First new season expectations of our new head coach (Rob Penney)...

[Munsters_1978er]

Just a curious open question, no need for smart answers

What would be deemed a successful for him, Munster, the fans and the players?

[taz]

I want us to start playing rugby again,the Munster way.

If we lose the odd game,but the team has given 100% ,then I'll accept it.

[Corkmunsterman]

I wany us to play a discernable gameplan utilising the players we have to the fullest. I think people could be very shocked how much improvement there could be when you have a coach who isn't excepitonal (in the There's something about Mary sense)

[Weetabix]

The return of a siege mentality to Thomond, that's all.
Qualification for Rabo knock outs, and some performances in the HC to remind everyone we haven't gone away would be bonuses.

[Hugged Rugger]

i would like our forwards to be feared the way they once were, and opposition players to leave games wondering what the **** just hit them. but in reality unless our lads spend the summer in the gym we are nowhere near doing that next season so i will be happy for as corkmm put it a discernable gameplan utilising the players we have. At the end of every game win lose or draw if I feel that the players put everthing into the match and got the best out of themselves i'll be happy for now

[John Cooper Clarke]

A few decent wins and a few glorious defeats would be an improvement.

[Valencia]

one Plan A that suits the strengths of the players we have and a definate plan B for those days when that doesn't work. Cut any driftwood and Please somehow find a Bullocking Back Row project player

[Viigand]

I'd like to see tactics employed that will actually enable us to be competitive at the business end of the season. I'd sacrifice results for developing a game plan that works.

[joconnell]

I want us to start playing rugby again,the Munster way.

If we lose the odd game,but the team has given 100% ,then I'll accept it.

Just curious what you think the munster way is? I think yourself and hugged rugger are asking for the same thing but I don't think it's possible right now.

Munster's old game plan was based on pressure, a merciless kick chase and forward domination but everything's changed now. Your players aren't as powerful as other sides, the laws have changed to prevent the sealing off possession game you used to play and with the new law trials, you won't be able to wait at the base of a ruck for the attacking line to organise themselves.

The kick chase is gone now but what's replaced it is a very mean defence - if you've got players hairing off like loolaas then it's leaving gaps in the line, whereas over the course of the season you've conceded feck all tries.

The "munster attitude" (if you want to call it that) is possibly gone from the players since they haven't needed an under dog mentality in coming into a winning club. What they've replaced it with though is a hell of a lot of skill. If you compare the generations, Buckley's handling and passing ability is miles ahead of horan or hayes, Ryan's handling beats the pants of POC or DOC. Zebo, Earls, Keatley, Jones etc. can all do plenty of things to open up defences. It'll likely be a different playing style but you've got to adapt to the times.

I'd be surprised if you won anything next year, the entire team needs to be reprogrammed, some built up and some up-skilled. Hopefully Penney'll come along and realise what he has rather than trying to force a round peg into a square hole.

[fitzy73]

Fairly simple one from me - just stop the rot.

[Munsters_1978er]

This is from Penney himself....

“I spoke to some players when I was over in Munster and what I sensed was a desperate desire to do well, to win trophies and that is what I hope to help them achieve.


“They are also, I felt, ready for a slight shift and hopefully I can help inspire them to produce quality and successful rugby.

“I want to help these guys win silverware. Like I said it’s what drives me and I know it’s what drives them.”




Penney will arrive in Munster in the middle to July with his wife and two youngest (15 & 17) children. The oldest (20) will remain in New Zealand and will base himself on the outskirts of Limerick.
“It makes sense with University of Limerick and Thomond Park where they are.”
And while Munster’s long term goal is obviously to have one training base for the franchise Penney is mindful of the history and tradition of the dual mandate.


“I understand the history and rationale of the two bases and I am coming into Munster with my eyes open in that regard.

“I know that there have been discussions in the past with regard to having one training base but Cork and Limerick are crucially important to Munster and I will be very much in favour of doing what’s best for Munster.
“Look the twin training bases is unique in world rugby. But unique doesn’t make it wrong.”


