GRAHAM ROWNTREE SAID that Munster were their own worst enemies in a poor defeat to the Stormers at DHL Stadium.
Munster have endured a tough start to the season, losing three of their first five games.
Over the past two weeks, they’ve lost 26-12 to Leinster in Dublin and 34-19 to the Stormers in Cape Town.
While they’ve played well in patches, the results as well as the scorelines suggest that they are operating well below their potential.
Rowntree was in a particularly scornful mood after the loss to the Stormers in Cape Town on Saturday night. While his team had their chances, they went on to concede four tries and lose by a 15-point margin.
“I’ve got a disappointed group [in the changing room],” the Munster boss said.
“It got away from us. Even in the third quarter, I thought we’d fight our way back in with our fitness and skills, but then we killed ourselves around the accuracy at set-piece.
“We killed ourselves in so many facets. Don’t take anything away from the Stormers, but we killed ourselves.”
Munster conceded several scrum penalties, and while they pressured the Stormers lineout throughout the contest, they won a paltry eight from 14 on their own feed for a completion rate of 57%.
“Our discipline wasn’t terrible, but it was at the root of a lot of problems,” added Rowntree.
“If I think of their first try in the second half [Stormers centre Ruhan Nel’s first], there was a scrum penalty, then we were offside from a lineout maul, and they eventually got to the edge of the field.
“But we still had opportunities thereafter, and we didn’t take them.
We’re halfway through a two-game tour of South Africa, and I’ve seen on occasions like this where it can get away from us. We’re not gonna let it. We’re gonna stay tight, work own our improvements and drive on.
The coach was adamant that the issues could and would be fixed ahead of the next clash against the Sharks in Durban. The Springbok-laden side beat Glasgow Warriors 28-24 on Saturday afternoon.
“It’s the controllables from us, our error count, especially when we get into the opposition 22.
“I think that was our issue against the Stormers. They caught us on occasions, but we let them.
“By the end of the game, we were doing uncharacteristic things, like not kicking off 10 metres. I’ve not seen that before.
“I don’t have to point out what the lads have to do better, this is an honest group. But I’m extremely disappointed, as are the lads.”
While Rowntree admitted that the game against the Stormers had taken a physical toll on his players, he was uncertain as to who might miss the next clash.
“We’ll see what bodies we’ve got available, because on this tour, you’ve got another huge game next week against the Sharks.
“We’re a tight group. Historically, these South African trips have made us even tighter.
“The guys are frustrated, but we won’t get derailed by this.”
Sadly, more of the same from Wiggy. “That wasn’t us” and “loads to work on” and “ taking responsibility “. The bottom line is this Munster squad is seriously lacking talent. No front row. No game changer. All this from a Munster supporter.
@Pat Cooney: I wouldn’t lose all hope, it feels like it’s been similar every year early in the season under Rowentree and they’ve managed to turn it around before.
@PJ Smith: yes usual headlines.a few matches in and leinster look like they’ll win everything and munster won’t make the top 8.
@Papa Kilo: Anyone who pays attention to headlines is a lemon.
@Pat Cooney: the same front row that mullered 2/3 of the Irish front row last week in the scrum?
@Niall English: How much did they win by last week?
@Pat Cooney: Too loose, bad game management
@Pat Cooney: well pat, what would you like him to say?
How long more can the Irish national side survive with just one functioning rugby team. I mean, if the rubbish being served up by both munster and connacht tonight doesn’t set alarm bells ringing, then nothing will.
@Ray Ridge: I know, only Munster know how to win trophies. That’s bad – the other provinces need to pull their socks up
@Ray Ridge: by “surviving”, do you mean being ranked 1st in the world?
@Petter Sellberg: One functioning rugby team is not a recipe for winning a world Cup let alone a world Cup quarter-final.
@Ray Ridge: disband Munster , they can’t even get S&C right
@Ray Ridge: Ray – rugby isn’t confined to one RWC qtr that happens every 4 years. There are plenty of other competitions to play and win.
