ANTHONY FOLEY CALLED for more ruthlessness from his Munster players to end their grim losing streak.
Rivals Leinster were full of Christmas cheer as they left Thomond Park with a 24-7 win in Sunday night’s festive interpro.
Robin Copeland scored Munster’s only try but it wasn’t nearly enough to prevent the hosts from falling to their fifth straight defeat in all competitions.
Next up is a New Year’s trip to Ulster on 2 January and Foley knows that a lack of precision, rather than possession, is the biggest worry.
“The concern I have is that we’re not scoring,” he said.
“We had plenty of opportunity, plenty of possession, but the last four games we’re very soft in the opposition 22 in terms of giving up the ball. It’s needless.
We don’t get the scoreboard, we don’t get it ticking over, we don’t apply pressure through the scoreboard and unfortunately that gives the opposition opportunities to win games.
“We have the ball, we have it through a number of phases, and unfortunately we don’t seem to be ruthless enough in that area of the pitch to maintain it and get the points on the board.
“Seven points isn’t good enough in a game like this to win it. You’re not going to win it 7-6 here tonight.”
Munster’s last win came all the way back on 14 November in the opening round of the Champions Cup against Treviso.
Since then they have fallen to Connacht, Newport Gwent Dragons and Leinster in the Pro12 as well as losing both games of the European double-header against Leicester.
“There are similarities [across the defeats] but they’re not all the same things,” Foley added.
There’s one or two experienced players dropping balls under no pressure. When you’ve lost four games on the bounce, confidence becomes an issue and it’s about getting through that and getting a win.
“It doesn’t matter how you get the win. It’s about building on that and hopefully we go back to where we were pre-Treviso.”
