MUNSTER coach Graham Rowntree was forthright in the wake of Saturday’s heavy 26-12 URC loss to arch-rivals Leinster at a packed Croke Park.
The home side were quick into their stride and the visitors simply never caught up.
“It certainly wasn’t our best 20 minutes that I’ve seen against Leinster (who led 21-0 after the first quarter). It was chaos,” admitted Rowntree.
“A double HIA (head injury assessment), we didn’t have a hooker on the pitch at one point, trying to get 15 players on the field. Jeremy Loughman got a blood injury as well.
“They sensed we were a bit disjointed and got the ball to the edge of the field and took their opportunities.
“As a headline to the game, from us, it wasn’t a lack of effort. We just have to get better at taking opportunities. They had minimal opportunities, but took them all. They’re a dangerous team like that,” the Munster coach confessed.
Rowntree concluded: “I’m not going to sugarcoat anything. I never have done, but I’m not one for panic either. Our effort was huge tonight, we’ve got to be more accurate.”
Munster now travel to South Africa for a two-match tour where they face the Stormers and Sharks.
Munster: Mike Haley; Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Alex Nankivell, Seán O’Brien (McCarthy 65’); Jack Crowley, Craig Casey; Jeremy Loughman (Ryan 11’ blood-sub 23’, 52’), Niall Scannell (Barron 7’HIA Scannell 16’), Stephen Archer; Jean Kleyn (Ahern 49’), Tadhg Beirne, captain; Jack O’Donoghue, John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes (Quinn 55’).
Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, Kieran Ryan, John Ryan, Tom Ahern, Ruadhán Quinn, Conor Murray, Tony Butler, Shay McCarthy.
