Munster forwards can turn it around

AS a consequence of the events in Limerick last season, this was always going to be a difficult assignment for Munster, and so it proved.

A bonus point in defeat would have been a credible achievement, alas, even that was beyond Munster on this occasion.

Kingsholm is the Thomond Park of English rugby. Similar in size and crowd capacity, it was rocking a full hour before kick-off. From the moment the Gloucester took to the field for their pre-match warm up, it was clear that they were up for this one.

Revenge was in the air. Despite the distraction of their England colleague Phil Vickery parading the William Webb Ellis trophy to the fanatical support base, the home side went through their pre-match routine completely focused and oblivious to the attendant celebrations.

For the entire game Gloucester controlled both possession and field position and it was a tribute to Munster’s courage and defence that they only conceded one try.

As a result, Gloucester, despite their dominance, were unable to achieve a bonus point. That was one of the few positives that Munster will take from this game.

All week the provincial coaches had bemoaned the lack of preparation time for this vital round of Heineken Cup matches, due to the demands of the national squad. Nowhere was the lack of cohesion more in evidence than in Munster’s performance out of touch.

Munster went into Kingsholm with the most productive lineout in the tournament, with a 96% return from their own throw. Yet in the first half alone, Munster had lost five in this facet of play. Much of this was down to poor decision-making. When your line-out is creaking, it is vital that you revert to your banker balls at the front and middle of the line.

Munster struggled when they threw to the tail and Alan Quinlan’s aerial ability was severely missed. The lack of possession from this phase of play meant that Munster spent most of the first-half defending.

In the absence of a lineout platform, it was vital that Munster got a return from the scrum. Surprisingly, they were also under pressure here. Given Munster’s game plan, it is very difficult to impose your game with less than 50% possession. The Munster pack looked strangely subdued and collectively had an afternoon they would like to forget.

At halfback, both Ronan O’Gara and Peter Stringer had a rare off-days, with Gloucester detailing the scrum-half for special attention and he was constantly harassed and harried every time he received possession.

In contrast, Andy Gomersall was given an armchair ride. His excellent service ensured that both Duncan McRae and Henry Paul were given time and space to orchestrate the free running Gloucester backline.

In this respect, Gloucester played with tremendous width. From broken play they have developed a style, which sees three players positioned on each wing. Their passing skills are such that the ball is transferred at pace across the pitch, creating panic in the opposition defence. Nevertheless, Munster’s discipline in defence was outstanding and while the forwards were under pressure in the set piece, the work rate of O’Connell, Hayes, Foley and Williams in the tackle area was phenomenal. Indeed, Foley saved a certain try in the second-half by virtue of his keen football awareness.

Given the pressure that Munster were under, it was incredible that O’Gara had a penalty before half-time to give them a three point interval lead. Despite his miss, the 3-3 half-time score was a tribute to their resilience.

Henry Paul proved to be the most influential back on the field and fully deserved his “man of the match” award. With Munster’s defence stretched to the limit, he used the grubber kick to good effect on a number of occasions in the first 40 forty minutes.

At half-time, Gloucester’s management recognised that this was the key to unlocking Munster’s try line. Within seven minutes of the restart, Paul’s excellently executed grubber set up the decisive first try for James Simpson-Daniel, whose electrifying pace was a constant threat to the visitors.

Munster’s character shone through in the final quarter, when, after a period of sustained pressure, Anthony Horgan, who had a fine game, scored the try which opened the possibility of securing the vital away bonus point. However, Gloucester finished the stronger and the pressure they exerted in that period inevitably led to a concession of penalties, which Paul gleefully accepted.

Munster’s lack of creativity has cost them dearly in this competition over the years. Sadly, it was very much in evidence again on Saturday. While Sean Payne had an excellent game at full-back and brought a level of stability to the position, it is clear that Munster are crying out for the attacking skills that Christian Cullen brings to the table.

On the journey home, an air of doom and gloom enveloped the strong Munster support base. In fact it was very reminiscent of the homeward journey from Perpignan, after a poor performance last season. Seven days later they met Gloucester in Thomond Park and we all know what happened on that occasion.

Munster are capable of turning this one around. The forward unit in particular will be very disappointed with their collective performance and will be bulling to set the record straight. The pace and intensity of the game will stand to them.

With Bourgoin’s surprising defeat to Treviso, this group is now a two horse race. There is still everything to play for.