McGahan: aggression and discipline will be key

MUNSTER head coach Tony McGahan has stressed the importance of both aggression and discipline ahead of Saturday’s Heineken Cup opener against Northampton Saints at Thomond Park.

Having missed out on the quarter-finals for the first time in 13 years last season, the pressure is on Munster to hit the ground running in their home opener against last year’s runners-up and McGahan has called for more aggression at the breakdown, greater discipline and more clinical finishing than was shown in last Friday night’s Aviva Stadium defeat to Leinster.

Munster may have kept the European champions try less for the second meeting in a row and the set-piece functioned well but the aforementioned negatives allowed Leinster to kick their way to a 24-19 victory courtesy of seven Jonathan Sexton penalties and one Rob Kearney drop goal while the visitors had to settle for a penalty try and four penalties plus a conversion from Ronan O’Gara.