Penney this morning also dismissed the myth that Northern Hemisphere rugby is looked down on by those in the Southern Hemisphere and emphasised that the tradition and history of Munster, in particular, is well known and highly regarded.
“I was a teenager when Munster beat the All Blacks and remember it quite well.


“Munster are a real powerhouse in European rugby circles and have an astonishing consistency in Europe.
“They are among the best in Europe and people in New Zealand are very aware of their proud history and traditions. I certainly was. The game is played slightly differently in the different Hemispheres but different isn’t better or worse.
“I have seen a lot of the RaboDirect and the Heineken Cup and these competitions are fantastic ones with a great standard.”
Penny is also hugely looking forward to working with the Munster players, young and old.


“The likes of Paul O’Connell, Ronan O’Gara and Doug Howlett are world class players and I am enthused by the work and quality of the generation coming through underneath.


“I spoke to some players when I was over in Munster and what I sensed was a desperate desire to do well, to win trophies and that is what I hope to help them achieve.


“They are also, I felt, ready for a slight shift and hopefully I can help inspire them to produce quality and successful rugby.

“I want to help these guys win silverware. Like I said it’s what drives me and I know it’s what drives them.”

[zachler]

I'd happily write off one complete season and have a steading improving second season. I hope people will at least be patient. Things could get even worse before they get better.

[Corkmunsterman]

"They are also, I felt, ready for a slight shift"

they ******g better be

[isola ciarrai]

1. Assess the quality and potential of the squad of players we have available from youngest, greenest academy lad to most experienced grizzled senior player. Where necessary, take people aside and tell them they will or will not 'make it'. This needs be done in consultation with Peter Malone of the Academy, Axel and new backs/attack coach. This bring us to next issue:
2. Appoint a quality attack/backs coach to bring the most out of what we have, and establish a discernible game plan and a plan B;
3. Get to grips with the strength, fitness and durability issues to try reduce injury to a minimum;
4. Bring in a BR Special Project Player using his wide knowledge of what is out there in NZ;
5. Given that our pack has been stripped of experienced forwards through injury with premature career ending injury to Fla, Wally and Leamy, get Garrett to go to IRFU and make a special case for short term (1year/18 months) loan/signing of experienced NIQ BR player to keep us competitive in that area and bring on promising younger players. It is unprecedented for any province to lose 3 international/Lions players in such a short time. A weak Munster pack is not in the interest of Irish rugby generally. If not possible, then get funding to buy out contracts of either Casey or Dougie.
6. Bring back a game plan that the players can buy into and believe in - it will do wonders for their confidence. Tell everyone that the Pro12 is to find out where we are going and while we aim for the play-offs we need some slack there.
7. Temper the enthusiasm of our fans with realism, and believable objectives. The trashing in Swansea should have made that easier to do.
8. Forget about Leinster, Ulster and/or Connacht. Just concentrate on improving the technique, nous, spirit and confidence of our players and see where that takes us.

[redherring]

A pack that can batter teams up front, a half back pairing that understand each other and control games and a backline that can finish teams off when on top and show the defensive strengths of the 2008 team.

[glorob]

I expect us to win. I am not interested in excuses as we have had our fill of those over the last 4 seasons.

[John Cooper Clarke]

I expect us to win. I am not interested in excuses as we have had our fill of those over the last 4 seasons.

To win what? HEC?

If that's the case I fear you'll be dissapointed.

[Dowlinz]

Making ourselves difficult to beat again. In our last 4 contested games (ignoring Ulster reserves) we conceded 114 points and 10 tries. Doing that at the business end of the season is horrible and most un-Munster like.

[Colliniho]

Bring in a backs coach with some new ideas and genuine organisational skills. If we have a backline by Christmas who don't look like they first set eyes on each in the bus on the way to the game then that will be progress. Get the coaching structure right and we maximise our chances of turning O'Dea, Zebo, Scanlon & friends into top class players

[Fachtna Cewa]

I'd be happy with some decent signs of progression. Peter O'Mahony has been the highlight of the season for me, seeing one or two others come in and have half the impact would be great. If we can get good seasons from DOC.2, Sherry, Butler..... maybe even JJ then I'd be delighted. Most importantly I want to see the trend of players retiring through injury come to an end.