@Ray Ridge: it’s a meaningful question you’re asking. But you do have a tendency for negative hyperbole. Ireland are ranked 1st in the world, talking about survival is a strange way of framing the problem
@Michael Corkery: Lads mute him and move on. Ray has no interest for the most part in a fair discussion, he needs to get some weirs validation from this place but never will because her wrong far more than he’s right. You’ll never convince him otherwise on anything so just let him be and move on with your lives
@Petter Sellberg: First in the world rankings means absolutely nothing. There are no medal ceremonies for being 1st in the world. Ask Belgium. 1st in the world for the best part of 3 years. Won nothing and never will. It’s just concerning that a mix and match Leinster can come to Connacht and ease to 5 point bonus win like that.
@Ray Ridge: winning a 6N grand slam is not nothing in rugby. Neither is a series win in New Zealand and a drawn series away to the world champions. I get that you want Ireland to win the WC but talking about survival for the most consistent team in world rugby is a bit odd.
Leinster will pose problems for a lot of teams with their rush defend this year
@Petter Sellberg: I said Belgium won nothing, not Ireland. But I’m chatting about the only one that really matters. The big one.
@Ray Ridge: Granted “survival ” might be too strong a word. How long more can Ireland continue to be “successful” would probably be a better way of saying it.
@Ray Ridge: are we not loosing the run of ourselves a bit? Until very recently, Ireland had never beaten the ABs and had no realistic prospects of winning “the only one that really matters”. Who says it’s the “only one that really matters” anyway? Is it the only one that matters for Uruguay? Portugal? Canada? Spain? How devastatingly demoralizing it must be for all those countries that just don’t have any realistic means of competing on that level. SA and NZ supporters can talk about “the only one that really matters” but it’s all talk. Don’t try to tell me that the lost series at home to Ireland didn’t really, really hurt for the ABs, or that the Boks didn’t desperately want to put Ireland back in their box in the drawn series in SA
@Petter Sellberg: if you’re supposedly ranked number won in the world, then surely the only real ambition has to be to go on and lift the world Cup. Don’t get me wrong winning an odd slam and a summer series and autumn Internationals are all good and well, but it’s not where it’s at for me.
@Petter Sellberg: Besides South Africa ultimately are too bothered about sharing a summer series with Ireland. They are back to back world champions. They are only laughing at us.
@Ray Ridge: yes, it’s only recently something we can realistically aim for though. Amazing times really!
@Ray Ridge: I can tell you, SA are VERY bothered about drawing a series with Ireland. Rassie picked his strongest side against Ireland instead of blooding new players for a reason. Ireland are the only team that have the better of the Boks. There will always be an asterisk in the history books next to this Bok team. Their legacy is tainted by their loosing ratio to Ireland. They REALLY wanted to win both tests to settle the score and they failed.
@Petter Sellberg: Well, of course they would like to win every game they play. But they win the ones that matter most. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same about Ireland.
@Ray Ridge: or any other country except SA
@Petter Sellberg: how does the win record between SA and Ireland taint south africas legacy? With an asterix in the history books. The springboks are going for a 3 peat and are arguably the greatest rugby side of all time currently in the same echelon as the great NZ 2011-15 side….do you not know that anything outside of winning a world cup is immaterial ..who will remember the greatest Irish side of all time that never won a world cup? That’s more of an asterix in the history books
@Stuart: you’re right. The real asterix is that your coach resorted to blackmailing referees and then your fanbase consistently sent death threats to referees and their families. Shock horror you consistently get the rub of the green from referees terrified to call anything against you lot
@teuO6nLS: go back to bed
@Stuart: this Bok team is a great team, one of the greatest of all time. I’m not trying to take anything away from their achievements. All I’m saying is that when discussions about who the greatest teams of all time are, these details matter. Someone will say, “the ABs were better because they had a positive winning ratio against all teams”. Do you not agree?
@Stuart: Is the World cup really the big one for NH Unions? Certainly for prestige, but not where it really matters, money. Not sure why some Irish fans are so focused on it and think we should build to it for 4 years at the expense of the 6 nations. SA got £4.8m for winning the WC, Ireland got £6m for a grand slam the same year, why focus on a potential £4.8m over 4 years and not the potential £24m in the 6 nations? The WC is a bonus, the 6 Nations is Irelands bread and butter and where resources should be focused.
@Michael Corkery: Trophies? 1 trophy in since 2011…. is singular. One, Uno, Une, Eins etc. In that time frame, Leinster have won 3 European trophies and 6 URCs. Let that sink in.
