- BKT United Rugby Championship Round 15
- AIL: Young Munster carry Limerick title hopes
- Champions Richmond take title with some style
- Mid-week Rugby Round-up with limerickrugby.ie
- St Mary’s face big league challenge in Thurles
- Richmond take a step closer to Junior League title
- ‘Munsters’ record another victory in their league quest
- Limerick rugby shocked by the passing of Tom Tierney
- Despite defeat coach Gerry Slattery hails his players
- PBC scrape home after thrilling SMC come-back
- Big game for Richmond: ‘Munsters’ to advance in cup
- Frank Quinn looks at forthcoming Six Nations and RWC
- St Mary’s, NCW and Galbally-M earn league wins
- Young Munster’s spirit earns them late bonus points
- Ospreys no match for slick and hungry Munster men
- Can Young Munster move closer to 1993 glory
- New signing will join Munster squad next season
- Zebo and Coombes return for Munster against Ospreys
- Munster’s fixtures for the run-in to Guinness PRO14
- Craig Casey gets the call as Ireland name their 6N 36
- The ‘Clueless Munster’ tag hits a nerve locally
- Late try snatches likely victory away from Munster
- Classic derby game beckons as teams are named
- Tension mounts as local clubs feature in second last fence of Munster Junior League 1
- Impressive win for Clonmel on UL pitch keeps them on title target
- Will Joe Schmidt ring the changes for the Scottish game?
- Cancellations a-plenty as Munster Junior Cup gathers momentum
- Henshaw at full-back not really a gamble as Ireland name their team
- Ian excited about exploring new horizons as he plans two moves
- Nine local clubs in Bank of Ireland Munster Junior Cup action this week-end
- UL Bohemian and Thomond advance in the Bank of Ireland Munster Junior Cup
- Abbeyfeale lift the Transfield Cup for the first time since 1977
- Young Munster facing battle to avoid the drop
- Munster fight hard for victory in Rodney Parade
- Bonus point for Garryowen as Shannon fail to build on recent form
- AIL: Shannon win, Young Munster and Garryowen lose today in 1A
- AIL wins tonight for Old Crescent in 2A and Thomond in 2C
- John Ryan for Archer the only change on the Munster team
- Key Euro games for referees Neville, Clancy, Brace and Lacey
- Frank Quinn’s review of the final pools games of Heineken Cup
- Decent Munster representation on Ireland Six Nations squad
- English clubs’ wretched record at Thomond Park: 21 defeats, 2 wins
- A Newcastle view as their side fails to get winning bonus point
- Is the Transfield Cup final to take place in the Markets Field?
- Defeat for Richmond today dents their junior league title hopes
- Brave Garryowen’s late strike gives them ticket to Bateman decider
- Munster march on towards another home Heineken Cup quarter final
- Munster and Gloucester announce their teams for to-morrow night’s game
- All to play for as Munster Junior League division one hots up
- Garryowen keen to avoid their third successive cup defeat
Frank Quinn looks at forthcoming Six Nations and RWC
- Updated: 20/02/2023
By Frank Quinn
TWO rounds over and a very welcome hello to Ireland and Scotland at the top of the table. On 10 points each, there is a lull in the proceedings and we’ve had a week’s down time for the internationals while the URC picked up a few spare fixtures and the Heineken Cup is parked until April the first.
We pick up at the week-end in Rome, for a really great travel experience. It’s an historic place, a great city but the Azzurri lack a real professional side. They are coached by Kieran Crowley who, if you have seen him on the TV in his coaches box, is a laid back character. His message to the players seems to be “I have prepared you well for this game so go to it!”
Played two and lost two is not the greatest start for the Italians so can we expect a five pointer win to keep us on top of the table. There is a week’s break to Sunday 12th March to play Scotland at Murrayfield and then a six day turnaround to be managed to play England on the 18th March at 5 pm.
You have to think positive again and say it is a “lucky” break with time off and playing the weakest team on the return. I don’t like to wish teams luck. I prefer to say “Play Well”. The coach has to use the mini break to his best advantage. Niggly injuries get the opportunity to heal and it is a refresher break. It is turning out that we have to play joint table toppers Scotland after Italy and then a super Saturday looms on the 18th March at the Aviva against England, who are currently four points adrift of us .
It will be vital that our head coach has the team he wants on the park for the final three games whichever way he manages the permutations of injuries and selection. The injured players have the extra recovery time to get back into the selection and the coaches have 41 of the best players in the country in the squad. They are sure to release a few players to get games at their clubs in the two breaks to be match fit when required. Really, from what we have seen, and the number of excellent players in the team squads so far, we should not have to worry about who is selected. The only worry we have is to win the game with maximum points and to avoid cliff-hangers on Bonus Points at the Super Saturday finale.
This is now the real test for the coaching staff and more so the players who will be doing their normal training routine this week and next. In my opinion the coaches have the most difficult job to keep the balance in the side, give all the players the opportunity to earn selection, and pick the right players for each game. I really did not want to mention the RWC, but this is turning out to be a like a pool stage in a RWC for the coach. He will be considering how to get to the quarter finals, with your best team intact and on the park for the quarter final game.
The difference in the 6N is that there are 31 players in the squad. At the RWC and now there are 41 players in the 6N camp in 2023. From what we have seen so far it is one o f the best squads ever assembled by Ireland. It has quality, flexibility, class and a togetherness of spirit that will be very hard to match.
The competition for places and the situation, with such a large group and the individual intensity in a 6N camp who are all there is to impress the coaching staff and to earn a place in every starting squad, is not to be under-estimated.
Many coaches like to see the intensity at its highest level in camps and make selections on what they see, rather than history or past performances. It’s up to the players.
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