CJ Stander: We must keep the ball

Munster’s stand-in captain CJ Stander is beginning to sound like a broken record but there really was nothing else for him to say after his side repeated all the mistakes that have sent them to five successive defeats.

A pattern has been emerging over the past few weeks as Munster continued their failure to capitalise on advantageous positions by committing error on error and ending up on the wrong end of the scoreline.

A Champions Cup opening day victory over Treviso on Saturday, November 14, was the last time Munster tasted success and 43 days later, as the hapless Italians slumped to a Guinness Pro12 derby defeat of their own at Zebre, so Stander’s team was sunk by interprovincial foes Leinster at Thomond Park.