LONG BEFORE HALF time arrived at the Stade Chaban-Delmas, Munster looked dead and buried.
The province were 22-3 down in the 25th minute, 29-3 by the 35th, as Bordeaux-Begles showcased their stunning attacking talent by pouncing on every Munster mistake and turning it into points on the scoreboard.
It felt a long way from last weekend’s brilliant round of 16 win in La Rochelle, and as Munster’s lineout misfired and their handling repeatedly let them down it was only natural to consider just how ugly things might get for the province. They’re not the first team to get blown away in this stadium but the province could take some solace from the fact they landed a few blows of their own across the second 40.
“Yeah that probably sums it up – I think 50 minutes,” said interim head coach Ian Costello.
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Munster interim head coach Ian Costello. Billy Stickland / INPHO
Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO
“I think if we started the second half well we were capable of overturning a 19-point lead and we missed a couple of opportunities with a forward pass off a maul and an overthrown lineout in that 40-50 minute when we had them under pressure and we needed to score early.
But yeah, first 50, very disappointed with. I suppose two key areas. We struggled with lineout and turned over a lot of ball. Of all teams in European rugby, you turn over the ball against them, you get punished and we did.”
As Munster crumbled Bordeaux thrived. Their four first-half tries all came on the back of Munster mistakes – with the province’s lineout operating at only 57%.
“We know they’re the best defensive lineout. That’s a real strength of theirs. We’re disappointed. It’s something we have to look at in the cold light of day. In that last 15-20 minutes, when we got our game going – and I don’t mean just spirit and character, I never want to take that for granted, I think that was incredible, the way the lads fought back. There was so much quality in the way we put them under pressure.
“Just really disappointing not to get that last score to take us within seven with four or five minutes on the clock when they were down to 13. I would have loved to have seen what that looked like.”
The picture at half-time was not a pretty one. While Munster finished the opening period on a positive note – Alex Nankivell crossing for a try with the last play of the half – the damage had been done, with the province trailing 29-10.
“Prendy spoke about belief (at half-time). We’re a team that can score quickly if we can keep the ball. Our squad if really fit, very well-conditioned.
Bordeaux's Maxime Lucu celebrates scoring a try with Guido Petti. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
“It was about staying calm and composed. We looked to make some fixes around our lineout and we made sure we were more direct in terms of our handling.
“We forced a few passes that we didn’t need to when we felt they were under pressure so for the second half it was around addressing that – narrow the focus, stay calm and we could overturn that lead.”
Alex Codling, who has been coaching the Munster lineout since November, was on duty in his role as forwards coach of the Ireland women’s team this week. Costello explained that Codling came in to work with the Munster squad on Thursday, downplaying the suggestion Munster suffered from his absence in the lead-up to today’s quarter-final clash.
“We’ve got world-class lineout forwards and Alex was in on Thursday with us, on his down day as well.
“We’ve got some other very capable staff – and we’ve got to problem-solve on the field. I don’t know the reasons why yet. We’ve got to analyse that closely. It’s been a real strength of ours for a while and it’s going to be really important for the rest of the URC season.”
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'You turn over the ball against them, you get punished, and we did'
LONG BEFORE HALF time arrived at the Stade Chaban-Delmas, Munster looked dead and buried.
The province were 22-3 down in the 25th minute, 29-3 by the 35th, as Bordeaux-Begles showcased their stunning attacking talent by pouncing on every Munster mistake and turning it into points on the scoreboard.
It felt a long way from last weekend’s brilliant round of 16 win in La Rochelle, and as Munster’s lineout misfired and their handling repeatedly let them down it was only natural to consider just how ugly things might get for the province. They’re not the first team to get blown away in this stadium but the province could take some solace from the fact they landed a few blows of their own across the second 40.
Munster summoned a spirited second-half fightback to take some of the sting out of the final scoreline, but they were always facing an uphill battle after that painfully sloppy start, the game eventually settling to a 47-29 defeat for the province.
“Yeah that probably sums it up – I think 50 minutes,” said interim head coach Ian Costello.
“I think if we started the second half well we were capable of overturning a 19-point lead and we missed a couple of opportunities with a forward pass off a maul and an overthrown lineout in that 40-50 minute when we had them under pressure and we needed to score early.
As Munster crumbled Bordeaux thrived. Their four first-half tries all came on the back of Munster mistakes – with the province’s lineout operating at only 57%.
“We know they’re the best defensive lineout. That’s a real strength of theirs. We’re disappointed. It’s something we have to look at in the cold light of day. In that last 15-20 minutes, when we got our game going – and I don’t mean just spirit and character, I never want to take that for granted, I think that was incredible, the way the lads fought back. There was so much quality in the way we put them under pressure.
“Just really disappointing not to get that last score to take us within seven with four or five minutes on the clock when they were down to 13. I would have loved to have seen what that looked like.”
The picture at half-time was not a pretty one. While Munster finished the opening period on a positive note – Alex Nankivell crossing for a try with the last play of the half – the damage had been done, with the province trailing 29-10.
“Prendy spoke about belief (at half-time). We’re a team that can score quickly if we can keep the ball. Our squad if really fit, very well-conditioned.
“It was about staying calm and composed. We looked to make some fixes around our lineout and we made sure we were more direct in terms of our handling.
“We forced a few passes that we didn’t need to when we felt they were under pressure so for the second half it was around addressing that – narrow the focus, stay calm and we could overturn that lead.”
Alex Codling, who has been coaching the Munster lineout since November, was on duty in his role as forwards coach of the Ireland women’s team this week. Costello explained that Codling came in to work with the Munster squad on Thursday, downplaying the suggestion Munster suffered from his absence in the lead-up to today’s quarter-final clash.
“We’ve got world-class lineout forwards and Alex was in on Thursday with us, on his down day as well.
“We’ve got some other very capable staff – and we’ve got to problem-solve on the field. I don’t know the reasons why yet. We’ve got to analyse that closely. It’s been a real strength of ours for a while and it’s going to be really important for the rest of the URC season.”
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