Sean Farrell reports from Thomond Park
MUNSTER HEAD COACH Johann van Graan will hope for a positive report from his medical team tomorrow morning after a double injury blow before kick-off against Castres this afternoon.
Both Joey Carbery and Chris Farrell were withdrawn and replaced in Munster’s starting line-up ahead of a messy 30-5 win that sent them back to the top of Heineken Champions Cup Pool 2.
“We made a call at the latest possible hour,” says the South African of Carbery, who was nursing “a very tight hamstring” in the days approaching kick-off.
Whether the pair will be available for the return fixture next weekend will depend on an assessment tomorrow.
“Chris is more difficult to say because it literally happened in the warm-up. We’ll give it over to our medical team. It will be a short week, turning around to play again on Saturday.”
Despite the changes enforced by muscle issues for key players, Munster dominated the meeting with the French champions, who showed no interest in taking the game to their hosts until the closing minutes.
Though errors in line-out and phaseplay stunted Munster’s attack, Van Graan was pleased to see his altered side succeed in testing conditions and under intense defensive pressure.
“It’s not ideal, but that’s why you have a squad. Our squad depth got tested today, both at 10 and 13. Glad JJ stepped up so well and Sammy (Arnold) and Jaco (Taute) came straight into the team.
“Credit to our mindset, it doesn’t matter what happens, we’ve just got to adapt and I’m very happy with that.”
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Carty had a great game. The Connacht players looked absolutely gutted coming off at the end. It was a massive shift to put in. The RDS in the final 10mins was LOUD, seemed louder than the All Black’s game, in the terrace anyways. Heaving so it was. Frawley took some huge hits, especially that one from Aki (Ouch) but had a good game i thought, don’t think I seen him at full back before. Dave Kearney had a mixed game but I felt he stood up as a bit of a leader in the final quarter. Max Deegan did a good job when he came on.
@SPQH: I think the whole of the RDS felt that hit by Aki on Frawley, fair play to him for just jumping straight back up. He can also play centre so a great guy to have on the team.
Jaysus they deserved the win but what a game.
As a connacht fan, we only have ourselves to blame. Our defence I thought was too passive on the gainline. Its been the same all season, with a lack of agression, you give away allot of linebreaks and you’re always scrambling. Thats three we’ve lost in the last ten with poor defending when we should be closing it out. Glasgow, Ospreys and now Leinster. A 6-5 record should be a 9-2, and defeats will probably cost us a play off spot. Amazingly, for a team.who won the pro12, we lack the certainty of confidence that Leinster, Scarlets and Glasgow have.
But fair play to Leinster, their handling was exceptional in the last ten, and they took it from us, rather than us throwing it away even though our composure was awful. Thought Adam Byrne was awesome all game. Connacht have to learn to play for 80, similar to Ireland after the 2013 to the all blacks.
I thought Adam Byrne had a savage game. He always looks for the offload.
Underrated player.
Gutted 4 Connaught they just seemed to run out of petrol.
@Gerald Long: Diesel in the wesht lad
Subs made the difference.
its a f*****g hard one to take!!
Once Leinster brought out the 2nds to replace the 3rds it was all over.