Munster v Bristol (Friendly) 17/8/2012

[Dermo]

Combined Provinces, I thought?
Yeah remember that game...

[B.A.]

Varley seems like a prop masquerading as a hooker and Sherry is or certainly will be, a much better hooker - and he can throw the ball accurately.
There is simply no excuse for Varley's throwing at this stage of his career; if it weren't for his dynamic and powerful play in the loose he'd be gone. I have to wonder also why he seems to be both overweight and unfit with a new coach taking the reins; was there an injury preventing him from training? I do wish he'd get it together because he could be very good if he put his mind to it.

Sherry's throwing wasn't all that much better than Varleys last year IMHO. Both of them need to sort their **** out.

[the_dazz]

Varley seems like a prop masquerading as a hooker and Sherry is or certainly will be, a much better hooker - and he can throw the ball accurately.
There is simply no excuse for Varley's throwing at this stage of his career; if it weren't for his dynamic and powerful play in the loose he'd be gone. I have to wonder also why he seems to be both overweight and unfit with a new coach taking the reins; was there an injury preventing him from training? I do wish he'd get it together because he could be very good if he put his mind to it.

Varley had an ankle injury and missed the majority of pre season.

Agree with B.A that Sherry needs to sort out his throwing as well. I cant for the life of me understand how someone can be a "professional" and not be able to the basics of their position - its a joke imo.

[garryowen2323]

Sherry appears to have changed his throwing technique in the last year from a lob like throw to more of a darting throw. I'm no expert on throwing but it seems to have improved his accuracy somewhat. Still needs to improve further but hopefully that will come this year.

[Bitter As A Lemon]

Great to get back on the winning road, hopefully another win with a young team next week, will set us up for a good start to the League.
Pity about the crowd, less than 3300 at the game, doesn't bode well for games in Musgrave Park.

[Captain Average]

With regards to Sherry's throwing, at least he has time on his side to get up to the required level. He's only just turned 24.
Varley on the other hand, is turning 29 later this year. He has no excuses. His throwing should have been sorted out ages ago, even if he was late to the professional scene.

[taz]

Great to get back on the winning road, hopefully another win with a young team next week, will set us up for a good start to the League.
Pity about the crowd, less than 3300 at the game, doesn't bode well for games in Musgrave Park.

It was a brutal attendance.

[Bitter As A Lemon]

With regards to Sherry's throwing, at least he has time on his side to get up to the required level. He's only just turned 24.
Varley on the other hand, is turning 29 later this year. He has no excuses. His throwing should have been sorted out ages ago, even if he was late to the professional scene.

And Scannell looked very good with his throwing in the U20 World Cup during the Summer. Looks to be developing nicely, physically also.

[Thomond78]

With regards to Sherry's throwing, at least he has time on his side to get up to the required level. He's only just turned 24.
Varley on the other hand, is turning 29 later this year. He has no excuses. His throwing should have been sorted out ages ago, even if he was late to the professional scene.

This is the crux of it. Varley's throwing issues have been obvious for several years, yet nothing has been done to fix it. In the same time frame, by sheer hard work, Fla turned himself from an erratic thrower to someone who could drop a ball into a waste-paper bin fifteen metres away, blindfold. That's a professional attitude to doing your job right; it's what should be expected.

[McCloud]

Slightly off topic but is the new 5 second rule having an impact or is it not being enforced?

[Tarfman79]

This is the crux of it. Varley's throwing issues have been obvious for several years, yet nothing has been done to fix it. In the same time frame, by sheer hard work, Fla turned himself from an erratic thrower to someone who could drop a ball into a waste-paper bin fifteen metres away, blindfold. That's a professional attitude to doing your job right; it's what should be expected.

i like watching Varley playing, always reminds me of a hard as nails french hooker, however his throwing is inconsistent (when has be played consistently with the same 2 2nd rows in the last few seasons?) and more worryingly every game he seems to concede a brainless penalty in front of the posts.

[Thomond78]

Slightly off topic but is the new 5 second rule having an impact or is it not being enforced?

Not a huge one that I saw (one turnover I remember, but it was there for about fifteen seconds), and I suspect it'll rapidly become a dead letter.

