MUNSTER WINGER SHANE Daly says the experience gleaned last year when they went through rocky patches ensures they won’t panic over the current rut which has seen them win just two of their last eight games.
The 22-9 loss to Connacht on Monday saw them slip to 10th in the URC table but the champions are just four points adrift of fourth place.
Last season Munster, with Graham Rowntree having just taken charge, lost four of their opening seven games in the URC but a win over a South African XV in a friendly at a packed Páirc Uí Chaoimh and then over Ulster at the outset of 2023 after another wobble set them on their way.
That 15-14 win over Ulster in Belfast on New Year’s Day gave them momentum that saw them lose just three of 14 games, crowning the season in glory with victory over the Stormers in the URC final last May.
Daly strongly believes another such win can spark them and he’s hoping that comes in the south of France the weekend after next against Toulon.
“We’ve had these positions last year and the Ulster game was New Year’s Day last year and we were in a similar position and came out and won that game. The momentum that gave us and the belief it gave us led to us winning those games as the weeks went by then.
“We just need one result to go our way in those tight games. All it takes is one bounce of a ball, one moment. Like we saw with Gav (Coombes) at the start of the game, if we had converted that chance it would have been even closer so it’s small moments but once they start going your way they keep going your way.
“So that’s what we need to focus on.”
The Coombes chance he referred to summed up Munster’s bad luck in recent games. Coombes charged down a clearance from Caolin Blade after just three minutes but his knee slid over the dead-ball line after he opted to try lift and place.
“In fairness to him, he created that himself. Ah look, he’s a class player, he won’t make the same mistake again,” added Daly.
The 27-year old said that the focus has switched to the Toulon game and, despite their injury crisis, he’s hopeful that will kickstart 2024.
Definitely. We’re looking at every game to be that game. We have what we need. We’ve won these tough games away on the road before so we really believe in what we’re doing.
“The Connacht game was obviously very frustrating again but a lot of the stuff we were doing was actually quite good, it was just losing balls and simple things so we need to just trust our own plan because we know it works, it won us the league last year.”
He said that reviews have been thorough and they don’t shy away from anything.
“They’re incredibly honest on a Monday morning, there’s no shying away from some of the stuff that happens in the games but as soon as we put that to bed we’re looking forward to the next game and trying to really put a plan together to win our next match,” said the twice capped international.
