Rugby: Mediocre Munster performance doesn’t bode well for Gloucester match

Connacht 0 Munster 3

It was like going back in time as Munster and Connacht fought a dour contest at Dubarry Park, Athlone, last night before a Ronan O’Gara penalty in the 66th minute broke the deadlock.

Pitted against a Munster side containing 14 internationals, they put up a gutsy performance that augurs well for their Parker Pen Shield clash with Pau in Galway on Saturday next.

Munster, on the other hand, were a huge disappointment and unless they show vast improvement, they could face a torrid time against Gloucester in their crucial Heineken Cup game at Kingsholm in a week’s time.

Things could have been a lot worse given that keyman Peter Stringer got off lightly for a stamping offence in the 50th minute.

Coach Gaffney didn’t appear unduly concerned about his side’s distinctly mediocre performance, and even claimed “the game was not bad preparation for next week.

"It was never going to be entertaining but it was really tough up front, the kind of dogfight we may also experience against Gloucester. But we did make far too many mistakes and weren’t patient enough.”

Gaffney felt his new full-back Shaun Payne “showed good positional sense and was solid under the high ball” but it’s still game on between him and Jeremy Staunton for the number 15 jersey against Gloucester.

If there were individual stars on the night, they were in the Connacht side and none more so than inspirational hooker Bernard Jackman.

His coach, Michael Bradley, claimed “Jackman will come into the international reckoning this season”.

There was a lack of control in almost all phases, even the line-out where Andrew Farley and Damien Browne had the temerity to steal some of their own ball from Paul O’Connell and Donnacha O’Callaghan.

And with the highly committed Connacht forwards also holding their own in the tight and in the loose thanks to the efforts of Jackman, the tireless John O’Sullivan and Paul Neville.

Munster were deprived of the opportunities of setting up the rolling mauls ideally suited to requirements. Nevertheless, they always looked more likely to score and it took a great tackle by Jackman to push Marcus Horan into touch inches from the line when a try looked likely.

And a good 35 minutes had elapsed when Munster at last upped the tempo. O’Gara ran a penalty award on halfway and they mounted at least 10 phases before losing the ball just a couple of yards from the target in the left corner.

To the great delight of the home fans, Connacht raised the siege and were only themselves deprived on the counterattack when the slippery ball went to ground deep in Munster territory.

Eric Elwood missed a couple of kickable penalties that might well have swung the game Connacht’s way but O’Gara was also off target on the resumption until finally accepting the points on offer when Connacht infringed on their own 22-metre line.

Even then, the reason for the penalty wasn’t readily apparent, certainly not to Elwood who danced up and down in frustration and disapproval at Mr Rolland’s decision. It was that close to being a scoreless draw!

MUNSTER: S. Payne; J. Kelly, M. Mullins, R. Henderson, A. Horgan; R. O'Gara, P. Stringer; M. Horan, F. Sheahan, G. McIlham, D. O'Callaghan, P. O'Connell, J. Williams capt, D. Wallace, A. Foley.

CONNACHT: M. McHugh; M. Mostyn, D. Yapp, T. Allnutt, C. McPhillips; E. Elwood, M. Walls; D. McFarland, B. Jackman, A. Clarke, D. Browne, A. Farley, M. Swift, P. Neville, J. O'Sullivan. Replacements, M. Lacey for Neville injured 28 mins; T. Robinson for Yapp 50 mins.

Referee - A. Rolland (Leinster).

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