Kidney has no regrets about nine changes

Munster coach Declan Kidney said he had no regrets about making nine changes to the team which defeated Leinster for yesterday’s gruelling victory over Connacht.

“I thought the boys did a good job in the first half,” he commented, before calling up O’Connell, Hayes, O’Gara and Halstead to rescue the situation in the second half.

“They forced Connacht to be very physical in that half and we felt it was important to wear them down.

“I wouldn’t dismiss what the boys did in the first half.

“The mistake we made in the first half was our lack of discipline, when we gave Connacht too many easy penalties because of over-anxiety. Physically we stayed with them.

“The reason why we got a good few shunts in the scrums and mauled well in the second half was because of the effort we forced out of Connacht in the first.”

Tactically Munster got it spot on, even though Kidney admitted he wasn’t exactly ecstatic with a three-point lead to defend on the change of ends and the elements in their faces.

He pointed to Munster’s stubborn defending in the moments just before half-time as being crucial to the victory.

“That stopped them from going in front at a time when we were down to 14.

“Everyone wants the other fellows to have a go. As I say I thought they did very well in the first-half.

“In many respects the game was a bit of a lottery because of the weather.

“We tried to play a bit of football in the first-half, but the conditions didn’t allow it.

“You can’t knock them for that.

“The same team can’t play week in, week out. Maybe the result wouldn’t turned out for us if we’d started the four guys.”

Kidney was his diplomatic self when questioned about Connacht’s try and O’Gara’s yellow card, presumably for speaking out of turn.

“I’ll enquire about that one. We’re always trying to work on our discipline. I believe we have a disciplined side.”

Munster are in action again on Friday, when they meet the Dragons in Wales.

“We are six points in front of Connacht now with a game in hand.

“It doesn’t mean we’re qualified for Europe next year, but we’re taking steps in the right direction.”

Article courtesy of the Evening Echo newspaper.