Quinlan: there’s a lot more in Munster

EVEN Rafa Benitez and Liverpool’s most devoted followers were hardly as thrilled as Munster rugby star Alan Quinlan after the team’s victory over Manchester United on Sunday.

Quinlan classifies himself as a huge supporter of the Merseyside giants and particularly enjoyed ribbing the equally rabid United fan Anthony Foley in the wake of the team’s Anfield.

Indeed, various printed notices were placed by the Tipperary man at strategic places in the University of Limerick during the week to draw the former Munster captain’s attention to the 2-0 scoreline!

But a more serious note, Quinlan has since been equating Liverpool’s problems prior to that game with Munster’s run of mixed form.

He explained: “They were talking of throwing Benitez out of the job last week and then they go on and beat United 2-0 and they’re only six points from the top of the table. They still have to play Chelsea, United, Arsenal and they suddenly have a bit of momentum.”

And how does that equate to Munster? “A bit of luck has been missing for us … a couple of bounces of the ball against Northampton, Wally’s (disallowed) try the other night or a couple of kicks could have won the game. When you’re down and things are going wrong for you, you don’t get that bit of luck. So we’re hoping for a Liverpool-type result at some stage. That’s sport.

“We’re after hitting a wall and we just have to keep working hard until we turn things around.”

Though there has been unanimous refusal by players and coaching staff to admit that there is any sign of panic, there is recognition that the loss of four out of eight competitive games this season, coupled with the dismal performances against Leinster and Edinburgh, have done nothing to help the squad’s confidence.

“It has been dented and there’s no point in saying otherwise,” admitted Quinlan. “We’re playing below standard. We know that and it’s a good thing. We feel there’s a lot more in us.

“On paper, we probably have a better team than last year but of course there will be criticism and constructive criticism is good. We are a top team in Europe and hopefully we can be judged at the business end of the year. If we deserve criticism and flak then, so be it. But we’re confident we can get back playing well and that we will be in contention come the end of the season.”

It’s difficult to walk down the street in Cork and Limerick these days without meeting somebody wanting to know if there is trouble in the Munster camp. The message boards are buzzing with theories and conspiracies of unrest. However the squad are united in dismissing such rumours, speculation and claims.

Quinlan continued: “Hopefully it’s a period we can learn from so that at the business end of the year, we’re in contention for both the Magners League and Heineken Cup. That’s the best we can hope for at the moment but I can assure you there’s nothing wrong in the camp as regards any rifts or any of that stuff.

“There are people overreacting and saying Munster are not the team they were and they’re finished. That’s rubbish.

I think we’re still a very good team. We’re under-performing as a unit and it’s something we have to address. When you’re going badly and you have pressure from the press and the supporters and internal pressure to perform because nobody enjoys losing … okay, we had a good result in the second half against Treviso, but we’re long enough around to know we’re not playing well and that’s not enjoyable.

“It’s not that we have done anything different. We had a very good pre-season and a good start with the friendly games so it’s been a bit baffling for everyone. We’ve had the disruptions caused by injuries and guys in the front-row chopping and changing a lot. We’ve used 36 or 37 players at this stage.

“Everyone has an opinion on it but what I think what we need is to get a settled team for a few weeks in a row and cut out the basic errors. Also, we’re playing teams that are raising their games against us and have probably found ways of frustrating us and stopping us from playing. We’ve lost a bit of flow in our game as a result.”

Quinlan’s hurt at what has been happening on the field combined with the dark talk about an unhappy camp becomes all the more apparent when he appeals to “people to stick with us and not to throw in the towel, not to start saying the team are finished, that we’re under-performing, that there’s no passion and no heart.

“You can’t go from the success we’ve had to suddenly as a group not trying or not showing heart and passion. We’re trying hard but things are going wrong for us. Hopefully the genuine supporters stay behind us.”

Quinlan has arrived at an interesting theory that might well see them turn the corner, all the more so if they can avenge last year’s shock 37-11 hammering by Ulster at Thomond Park.

“The best thing that might happen is that we get a break from each other for a few weeks. If we can get a good result on Saturday, the focus will be off us for a few weeks. Coaches can go away and spend some time looking at the way we’re playing and try and improve things.”