Andrew Conway says Munster must draw line in the sand after Glasgow flop

Like his Munster team-mates, Andrew Conway felt the pain that came with last weekend’s meek capitulation in Glasgow but he knows it will take more than words to engineer a fightback this Saturday against Cardiff Blues.

The 37-15 defeat to the Warriors at Scotstoun last Friday was described by boss Rassie Erasmus as the worst performance of his 15 months in charge at the province as their Guinness PRO14 rivals outmuscled and outplayed Munster.

The slight comfort Erasmus could take from his players’ surprisingly tame display was that previous defeats on his watch have been followed by immediate rebounds.

However, full-back Conway believes it is wrong to take for granted that expected silver lining as his team prepares for a return to Thomond Park on Saturday (1:30pm).

Munster expect to welcome back Lions trio Conor Murray, CJ Stander, and skipper Peter O’Mahony for their seasonal debuts as they face a Cardiff Blues outfit which inflicted the first defeat of the Erasmus reign in last September’s round-two meeting at Musgrave Park.

That was followed by a win on the road at the Dragons and two further victories in a row but Conway said: “It’s only a blessing in disguise if we make it a blessing in disguise.

“It’s a lovely thought but it’s only a thought. Pete (O’Mahony) said something very important (during the Glasgow review) that we’ve now given teams the blueprint on how to beat us.

“The perception outside now after a loss like that and the one to Scarlets is that we might shy away from it (physically) but it’s up to us to come back and stand and put a line in the sand about that.

“We’re better than that and that’s not how it’s going to go against Munster at Thomond Park. It doesn’t matter where it is. I hope it’s a blessing in disguise but we’re the ones who have to make it a blessing in disguise.”

Conway, 26, said of Monday’s review of the Glasgow defeat: “It’s been honest and having to look at ourselves and being in the review room and going in with the close camera into the contact area watching me and other lads lead with the chest and not my shoulder into Glasgow and then the flip side, us running into them and them putting holes in us charging through breakdowns and putting us on the floor.

“They were really physical on that edge and we were off it so that’s what happens when you don’t turn up. You add that to inaccuracies and you get a hiding out there so it hasn’t been a good morning but it hasn’t been tricky. We see what happens when you’re off the boil against a good team. You get a hiding.”

Also deeply disappointing for the Ireland international was the lack of fight.

“The disappointing thing is that we didn’t show a massive amount of intensity or a massive amount of passion to try and fight for the jersey and fight for the lads that were there.

“The game was gone with 10 minutes to go but the disappointing fact for me and for other lads is that we didn’t dig in and put up a fight and go down fighting because at least then you can look at yourself in the mirror then and say ‘stuff happens in sport’ but at least you’re able to say you went down fighting and you can live with yourself.

“It was a long weekend of soul searching and yet we have another opportunity this weekend. That’s the great thing about sport. At least it wasn’t a final like last year when we had the summer to live with it. Now we have a day at Thomond Park and Cardiff are just after coming off a good win so no better way to strike back.”

Last season’s 24-23 home loss to the Blues is another warning to Conway not to assume an instant upturn in Munster’s form.

“We had a bad one last season in Cork so they are definitely coming believing they can put in a big performance.

They will definitely be psyched up having seen what we did on the weekend. They’ll know we are talking about a fightback and putting things right and getting things right from our side but they will be confident as well, so it should make for a good game.

“We just need to pitch up with a different attitude and a different intensity and again that starts this week with a big week of training.”

Meanwhile, Blues have confirmed that Danny Wilson will leave his position of head coach at the end of the season.

Cardiff Blues chief executive Richard Holland said: “It is disappointing that Danny has decided not to take up the offer of a new contract and will not be part of our strategy moving forward.

“We will begin the process of finding a successor immediately and we will consult key individuals to ensure we make the right appointment for Cardiff Blues.”