A MISERABLE NIGHT against Edinburgh in Cork back in February remains fresh in Munster’s minds.
It has been mentioned this week again ahead of Clayton McMillan’s side meeting the same team at the same venue tonight [KO 7.45pm, TG4/Premier Sports/URC TV].
Munster had enjoyed wins over Saracens, the Dragons and Scarlets in the weeks before that torrid night last season, as well as running Northampton close away from home. They seemed to have momentum. And then came a major dip.
They were 29-7 down to Edinburgh by half time at Virgin Media Park and never recovered, losing 34-28 and putting their URC play-off ambitions under pressure.
McMillan wasn’t around back then but he knows all about that last meeting with Edinburgh.
“That’s etched pretty deep in the memory of a lot of the people here,” he said yesterday.
“Obviously, I wasn’t here, but you can sense that it was a pivotal point in the season and although the outcome wasn’t great that night, I think it was definitely a catalyst for accepting that we weren’t where we wanted to be as a team, and had a part in creating a little bit of a run at the back end of the season.”
McMillan doesn’t beat around the bush when he’s asked what Munster identified as the missing ingredients last time around against Edinburgh.
“Physicality.”
Edinburgh celebrate during last season's win in Cork. Bryan Keane / INPHO
Bryan Keane / INPHO / INPHO
He felt that was missing too often last weekend against Cardiff too. Munster had a regression from their aggressive season-opening win over the Scarlets and though they pulled through to beat Cardiff, McMillan wasn’t happy with their efforts in the contact area.
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“It was an area where we got exposed and that’s one of those areas where we want to be consistent,” said McMillan.
“So, the first part of the process was addressing it. It featured heavily in our review and while we haven’t been able to do a whole lot of contact in a relatively short week to address it, it starts with the top six inches.
“We have to be mentally there and have a willingness to be in the collisions, dominate those collisions and if your mind’s there, the body will generally follow.”
Making Munster a more consistent team is McMillan’s big aim early on this season and last weekend’s dip was a reminder of the work that still needs to be done.
While Munster did lots of good things against Cardiff, particularly in managing the game with their kicking, McMillan saw once again that he needs to keep pushing his players. For him, it’s all about day-to-day behaviours.
“What you see on the weekend is the byproduct of everything we come in and do during the week,” said McMillan.
“We put a lot of responsibility on our leaders, including myself, to create a culture where we put standards and behaviours to the forefront of what we do and we get consistency in those and then inevitably results will follow.
“At this level of competition, you’re not going to win every game but you want to go down fighting when you don’t. I guess last week was an example of that. We’d still see that as growth that we weren’t at our best and we’ve shown a way and that, in itself, is positive, even if we want to be playing better.”
Edinburgh bring some star power to Cork this evening, with Lions wings Duhan van der Merwe and Darcy Graham, as well as loosehead prop Pierre Schoeman, starting.
Munster head coach Clayton McMillan. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
Out-half Ben Healy knows Munster very well, while openside flanker Dylan Richardson will make his debut for the Scottish club.
Having lost at the death away to Zebre in Round 1, Sean Everitt’s men ended up without a game last weekend when their scheduled clash with Ulster was postponed due to Storm Amy. Only time will tell whether that means Edinburgh are better prepared for Munster or less battle-hardened.
Though Munster have discussed how Edinburgh went about “dismantling us” back in February, McMillan and co. are more interested in themselves.
The challenge tonight is for a team showing 10 changes to play cohesively with the physicality their head coach is demanding. McMillan is hoping the growing competition for places will help.
One example is midfield where Tom Farrell and Sean O’Brien come in to replace Alex Nankivell and Dan Kelly, who has impressed in the opening weeks of the season. Farrell returns after a calf injury.
“I’m really excited to see Tom go,” said McMillan. “He did well in the first little bit of pre-season. Obviously, picked up every award going recently for his performances last year and so, he’s an experienced campaigner. He’s well-liked in the group. And he offers something just a little bit different. He’s a taller body and a little bit different to Alex Nankivell and Dan Kelly.
“But also probably just a reflection that, you know, those two in particular have shouldered a big load through pre-season, through the first two games, and it’s just not conceivable to get the best out of them by rolling them out for big minutes every week.
“So that’s a real welcome addition that we get to make a few changes in that space and the onus will be on Sean and Tom to have an impact and make discussions for us hard moving forward around selection.”
Munster also want to move forward with another important win tonight but, equally, a potent, physical performance.
MUNSTER: Mike Haley; Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Seán O’Brien, Andrew Smith; JJ Hanrahan, Paddy Patterson; Michael Milne, Diarmuid Barron (captain), Oli Jager; Jean Kleyn, Fineen Wycherley; Jack O’Donoghue, Ruadhán Quinn, Gavin Coombes.
Replacements: Lee Barron, Josh Wycherley, John Ryan, Edwin Edogbo, Brian Gleeson, Ethan Coughlan, Tony Butler, Dan Kelly.
EDINBURGH: Wes Goosen; Darcy Graham, Piers O’Conor, James Lang, Duhan van der Merwe; Ben Healy, Ben Vellacott; Pierre Schoeman, Ewan Ashman, D’arcy Rae; Marshall Sykes, Sam Skinner; Liam McConnell, Dylan Richardson, Magnus Bradbury (captain).
Replacements: Paddy Harrison, Boan Venter, Paul Hill, Glen Young, Freddy Douglas, Ben Muncaster, Charlie Shiel, Harry Paterson.
