JOHANN VAN GRAAN knows it will be difficult for Munster to bounce back from their Champions Cup exit and make an assault on the Pro14 crown.
But he is confident that they have the temperament to do that and bid for their first silverware since lifting the league crown in 2011.
However, history is not on his side with Munster, whose loss against Racing 92 was their sixth straight defeat in the European semis, having only once lifted the league crown after going out in the last four in Europe.
That came in 2009 in the final season before the play-offs were introduced in the league when Munster put the disappointment of losing the Heineken Cup semi-final to Leinster behind them by holding on at the top of the table for their second league crown.
But that’s the only season when silverware was garnered after a semi-final loss in Europe. They lost the 2010 league play-off to Leinster after going down to Biarritz in the Heineken Cup semi-final.
They failed to make the play-offs after losing the 2013 European semi-final to Clermont while a year later, a last-four loss to Toulon was followed by going down to Glasgow in the league semi-final.
Last season’s European semi-final loss to Saracens was followed by a Pro12 final defeat to Scarlets.
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“Mentally it will be very difficult to get guys fully back up,” said van Graan after the team returned to training in Limerick yesterday.
“I won’t beat about the bush on that. Ever since I came here, I saw how much Munster are in love with European rugby, what it means to the players, the management team and the supporters.
“It will be very difficult. The good thing is that the team spoke about it this morning and said we need to move on. We had a dream of winning both trophies. Unfortunately one is out of our hands and there’s one still to go. It’s all about Ulster this week and then you’ve got to go to a quarter-final to get to a semi-final.
“As a squad we’ve got to face what went wrong. As a management staff and players, I believe we did that this morning and now we’re back to the training field and go forward again.”
Munster: devastated after defeat to Racing. Billy Stickland / INPHO
Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO
He said that while the concession of three tries by the end of the opening quarter was damaging, the review pointed to the deficiencies in failing to turn opportunities into scores before half time as crucial.
“Everybody talks about the first 20 minutes but it was the 30 to 40 minutes, that’s what was discussed at half time as well. We actually got into the game with opportunities to score five or six tries one metre out… you’ve got to give credit to the opposition for the way they stopped it but had our option taking been better, we could have possibly scored but we didn’t.
“That’s why we reviewed it and learned from it and tried to move on to the next game.
“Now we have to channel all that frustration. It will be very difficult. We all gave everything in our hearts to win that game. We gave it all that we’ve got and fell short by five points. Obviously guys rejoined their families yesterday, we faced everything that happened today as a group, players took accountability, coaches took accountability, now we look forward.
“The positives to be taken out of the Pro14 season is that we have already qualified for a home quarter-final in two weeks but we are coming up on Saturday against an Ulster side that has been playing really good rugby over the last few weeks.
“There will be changes to the team. Also at this stage of the season, we want to freshen guys up for a quarter-final and potentially for a semi-final and a final. But that’s potentially a long way into the future and it’s all about Ulster this week.”
Tighthead prop John Ryan (back) and hooker Niall Scannell (AC joint) are doubtful for Saturday’s game.
Meanwhile, former Irish U20 out-half Bill Johnston, whose brother David is moving to Ealing Trailfinders, has signed a two-year contract extension, ending speculation that he might be moving to Connacht.
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Van Graan admits it will be 'mentally very difficult' to get Munster up for Pro14 challenge
JOHANN VAN GRAAN knows it will be difficult for Munster to bounce back from their Champions Cup exit and make an assault on the Pro14 crown.
But he is confident that they have the temperament to do that and bid for their first silverware since lifting the league crown in 2011.
However, history is not on his side with Munster, whose loss against Racing 92 was their sixth straight defeat in the European semis, having only once lifted the league crown after going out in the last four in Europe.
That came in 2009 in the final season before the play-offs were introduced in the league when Munster put the disappointment of losing the Heineken Cup semi-final to Leinster behind them by holding on at the top of the table for their second league crown.
But that’s the only season when silverware was garnered after a semi-final loss in Europe. They lost the 2010 league play-off to Leinster after going down to Biarritz in the Heineken Cup semi-final.
They failed to make the play-offs after losing the 2013 European semi-final to Clermont while a year later, a last-four loss to Toulon was followed by going down to Glasgow in the league semi-final.
Last season’s European semi-final loss to Saracens was followed by a Pro12 final defeat to Scarlets.
“Mentally it will be very difficult to get guys fully back up,” said van Graan after the team returned to training in Limerick yesterday.
“I won’t beat about the bush on that. Ever since I came here, I saw how much Munster are in love with European rugby, what it means to the players, the management team and the supporters.
“It will be very difficult. The good thing is that the team spoke about it this morning and said we need to move on. We had a dream of winning both trophies. Unfortunately one is out of our hands and there’s one still to go. It’s all about Ulster this week and then you’ve got to go to a quarter-final to get to a semi-final.
“As a squad we’ve got to face what went wrong. As a management staff and players, I believe we did that this morning and now we’re back to the training field and go forward again.”
He said that while the concession of three tries by the end of the opening quarter was damaging, the review pointed to the deficiencies in failing to turn opportunities into scores before half time as crucial.
“Everybody talks about the first 20 minutes but it was the 30 to 40 minutes, that’s what was discussed at half time as well. We actually got into the game with opportunities to score five or six tries one metre out… you’ve got to give credit to the opposition for the way they stopped it but had our option taking been better, we could have possibly scored but we didn’t.
“That’s why we reviewed it and learned from it and tried to move on to the next game.
“Now we have to channel all that frustration. It will be very difficult. We all gave everything in our hearts to win that game. We gave it all that we’ve got and fell short by five points. Obviously guys rejoined their families yesterday, we faced everything that happened today as a group, players took accountability, coaches took accountability, now we look forward.
“The positives to be taken out of the Pro14 season is that we have already qualified for a home quarter-final in two weeks but we are coming up on Saturday against an Ulster side that has been playing really good rugby over the last few weeks.
“There will be changes to the team. Also at this stage of the season, we want to freshen guys up for a quarter-final and potentially for a semi-final and a final. But that’s potentially a long way into the future and it’s all about Ulster this week.”
Tighthead prop John Ryan (back) and hooker Niall Scannell (AC joint) are doubtful for Saturday’s game.
Meanwhile, former Irish U20 out-half Bill Johnston, whose brother David is moving to Ealing Trailfinders, has signed a two-year contract extension, ending speculation that he might be moving to Connacht.
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