BILLY HOLLAND IS a few months out of the Munster squad since his retirement at the end of last season, but his faith in the men who were his team-mates remains undimmed.
The Cork man โ who was been named as this yearโs recipient of the Guinness Rugby Writers of Ireland Tom Rooney Award in recognition of his contribution to Irish rugby โ firmly believes Munster will beat Wasps on Sunday in the Champions Cup.
The southern province have had to deal with serious disruption in the build-up to this weekendโs European clash, but Holland is backing them to win on the road.
โTheyโre going to win 100%, I have no doubt about it,โ said Holland. โI might not even know some of the names on the bench. I have full faith in them that they are going to turn up and wear their hearts on their sleeves.
โItโs going to be one of Munsterโs greatest ever wins. Backs to the wall is an understatement. I have absolutely no doubt theyโre going to rock up and theyโre going to win.โ
While Munster will benefit from the availability of nine international players, as well as potentially being able to name a handful of those who finish self-isolation on Saturday, there will also be some academy players involved this weekend.
For those youngsters, Holland knows the message will be simple.
โJust be yourself, enjoy getting to train with Munster. Donโt try and do anything differently.
โLike Eoin OโConnor [the second row], heโs not trying to be Jean Kleyn or RG Snyman or Fineen Wycherley or Thomas Ahern. Heโs just being Eoin OโConnor โ go out and do what you do.
โItโs the reason they are there in the academy. For some of these lads, they might never get to experience this again, you really donโt know.
โI think that will be a very simple message that the lads will try to get across. Enjoy it, be yourself and if any of them happen to be in the 23-man squad, you go out and get stuck into a load of English lads over in England.โ
While Munster are solely focused on getting the job done in Coventry on Sunday, it remains to be seen what happens with head coach Johann van Graan beyond the end of this season.
The South Africanโs current deal expires at the end of the season but with attack coach Stephen Larkham having already confirmed his departure, Holland is hoping van Graan will stay.
โItโs a huge blow,โ said Holland of Larkhamโs impending exit at the end of this season.
โSteve is the best attack coach I have played under, from an individualโs point of view. I was at Munster for 14 years and he is the first person who is really teaching forwards how to run lines, really teaching forwards how to pass the ball, be on the ball, use their skills.
โItโs a real shame that he is leaving. My hope is that they can get someone who is of an equivalent ability to Steve to come in and replace him and keep Johann and the rest of the crew on board.
โIt is a shame that Steve is leaving but I do believe Johann is definitely the right man for the job, with someone who is like Steve, who has that real attack, skill development mindset.โ
Wasps struggling with a plethora of injuries themselves. Wouldnโt be surprised at all if Munster pulled off it off. Bookies have the home side by eight (I think). Not much for a home side against a decimated travelling squad. Looking forward to this one!
Casey did go. He arrived in SA the morning of that the restrictions were announced. The rest of the internationals were due to fly the next day. Casey joined the squad bubble is is one of either the 14 still in SA or the 34 who are in isolation here in Ireland.
Possible team for the weekend: 1.Kilcoyne
2.Moore
3.Salanoa
4.Beirne
5.OโConnor
6.OโMahony
7.?
8.Okeke
9.Murray
10.Carbery
11.Wren/Philips
12.De Allende
13.Farrell
14.Earls
15.Conway
16.Buckley 17.Donnelly 18.? 19.? 20.? 21.Casey 22.? 23?
@Harry OโCallaghan: Philips is on the circuit with the 7s is he not? Hodnett at 7 and youโre bang on. Was Casey in South Africa?
@Michael Oats: Hodnett is injured. Casey didnโt go and is available
@Michael Oats: Philips is back this week. Hodnett is injured & Casey was playing in the Autumn internationals so heโs available. I donโt now any more of the new 22 young players registered for this fixture.
@Harry OโCallaghan: hodnett will be there, mark my words!! Chat floating about that another one of our internationals on the bench and kelleher from UCC (Irish 20s last summer) could be on bench too.
@Dara: you sure he didnโt fly out like Gav Coombes and Zebo?
@Harry OโCallaghan: Casey landed in SA the morning everything broke about the new variant. Therefore in quarantine with the rest. If any of the isolating lads make it back to the squad Iโve a feeling it will be to the bench. Their experience will count for a lot after the young lads run out of gas.
@Michael Oats: He has an ankle injury.
@Harry OโCallaghan: Weโll see in about half an hour
@Michael Oats: I was just going by the Munster Website haha