@teuO6nLS: we had already won 3 world cups by the time any of your partially imagined grievances occurred. It’s not like Springbok rugby came from nowhere. You’re always very bitter and twisted on here, just relax and enjoy the rugby. Ireland will win a RWC soon enough.
@Ray Ridge: not at all. I can only speak for myself, but it rankles that Ireland seem to have our number recently.
@Ray Ridge: Come off it, Ray. What you enjoy is seeing Irish competitors LOSING
@Petter Sellberg: let’s get into the real question here “positive win ratio against “all teams” meaning Ireland..so let me ask you how many series wins do Ireland have in SA? , how many world cup finals have Ireland won against SA? Fair dues to great wins in Paris and durban when SA went all out for wins but honestly every other matchup has been depth “building exercise for the grand ol plan of SA to win a WC..the November tours are just that..I really don’t think the odd scalp changes anything with respect to thinking 20 years down the line about the “positive winning ratio against all teams”
@Kingshu: with that analysis , the priority is clearly money so all resources would definitely be targeted towards winning everything outside of world cups then. It did or does however still seem to me that with one win for the NH in the history of the WC comp which is poor , big sides in the UK,Ireland, France are still desperate to win the world cup as much as anybody else when the competition comes round every 4 years though..maybe like you say, it’s more for the prestige…
@Stuart: There’s no question of which team has the greatest achievements. I’m not trying to big up Ireland here or put down SA which is an Amazing team with amazing achievements. I’m saying that Rassie really wanted to set the record straight against Ireland in SA and that it wasn’t an insignificant achievement from Ireland to stop that from happening. I’m not saying that it takes anything away from what SA have achieved, but when the dust settles in 10 years time it will matter that there was one team that this SA team struggled to beat. That’s all I’m saying. The details do matter. It’s not all about the WC even if that remains the biggest price.
@Petter Sellberg: there no way that win in durban was insignificant, it was a fantastic win and achievement , not many sides go to SA and win .it’s just a real pity we did not see a deciding third test…hopefully this Irish side goes on to win a world cup as they are a fantastic side. Let’s see in 10 years what we think when we look back and reflect especially within the rassie tenure….good conversation , thanks
@Kingshu: Well said. Additionally, Ireland loses out on November home game income each four years and incurs preparation & travel costs. Playing in the RWC costs serious money.
@Stuart: Thank you, yes it would be great if we could get that monkey off our back! I think Rassie will go down as one of, if not the greatest coach of all time. He’s got one of those larger than life personalities as well which doesn’t hurt
Usual excuses trotted out. He just looks out of his depth. I feel for him, some of these Munster players spend more time posting pictures of their garden on Instagram than repaying the loyalty the head coach has shown to them. He needs to be ruthless and brave, a few of the sacred cows need dropping. Things were never this bad under even Van Graan.
@Aidan Farrell: which sacred cows would you drop and who would you replace them with?
Every is talking about Ulsters Heineken cup group being tough but I definitely see Munster losing all 4. State Francais will send a strong team first round and their power and X factor will eat Munster alive. Castres away is niggly for any side in world rugby and Saracens are an awful match up for their game plan. They also ain’t beating Saints away.
@Eoin H: Stade Francais are absolutely hopeless. If Munster can’t beat them, then they may pack it in altogether.
@Ray Ridge: Stade have been consistently up near the top end of the top 14 in recent years and their squad is absolutely stacked. If they come locked and loaded to Limerick then you could be looking at what Bordeaux did to Connacht last year.
@Eoin H: “you” Ray Ridge is not even an Irish rugby fan, never mind a Munster fan
@Eoin H: Stade can’t win home or away in France. If they beat Munster in Thomond then Munster are in an even worse state than I imagined.
@Eoin H: stade! lol come off it.
At what point will they maybe admit that Beirne just doesn’t have it in him to run a lineout and get someone else to do it?
@teuO6nLS: Thought it was interesting that Clarke came one, smashed the lineout and took a try from the back. His set piece is solid, would already have him ahead of Barron coming into the season, will he start next week? doubtful, GR doesn’t have the gumption to sit these lads down, you could even hear Donal laying the ‘corklad’ groundwork at the end of the game, saying that NS actually had a decent game.