Graham Rowntree: 'There’s been no panic. I've seen the body of work we’ve been doing'

Munster boss senses the hard work is starting to pay off as Connacht's Friend bemoans his players' decision-making

OFF AND RUNNING: Munster’s Craig Casey celebrates as Calvin Nash crossed the line for the province's opening try on Saturday night.

Graham Rowntree praised his team’s smartness after Munster sealed a hard-fought bonus-point BKT URC 24-17 win over derby rivals Connacht at Thomond Park on Saturday night.

It was an interprovincial battle between two sides desperately looking to move away from the wrong end of the table after disappointing starts to the URC campaign and though Connacht came into this round-eight clash a point better off and with three wins from their last four league outings, Munster had been buoyed by their victory over South Africa A on a historic night at Cork’s Pairc Ui Caoimh 16 days earlier.