[LondonMunster]

We treat the breakdown with the respect it merits. If this means that we need a top class 6 or 7 now, then we get one, now.

Our scrum improved this season and ignoring the Rabo D12 semi, our lineout functioned too - if we can keep improving on those and our breakdown steps up we will have half a decent team.

The whole team treats time spent in the opponents 22 as sacred. We get in there, we score, secure the restart and go again. No more of this fifteen phases of feckin' across the field hoping a half break turns into something more fruitful. This goes back to my point above about the breakdown - if we have a backrow that can control the tackle area, we will win penalties - we take the three and start again.

[Waterfordlad]

Bring back the bit of dog. Make Thomond a feared venue again. Play to our strengths

[glorob]

To win what? HEC?

If that's the case I fear you'll be dissapointed.

If we lack the ambition and expectation of winning then we are lost before the season even starts.

[Hugged Rugger]

Just curious what you think the munster way is? I think yourself and hugged rugger are asking for the same thing but I don't think it's possible right now.

well i did say id like our forwards to be feared but said its unlikely in the short term. in the long term i dont think that knocking someone into tomorrow is mutually exclusive to having a modern gameplan, even if its a plan based around zebo earls howlett etc.


edit: for me the munster way is for players to leave nothing behind more than the tactics, and hopefully knock a few players on their arses along the way

[Cowboy]

Make us play like his face looks from playing.


This Penney could be worth an awful lot.

[Thomond78]

well i did say id like our forwards to be feared but said its unlikely in the short term. in the long term i dont think that knocking someone into tomorrow is mutually exclusive to having a modern gameplan, even if its a plan based around zebo earls howlett etc.


edit: for me the munster way is for players to leave nothing behind more than the tactics, and hopefully knock a few players on their arses along the way

No back-line in the history of the game has ever suffered from their pack smashing the opposition pack. No back-line in the history of the game ever will.

As to what I want, I want first and foremost to see an appreciation of proper forward-based rugby; proper set-pieces, mauls, gaining the power and using the power to break teams, suck the life out of their legs and suck in their defence with mauls, getting possession in their territory, keeping it, and forcing them into errors. Proper, sensible rugby. Simple stuff, executed well, at speed, and backed up, has always delivered, and always will.

And I want to see us play with intelligence once more, with a purpose and a plan, instead of frantic slinging of the ball in search of a miracle-ball that will somehow - God knows how - deliver everything.

[Thomond78]

Make us play like his face looks from playing.


This Penney could be worth an awful lot.

That is not the face of a man who has any time for going sideways.

Good.

[Kevy-Wevz]

I may well be fceked out the gate for saying this but I want no exceptions with regard to accountability.

We've all spoken our mind about Dutchy and the S&C staff etc but if the forwards perform like they did at the business end of this season, Axel's position needs to be seriously looked at. Maybe they'll come out and play as a cohesive unit come september(Jesus I hope so) but after re-watching some of the last few games I'm worried.

I know it's been said, but a solid game plan and the team playing as a team will be great. If the game plan Penney chooses does not work, then scrap it and try something else. Don't just stick to it for 4 seasons and hope for the best.

[Corkmunsterman]

"That is not the face of a man who has any time for going sideways.

Good."

whereas McGahan looked like rafa benitez

alas the similarities didn't end there

[Corkmunsterman]

I may well be fceked out the gate for saying this but I want no exceptions with regard to accountability.

We've all spoken our mind about Dutchy and the S&C staff etc but if the forwards perform like they did at the business end of this season, Axel's position needs to be seriously looked at. Maybe they'll come out and play as a cohesive unit come september(Jesus I hope so) but after re-watching some of the last few games I'm worried.

I know it's been said, but a solid game plan and the team playing as a team will be great. If the game plan Penney chooses does not work, then scrap it and try something else. Don't just stick to it for 4 seasons and hope for the best.

I have to admit I'm slightly worried too given the last month of the campaign

although pulling axel away to the Irish camp for the 6N didn't help I'd say