Donal Lenihan: There is something special brewing in Munster
Jack O'Donoghue celebrates CJ Stander's try. Picture: INPHO/Laszlo Geczo
If the refreshing quality of rugby on offer across the opening rounds of this season's Heineken Champions Cup provided the major talking point, the continuing impact of the coronavirus reminded us that the long-awaited vaccine just can’t come soon enough.
With four games cancelled over the weekend due to Covid-19, including the standout clash of round two between Toulouse and champions Exeter Chiefs, an already truncated tournament has been thrown into chaos.
Right now, Munster couldn’t care less. There have been signs since the start of the season that Munster are shifting to a new level. A 100% return from seven Guinness Pro14 outings not only served to lift confidence to new heights, but provide a platform for a cohort of tantalising young and importantly homegrown players to press claims for a starting slot in the team.
Champions Cup rugby is a different animal, however. Beating Harlequins at home marked a decent start to the latest campaign but traveling to the heart of French rugby in the beautiful Auvergne-Rhône-Alps region, to face Clermont, a different matter altogether.
There is something special brewing in Munster at present. If this squad eventually goes on to end a drought on silverware that stretches back to winning the Celtic League in 2011, then Saturday's comeback win will be viewed as a turning point, perhaps the most significant moment on the journey.
The one chink of light offered by their hosts was their appalling indiscipline which saw them concede 14 penalties in the opening half alone, especially with JJ Hanrahan kicking majestically from the tee.
The key issue here was the captaincy of Peter O'Mahony, who, despite being so many points behind, ignored the modern-day slavish devotion towards kicking to the corner, deciding instead to take the points on offer. Credit Hanrahan too for an impeccable return of nine from nine from the boot for a 24 point haul.
Even more encouraging was the realisation that once Munster got themselves into decent attacking positions, they had the capacity to cut holes in the Clermont defence. With far greater variety off set pieces and clever interplay between backs and forwards, Munster’s confidence, boosted by Hanrahan’s metronomic boot, remained undiminished.
The turning point on that front was a superb Mike Haley try, courtesy of great hands from O'Mahony off a pre-rehearsed set-piece play. Not only did that crucial score reduce the arrears to 12 points at the break, it helped to reinforce the belief that, once they cut out the errors, they had the capacity to win this game. From the outset, Munster’s receipt of kick-offs had been calamitous, with four errors in that sector alone paving the way for three early Clermont tries. That had to stop.
Up to now, the new wave of Munster talent has been led by Ben Healy, Craig Casey, and Gavin Coombes, all of whom have made big strides this season. Saturday’s win marked the arrival of another with the capacity to have a long and influential career in red.
Having tracked his progression with the Grand Slam-winning Ireland U20 side of 2019, it was clear that Josh Wycherley has all the credentials to become a serious asset for Munster and Ireland in the years to come.
When James Cronin pulled up in training during the week, Johann van Graan must have winced given the immediate challenge on the horizon. With Dave Kilcoyne and Jeremy Loughman already ruled out for months Cronin stepped up to the mark by playing the best rugby of his career. Now down three loosehead props, it was time to trust in the next wave.
What has always impressed me about Wycherley is his ability to stay in the fight. If he finds himself compromised in one scrum, which always happens a young prop learning his trade against more seasoned opponents, he will find a way to fight back. His opponent this time was sure to test those qualities to the full.
57-times capped French international Rabah Slimani has been terrorising opposition loose heads since young Josh was in nappies. In his maiden start at this level, Wycherley will remember his first European scrum for as long as he plays the game. Left with both feet dangling several feet in the air, as Slimani drove him skyward, Munster were penalised in the first scrum of the game. Wycherley could not have got off to a worse start.
Yet the character the 21-year-old novice showed, in not only fighting his way back into the contest but to win two scrum penalties of his own, proved inspirational to all around. To last 77 minutes in a game as physically demanding as this was ultimate proof that Munster are grooming another front row gem.
While Munster may have benefitted from the absence of the inspirational Clermont fans, who always light up that brilliant arena, it’s disappointing that the young guns were denied the famous standing ovation from the traveling red army that always greets the players when they board the charter flight home on special European days like this.
It may be a while before any traveling fans will be present on magical European days such as this but if Munster can continue delivering performances of this quality, the wait will be worthwhile. This win marks a huge step in the right direction.
That said, such is the make-up of this season's tournament, two wins without bonus points means Munster still have a journey to travel before securing their place in the knockout phase. Time will tell whether those Covid-induced cancellations may have proved a help or a hindrance in that respect.
What we do know is that Leinster’s predictable bonus-point win over Northampton, even if they had to work a bit harder than anticipated, sets them up nicely with a maximum return of 10 points from their opening two games with Champions Cup rugby going into hibernation until the new year.
With both sides boasting a 100% return from nine competitive games played to date this season, something has to give when Munster and Leinster meet for the traditional St. Stephen’s Day clash at Thomond Park. Regardless of selection, you can be guaranteed there won’t be too much festive cheer on display next Saturday night in Limerick.
Back to the future without a glimpse of Doc Brown.
