ANOTHER NEW ERA at Munster, but this time, the optimism that accompanies any fresh start is being served with a large spoonful of caution.
Graham Rowntree has stepped up to fill the boots vacated by Johann van Graan, and his new-look backroom team of Mike Prendergast (attack), Denis Leamy (defence) and Andi Kyriacou (forwards) – all ex-Munter players – will be keen to restore the connection between the club and its supporters, which at times dwindled during the latter years of Van Graan’s reign.
Yet their main objective will be improving the product on the pitch, and it has been interesting to note the words of warning emanating from the Munster camp across the build-up to the new season. Leamy and Prendergast have both acknowledged the new coaching group are working on “changing habits” among the players, with both also stressing the need for patience.
Their opening seven-game block of United Rugby Championship fixtures will present an interesting mix of challenges. First up, the province hit the road to take on Cardiff today [KO 3.05pm, RTÉ 2, Premier Sports 1, URC TV]. Then it’s another trip to Wales to play the Dragons, followed by games against Zebre (home), Connacht (away), the Bulls (home), Leinster (away) and Ulster (home) – a run of fixtures which doesn’t allow too much time to find your feet.
The Munster contingent that toured New Zealand with Ireland will start to reintegrate over the coming weeks, but for now Rowntree will hope to see others step up and take their chance.
Today’s selection sees summer signing Malakai Fekitoa handed his debut, starting at centre alongside Chris Farrell. Twenty-three-year-olds Ben Healy and Paddy Patterson form a youthful half-back partnership while in the front row, loosehead Josh Wycherley (23) will look to build on a promising 2021/22 season and close the gap on Dave Kilcoyne, who starts on the bench and is in line to make his first apperance for the province since February after recovering from a neck injury.
There’s much to like about the dynamic-looking backrow selection too, captain Jack O’Donoghue joined by rising star Alex Kendellen and Jack O’Sullivan.
Expect to see plenty of change to the starting lineup over the coming weeks, especially with Munster set to lose Kendellen, Wycherley, Jack Crowley, Shane Daly, Antoine Frisch, Calvin Nash, Tom Ahern, Diarmuid Barron, John Hodnett and Roman Salanoa to the Emerging Ireland tour to South Africa.
If implementing a new way of doing things wasn’t enough to keep the Munster coaching team busy, they’ll have to do that while also managing their resources correctly. Just as they get familiar with each other, this group will be broken up again as the Emerging Ireland tour and November internationals begin to take precedence. It’s a difficult brief for any coaching group, let alone one who are just settling in.
As for the hosts, they simply have to improve on last season’s showing. Cardiff have reacted to their underwhelming 14th-place finish by adding Taulupe Faletau, Liam Williams, Thomas Young and Lopeti Timani to their books. Williams and Faletau are both in from the start today.
Keeping those Welsh internationals quiet will be key if Munster are to make a winning start to the season and inject some welcome momentum into the Rowntree era. They have the players and the tools to take the points in Cardiff, but as we’ve been warned, there are likely to be some early bumps on the road across these opening weeks. Buckle up.
CARDIFF: Liam Williams; Owen Lane, Rey Lee-Lo, Max Llewellyn, Josh Adams; Jarrod Evans, Tomos Williams; Rhys Carré, Kristian Dacey, Dillon Lewis; Josh Turnbull (captain), Seb Davies; James Botham, Thomas Young, Taulupe Faletau.
Replacements: Liam Belcher, Rhys Barratt, Dmitri Arhip, Matthew Screech, Lopeti Timani, Lloyd Williams, Rhys Priestland, Uilisi Halaholo.
MUNSTER: Shane Daly; Calvin Nash, Chris Farrell, Malakai Fekitoa, Liam Coombes; Ben Healy, Paddy Patterson; Josh Wycherley, Niall Scannell, Keynan Knox; Jean Kleyn, Fineen Wycherley; Jack O’Donoghue (captain), Alex Kendellen, Jack O’Sullivan.
Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, Dave Kilcoyne, Roman Salanoa, Tom Ahern, John Hodnett, Neil Cronin, Jack Crowley, Rory Scannell.
Referee: Mike Adamson [SRU].
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