Ulster… 36
Munster… 17
Graham Rowntree must be wondering is he insane. One of the most decorated players in rugby, you’d imagine he could have plumped for any coaching job he wanted in the game. But spare an even bigger thought for Denis Leamy…
The former back row forward only during the week moved back to his home province having been an eyecatching and seemingly highly thought of recruit to an already fairly stacked Leinster backroom team.
On the evidence of tonight, though, himself, Rowntree and whoever else ends up as part of the Munster coaching staff have a job of work on their hands. Simply to give the southern province back a modicum of credibility.
I will say, however, that it was rather distasteful to hear one individual closely enough linked to the Leinster Branch make the comparison between the red corner and the Troika.
Apparently, Leamy will be replaced in his role at Leinster by Sean O’Brien, though there was no need was no need for comments like ‘Seanie has more Heineken Cup medals than the whole of Munster’.
Having said all of the above, don’t let the fact that the visitors scored three tries at Kingspan Ravenhill fool you. While the visitors did score three fine tries, in reality they were never really at the races.
This was as fine a performance as this observer has seen from an Ulster team in a very long time. It must be said, mind you, that their brilliance tonight was far from isolated this season. They were, after all, somewhat unlucky not to go further in the Champions Cup.
Right from the off here, there was no sense they were likely to make the same mistake. In what turned out to be a microcosm of the entire match, as Munster argued an admittedly dodgey refereeing decision, John Cooney took a pass from a quick James Hume penalty and put the first five points on the board.
A fine way for the talented half back to mark his 100th appearance for the province. If one was to be coldly analytical, the visitors defence was as open as O’Connell Street on a Christmas Eve. Symbollic of what has impinged them for far too long.
For a brief period it appeared the eventually vanquished were going to rise a gallop. As a very typical pick and drive try was finished nicely by Jean Kleyn and converted by Joey Carbery to deadlock the sides half way through the first half.
That was as good as it got by way of a swansong for Johann Van Graan. I have never seen a team make so many basic, stupid mistakes as the South African’s now former charges did in Belfast. Knock-ons, not releasing in the tackle, high tackles, missed tackles, tackling the man off the ball. You name it, Peter O’Mahony’s men mucked it up.
The imperious Cooney, who buzzed round a dominant scrum like a drone filming the harvest, Nick Timoney, Robert Baloucoune, Stuart McCloskey and Stewart Moore tormented whatever frail defences were placed before them.
The last named – deputising for the injured Mike Lowry – dazzled in crossing the whitewash twice in the first half. Indeed, he could very easily have added to that haul, but, Dan McFarlane’s team were full value for their 19-7 interval advantage, if not more.
However, they didn’t take long to accomplish the feat, former Leinster player Nick Timoney tacking on another handful of points after a lung bursting run almost immediately from the second half kick off.
The always admiral Keith Earls espoused the old Munster spirit and though he did chalk up two tries – and the returning Gavin Coombes also got one – they were very much urinating into a gust.
Rowntree has inherited the equivalent of a certain fairly high profile Gaelic football team. They are over reliant on high profile cohort of players who have more good days behind them than in front.
At the very least, the new regime will have to pick the confidence of the province off the floor. I’d rather them than me.
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