John Hodnett: 'Player-led reviews show we're all on same page for Bulls showdown'
BROTHERS IN ARMS: Munster captain JJ Hanrahan talks to his players in the huddle after the Sharks thrashing. Pic: Shaun Roy/Sportsfile
The reference points for Munster successes are everywhere in South Africa after some thrilling moments in Durban, Cape Town and Pretoria. Yet John Hodnett knows they will count for nothing if the tourists fail to show their true selves against the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
Last weekend’s 45-0 hammering by the Sharks at Kings Park obliterated any feelgood factor that Durban was the happy hunting ground three seasons earlier, a campaign-saving draw sparking Munster’s run to the United Rugby Championship title in 2023.
Having moved down the coast to the Western Cape, Clayton McMillan’s squad are now tapping into the positivity of a city which saw Hodnett score the winning try in that year’s 19-14 URC Grand Final win over Cape Town’s Stormers at DHL Stadium.
It is the perfect place to regroup and re-energise following the previous Saturday’s gut punch and also to prepare for the challenge ahead, a flying visit to the nation’s capital and a date at altitude with play-off rivals the Bulls.
Again, Pretoria holds good memories, of a timely 27-22 bonus-point win at Loftus which helped propel Munster to the top of the table at the end of the 2023-24 regular season. At exactly the same point in the URC schedule, this Round 14 fixture of 18 could have a similarly advantageous effect on the tourists’ hopes of securing the top-four finish necessary to gain a home quarter-final draw in the knockout stages.
If they get blown away by the Bulls in the same manner as they were by the Sharks, however, the outlook could be much more bleak and flanker Hodnett understands that good vibes can quickly dissipate.
“Maybe the last couple of years, we've done quite well at this time of season,” Hodnett said. “But just because we did it before doesn't mean we're guaranteed that.
“It's going to take us learning from our mistakes, working hard, working for each other. That'll be the biggest thing going forward and whatever happens, happens.”
Hodnett was also a tryscorer on that last, winning visit to Loftus Versfeld and he recalled the hard work Munster had to put in for their maximum match points, exactly what is required this Saturday afternoon.
“Loftus, it's a very, very hard place to win and not many teams have gone there and won before. I know we had a bit of good success there in the past but it is a full 80-minute performance is what’s required.
“It’s tough going, the altitude, the heat. Obviously, they're a hugely physical side but when you get it right, it's hugely satisfying to win down there as well, so that'll be a good feeling we're hanging on to. It'll be a tough game, no doubt about it at all. I think once we get our side of things right, we'll be up there.”
To that end, Munster feel they have identified the areas for improvement thanks to their novel review process following their Sharks setback.
As reported in the on Tuesday, defence coach Denis Leamy explained each unit of the team was required to present their own reviews rather than the usual coach-led exercise and Hodnett was a keen advocate of the methods taken.
“The review was very much player-led, which is good, it's a bit different. Each position got to present their few bits. It was interesting, a lot of clips kind of overlapped, which was interesting.
“It shows that we're all on the same page and we know what we have to fix. We just need to get it right on the day. It was good, different, I enjoyed it.”
Enjoying the review of a 45-0 defeat must be a first but Hodnett was grateful for the themes which emerged from that Sunday night meeting.
“Coming down here, obviously physicality is probably the biggest thing. So that was probably up there, really. Different bits and pieces. Maybe in the first half with our defence and stuff.
“And then just finishing opportunities is probably a big thing for us as well. In attack, we actually had chances to score, looking back, and we probably didn't take them well enough, which is probably the most disappointing part, really. We created opportunities but just didn't finish.
“When you come down here, you need to be firing on the cylinders that way. So, yeah, it's probably our biggest work-on now for this week.”
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