MUNSTER’S NEW INTERIM CEO, Avan Lee, has already started making introductions and getting to know the staff, but the New Zealander knows there are more pressing matters facing the playing group.
Lee was announced as the interim replacement for the outgoing Ian Flanagan last week, and is due to start work later this month.
He’s been on the phone to Munster boss Clayton McMillan, who he crossed paths with previously in New Zealand, and has chalked in a coffee with captain Tadhg Beirne, while also reaching out to other members of the playing group.
But the early conversations have been brief, as McMillan and Co have enough to be dealing with as they manage their way through a testing start to the new URC season.
Munster head coach Clayton McMillan. Dan Clohessy
Dan Clohessy
With injuries continuing to test Munster’s resources, the province left Saturday’s interpro meeting with Ulster with three match points. Not a bad return on paper, but when you hold a 21-point advantage at half-time, that three-point return doesn’t sit as comfortably. Not for the first time this season, Munster came away from a game in which they started strong but failed to see it out.
While Munster left frustrated, it was a better outcome than their previous showing in Belfast – a 28-3 defeat in January which proved one of the low points of a challenging season. A snapshot of progress.
“We targeted this massively because of our performance here last year, and I think we certainly showed a response,” said Munster captain Tadhg Beirne.
“We knew we had to turn up physically, for sure. And I thought we brought it. We said we were going to bring everything in that first 40.
“Six, seven months ago when we were up here, it was the second-half that Ulster got the upper hand on us, and it was the same today and we kind of lost our way a little bit, and let them into the game.
“Credit to them the way they got back into the game but we’ll look at that second half, and we’ll be probably kicking ourselves for one or two errors or penalties like the one I gave away. They’re the winning and losing of the game.”
The game marked Beirne’s first appearance of the season.
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“Yeah, it was good to be back for sure. I’ve been itching to get back. A little bit rusty at times. Felt like I probably wasn’t in the game as much as I’d like to be, and that’s just a bit of match fitness. I’m sure it will come.”
Ulster's Tom Stewart and Munster's Tadhg Beirne speak to referee Craig Evans. Dan Clohessy
Dan Clohessy
The Ireland lock was central to a strong Munster performance at the set-piece. As Munster built their commanding half-time lead the visitors dominated Ulster at scrum time – with new additions Marnus van der Merwe and Kieran Brookes continuing to impress – and their lineout maul provided the platform for three of their four tries.
At times, Munster’s attack felt inevitable as they repeatedly rolled the Ulster pack back.
“Yeah, our lineout was really good, I think maybe I had a couple of poor calls in the second half and rushed Max (Clein) once or twice, which is on me for sure, we get those right and we’re probably in a driving seat after today.
“So as I said, a bit of rustiness from me and we’ll fix those up quick enough and get behind the boys, we had an unbelievable set-piece in the first half, if we bring that into the second half for the full 80, then teams are going to struggle against us.”
Munster now face into a home Champions Cup clash with Racing 92, to be played in Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Saturday [KO 8pm]. After that, it’s a URC trip to face Leinster in the Aviva. The province will need to deliver more complete 80-minute performances if they are to get what they want from those fixtures, although Europe may not be a priority for a Racing side who have won just two of their six Top 14 games to sit 12th.
Munster's lineout was excellent in Belfast. Tom O’Hanlon / INPHO
Tom O’Hanlon / INPHO / INPHO
McMillan was forced to make three changes to the named matchday 23 in Belfast, with Shane Daly, Diarmuid Barron and Tom Ahern all dropping out, but the province didn’t pick up any fresh injuries.
His squad have looked light in some areas over the start of this season, and the Munster boss will look forward to welcoming more bodies back on the training field, with McMillan sensing the strain on his squad fed into Munster’s second-half drop off at the Affidea Stadium.
“I don’t think we had any injuries out of today. Touch wood. Our backs in particular, we’ve got a number out at the moment and as a consequence, a lot of the guys that you saw out there are having to carry a heavy load at training, and they had to play big minutes there in this game, and so I sort of feel for them, and it’d be nice to get a couple of backs back, which we should do this week.
