McMillan wants changed-up Munster to get more clinical 

The head coach was disappointed with his players’ poor conversion rate from multiple entries into the Gloucester 22 last time out.

Munster's Head Coach Clayton McMillan. Pic: ©INPHO/Billy Stickland

Clayton McMillan called for better composure and sharper execution from his Munster team at Ospreys on Saturday after making six changes from the line-up which started the Champions Cup win over Gloucester last time out.

Munster got their European pool campaign back on track at Cork’s SuperValu Pairc ui Chaoimh last Saturday with a five tries to none 31-3 bonus-point victory over an understrength Gloucester side but the head coach was disappointed with his players’ poor conversion rate from multiple entries into the opposition 22.

That needs to be improved on the resumption of URC action this weekend and a round seven visit to Bridgend’s Brewery Field to meet an Ospreys team who have turned a corner in recent weeks after a difficult start to the season with Challenge Cup wins over Connacht and at Montauban.

“We probably made our frustrations clear after the game, McMillan said after revealing his side for the trip to west Wales on Thursday. “It was understood that (Gloucester) didn't bring their best side, so it was a real opportunity for us and Cork to put in a statement of performance, particularly after poor one against Bath. We didn't really do it.

“There were lots of positive moments, but just far too inaccurate, particularly in and around our 22 metres, I think we had 15 entries, which was a huge amount and if you're getting that many and you're competing even half of them, you're winning games weekly and you're winning them comfortably. So a big focus around the execution in that area, better clarity… that's probably been our biggest focus.” Munster will welcome back Ireland wing Calvin Nash from a 10-week injury lay-off due to what his head coach described as a nerve issue in his shoulder sustained in the URC win over Edinburgh at Virgin Media Park on October 18.

Lock Fineen Wycherley also returns after a cut hand against Bath forced him out of last Saturday’s win on Leeside while loosehead prop Jeremy Loughman, flanker Alex Kendellen, scrum-half Paddy Patterson and outside centre Tom Farrell have also been brought into the starting 15.

Craig Casey and club captain Tadhg Beirne are omitted as head coach McMillan’s begins to manage his Ireland internationals through the three-game Christmas and New Year schedule under IRFU player welfare guidelines with Jack O’Donoghue named skipper for this Saturday’s away fixture.

There are two positional switches from last weekend with O’Donoghue moving from openside to blindside flanker to make way for Kendellen while Nash’s return on the right wing sees Shane Daly shifted to the left wing as Ben O’Connor drops out of a back three that retains Mike Haley at full-back.

Farrell partners Alex Nankivell in midfield having replaced Dan Kelly at number 13 with the summer signing from Leicester Tigers ruled out with a calf injury while Patterson partners fly-half Jack Crowley in the half-backs.

Loughman’s inclusion at loosehead sees Michael Milne drop to the bench from a front row that also features Niall Scannell and Michael Ala’alatoa. Wycherley joins Jean Kleyn in the second-row while Gavin Coombes continues at No.8.

With hooker Diarmuid Barron unavailable following a failed Head Injury Assessment after his appearance off the bench at Pairc ui Chaoimh last Saturday, the back-up role to starter Scannell switches to Lee Barron.

McMillan has named a six-two split between forwards and backs on the bench with Conor Bartley covering tighthead after an impressive cameo late on for his European debut. Edwin Edogbo, Tom Ahern and John Hodnett are the other covering forwards while Ethan Coughlan and JJ Hanrahan are the two backline replacements.

Nine games into his tenure as Munster boss, the New Zealander admitted he did not yet know his best starting XV as he continues to rotate his squad but while he acknowledged that was at the expense of cohesive performances, he was crystal clear on his decision on his bench configuration.

“Conditions,” McMillan said. “We're anticipating it's heavy ground, it's going to be wet and that will take its toll, I think, on the forwards in particular, so that's why we've gone with a 6-2.

“But we've also got the luxury at the moment of having a number of available bodies and our high rotation in part has been around creating competition internally for the spaces and some of that has created a little bit of the clunkiness that you're seeing because there's obviously value in having cohesion, but right now that's at the low end of our priority around building cohesion.

“It's a long way to go into this competition and what we want is we want more bodies being available and pushing hard in training and then in games.” 

MUNSTER (v Ospreys): Mike Haley; Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Alex Nankivell, Shane Daly; Jack Crowley, Paddy Patterson; Jeremy Loughman, Niall Scannell, Michael Ala’alatoa; Jean Kleyn, Fineen Wycherley; Jack O’Donoghue - captain, Alex Kendellen, Gavin Coombes.

Replacements: Lee Barron, Michael Milne, Conor Bartley, Edwin Edogbo, Tom Ahern, Ethan Coughlan, JJ Hanrahan, John Hodnett.