Munster…… 10
Leinster…… 13
It was another case of shoulda, woulda, coulda for Munster last night as their wait to eclipse their great rivals has now reached a half dozen games. In this typically attritional arm wrestle, the outcome boiled down to the fact that Leinster’s strength in depth was always going to trump their host’s heart and determination.
Had the fixture place as originally intended, on St Stephen’s Day, the setting would have been picture postcard perfect. A gust of snow whipping around Thomond Park as the teams warmed up. Our Lord must have been tuned in to Donal Lenihan and Michael Corcoran, though, because, by the time of kick-off the storm had abated. Well, the climatic one at least.
Among the pundits – Tommy Bowe and Gordon D’Arcy and Peter Stringer – there seemed to be the view that there would be plenty of box-kicking on show. If it was Gaelic football I would wholeheartedly agree, as trying to handpass in such conditions would be akin to try to cross an ice rink in football boots. In a rugby context however it recalled sage advice once prescribed by the local GP – former Irish international Dr Tom Feighery – who, when it came to dealing with the French – “Put the ball up your jersey and leave it there”!
This was no classic, but will get its place in the annals of jousts between the two. If only to underline the gap which still exists between the two teams. Labelling it the ‘Haves’ against the ‘Have Nots’ may seem a tad extreme. However, in a certain context it nails it.
Thanks to the likes of Tadhg Beirne, Pete O’Mahony, CJ Stander, Keith Earls, Chris Farrell and Mike Halley, Johann Van Graan’s side can compete as equals with those in the blue corner in several sectors of the field. Not, though, in what is surely the most crucial one of all – the half back pairing.
Highlighting that inefficiency implicates Conor Murray as having shortcomings. That is something not done lightly, but a few caveats must be attached. One because, looking at what transpired when Craig Casey came on, they both were obviously operating on orders.
Not all that long ago, mention was afforded to the promise already displayed by impish upcoming scrum half Craig Casey. Resembling Peter Stringer in more ways than playing style, the diminutive Casey is surely exactly what the Thomond Park team require most of all. A highly skilled No. 9 who is possessed of the skillset required to retrieve the ball from the footrush of the scrum. Then delivering fasr, accurate passes required to break down the toughest of defences.
Notwithstanding the fact that Murray’s snap passing off the base of the scrum has quite obviously regressed owing to the severe neck injury which kept him out for an elongated stint, Casey’s regular inclusion would free up the Garryowen clubman to re-deploy to fly half.
Having already displayed the acumen and alacrity to switch to the other half back berth, converting Conor to a full time 10 would also rectify the most glaring and debilitating problem area which has been sticking out like a bad smell for the lions share of a decade now.
At this stage, it is not being cruel to opine that the Red Army haven’t had a proper standard fly half since Ronan O’Gara retired in 2013. Tyler Bleyndaal was the nearest they came to a competent replacement they arrived at, but, typical of the luck which has afflicted them in more recent years, he ended up having to retire early due to persistent injury setbacks.
Following their wonderful and – let’s be honest – unexpected victory over Clermont in the European Cup, JJ Hanrahan was rightly lavished with praise on foot of an exemplary shift of place-kicking. However, in sport at that level, a clap on the back is only six inches from a boot up the backside. Cold dispassionate analysis reveals that, when Munster had gilt-edged chances to leave themselves in an unassailable position, their dead ball specialist flunked his lines. Either side of half time.
Contrast that with firstly Johnny Sexton exacting full retribution on Hanrahan’s profligacy before the short whistle and then Leo Cullen having sufficient trust in the depth and capabilities of his troops to let his orchestral director clock out early. Easily done, of course, when you have somebody of the prowess of Ross Byrne to replace the half-Listowel man.
Therein lay the seminal difference between the sides. As Munster failed to take advantage of their periods dominating possession and territory, it’s instructive that they demonstrably flagged once the brave hearted O’Mahony went out on his sword. Enter the Leinster bench. Byrne and Josh Van Der Flier in particular.
In the early stages, Munster rampaged through the Leinster scrum like bulls in a flower garden. With the changes in personnel, mind you, came a seismic shift in momentum. Van Der Flier completely took over the scrum, while the red lineout malfunctioned like Manuel trying to run Fawlty Towers for a wedding!
If becoming properly attuned to affairs of the egg chase has taught me anything, it’s that whoever controls the set pieces controls the game. Ironically, then, it was what probably constituted the only bit of inventive play in the entire contest which ensured the spoils went home with the title holders.
Aided, it must be said, by a plethora of missed tackles which allowed Byrne and Jordan Larmour combine enabling the latter to use his searing speed to strike the decisive blow. There’s no doubt the vanquished here are closing the gap, but, a bit like a certain political mess across the water, until they sort out the mess at No. 10, they’re going nowhere fast.
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