MUNSTER SCRUM-HALF Conor Murray says his province are determined to kick back from last year’s Champions Cup disappointment with a big showing, starting this season.
Munster face a tough trip to French champions Racing 92 this Sunday as they get their pool up and running, but after three defeats from their six games last season, Murray knows a major improvement is needed.
“It was terribly disappointing. It was just a tough, tough year. We didn’t perform as well as we knew we could,” said Murray.
“At the same time there was potential there. We lost that Leicester home game on a few margins and a couple of the away games, you know, we were within a shout.
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“Even though we were close to getting it right and we just let ourselves down on occasion. This year hopefully we’ll stay correcting.
“With our attendances last year, that probably went in line with us not performing that well. But this season – with the buzz around, with the new coaches – we have gotten off to a good start”
For the second season in a row Munster face Leicester Tigers in the vital rounds three and four, where the teams face off home and away on consecutive weekends.
There has always been a healthy rivalry between the sides in the competition, but most recently, the Tigers conquered Thomond Park last season and that never goes down well in the province.
It definitely hasn’t sat well with the Munster players.
Conor Murray celebrates his try in the home loss to Leicester last December. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
“Yeah, that one will bring back a bit of bad blood I suppose. You’ll want to right a few wrongs from those two games last year. They were great games to play in and the crowd were unbelievable so we just want to make it up to people on those games.
“Then you have the Racing games to look forward to and Glasgow that are full of really good players. You’ve got a lot of draw to a lot of those games, so hopefully with the buzz with the new coaches and the squad being tight again, the big European games, those crowds should be pretty big.
“The real test will be in Europe and at the end of the season when we are pushing for qualification for knock-out rugby. The proof will be in those games. At the moment there is a real positive vibe, people aren’t really under too much pressure of righting the wrongs of last year.”
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Murray hoping to turn 'positive vibes' into vital Champions Cup points for Munster
MUNSTER SCRUM-HALF Conor Murray says his province are determined to kick back from last year’s Champions Cup disappointment with a big showing, starting this season.
Munster face a tough trip to French champions Racing 92 this Sunday as they get their pool up and running, but after three defeats from their six games last season, Murray knows a major improvement is needed.
“It was terribly disappointing. It was just a tough, tough year. We didn’t perform as well as we knew we could,” said Murray.
“At the same time there was potential there. We lost that Leicester home game on a few margins and a couple of the away games, you know, we were within a shout.
“Even though we were close to getting it right and we just let ourselves down on occasion. This year hopefully we’ll stay correcting.
“With our attendances last year, that probably went in line with us not performing that well. But this season – with the buzz around, with the new coaches – we have gotten off to a good start”
For the second season in a row Munster face Leicester Tigers in the vital rounds three and four, where the teams face off home and away on consecutive weekends.
There has always been a healthy rivalry between the sides in the competition, but most recently, the Tigers conquered Thomond Park last season and that never goes down well in the province.
It definitely hasn’t sat well with the Munster players.
“Yeah, that one will bring back a bit of bad blood I suppose. You’ll want to right a few wrongs from those two games last year. They were great games to play in and the crowd were unbelievable so we just want to make it up to people on those games.
“Then you have the Racing games to look forward to and Glasgow that are full of really good players. You’ve got a lot of draw to a lot of those games, so hopefully with the buzz with the new coaches and the squad being tight again, the big European games, those crowds should be pretty big.
“The real test will be in Europe and at the end of the season when we are pushing for qualification for knock-out rugby. The proof will be in those games. At the moment there is a real positive vibe, people aren’t really under too much pressure of righting the wrongs of last year.”
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