Howlett: We need to dig deep
Munster’s season hangs in the balance heading to Murrayfield with the two-time European champions needing one and preferably two bonus-point wins from their final Pool 1 games at Edinburgh and when Racing Metro go to Thomond Park seven days later if they are to have a chance of reaching the quarter-finals.
Last Saturday’s 17-6 home defeat by the Blues at Musgrave Park was hardly the best way to face into that task, particularly given the dismal nature of the performance and Howlett agreed this week’s preparations will be characterised by the time-honoured Munster tradition of going to the well in its darkest hour, with each player summoning all his efforts and pouring them into the provincial cause. That can often mean a edgy week’s training but, the former All Black said, needs must.
“It is one of those weeks and we’ve been aware of what’s coming up in terms of these two weeks for a wee while. We have to take the positive out of this (defeat) and start work and build for a huge game in Edinburgh.
“Of course, there’ll be huge disappointment and that sort of edge will be carried into (this) week because back-to-back losses are something Munster doesn’t accept and we’ll be looking to right this next week.
“We have to take the learnings from this but put it behind us at the same time and start building some momentum into what will be a massive game for us on Sunday.”
One of the chief fixes required by Munster will be the error count which reached 29 against Cardiff in Cork last weekend that undid any platform delivered by a solid scrum and low penalty count and blighted any hopes of going into Europe with anything resembling momentum.
“It’s something we’ve discussed throughout the year. For our style of play to work we can’t have penalties and we can’t have errors and we were let down by one of those,” Howlett said.
“There’s been patches of things that have been good for us but in terms of putting a full game on the paddock that’s what we’re in search of.
“Again, disappointing to go over some turf that we thought we’d covered off.”
With bonus points rewarding teams scoring four tries or more, a try-less outing against solid but beatable opposition hardly represented the ideal warm-up for Munster but Howlett insisted his side still had the firepower, providing they can cut down the error count.
“We certainly can score tries and I think we’ve shown during the season that we can score tries. Again, it’s a result of a few phases down the line that the tries come.
“Most teams are pretty good defensively in the first two phases but tonight, again, errors didn’t allow us to get past that.”
The one solace for Munster supporters is that Edinburgh are hardly firing on all cylinders themselves having failed to score a try or even reach double figures in each of their opening four pool games, including a 33-0 defeat at Thomond Park in round two. Even league form has deserted Michael Bradley’s side, Heineken Cup semi-finalists last season and the team from the Scottish capital was well beaten by Leinster last Friday at Murrayfield.
Howlett, though, is refusing to believe Edinburgh have become a bad team.
“We’re not taking Edinburgh lightly at all. We’re not looking past this Edinburgh game, for the first half against Leinster on Friday night they put up a tough old fight. We know what we’re going in for, we’ve played them a couple of times already this year and they’re a tough outfit.”
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
