Munster must change to survive
Top of the list has to be Harlequins’ raid on a packed Stade de France where Dean Richards side recorded an outstanding win over Stade Francais. Leicester and Perpignan served up a game of intense physicality at Welford Road while Glasgow Warriors gave a welcome fillip to Scottish rugby in another absorbing 66 point classic at the Rec before eventually losing narrowly to Bath.
Prior to Munster’s game against Clermont Auvergne, French clubs had lost five of their six encounters over the weekend — to that point, Toulouse were the only winners. They look very strong again this season with the return of Freddie Michalak from the Natal Sharks providing them with all kinds of options. The really exciting thing is that every side gets to repeat the dose again next weekend in this highly entertaining phase of back to back matches.
Munster’s disappointment with a second successive defeat at the Stade Marcel Michelin in 2008 will be tempered not only with the valuable bonus point secured late in the second half but also with the knowledge that Clermont have been very inconsistent on the road this season, winning only once away from home in six French championship games.
They did, however, manage to beat Montauban in their away Heineken Cup clash. For a team low in confidence after yet another French championship final defeat last June, Sunday’s victory over the reigning European champions could well kick-start their quest for honours this season. Coach Vern Cotter made it very clear after the game that they were relishing the opportunity to play in the now completed Thomond Park having watched a recording of the recent New Zealand game.
The opportunity to play in such a unique rugby environment has the potential to lift opposition efforts as well as that of the home team. This Clermont side is packed with quality international players many of whom were deprived of the chance to play in Limerick last season when Cotter sent a largely second string side. He will not make that mistake again.
Travelling teams know that unless they are 100% committed to the cause, they could be crushed in the emotional tidal wave that so often characterises games of this magnitude in Thomond Park. Given the tight nature of this pool, it is no surprise that the rallying call has already gone out to the fans from those within the Munster camp to be at their raucous best at 3.30pm on Saturday.
Cotter has studied Tony McGahan’s side closely. Clermont’s decision to attack Munster at source up front last Sunday worked to such a degree that Ronan O’Gara had precious little possession to work with for large periods of the second half. The introduction of Elvis Vermeulen six minutes after the break had a big influence and I will be surprised if he is not on board from the start on Saturday. The Munster pack spent much of the game on the back foot as Clermont demonstrated the maul can still be an effective weapon when executed properly.
I have wondered for some time how Munster’s front five can front up time after time at provincial and international level with big games coming thick and fast. The physical demands of the battles against New Zealand and Argentina has asked a lot of many of the players and it is difficult to operate at maximum efficiency week after week. It is clear however that if Munster are to compete this weekend the intensity and raw physicality that defines their forward play must be reproduced from start to finish.
The other aspect that requires attention is the tendency to go off the feet at the breakdown. Old habits die hard. Munster’s proficiency in retaining possession through a series of mini mauls reached epic proportions in the mud in Stradey Park last season going through 32 phases at one stage. When they repeated the dose in the dying minutes of the Heineken Cup final against Toulouse, the moaning started. The lawmakers decided to take action.
While many blame the ELV’s for the amount of penalties now awarded at the breakdown, all that is happening in practice is that existing law is now being enforced, preventing players from ‘bridging’ or sealing off the ball from the opposition. In attempting to create a fair contest for the ball on the deck the team in possession at the breakdown is now penalised far more (65% on average) than the team without the ball. This has had an impact on the way Munster play. Under pressure, one reverts to type. The number of penalties conceded came home to roost last Sunday and was ruthlessly punished by the boot of Brock James.
In addition every pack now needs a number of explosive ball carriers with the ability to stay on their feet and offload. Look at the impact the two Clermont props, Thomas Domingo and Davit Zirakashvili, made with ball in hand on Sunday. In this respect there is a huge burden on the shoulders of David Wallace at the moment as Munster’s primary carrier. He has been outstanding all season but needs more support. Denis Leamy is sorely missed in this respect.
New signing number eight Nick Williams has the ability to complement Wallace also and brings a massive physical presence. It is hoped that he may be available for selection before the New Year and he could add greatly to the back row mix in time for the Sale game in January.
For that game to count Munster must reverse last weekend’s result, something they are eminently capable of. At times in the opening half last Sunday, they looked the complete package especially in defence. Their ability to create opportunities out of nothing as in Marcus Horan’s well taken try makes them a very dangerous proposition. However, they need to go back to basics up front and start bossing the physical exchanges.
With the right type of ball O’Gara, Lifeimi Mafi, Keith Earls, Doug Howlett and Ian Dowling showed again they have the quality to breach any defence and score tries. Every season this group of Munster players find themselves in a situation that challenges them to produce. Next Saturday is one of those occasions. They are rarely found wanting.
