Graham Rowntree: Good god Munster have plenty of things to work on

Munster open the 2024-25 URC campaign against derby rivals Connacht at Thomond Park on Saturday, September 21 and on the evidence of Friday night’s 33-19 defeat to Gloucester there is plenty of work for Rowntree and his assistant coaches to do.

WORK TO DO: Munster head coach Graham Rowntree. Pic: ©INPHO/Bryan Keane

Graham Rowntree is hoping Munster’s pre-season home defeat to Gloucester will serve as the kick up the backside his squad needs when the United Rugby Championship begins in two weeks.

Munster open the 2024-25 URC campaign against derby rivals Connacht at Thomond Park on Saturday, September 21 and on the evidence of Friday night’s 33-19 defeat to the English Premiership side at Cork’s Virgin Media Park there is plenty of work for Rowntree and his assistant coaches to do to get their players into shape over the next fortnight.

While the head coach took some positives from the exercise, not least a sparkling debut from South African wing Thaakir Abrahams, an impressive first outing for academy first-year Seán Edogbo, and assured cameos from Garryowen clubmen Bryan Fitzgerald and Gordon Wood, he was left deeply unconvinced by the overall team performance as Munster slumped to a second straight pre-season defeat.

They had gone close in Bath against former boss Johann van Graan’s side six days earlier in a 24-21 loss but conceding five first-half tries to Gloucester had to represent a backward step in their pre-season preparations.

“We’ll have a good review of it, we’re not perfect, are we, going into the season,” Rowntree said post-match. “Good god, plenty of things to work on.

“I was disappointed with our energy, our actions, collisions. We spoke about it a lot during the week, it’s quite evident we weren’t at the races early on.

“Nothing against them, they looked sharp, particularly off set-piece. Plenty for us to work on and I’m hoping I’m going to look back in 15 days’ time and think that’s exactly what we needed, a kick up the backside going into the URC.

“Lots of things for us to look at. I was proud of some of the performances of some of the young men that came on the field, Gordy Wood, his first touch of the ball was to field a high ball under a lot of heat. Seán Edogbo was outstanding.

“Thaakir Abrahams is everything that we’ve been watching, that’s why we signed him. He looked very agile, he looked dangerous.

“Again, I’m not taking anything away from the Gloucester team, they did very well in the second half after a lot of changes themselves. With all our territory we just couldn’t get over the line. Lots to work on.” Losing semi-finalists at home to eventual URC Grand Final winners Glasgow Warriors 12 weeks earlier, Rowntree believes the 2022-23 champions have found a real difference maker in former South African Under-20 and Sharks star Abrahams.

The 25-year-old was the last of the five summer backline signings to arrive to pre-season camp but has quickly made an impression with attack coach Mike Prendergast telling the Irish Examiner last week of Abrahams’ superb footwork and speed.

After a 58-minute first appearance for Munster in Cork on Friday, Rowntree agreed the newcomer could add an extra dimension to this season’s title push.

“Yes, his agility, to step out of tackles, step out of heat, across the back three, I’m looking forward to it. He’s had visa issues, only been on deck with us for a couple of weeks but he’s proving everything that we signed him for.”