Duncan Casey: Porous Munster victims of the Swiss cheese effect

Munster have never been a ‘you score four tries, we’ll score five’ type of club, but they've had to in recent months

Northampton’s Tom Seabrook scores his second try of the game despite the efforts of Diarmuid Kilgallen of Munster. Pic: ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan

For the second time in a row, Munster served up one of the best contests of the weekend’s Champions Cup action but unfortunately, they were on the wrong side of the result on Saturday. There was plenty of cause for positivity, with some excellent scores and standout individual performances from those who needed them to stake their claim for a Six Nations jersey.

Ultimately, a porous defence that has been an Achilles heel for the province throughout the season cost them again. Munster have never been a ‘you score four tries, we’ll score five’ type of club but they have left themselves no choice but to try and do so too often in recent months. In their 13 competitive games this season, they have conceded four tries or more seven times.