Stander isn't available for the 1st game so how can he be selected??Originally Posted by Tobyglen
Only 1 has picked Standerobvious a few on here haven't seen him play. He will walk into the team. Himself & POM are a class apart from the rest.
WDP, Sherry, Botha
Ryan, POC,
Stander, POM, Coughlan
Murray, ROG
Zebo, Howlett
Downey, Casey
Earls
Varley isn't good enough to start, i'd throw Scannell and SHenry ahead of him on the bench. His lineouts are awful!! Need primary possession and can't be guarnateed that with Varley, think its time a youthful Bench full of beans and eagerness to impress is employed so that'd be my push for Scannell to get a nod
Quite harsh on Varley. He started at hooker in a lot of HEC games last year and was solid in the lineout last week.
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I'm all for getting your best players on the field - but it has to be within reason. I think Hurley would do a better job as FB than Earls. I find Earls to selfish for a FB in attack, and given that defending at FB is very very different than in the centre, I think Hurley would do a better job in defense, plus he doesn't have the offloading ability of Hurley.
I would try Earls out a lot at FB during the Magners league and if he shows he is up to HC standard then so be it. But I am sure that this won't make him a happy camper - he will want to play as much at 13 as possible. I am sure an unhappy bunny won't play very well. A motivated bunny at 13 would be eager to keep his spot.
Thus far it seems like Earls is a winger or a centre. He claims he has what it takes to be the best centre in the world, so if he wants to get on the pitch he has to fight Lucy for the centre spot (or 'settle' for the wing).
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Nonsense. He had one bad game in a friendly. Clearly he's useless and time to throw in Henry who's never let us down in the HEC.
well looka
He's playing for Munster Rugby not the Dooradoyle U13 street leagues managed by his Da.
well looka
I know there's plenty of forelock-tugging goes on towards mighty New Zealanders, but from what I've seen of Laulala and Earls, Earls is the better player. Zebo, Howlett and maybe even O'Dea are better wingers than Earls, while Hurley and Jones are better fullbacks, so if Earls is going to be in the team it's got to be at centre, in my opinion.
Those comments gave me a migraine - they aren't Independent.ie bad but they're getting there.
My HEC 15 to start a QF (should we reach one and assuming full fitness) would be;
1. Du Preez
2. Sherry
3. Botha
4. D.Ryan
5. POC
6. DOC 2.0
7. POM
8. CJ Stander
9. Murray
10. ROG
11. Zebo
12. Downey
13. Earls
14. Howlett
15. Hurley
16. Varley
17. Kilcoyne
18. Archer
19. Coughlan
20. DOC
21. Strings
22. Keatley
23. Typo
And the good thing is that's a very tough call and I'd probably change it again tomorrow. Keatley might be challenged on the bench if JJ plays some Pro12 between now and then.
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I'd go with that JR. Including the bench and all. It would be harsh on LOD and Dougall, but unfortunately there isn't any more space. Some change from last year when we were struggling with the 15
11-15 is impossible to call at the moment in my view, and depends entirely on how Penney sets up the team. If we are looking towards last week as a guide, then Downey would be a nailed on 12, we don't have another centre who offers what he does.
On the other hand, Stander (based on bits of games I have seen him play), O'Mahony, Coughlan, Ryan and Sherry are all mobile ball carriers, so Penney could decide that those players sufficient to give us go-forward ball in open play and off line-outs, and opt for Earls and Laulala as a quicker centre partnership. They are both good enough players to play together in the centre in my view, regardless of the numbers on their backs.
In the back 3, we have one nailed on starter in Howlett. O'Dea, Zebo, Hurley, possibly Earls, Jones and Johne Murphy are fighting for the other 2 spots. The 3 lads played brilliant stuff last week, but Zebo deserves a fair crack at breaking them up. I think Laulala and Dougie could bring out the best in Zebo. Laulala is a really classy runner with great awareness of space, and could put Zebo through a lot of gaps this season.
I'm going to stop myself before I start typing a Joycean stream of consciousness type analysis of every position, and I reckon our starting XV for the first pool game will be
15. Hurley, 14. Howlett, 13. Laulala, 12. Earls, 11. Zebo, 10. O'Gara, 9. Murray
1. du Preez, 2. Sherry, 3. Botha, 4. Ryan, 5. O'Connell, 6. O'Mahony, 7. Ronan, 8. Coughlan
Noone knows what to do with laulala. I wonder did we need him?
