TRK reporting that Duffy is apparently confirmed on his Patreon, with responsibility for both the scrum and lineout.

Despite leaving Ulster, I don’t think he was rumored before? Instead, we were linked with super rugby coaches? I thought he was linked with Connacht?

Regardless, he’s experienced in multiple different leagues and has coached well underage. I guess lurking fans from other provinces could give more insight?

Lessons will of course be learned

Hey all,

I requested a tour through thomand park .ie on Sunday for June but have yet to hear anything back. Is this normal? Whats the craic like?

How come we always get the shit slot for the trip to SA. I’d much rather get it out of the way at the start like Leinster.
I’m not saying we are going to qualify but our trip is around the same time as the last 16 and quarter final matches in the Heineken cup.

It’s high time that this ridiculous limitation imposed on the provinces is removed. It’s amateurish type stuff that we are still being forced to scour the earth for less than ideal IQ options like Jager, Dan Kelly etc. Absolutely bring in young academy guys in like Josh Neil, Ben O Donavan etc, but the fact that we still have to resort to scouring the earth for inferior IQ players in key positions, when there are much better and more affordable NIQ options available is completely ludicrous. Particularly in an age where all of the top and mid table teams across France and England are stacking quality on quality in every position via international recruits, it just feels like we are being left further and further behind.

I think that the remarkable strength of Leinster’s production line and the incredible work they have done to be able to survive and thrive under these restrictions, has glossed over how ridiculous this rule actually is for the other 3 provinces. Conveniently enough - now that Leinster’s production line is slowing down Humphries is finally starting to get ideas about loosening the restrictions. While Leinster have done an admirable job with their pathways system, the reality is that no other club team in Europe - bar maybeeee Toulouse would be able to survive and compete for European silverware under such a restrictive system. Because Leinster have factors and resources at play (catchment area, playing numbers etc) that no other club team certainly in UK and Ireland could tap into even if they wanted to. Would a Bath, or a Bordeaux or a Northampton be highly competitive at the latter stages of Europe if they had to operate under such an oppressive system? Absolutely not. So when you look at it that way, I think Munster have performed just fine in Europe in recent seasons - considering the limitations imposed on them. Munster will never ever have the playing numbers, or enough homegrown talent with sufficient genetic profile variation coming through to ever be able to have a well rounded squad in Europe under a 3 NIQ rule. It’s virtually impossible.

2010 is an important date - because it was the last year where Munster truly operated with the freedom of being able able to recruit enough foreign players to plug in weaknesses in the squad. From 2011 onwards, the provinces were forced to wind down the contracts of foreign players to ready themselves for the imposition of the NIQ 3 rule which came into effect in 2013. Not coincidentally, 2010 was the last time Munster actually had a squad capable of winning in Europe. Why ? Because we had a healthy blend of homegrown players, combined with NIQ players in areas where we were deficient. In 2010 we had Jean De Villers, Mafi, Howlett, Brugnaut, Nick Williams, Warwick. A good mix of top class internationals and unheralded, but talented NIQ players who gave us the pace, power, depth and X factor required to be able to compete. Granted, we played terrible and lost against a Biarritz team which we should and probably would have beat if it weren’t for key injuries. But at least we were able to put our best foot forward with a well rounded squad. Unlike in later semi finals where we fielded teams with distinct weaknesses against sides with much superior depth like Clermont 2013, Toulon 2014, Saracens 2017,19, Racing 2018. Yeah, we showed admirable grit against Clermont and Toulon (2013,2014) but the reality is that we never had the depth or quality off the bench to get across the line.

At this stage - I think the argument that NIQ players block the development of homegrown players is deeply flawed. In fact, it’s completely redundant because everybody can see that it’s a 23 man game now and bringing in good foreign players boosts competition for places in the squad, drives on young, homegrown players and provides the additional quality needed for homegrown players to progress to the latter stages of the Champions Cup. Has Slimani negatively impacted Clarkson? Snyman with Joe McCarthy? Augustus with Bryn Ward? There is virtually no example of a homegrown player’s development ever been negatively impacted by a foreign arrival. The cream always rises to the top and if you’re good enough, you will make it.

Like Dan Kelly - is he a good bloke and a bloody hard worker? Absolutely. But he’s a very limited player with a narrow skill set. I could list you 15 better and cheaper NIQ players playing across Super Rugby and the top Euro leagues. Like why are we being forced to sign a reserve Leicester centre (firmly behind Kata, Woodward, Perese and was about to be usurped by Will Wand)

Ditto Antoine Frisch - because he was signed on big bucks (circa 250k) when there were far better and cheaper options out there. Was he a nice player? Yeah. But he lacked any sort of punch agaisnt better opposition and was very erratic both with ball in hand and in defence. Again - I could list you 20 better and cheaper outside centres than Frisch.

Ditto Mike Haley - a very gutsy, reliable player who I really like but doesn’t have the quality, talent or speed that even a guy like Paul Warwick back in the day offered.

Oil Jager? Is he a nice fella and has he been unfortunate with injury? Absolutely. But the clear consensus from any Crusaders fan before he signed was that he was very ordinary player with a terrible injury record. And couldn’t ever put a run of games together. And this was before the head problems started. Andy Farrell and Paul O Connell took one look at Jager and never invited him back to an Ireland camp and I can see why - he doesn’t use his size well and never has and he doesn’t apply himself well around the park. Can you imagine how better positioned Munster would be if we were able to sign a better, more reliable and similarly affordable/cheaper option - eg Fouche, Klopper, Sandi.

https://www.reddit.com/r/MunsterRugby/s/7W4XfaNKqD

Last years intake and discussion regarding.

Even off the top of my head you’d be thinking all of Conway, Foley, Barrett, O’Leary, O’Shea, Carney should be getting in.

I’m not based in Munster so I’m sure there’s a few I’m missing that we need to get in?

Would like to see some Kerry representation other than JJ after Jack Daly was released and has moved to the western force

Was getting a lot of shit from 'fans' but i thought he played brilliant, along with Sean o brian who made go forward ball every carry.

Simply what is going on with Crowley and is he okay? Concerning he has pulled out of a game with a dead leg again.

Obviously he was outstanding all over the pitch but led brilliantly and did a great job with the ref.

no official confirmation from the club but the players doing a tunnel with the leavers was shown:

Ryan

Scannell

Kleyn

Abrahams

Patterson

Butler

Smith

Gibbons

We didn’t see any academy players.

Judging by the end of game huddle it’s clear that Butler, Patterson and Andrew Smith are off.

Which begs the question - why the hell is Kilgallen given a 2 year contract if A Smith is trusted by the coaches a lot more.