Munster await clarification after disputed 'taking the space' penalty in costly Toulon defeat 

There were justifications for Munster to feel aggrieved, according to assistant coach Denis Leamy

FIFTY FIFTY: Craig Casey sustained a significant injury to his AC with his availability for this weekends clash 50/50 at present. Picture: ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan

However clear this Saturday’s mission against Castres is, there are still plenty of loose ends to tie up for Munster following their narrow Champions Cup loss at Toulon.

The province is still awaiting clarification from competition organisers EPCR on the awarding of the controversial penalty which turned a 25-24 lead into a 27-25 defeat with five minutes to go, while the participation of first-choice scrum-half Craig Casey is yet to be decided, despite assistant coach Denis Leamy revealing the Ireland international had sustained a “significant” injury to the AC joint in his shoulder at Stade Felix Mayol.

Wing Calvin Nash (shoulder/head) and back-up scrum-half Paddy Patterson (head) are definitely ruled out while hooker Diarmuid Barron (knee) and lock Tom Ahern (neck) will be monitored through the training week before the green light is given on their selection. There should be comebacks from injury for departing lock Jean Kleyn (calf) and tighthead prop Oli Jager (head), the latter having been sideline since October 10 but doubts remain over Ireland scrum-half Casey.

"I'd say he (Casey) is very much 50-50,” was Leamy’s verdict on Tuesday, though earlier in his media session he had said: “We were very worried after the game, but I think relatively good news.

“That doesn't mean he'll play this weekend, obviously. He's got a significant injury to his AC, but hopefully it's not going to be too long term, that's my understanding.” 

That may be better news for Ireland ahead of next week’s Six Nations squad announcement but the likelihood of Casey passing fit to face Castres seems unlikely given that description. And with back-up Paddy Patterson also sidelined following a head knock during the pre-game warm-up in Toulon, the focus turns on less experienced number nines Ethan Coughlan and academy scrum-half Jake O’Riordan for this weekend’s must-win Pool 2 clash at Thomond Park.

Casey’s absence would mean a first Champions Cup start for 23-year-old Ennis man Coughlan, whose debut had come in that famous, all hands to the pump, pool win at Wasps during the covid era in December 2021. His next appearance also came off the bench, four years later at Bath this season while he was a travelling reserve in the South of France last Sunday afternoon, Patterson’s late withdrawal meant a third shift as a replacement in the competition.

For O’Riordan, who turned 21 last month, a place on the bench as Coughlan’s back-up would mean just a third senior appearance for the first-year academy player. His senior debut had come in the URC against Connacht, followed the week, again off the bench, against Argentina XV and the Young Munster clubman who came up through the ranks at Bruff and UL Bohemian looked assured in both outings.

Leamy sees no problems ahead for either player if their latest steps up in class come this Saturday under the Thomond Park lights against heavyweight French opposition.

“It feels like Ethan's been here forever. He's around a long time, so it's not as if we'd be treating Ethan any different, maybe just giving him a little bit of support around certain aspects of the game.

“But Ethan is an experienced player, and I don't think when you get to know Ethan, he won't be fazed by something like that. He really relishes big games. That's where he's at his best, when there's big games. That sort of stuff really excites him.

“Obviously with Jake, he's been in with us for the last six months as well, and has done a lot of training with the senior squad.

“I suppose it's why you have deep squads, and it's why we run sessions that often would have 50 players on the pitch is to have these guys in and around for such a scenario.

“We're lucky that all players are well-equipped, given the training over the last six months and beyond, to go and do a very good job.

“It's not as if we're bringing in someone like Jake from the cold, and he has to learn a load of detail and a load of defensive patterns and exits and stuff like that. That's not the case.

“I think we're in pretty good stock. That's what happens. It happens all the time, and I think the boys will be very excited. They're both cheeky chappies, so it shouldn't be a problem.” 

More problematic, however, has been Munster’s discipline of late, the 14 penalties and two yellow cards conceded to Toulon last Sunday proving particularly costly in a narrow defeat. Captain Tadhg Beirne’s yellow card saw 14 points conceded in his absence but the real body blow was the 75th minute penalty kick from Marius Domon which secured the home win for the three-time European champions.

Referee Karl Dickson’s decision to penalise a Munster player for “taking the space” at a ruck has attracted widespread criticism, not least because the identity of the supposed culprit remains unclear. It could have been the tackler Jack O’Donoghue, though the flanker had been tackled back into the space by a Toulon player, or it may have been Tom Farrell, who had been involved in holding the tackled player up but had stepped out of the contact area with hands out indicating he was no longer involved in the tackle. Either way, there were justifications for Munster to feel aggrieved that have still not been resolved, according to Leamy.

“We're waiting on clarification,” the defence coach said. “I'd imagine there'll be conversations between Karl Dickson and (EPCR head of match officials) Tony Spreadbury and Clayton McMillan, and we'll just wait for that.

“A number of the players have asked me as well in terms of what is the story, and look, hands up, I don't know what the penalty was for. So we're just waiting for clarification and obviously Karl Dickson is a world-class referee, and I'm sure he'll be able to indicate as to what the penalty is for.” 

While there is a recognition within Munster that what is done is done, the frustration will linger until clarification comes and Leamy added: “We as coaches put an awful lot of time and effort into the tackle area, and it's important that we understand where the referees are coming from.

“So yeah, clarification is hugely important so we can continue to try and show good pictures.”