Error-strewn Munster underline the sheer size of McMillan's task
WHERE NOW?: Munster head coach Clayton McMillan before the United Rugby Championship match between Connacht and Munster at Dexcom Stadium in Galway. Pic: Thomas Flinkow/Sportsfile
And so it comes to this, it always seems to with Munster, a last-day scramble for a play-off berth with the season on the line after a campaign of highs, lows, and very little in between.
Former head coach Graham Rowntree used to embrace the chaotic nature of Munster’s madcap dash to the finishing line and with good reason. It delivered a first trophy in a dozen years when Peter O’Mahony’s side went unbeaten on the road in their last five matches, three of them knockout rounds, to claim a URC Grand Final victory in Cape Town three years ago.
After Saturday night’s setback at Dexcom Stadium, when Clayton McMillan’s injury-hit side fell alarmingly short of what will be required to repeat the feat in 2026, Rowntree’s successor has a huge challenge to turn Munster into title contenders once more.
McMillan left his beloved Chiefs in New Zealand last summer determined to eliminate Munster’s week-to-week inconsistencies but a year into his three-year project he has been unable to deprogramme a problematic trait. Supporters and players alike will be hoping he will continue to seek his objective beyond this season, despite the apparent disconnect between the Kiwi and the powers that be, which he articulated to media on the eve of the trip to Galway. Yet Saturday’s error-strewn, passive performance, described by the head coach as lacking the “starch” displayed by their hosts, confirmed what he must have long known, that he needs his best players available at all times to achieve that.
There were six frontline players missing as Connacht dominated the physical battle, exposed defensive frailties and brought a superior collective skill set to this derby to exploit the 20-minute red card to hooker Diarmuid Barron midway through the first half and open up a winning 19-0 half-time lead achieved playing into a stiff wind.
The back-to-back bonus-point wins that preceded this emphatic defeat were the first consecutive victories of this URC campaign since the five-match winning run which heralded McMillan’s arrival at the start of the season. They have proven to be a false dawn with the stark reality that the 31-14 victory over Leinster at Croke Park on October 18 in the midst of that opening streak remains the high point of his maiden year.
Seven months later and Munster face into a Round 18 regular season finale against South Africa’s Lions at Thomond Park this Saturday night with their play-off prospects, and Champions Cup qualification for next season, still hanging in the balance.
They had the chance to secure their spot and fully concentrate on securing a top-four finish by making it three wins from three while also burying Connacht’s hopes of a top-half finish and consigning them to Challenge Cup rugby for 2026-27. Instead, both provinces will be scrambling for the lifeline of the knockout rounds and a place in the top-tier European competition. Munster go into the final round just three points off Bulls in fourth, two behind their next opponents in fifth but just two points clear of Connacht in ninth.
All six teams between fourth and eighth places could book a home quarter-final, but equally Munster could miss out entirely if they fail to overcome Lions and other results do not treat them kindly, as their head coach was acutely aware.
“It was in our own hands again tonight, but we weren't good enough to get it done,” McMillan said. “I just had a quick squiz at the points table, I think everyone from one to nine has still got a chance and you wanted a few other results to go your way to create a little bit of breathing space, but yeah, everyone's got a huge amount to play for.
“I don't think there's anyone that will be sitting on their heels, whether it's trying to get a home final, quarter-final seedings, obviously that's out of our hands now. We're just focused purely on trying to get there.” Connacht have found their rhythm at just the right time for their first-season head Stuart Lancaster and they were worthy winners for the seventh time in their last eight outings. The only shame is they remain a point outside the qualifying spots with a trip to Edinburgh their last-chance saloon this Friday night.
A year on from finishing 13th, nine points adrift, Lancaster’s first campaign and the level of performances he is now eliciting from his players must already be considered a success. For Munster, playing in the Champions Cup is essential and both McMillan and captain for the night Craig Casey acknowledged that.
“Look, the team have obviously been in this position over the last couple of years where there's a lot riding on the last couple of games and have always managed to get across the line,” McMillan said. “So we know that that fight is there. I've seen it numerous times.
“I'd love it if we had a bit more consistency around our game where we didn't put ourselves in this position, but we have to rely on it, we're going to have to rely on the emotion of playing at home, and what's at stake if we don't get the job done.” Scrum-half Casey accepted Munster had fluffed their lines in Galway, and it must not happen again, on home turf this Saturday.
“I think the disappointing thing coming into tonight, we knew that exactly was the case as well, if we had won, we were in, so that is disappointing, but it is paramount for us. We can't go without being in the Champions Cup so it is a big week and I suppose when there is pressure on people, you see the best of people, so we need to bring that out in ourselves this week.”
S Gilbert; S Jennings, H West (S Naughton, 53), B Aki, S Bolton; J Ioane (J Carty, 66), B Murphy (M Devine, 66); B Bohan (P Dooley, 48), D Tierney-Martin (E de Buitléar, 21), S Illo (F Bealham, 49); D Murray, J Murphy (J Joyce, 54); C Prendergast – captain, S Hurley-Langton (P Boyle, 61), S Jansen.
M Haley; T Abrahams (S O’Brien, 53), A Nankivell, D Kelly, A Smith; JJ Hanrahan, C Casey – captain (B O’Donovan, 72); J Loughman (J Wycherley, 53), D Barron (A Kendellen, Red Card replacement, 37), M Ala’alatoa (C Bartley, 66); E Edogbo (J O’Donoghue, h-t), F Wycherley; T Ahern, J Hodnett (L Barron, 25), G Coombes (B Gleeson, 47).
20 minute red card: Diarmuid Barron, 17-37 mins
Peter Martin (IRFU)
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