[Sketchy]

Rob Penney
Penney Pleased With Progress
20 August 2012, 8:55 am
By Sean Geary

Rob Penney secured his first win as Munster Head Coach against Bristol in Musgrave Park on Friday night and the New Zealander is content with the steady improvement his side are making.
“There’s some good growth in the areas that we’re building, but there’s still a lot to do. We have to get more ruthless about our ability to retain ball and build pressure, but it’s early days,” he said after the win.Despite numerous handling errors, Penney feels his side produced a much-improved performance after last week’s defeat in France,“There was grease on the ball tonight and that makes it a little bit more difficult, but we have to improve in a number of areas to get the performance that we’re obviously all searching for” he said.
“Against La Rochelle we played some nice footy and again the errors caused us anxiety and today we were probably 30 or 40 per cent better than we were last week on completion and that’s the exciting component because we’re creating opportunities that everyone can see.”
New signing Sean Dougall impressed and was singled out for praise by the New Zealander, “He’s got a lot of ability and he finds himself in places where good seven’s need to be and he’s pretty robust in there and hard to shift. Often he’s in the right place and being in the right place will give you a pay-off at some point.”
The only points Munster conceded came from penalties and Penney admitted that his side must improve their discipline, “The number of penalties we’re conceding is a problem right across the park, I think there were eight penalties and four or five free kicks today and against a good side they’re not going to let you off the hook.”
Munster face London Irish at Musgrave Park next Friday night in their final pre-season match and Rob is hoping for further improvement, “We’re only at week two of 40 weeks so we’ve got plenty of time to work on it but we don't want to leave it until week 30 before we get it right!”


http://www.munsterrugby.ie/news/10684.php

Great to see Dougal being talked up as hard to shift off a ruck.

[Piquet]

, “We’re only at week two of 40 weeks so we’ve got plenty of time to work on it but we don't want to leave it until week 30 before we get it right!”

I like it. He certainly is able to talk the talk. Hopefully he'll walk the walk when the time comes.

[Boo-boo]

It was a brutal attendance.

I did not think it looked that bad. We bought tickets at the gate. It only takes us 2 hours from Dublin. I nearly have to leave at the same time to hit the RDS when relying on Dublin transport. I think most people are still in holiday mode and away.

Oscar seemed to go down a treat and I like the look of him. I believe the Oscar suit runs on beer:-)

[Old Dog]

It was a brutal attendance.

I would have gone if you'd offered me a complementary ticket and a lift.

(Same applies to this Friday's game.)

[taz]

I would have gone if you'd offered me a complementary ticket and a lift.

(Same applies to this Friday's game.)

You'll never get in with the spare Junior ticket .

[Dumptruck]

You'll never get in with the spare Junior ticket .

he would

[Sketchy]

Pics of the game are up:

http://www.munsterrugby.ie/rugby/10687.php

[Daky]

Pics of the game are up:

http://www.munsterrugby.ie/rugby/10687.php

More on the MRSC Website
https://www.mrsc.ie/Photo_Gallery.aspx?categoryid=65588

[Sketchy]

Good to see a back that knows how to dive when scoring a try:

[Dumptruck]

[Point]

Full of himself he was, the cocky fecker.

[Dumptruck]

Full of himself he was, the cocky fecker.

I didn't see him meself , I was told that he did a bit of a legger around the touchline throwing things at the crowd.

[oilean]

I would expect a bigger crowd this week

[taz]

I would expect a bigger crowd this week

Shouldn't be too difficult,all things considered.

[Point]

I didn't see him meself , I was told that he did a bit of a legger around the touchline throwing things at the crowd.

Swanning around the place, I'd have said. I hope he has enough things to throw for Friday's match.

[taz]

Swanning around the place, I'd have said. I hope he has enough things to throw for Friday's match.

Well Mascot and the helper nearly got mugged at half time before they set off on their lap.The young uns nearly had the box cleared off before they set off.,,

[munstershane]

Does he have a musical instrument to entertain us with? Please say no

[Waterfordlad]

does he have a musical instrument to entertain us with? please say no

ok.... No