My hair is more important than timekeeping!
I think that the first thing we need to do is start calling him by his newly found fine Irish name, specifically, Lucy.
Secondly, for some ramdom reason, I am reminded of Trevor Brennan repeatedly calling Bastareaud, Bastardo on tv.
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He's probably not essential when we have everybody fit and healthy, but I don't think anybody here needs reminding the very occasionally, rugby players get injured.
Now that we have him on our books, well he's a seriously good centre and we might as well get maximum use out of him. Let himself, Earls and Downey fight for the centre spots. Earls, no more than anybody else, has no divine right to a spot on the team. If we have 2 centres playing better than him, and he can't (or doesn't want to) force his way into the back three, then we will have some impact off the bench.
I am sure that Earls' petulant behaviour (RE:various press .. I am the greatest..) would fit in nicely in the Dooradoyle U13 squad.
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He's not interested in joining MFannies.
well looka
You'll be eligible yourself in about 5 years.
Last edited by MrsMcGahan; 6th-September-2012 at 20:21.
well looka
Given that by then I should be in the priesthood - its probably good timing.
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Before the CJ Backlash Backlash Backlash gets into full flow I should give my thoughts as to why I'd have him in there instead of Coughlan for a HEC QF.
First of all, I'm well aware that there's a lot of rugby to be played between now and then so the likes of Dougall could well have played himself into contention or Coughlan could be playing so well that he's undroppable. I know this.
But look, from what I've seen of Stander in a very physical and bruising league, bar absolute manky form, a man of his physicality, ability and pedigree should start. Yes, I know he hasn't played for Munster yet. Yes, I know that "yerra he's not wan of ours like". But just LOOK at him! Look at that BOSH! LOOK AT IT! Are you telling me you don't want that bosh? Are you? No? YOU'RE LYING.
While Coughlan has never let us down, I think he's the ideal guy to bring on for the last 20 to lock up a game if need be. Coughlan is a good ball carrier but Stander can be (and looks like) a GREAT ball carrier.
To The Brave and the Faithful, Nothing is Unpublishable.
Diack and Wannenbosh looked like serious players in the Currie Cup. I wouldn't have either of them ahead of Coughlan.
Why would Earls start ahead of Laulala at 13!, please explain.
Yes but Coughlan is from Cork and pronounces his name funny. CJ could never emulate him in these areas no matter how well he plays.
My hair is more important than timekeeping!
Time will tell. If Stander isn't a feckin' bull then I'll beg Coughlan's forgiveness.
To The Brave and the Faithful, Nothing is Unpublishable.
He is Irish.
Otaga Daily Times 2/5/2012
Taz-Where did you get that information as I have seen nowhere that he(Penney) was ruled out?
Editor - The writer stands by the Penney information.
Otaga Daily Times 3/5/2012
Editor-- This article originally said Rob Penney had missed out on the Munster coaching job. That information was incorrect.
Because Bod is in his mid thirties
My hair is more important than timekeeping!
Snap
My hair is more important than timekeeping!
Nationality aside casey is a class player and would be a massive waste to have sitting on the bench.
Wannenblob was, however, by virtue of his size alone, a significant obstacle for Munster in the HEC Quarter Final.
I think Coughlan has been really super for Munster over the past few years. And given that back rows have three members, not just one, it's not his fault that the unit was lightweight. But the unit was lightweight and the signing of Stander aimed to address that.
While Earls is merely the best back the province has produced in the professional era, a proven try scorer at the highest level and, bar Dougie, the best eye for a gap anywhere in the squad.
"We will not walk in fear, one of another. We will not be driven into an age of unreason if we dig deep into our history and remember we are not descended from fearful men" Edward R Murrow
"Little by little, we have been brought into the present condition in which we are able neither to tolerate the evils from which we suffer, nor the remedies we need to cure them." - Livy
That's true but are his qualities not better suited to the wing? Laulala and Downey will provide the physicality and bulk and go forward which has been absent over recent seasons
Earls looked far better at 13 last year than he has ever done on the wing. Zebo scored tries on the wing at a rate better than Earls ever managed. Earls is a specialist 13, having played most of his career there. Zebo is a specialist 11. Why not play the best players in their best positions, rather than shoehorning Earls into a position where he's not as comfortable to accommodate someone who's not as good?
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