ON THE BIG occasion, Jack Crowley delivered a big performance.
Munster’s 23-year-old out-half was excellent in the province’s URC final win over the Stormers on Saturday, as discussed on today’s episode of Rugby Weekly Extra – a podcast for subscribers to The 42.
Gavan Casey, Bernard Jackman, and Murray Kinsella analysed Crowley’s performance as part of a wide-ranging discussion of Munster’s success.
Gavan: “Just on Crowley’s kick to touch for that first Munster try, I feel like I beat this drum on my own in that maybe I care too much about it, but I always think a 10 who tries to take every inch out of a kick to touch is such an asset to have.
“If you contrast that to Mannie Libbok’s two kicks to touch in the last two or three minutes, one off his left, one off his right, both of which only get up about as far as the 22, so you can only use your maul to launch from there, rather than to try to score, whereas Crowley pretty much sets up a guaranteed score given their maul success against the Stormers in general.
“That’s the winning and losing of the game right there, that little bit of conviction in kicking to touch and even just taking the time to compose yourself as Crowley did.”
Bernard: “I thought he was incredibly good, especially when you compare him to Libbok, who didn’t have a good day.
Crowley celebrates in Cape Town. Steve Haag Sports / Steve Haag/INPHO
Steve Haag Sports / Steve Haag/INPHO / Steve Haag/INPHO
“Crowley’s confidence must be sky high. Look at the year he has had: breaking into the Irish team in November, being part of the Six Nations squad, going back to Munster and then only three or four weeks there were question marks about whether he should be starting or if they should start Ben Healy.
“They stuck with him and that drop-goal against Leinster and to back it up in the final, he was brilliant in all aspects of the game. That kick for the corner was massive, but also his cross-field kick for Nash’s try and the way he wanted as many touches as he could get.
“He helped Munster to get around that blitz defence quite often, getting into the 15-metre channel and getting go-forward. He takes the ball to the line and he interests defenders and that helps put other people into space. He passes in the tackle or just when he’s getting hit, that’s how flat he plays.
“Even the conversion at the end, letting it run down to six or seven seconds (on the shot clock), getting the conversion meaning that the Stormers needed to score a converted try.
“He just seems to have really good composure and a really good mentality aligned with the skillset he has. There’s a lot of 10s who would go for that kick you’re talking about, Gav, but would kick it out on the full or put it 10 yards out. It’s not just having the personality or character, it’s having the skillset too. He seems to have a very wide range of skills.
“He’s someone who Munster can build a team around. Obviously, the coaches knew that four or five months ago and they backed him. Even if they hadn’t won silverware, you see him and John Hodnett, the level they’ve got to now. They are players that will be there for seven, eight, nine years at least. And there’s more coming, the academy has good young lads.
“Now they’ve got the taste for silverware, it could be status-changing for them. They’ll believe they can dine at the top table, including in Europe.”
Crowley is part of a big West Cork contingent. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
Murray: “The mentality is such a massive side of it. As you say, Berch, the Munster coaches knew Crowley had it but you don’t really know until he’s in a big game.
“What we’ve seen in the last three weeks is that drop-goal in the closing stages to win a game, utterly nerveless, and that conversion said a lot, his whole performance did.
“We all felt, and it is intangible at times, that he has this big-game personality and the authority to be the boss of a team.
“Ronan O’Gara recognised it, game recognising game, and tried to get him over to La Rochelle but this is why Crowley stuck around, to be the main man.
“It looks like it’s going to be his era and he will have his stamp all over that team.”
If you are not already a subscriber and would like to listen to this podcast, sign up here and enjoy unlimited access to The 42.
Get instant updates on your province on The 42 app. With Laya Healthcare, official health and wellbeing partner to Leinster, Munster and Connacht Rugby.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
28 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
'ROG tried to get him to La Rochelle, but this is why Crowley stuck around'
ON THE BIG occasion, Jack Crowley delivered a big performance.
Munster’s 23-year-old out-half was excellent in the province’s URC final win over the Stormers on Saturday, as discussed on today’s episode of Rugby Weekly Extra – a podcast for subscribers to The 42.
Gavan Casey, Bernard Jackman, and Murray Kinsella analysed Crowley’s performance as part of a wide-ranging discussion of Munster’s success.
Gavan: “Just on Crowley’s kick to touch for that first Munster try, I feel like I beat this drum on my own in that maybe I care too much about it, but I always think a 10 who tries to take every inch out of a kick to touch is such an asset to have.
“If you contrast that to Mannie Libbok’s two kicks to touch in the last two or three minutes, one off his left, one off his right, both of which only get up about as far as the 22, so you can only use your maul to launch from there, rather than to try to score, whereas Crowley pretty much sets up a guaranteed score given their maul success against the Stormers in general.
“That’s the winning and losing of the game right there, that little bit of conviction in kicking to touch and even just taking the time to compose yourself as Crowley did.”
Bernard: “I thought he was incredibly good, especially when you compare him to Libbok, who didn’t have a good day.
“Crowley’s confidence must be sky high. Look at the year he has had: breaking into the Irish team in November, being part of the Six Nations squad, going back to Munster and then only three or four weeks there were question marks about whether he should be starting or if they should start Ben Healy.
“They stuck with him and that drop-goal against Leinster and to back it up in the final, he was brilliant in all aspects of the game. That kick for the corner was massive, but also his cross-field kick for Nash’s try and the way he wanted as many touches as he could get.
“He helped Munster to get around that blitz defence quite often, getting into the 15-metre channel and getting go-forward. He takes the ball to the line and he interests defenders and that helps put other people into space. He passes in the tackle or just when he’s getting hit, that’s how flat he plays.
“Even the conversion at the end, letting it run down to six or seven seconds (on the shot clock), getting the conversion meaning that the Stormers needed to score a converted try.
“He just seems to have really good composure and a really good mentality aligned with the skillset he has. There’s a lot of 10s who would go for that kick you’re talking about, Gav, but would kick it out on the full or put it 10 yards out. It’s not just having the personality or character, it’s having the skillset too. He seems to have a very wide range of skills.
“He’s someone who Munster can build a team around. Obviously, the coaches knew that four or five months ago and they backed him. Even if they hadn’t won silverware, you see him and John Hodnett, the level they’ve got to now. They are players that will be there for seven, eight, nine years at least. And there’s more coming, the academy has good young lads.
“Now they’ve got the taste for silverware, it could be status-changing for them. They’ll believe they can dine at the top table, including in Europe.”
Murray: “The mentality is such a massive side of it. As you say, Berch, the Munster coaches knew Crowley had it but you don’t really know until he’s in a big game.
“What we’ve seen in the last three weeks is that drop-goal in the closing stages to win a game, utterly nerveless, and that conversion said a lot, his whole performance did.
“We all felt, and it is intangible at times, that he has this big-game personality and the authority to be the boss of a team.
“Ronan O’Gara recognised it, game recognising game, and tried to get him over to La Rochelle but this is why Crowley stuck around, to be the main man.
“It looks like it’s going to be his era and he will have his stamp all over that team.”
If you are not already a subscriber and would like to listen to this podcast, sign up here and enjoy unlimited access to The 42.
Get instant updates on your province on The 42 app. With Laya Healthcare, official health and wellbeing partner to Leinster, Munster and Connacht Rugby.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
jack crowley main man Munster Munster