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Munster driven by memory of Edinburgh 'dismantling' them
A MISERABLE NIGHT against Edinburgh in Cork back in February remains fresh in Munster’s minds.
It has been mentioned this week again ahead of Clayton McMillan’s side meeting the same team at the same venue tonight [KO 7.45pm, TG4/Premier Sports/URC TV].
Munster had enjoyed wins over Saracens, the Dragons and Scarlets in the weeks before that torrid night last season, as well as running Northampton close away from home. They seemed to have momentum. And then came a major dip.
They were 29-7 down to Edinburgh by half time at Virgin Media Park and never recovered, losing 34-28 and putting their URC play-off ambitions under pressure.
McMillan wasn’t around back then but he knows all about that last meeting with Edinburgh.
“That’s etched pretty deep in the memory of a lot of the people here,” he said yesterday.
“Obviously, I wasn’t here, but you can sense that it was a pivotal point in the season and although the outcome wasn’t great that night, I think it was definitely a catalyst for accepting that we weren’t where we wanted to be as a team, and had a part in creating a little bit of a run at the back end of the season.”
McMillan doesn’t beat around the bush when he’s asked what Munster identified as the missing ingredients last time around against Edinburgh.
“Physicality.”
He felt that was missing too often last weekend against Cardiff too. Munster had a regression from their aggressive season-opening win over the Scarlets and though they pulled through to beat Cardiff, McMillan wasn’t happy with their efforts in the contact area.
“It was an area where we got exposed and that’s one of those areas where we want to be consistent,” said McMillan.
“So, the first part of the process was addressing it. It featured heavily in our review and while we haven’t been able to do a whole lot of contact in a relatively short week to address it, it starts with the top six inches.
“We have to be mentally there and have a willingness to be in the collisions, dominate those collisions and if your mind’s there, the body will generally follow.”
Making Munster a more consistent team is McMillan’s big aim early on this season and last weekend’s dip was a reminder of the work that still needs to be done.
While Munster did lots of good things against Cardiff, particularly in managing the game with their kicking, McMillan saw once again that he needs to keep pushing his players. For him, it’s all about day-to-day behaviours.
“What you see on the weekend is the byproduct of everything we come in and do during the week,” said McMillan.
“We put a lot of responsibility on our leaders, including myself, to create a culture where we put standards and behaviours to the forefront of what we do and we get consistency in those and then inevitably results will follow.
“At this level of competition, you’re not going to win every game but you want to go down fighting when you don’t. I guess last week was an example of that. We’d still see that as growth that we weren’t at our best and we’ve shown a way and that, in itself, is positive, even if we want to be playing better.”
Edinburgh bring some star power to Cork this evening, with Lions wings Duhan van der Merwe and Darcy Graham, as well as loosehead prop Pierre Schoeman, starting.
Out-half Ben Healy knows Munster very well, while openside flanker Dylan Richardson will make his debut for the Scottish club.
Having lost at the death away to Zebre in Round 1, Sean Everitt’s men ended up without a game last weekend when their scheduled clash with Ulster was postponed due to Storm Amy. Only time will tell whether that means Edinburgh are better prepared for Munster or less battle-hardened.
Though Munster have discussed how Edinburgh went about “dismantling us” back in February, McMillan and co. are more interested in themselves.
The challenge tonight is for a team showing 10 changes to play cohesively with the physicality their head coach is demanding. McMillan is hoping the growing competition for places will help.
One example is midfield where Tom Farrell and Sean O’Brien come in to replace Alex Nankivell and Dan Kelly, who has impressed in the opening weeks of the season. Farrell returns after a calf injury.
“I’m really excited to see Tom go,” said McMillan. “He did well in the first little bit of pre-season. Obviously, picked up every award going recently for his performances last year and so, he’s an experienced campaigner. He’s well-liked in the group. And he offers something just a little bit different. He’s a taller body and a little bit different to Alex Nankivell and Dan Kelly.
“But also probably just a reflection that, you know, those two in particular have shouldered a big load through pre-season, through the first two games, and it’s just not conceivable to get the best out of them by rolling them out for big minutes every week.
“So that’s a real welcome addition that we get to make a few changes in that space and the onus will be on Sean and Tom to have an impact and make discussions for us hard moving forward around selection.”
Munster also want to move forward with another important win tonight but, equally, a potent, physical performance.
MUNSTER: Mike Haley; Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Seán O’Brien, Andrew Smith; JJ Hanrahan, Paddy Patterson; Michael Milne, Diarmuid Barron (captain), Oli Jager; Jean Kleyn, Fineen Wycherley; Jack O’Donoghue, Ruadhán Quinn, Gavin Coombes.
Replacements: Lee Barron, Josh Wycherley, John Ryan, Edwin Edogbo, Brian Gleeson, Ethan Coughlan, Tony Butler, Dan Kelly.
EDINBURGH: Wes Goosen; Darcy Graham, Piers O’Conor, James Lang, Duhan van der Merwe; Ben Healy, Ben Vellacott; Pierre Schoeman, Ewan Ashman, D’arcy Rae; Marshall Sykes, Sam Skinner; Liam McConnell, Dylan Richardson, Magnus Bradbury (captain).
Replacements: Paddy Harrison, Boan Venter, Paul Hill, Glen Young, Freddy Douglas, Ben Muncaster, Charlie Shiel, Harry Paterson.
Referee: Ben Whitehouse [WRU].
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Cork Edinburgh Munster Preview score to settle URC