FOR some, last weekend’s defeat to Harlequins in the Amlin Challenge Cup was as poor a performance from Munster as people can remember. Out rucked, out run and to be honest, outplayed in almost every area of the game. The media assembled this week in UL to begin the post mortem and were greeted by the most honest and forthright Tony Mc Gahan they have seen in a while. You could see it hurt the managers and players as much as their adoring and ever expectant crowd.
“We’re extremely embarrassed about the way we conducted ourselves on Saturday, with regard to playing at home, and what we represent, and what our supporters have given us over a long period of time. We have to live with that. We certainly need an opportunity to repay that faith, and that will come on Friday evening, (against Connacht at Thomond Park) and that will lend itself to the following week’s semi final. But I think before we get anywhere near the semi final week, we need to have a performance on Friday that reflects the hurt we have inflicted on ourselves and also for the players who are moving on at the end of the year, to give them a proper send-off.”
Munster captain Paul O’Connell echoed those words. “We just made too many mistakes. Whether we took the right or wrong option at times, they all ended in mistakes. Knock-ons, being tackled into touch. We should not be doing that”
With another semi final defeat under their belts, questions are being asked about Munster’s future. With Leinster nailed on for a second Heineken Cup, a Leinster team winning the AIL and the majority of Irish underage teams seeming to have a lack of Munster players in them, the sea is changing. Munster need to act and act fast. A lot will be made of the age profile of the squad, but again O’Connell feels that this is not totally to blame. “We have a strong squad. Yes it might be older than Leinster’s but look at Alan Quinlan, in 2008 he was man of the match in a Heineken Cup final. He was 33 at that stage”
However, with players such as Quinlan, Warwick, Buckley, Dave Ryan, Tuitupou, Essex and Dowling all gone from next season onwards, Munster need to improve in several areas, or they need to blood their plethora of academy players sooner rather than later.
Tony Mc Gahan this week confirmed that Munster will be looking to strengthen the centres this season. With Howlett, Mafi, Du Preez and Botha occupying the overseas slots, Munster have room for one more foreign first centre. With several clubs World wide looking for the same position, Munster might just be priced out of their first and maybe even second choice. If this hack was asked to pick who will we see in the 12 jumper next season, I would put the wages on one, Jean De Villiers.
