O’Callaghan wants more from Munster

Nobody will be spared when Munster players go through a critical self analysis this week.

In victory as in defeat, the process is much the same, according to veteran second row Donncha O’Callaghan.

The only survivor from the Miracle Match of 2003, O’Callaghan admitted the display in Saturday’s Heineken Cup win over Gloucester must be improved upon to keep their title dreams alive.

“We were good in parts but we need to find a little bit of consistency. We are given great opportunities, the coaches couldn’t be doing a better job and it is the same for the strength and conditioning (staff). The players should be grabbing it and taking control. Maybe in the past, the players would drive it a bit more, we did a bit (Saturday) but we’ll see again next week (against Glasgow).

“That’s the mindset we’re in, we need to back our performances, I’m not trying to be disrespectful to them (Gloucester) but we need to be really self-critical and look where we can improve because we need to get better and put in better performances.”

O’Callaghan identified some areas where Munster need to raise the bar: “It’s hard to say but I suppose when you get into those pressure areas after a good burst, then a silly pass can leave the pressure off.

“We need to get to the stage where we can build on pressure, on phases and punish them (opposition) and come away with scores (tries), not penalties. When you get a burst like that, if you can maybe put five or six phases together after it, you have them (opposition) on their heels; following that, good players like Casey (Laulala) and Earlsie can pick them off.

“Maybe it’s being able to look after the ball a little bit better. That’s one area, although of course there’s always room for improvement in lineouts and scrums. At the breakdown I thought Murr (Conor Murray) got a bit more hassle than we would have liked, so we need to look after him and that’s something the forwards can work on. There’s maybe a lack of experience in certain areas but these guys are learning that we can’t (afford) do a high and then a terrible low. We need to be consistent in our effort, sometimes it is (about) being harsh on ourselves.”

The second row relished the chance to secure another Heineken Cup start against Gloucester and is in no mood to give up the number four jersey readily: “I’m as hungry as I’ve ever been, I want to play for Munster, I want to be togged out, you see the lads there, Billy (Holland), Dave (O’Callaghan), we all want it; although, of course, the main thing is that we win.”

Victory will be high on the agenda for Munster on Friday night when they play Glasgow at Scotstoun in the RaboDirect Pro12. It is a huge match for Munster as they seek to overtake the unbeaten leaders in round six.

“They (Glasgow) are form-setters in the competition the last two years, they’ve really set the standards and we just have to find a (top) performance again this week,” said O’Callaghan. “We haven’t backed up anything in an awful long time and that’s been disappointing. We (all) have to step up.”