Munster's McMillan still learning turbulent ‘balancing act’ of international break

For coaches across the league, it’s about finding a balance between training, games and much needed rest periods for players.

Munster Head Coach Clayton McMillan with Mental Skills Coach Cathal Sheridan. Pic: ©INPHO/Ben Brady

Munster’s tepid 21-7 win over Zebre Parma last Saturday would have done little to engage an armchair support already growing tired of the rugby onslaught that occurs every spring. 

After all, an emotional comedown is to be expected after Ireland’s triumphs in Twickenham seven days prior.

It is a quandary the organisers of the BKT United Rugby Championship find themselves in now, as club competitions fight for oxygen in a vacuum where Test level action thrives. The stop-start nature meant Munster’s 12,558 paying spectators was the second largest crowd of the round, despite Thomond Park being less than half full.

For coaches across the league, including Munster’s Clayton McMillan who is still in the formative years in his time up north; it’s about finding a balance between training, games and much needed rest periods for players.

“It's a real challenge for all teams to deal with internationals being in or out,” the head coach said after Saturday’s win.

“(It’s) an extended sort of break, albeit that you'll be training, you never quite know what your competitors are doing. There's an opportunity to make some modifications in your game, there's so many variables.

“But that's actually quite exciting for me because it does present some unique opportunities that you don't necessarily get in other competitions around the world.

“The margins are small from the teams at the top to the ones at the bottom.

“If you're slightly off then you're going to pay the price and we've been on the wrong end of some of those matches and so you've just got to keep fighting and accumulating points along the way.” 

With the annual trip to South Africa looming large, McMillan was positive about the team’s direction of travel in training lately, and finding that power balance before the business end of the season.

“I couldn't have asked any more from our guys after they had the last week off post Glasgow. We worked extremely hard for a couple of weeks,” he added.

“This week is obviously about trying to set the team up for success for the one-off game tonight.

“I feel like we've banked the miles, we've got the miles on the legs. When we come back we'll still have to get through a little bit of work but not as much as what we've done in the last little block.

“The boys have acknowledged already in the sheds that there's an onus on every individual to enjoy their time off but to make sure that they're still churning through their work which will allow us to turn our attention to more of the technical stuff that will hopefully put us in good stead for what's coming in South Africa.” 

Munster have had to deal with marquee absentees in training and in recent games, to allow for Ireland call-ups to the Six Nations. The same may apply when they head down south too, with McMillan admitting there’s a case by case basis to how they manage their internationals over the final block.

“I think it's dependent on the sort of game time they get over the next couple of weeks. I'd imagine most are available for probably the second game.

“Some will be available for the first (game). Then it's just a balancing act around whether we want to actually use them in that week or give them an opportunity to decompress somewhat. It's probably been a good learning for me.

“I think we rolled out our guys with best laid plans against the Stormers and although we ended up losing the game, it was probably the one that got away.

“In reflection I'm not sure what was the best thing to do, putting our internationals out there. It's a tough gig, it's intensive.

“I've been involved with rugby for a long time and just that week or even half a week to sort of get away from rugby I think is really important. So we've got a few decisions to make as other teams will. We'll cross that bridge when we know a little bit more about the team they (Ireland) select next week."