MUNSTER CAN LOOK forward to a URC quarter-final away to the Bulls after a gutsy win against the Lions confirmed their place in the top eight, but an alleged spitting incident at Thomond Park proved a sour point in an otherwise entertaining contest in Limerick.
Munster hooker Diarmuid Barron alleged he was spat at around the hour mark during tonight’s 24-17 win.
Play was stopped as referee Andrea Piardi went to examine the alleged incident, but the TMO, Stefano Penne, couldn’t provide the footage on camera.
The game then continued after Piardi had consulted the two captains, noting the allegation could yet be investigated by the citing commissioner.
Post-game, Munster head coach Clayton McMillan couldn’t shed any further light but said he had no reason to doubt Barron’s claim.
“Ah look, he’s been around a long time and we’re not a team that plays silly buggers, so you’d imagine he felt or he saw what he saw,” McMillan said.
“We only have three or four angles available to us. I’m sure others might have a look at it but that’s not our job to do now. Other people will have a look and if there’s something there to see, then they’ll deal with it, and if there isn’t, then we’ll move forward.
“But in terms of Diarmuid’s integrity, that’s not in question.”
Munster captain Craig Casey didn’t see the alleged incident, but had informed Piardi after speaking to Barron.
“No, (I was) just going off what Barronsy said. To reiterate what Clayton said, I think Barronsy is a very honest bloke in everything he does, so I would take his word for everything.
“I haven’t seen it live, I haven’t seen it on replay or anything like that, so can’t really comment, but I trust Barronsy with everything I own.”
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Overall, McMillan was pleased to see his team come through a challenging encounter and book a quarter-final trip to face the Bulls.
“Probably relief more than anything,” McMillan said.
“Not just the blokes out on the field but the 15,000 in the stands and lots in their home.
“Just relief. Big pressure coming into a game like this where it’s pretty obvious what we needed to do.
It was never going to be easy, but I thought our guys acquitted themselves well tonight under those circumstances. Tough when we needed to be.
“Probably the first 40 minutes outside of the two yellows was probably as good as the first half that I reckon we produced this year. We did a lot of good things and probably unlucky not to score a few more points.
“But pleased for the players because I’ve been working hard to give ourselves an opportunity to get to finals rugby and that’s been achieved.”
The result also ensures Munster will be playing Champions Cup rugby next season.
“Yeah, there’s that as well. That’s the premier competition in this part of the world and it would have been a massive disappointment to not be there.
“When we reflect on this year, we’ll look at a few moments during the year where what could have been a couple of little things gone our way.
“We might have done a lot better in the Champions Cup than what we did. We’ll give ourselves another chance next year but that’s in the future.
“We’ll just turn our attention now to enjoying tonight and taking a few days to breathe, soak it all in, and then later in the week we’ll turn our attention to the Bulls.”
'You'd imagine he felt or saw what he saw' – McMillan on alleged spitting incident
MUNSTER CAN LOOK forward to a URC quarter-final away to the Bulls after a gutsy win against the Lions confirmed their place in the top eight, but an alleged spitting incident at Thomond Park proved a sour point in an otherwise entertaining contest in Limerick.
Munster hooker Diarmuid Barron alleged he was spat at around the hour mark during tonight’s 24-17 win.
Play was stopped as referee Andrea Piardi went to examine the alleged incident, but the TMO, Stefano Penne, couldn’t provide the footage on camera.
The game then continued after Piardi had consulted the two captains, noting the allegation could yet be investigated by the citing commissioner.
Post-game, Munster head coach Clayton McMillan couldn’t shed any further light but said he had no reason to doubt Barron’s claim.
“Ah look, he’s been around a long time and we’re not a team that plays silly buggers, so you’d imagine he felt or he saw what he saw,” McMillan said.
“We only have three or four angles available to us. I’m sure others might have a look at it but that’s not our job to do now. Other people will have a look and if there’s something there to see, then they’ll deal with it, and if there isn’t, then we’ll move forward.
Munster captain Craig Casey didn’t see the alleged incident, but had informed Piardi after speaking to Barron.
“No, (I was) just going off what Barronsy said. To reiterate what Clayton said, I think Barronsy is a very honest bloke in everything he does, so I would take his word for everything.
“I haven’t seen it live, I haven’t seen it on replay or anything like that, so can’t really comment, but I trust Barronsy with everything I own.”
Overall, McMillan was pleased to see his team come through a challenging encounter and book a quarter-final trip to face the Bulls.
“Probably relief more than anything,” McMillan said.
“Not just the blokes out on the field but the 15,000 in the stands and lots in their home.
It was never going to be easy, but I thought our guys acquitted themselves well tonight under those circumstances. Tough when we needed to be.
“Probably the first 40 minutes outside of the two yellows was probably as good as the first half that I reckon we produced this year. We did a lot of good things and probably unlucky not to score a few more points.
“But pleased for the players because I’ve been working hard to give ourselves an opportunity to get to finals rugby and that’s been achieved.”
The result also ensures Munster will be playing Champions Cup rugby next season.
“Yeah, there’s that as well. That’s the premier competition in this part of the world and it would have been a massive disappointment to not be there.
“When we reflect on this year, we’ll look at a few moments during the year where what could have been a couple of little things gone our way.
“We might have done a lot better in the Champions Cup than what we did. We’ll give ourselves another chance next year but that’s in the future.
“We’ll just turn our attention now to enjoying tonight and taking a few days to breathe, soak it all in, and then later in the week we’ll turn our attention to the Bulls.”
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