McMillan counting on Casey-Crowley combo to supply energy and calm for Munster
Munster's Craig Casey. Pic: ©INPHO/Tom O’Hanlon
From an Energizer Bunny capable of playing out of his skin to a playmaker assuredly comfortable in his, Clayton McMillan believes he has the ideal half-back partnership in Craig Casey and Jack Crowley to steer Munster into the URC play-offs this Saturday night.
An in-form Lions outfit from Johannesburg will have something to say about that at Thomond Park in this final round of the regular season.
For the South African franchise are similarly intent on securing their place in the quarter-finals at the end of the month, and such is the congested nature of the standings, a defeat for either side in Limerick could spell the end of their 2025-26 campaigns.
The Lions, for whom a loss in Dublin to defending champions Leinster last weekend was their first in six URC fixtures dating back to January 31, will start Round 18 in fifth place on the table on 53 points, Munster a place below them with 51.
Both would have been home and hosed had they won last weekend and it will be Munster kicking themselves hardest that they not only lost in Galway last weekend, they allowed Connacht, their hosts, another crack at gatecrashing the top eight in the table, turning the final round into a five-horse race for the remaining four slots in the quarters.
There is mitigation in the form of Munster’s lengthy injury list which will continue to deprive them of many of McMillan’s best players, led by captain Tadhg Beirne, but the return to fitness of Ireland fly-half Crowley following a two-game absence with a leg injury could be pivotal.
Munster got away with it when Crowley pulled up in the pre-game warm-up at home to Ulster on April 25, JJ Hanrahan starting at short notice at number 10 and playing well but for some errant goal-kicking in a bonus-point win over their undermanned derby visitors.
Crowley would not be the only casualty of that fixture, with in-game injuries robbing McMillan of not only Beirne but Tom Farrell, Oli Jager, Jean Kleyn and Calvin Nash while Michael Milne was also missing seven days later for that chastening 26-7 loss to Connacht.
Yet it was the fly-half’s absence in Galway that was stood out as the most damaging and that was recognised as such by the head coach on Thursday as he named his team for this last throw of the dice.
"Jack's an integral part of the side, as everybody knows,” McMillan said. "He is just really comfortable in his own skin, his understanding of his game makes others around him look better and feel better, through his presence and his calmness, his clear communication.
"It's great to have him back, we've got JJ there as backup if required, but he's trained really well this week and we'll need him."
Scrum-half Casey, who will captain the side at Thomond Park for the first time as he continues to lead in Beirne’s absence, is one of those players who will benefit from the fly-half’s influence but McMillan has been impressed by the number nine’s leadership.
The Munster boss had called on his players to generate “good energy” in their bid to rebound from that deeply disappointing Connacht defeat, although in his number nine’s case he said: "It's about harnessing his energy I think!
“He's a real Energiser Bunny in this environment. He's a Munster man, a Limerick man through and through. Brought up just down the road from Thomond Park I believe. This is the first time he gets to captain a team at Thomond Park so he's another one of those integral guys that's part of the fabric of this team and this organisation. We're lucky to have him.
"I think everybody thinks they have the capacity to be a captain until they actually get put in the spotlight.
“Some really thrive with that responsibility and others probably find out that it's not really for them or it takes a little bit of time to get use to the demands of being able to perform for the team but, also, giving some strategic direction to others.
“Craig is what I would call a natural at leadership, how he carries himself and the team. So, grateful.”
There was another boost for McMillan on Thursday, resulting from an Independent Disciplinary Committee’s decision not to uphold the 20-minute red card shown to hooker Diarmuid Barron at Dexcom Stadium when the score was 7-0 to Connacht.
The uncertainty around Barron’s availability earlier in the week means Niall Scannell gets the nod to start at hooker in what could be his final game at Thomond Park, in his 211th Munster appearance, before retirement at the end of the season.
There are three other changes to the side which started in Galway, with Seán O’Brien named on the left wing, and Jack O’Donoghue and Brian Gleeson starting in the back row at blindside flanker and No.8 respectively.
Tom Ahern switches from number six to lock with Edwin Edogbo ruled out due to a shoulder injury sustained last Saturday while Gavin Coombes drops from No.8 to the bench and Thaakir Abrahams, a late call-up to replace calf-injury victim Shane Daly, makes way for O’Brien by dropping out of the 23. O’Donoghue’s place on the bench is given to Evan O’Connell while there is a potential home farewell before retirement for tighthead prop replacement John Ryan as he is given a shot at appearance number 257.
Mike Haley; Andrew Smith, Alex Nankivell, Dan Kelly, Seán O’Brien; Jack Crowley, Craig Casey - captain; Jeremy Loughman, Niall Scannell, Michael Ala’alatoa; Tom Ahern, Fineen Wycherley; Jack O’Donoghue, John Hodnett, Brian Gleeson.
Diarmuid Barron, Josh Wycherley, John Ryan, Evan O’Connell, Gavin Coombes, Ben O’Donovan, JJ Hanrahan, Alex Kendellen.
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