Graham Rowntree: Young guns have pulled Munster along

Munster have given senior debuts to six academy players this season and used three more already capped

Josh Wycherley: One of a number of young guns impressing for Munster. Picture: INPHO/James Crombie

Graham Rowntree has praised Munster’s young guns as the driving force behind the province’s season of resurgence.

Munster go into this Saturday’s Guinness PRO14 final against Leinster having given senior debuts to six academy players this season and used three more already capped, while head coach Johann van Graan has delved deep into his squad to give extended game time to younger full professionals such as Craig Casey, Ben Healy, Shane Daly, and Gavin Coombes.

Forwards coach Rowntree believes the younger brigade have “pulled along” the squad this season to finish top of PRO14 Conference B, 19 points ahead of nearest rivals Connacht and in conversation with Donal Lenihan for an Irish Examiner podcast, he pinpointed the academy players rejoining senior squad training post-lockdown as a pivotal moment.

 

“They’ve been full-time training with us, training competitively every day against our senior guys, working with us coaches and they’ve come on.

“You could name a whole handful of guys. I mean, you think, the famous performance would be Josh Wycherley in Clermont against (Rabah) Slimani, one of the best tighthead props ever to play in France but (John) Hodnett, (Jack) Daly, (Jack) O’Sullivan, they’ve all come through. Thomas Ahern, they’ve all come through, Keynan Knox, because they’re playing and training with us more often. I firmly believe that, they’ve been pulled along by the squad.

Munster’s Thomas Ahern is presented with the Guinness PRO14 Player of the Match award by Jack O’Donoghue after the clash with Benetton. Picture: INPHO/James Crombie

“We’ve been giving guys chances and what the other lads have seen when we’ve given guys chances and they’ve really performed, like Gavin Coombes, who’s a standout character, I can’t believe I’ve mentioned him last but he has enough bloody praise as it is anyway — but the other lads see him getting picked and playing well and that tells them ‘crikey, if I take my chance they’re going to stick with me’.

“So that then pulls all the other young lads along. Then you’ve got the older lads looking down going ‘crikey, we better play better here’, so the whole dynamic has really pushed everything forward. But I can’t speak highly enough about those young guys.

It’s just their diligence... saying ‘right, what can I do better? Let’s look at every game, let’s look at training, what can I do better?’ That’s what has pulled the club along, is the young lads.

Rowntree’s Young Guns

Josh Wycherley, age 21: Loosehead prop.

Thrown in at the deep end in Clermont for a first European start in December and got the better of renowned tighthead Rabah Slimani.

John Hodnett, age 22: back rower.

Currently rehabbing a serious Achilles tendon injury, the West Cork man made a big impact earlier this season at openside flanker.

Thomas Ahern, age 21, lock.

A genuine athlete who started his rugby life in the backline, now 6ft 9in the Waterford man has lost none of his agility around the field.

Gavin Coombes, age 23, back-row/lock.

Yet another West Cork find, Munster’s leading tryscorer this season and has impressed in the No.8 jersey enough to earn an Ireland squad call-up last month.

Gavin Coombes. Picture: INPHO/Billy Stickland

Jack Daly, age 22: back row.

Followed up a December debut against Zebre with a second appearance last week off the bench against Benetton and highly rated by Rowntree.

Cian Hurley, age 20, lock.

Clonakilty forward who won his senior debut last weekend in a second row alongside Ahern.

Alex Kendellen, age 20: No 8.

Just turned 20, the UCC student made his debut off the bench against Scarlets earlier this month and earned high praise from Rowntree.

Keynan Knox, age 21, tighthead prop.

South African-born but completed his rugby education in the Munster academy and earned a senior contract in the last close season.

Jack O’Sullivan, age 22, back row.

Has overcome a serious knee injury to earn a senior contract and regular starts in the Munster back row.