a draw at home to Wales and two defeats to France and England.

Ireland will know that this Championship was disappointing but out of disappointment grows hope and the introduction of some new blood into the squad can’t but help the doom and gloom that has surrounded the squad over the last 6 weeks or so.  With players like CJ Stander , Ultan Dillane and Josh Van Der Flier in the forwards not to mention guys like Stuart Mc Closkey , Kieran Marmion getting the opportunity to shine on the big stage after some stirring club performances.

Countries like England who had a poor World Cup have changed coach and have also had a real clear out of both playing and coaching staff and this new injection of talent had the desired effect with England claiming a Grand Slam with a win over France on Saturday evening.

 Eddie Jones had made an instant impact with England getting them to play with more physicality and no little skill that has seen them go with two 10s in the backline , Owen Farrell being picked at inside centre to complement George Ford at 10. He has also upped the pace at 9 with snappy scrum halves Ben Youngs and Danny Care battling it out to partner Ford at half back.

Back to Ireland they at this moment in time are highly dependent on the axis of Murray and Sexton with Kieran Marmion , Eoin Redden , Ian Madigan and Paddy Jackson currently the 4 men trying to displace the first choice pairing. Ireland seem to be happy to go from tournament to tournament with no real forward planning, Sexton has no real challenger at 10 with Murray under slightly more pressure with players like Kieran Marmion of Connacht , John Cooney of Connacht and Luke Mc Grath of Leinster pushing for International honours.

In the forwards injuries to Peter O Mahony , Sean O Brien and Iain Henderson along with the retirement of Paul O Connell  has opened up the door for guys like Ultan Dillane , Josh Van Der Flier and CJ Stander to stamp their mark on this current squad with all three men doing exactly that during this Championship.

In the backs , opportunity knocks as injuries again opened doors for Stuart Mc Closkey , Simon Zebo and Andrew Trimble who came in to replace the likes of Rob Kearney , Tommy Bowe and Jared Payne at various times in the last couple of weeks.

Next up for Ireland is a three test series in South Africa and after the last 6 weeks , this Series will be looked upon by some as a real chance to unleash guys like Gary Ringrose , Stuart Mc Closkey and Andrew Conway along with some young forwards namely Finlay Bealham , Denis Buckley and Duncan Casey. Other players will get the chance over the three games in South Africa. This is a chance also to pick up a rare win in South Africa.

Joe Schmidt has admitted that at the end of the tour in South Africa he will decide on his long term future as to whether he will lead Ireland into the 2019 World Cup which will take place in Japan. Like his last contract extension his personal circumstances will dictate whether he will or won’t lead Ireland into the next World Cup.

Ireland will realise that 4^th place in the 6 Nations is not what they expect , not long ago Ireland were the team who picked up the wooden spoon or a regular basis but in the last 18 years things have changed and let’s hope this 4^th place finish was a one off and from the June Series into the 4 games next November that Ireland can rediscover that winning feeling…..

By

Cian Mc Gibney

21/03/2016

Six Nations Team of the Tournament

15 Stuart Hogg

14 Anthony Watson

13 Michele Campagnaro

12 Jamie Roberts

11 Leonardo Sarto

10 Dan Biggar  

9 Danny Care

8 Billy Vunipola

7 John Hardie

6 CJ Stander

5 Alun Wyn Jones

4 Maro Itoje

3 Mike Ross

2 Dylan Hartley

1 Jack Mc Grath

Here is my XV of the championship.

By

Cian Mc Gibney

21/03/2016

Munster – Stuck In Gear

Munster have today announced that Anthony Foley has agreed a one year extension to his current deal that ends at the conclusion of the current campaign. Munster will now step up their pursuit of a Director Of Rugby to start his work next season.  What does this mean for Munster in the short and long term one wonders…

The big question from today’s announcement is who will be given the DOR role in tandem with Foley ?? It has been rumoured that Todd Blackadder the Crusaders Head Coach will be given the job other names mentioned are Conor O Shea and Michael Bradley , both of which are also live options as one will leave his Harlequins post at the end of the year and Michael Bradley was an advisor to Georgia at the 2015 World Cup.

Munster with the announcement today have at least ended speculation about the future of Foley who it had been rumoured in the last 6 weeks or so that there was a 1 year extension on the table which he was considering while Munster battled through the last few rounds of the Champions Cup which ended in elimination in January.

Foley’s time at the helm has so far underwhelmed both fans and pundits alike. Yes they made a Pro 12 final in which they were well beaten by Glasgow in Belfast in May 2015. Also in his time in charge Munster have failed to make it out of there Pools in successive seasons in Europe. This does not make for good reading when it comes to an end of season review meetings with the Munster Branch and IRFU.

The way Munster have played in his time in charge has also left a lot to be desired and with his assistants namely Brian Walsh , Mick O Driscoll , Ian Costello and Jerry Flannery a lot of questions have been asked as to how these men got into their roles.

Now a long process will begin to see who Munster can convince to take on the DOR role. The playing squad is decent if not spectacular and is very workmanlike in the way they do things. Over the two seasons in charge, Munster haven’t really settled on a centre partnership and have struggled to find a dominant out half that is capable of leading a team. Johnny Holland has looked committed in the few rare appearances he has made since returning from a long term injury.

Munster are now in the same position that Harlequins were in 2009 , in that they are a club with a proud history that is stuck in the mud at the moment and it needs a strong hand to lead them through the choppy waters that has been the recent season’s failures and begin the long process to rebuild a once mighty club. There is enough talent to work with it, it will just take the correct man to take a firm grip of the current situation and get the club playing with the passion and desire that they are famed for.

Let’s just hope that this decision to appoint a Director Of Rugby works because the Munster faithful have grown impatient in recent seasons and that anger will not dissipate unless the team’s fortunes improve on the field of play….

By

Cian Mc Gibney

15/03/2016