“Look, I can’t fault the effort. I think they were pretty good tonight and just again, take nothing away from Ulster who just are a good side and they’ve got plenty of internationals in their side now and some real X-factor, and they were good enough to find a way back into the game.”
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Munster's set-piece proving a source of strength, but province still have work to do
MUNSTER’S NEW INTERIM CEO, Avan Lee, has already started making introductions and getting to know the staff, but the New Zealander knows there are more pressing matters facing the playing group.
Lee was announced as the interim replacement for the outgoing Ian Flanagan last week, and is due to start work later this month.
He’s been on the phone to Munster boss Clayton McMillan, who he crossed paths with previously in New Zealand, and has chalked in a coffee with captain Tadhg Beirne, while also reaching out to other members of the playing group.
But the early conversations have been brief, as McMillan and Co have enough to be dealing with as they manage their way through a testing start to the new URC season.
With injuries continuing to test Munster’s resources, the province left Saturday’s interpro meeting with Ulster with three match points. Not a bad return on paper, but when you hold a 21-point advantage at half-time, that three-point return doesn’t sit as comfortably. Not for the first time this season, Munster came away from a game in which they started strong but failed to see it out.
While Munster left frustrated, it was a better outcome than their previous showing in Belfast – a 28-3 defeat in January which proved one of the low points of a challenging season. A snapshot of progress.
“We targeted this massively because of our performance here last year, and I think we certainly showed a response,” said Munster captain Tadhg Beirne.
“Six, seven months ago when we were up here, it was the second-half that Ulster got the upper hand on us, and it was the same today and we kind of lost our way a little bit, and let them into the game.
“Credit to them the way they got back into the game but we’ll look at that second half, and we’ll be probably kicking ourselves for one or two errors or penalties like the one I gave away. They’re the winning and losing of the game.”
The game marked Beirne’s first appearance of the season.
“Yeah, it was good to be back for sure. I’ve been itching to get back. A little bit rusty at times. Felt like I probably wasn’t in the game as much as I’d like to be, and that’s just a bit of match fitness. I’m sure it will come.”
The Ireland lock was central to a strong Munster performance at the set-piece. As Munster built their commanding half-time lead the visitors dominated Ulster at scrum time – with new additions Marnus van der Merwe and Kieran Brookes continuing to impress – and their lineout maul provided the platform for three of their four tries.
At times, Munster’s attack felt inevitable as they repeatedly rolled the Ulster pack back.
“Yeah, our lineout was really good, I think maybe I had a couple of poor calls in the second half and rushed Max (Clein) once or twice, which is on me for sure, we get those right and we’re probably in a driving seat after today.
“So as I said, a bit of rustiness from me and we’ll fix those up quick enough and get behind the boys, we had an unbelievable set-piece in the first half, if we bring that into the second half for the full 80, then teams are going to struggle against us.”
Munster now face into a home Champions Cup clash with Racing 92, to be played in Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Saturday [KO 8pm]. After that, it’s a URC trip to face Leinster in the Aviva. The province will need to deliver more complete 80-minute performances if they are to get what they want from those fixtures, although Europe may not be a priority for a Racing side who have won just two of their six Top 14 games to sit 12th.
McMillan was forced to make three changes to the named matchday 23 in Belfast, with Shane Daly, Diarmuid Barron and Tom Ahern all dropping out, but the province didn’t pick up any fresh injuries.
His squad have looked light in some areas over the start of this season, and the Munster boss will look forward to welcoming more bodies back on the training field, with McMillan sensing the strain on his squad fed into Munster’s second-half drop off at the Affidea Stadium.
“I don’t think we had any injuries out of today. Touch wood. Our backs in particular, we’ve got a number out at the moment and as a consequence, a lot of the guys that you saw out there are having to carry a heavy load at training, and they had to play big minutes there in this game, and so I sort of feel for them, and it’d be nice to get a couple of backs back, which we should do this week.
“Look, I can’t fault the effort. I think they were pretty good tonight and just again, take nothing away from Ulster who just are a good side and they’ve got plenty of internationals in their side now and some real X-factor, and they were good enough to find a way back into the game.”
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