WHEN DIARMUID BARRON received the message to join a Teams call with his Munster teammates on Tuesday morning, no part of him was expecting the news that Graham Rowntree’s time as head coach was over.
“I definitely didn’t see it coming to be honest, we were told just before it was released to the media,” Barron explains.
“I was shocked. I would have a good relationship with Graham. Yeah, a bit of shock around it but we have a big task on our hands. There is no time to dwell at the moment. We’ve got to drive forward.”
That task is this evening’s meeting with an All Blacks XV [KO 5.30pm, available to stream on Access Munster for €10], but the chat in the pubs and rugby clubs around Thomond Park will centre on Rowntree’s surprise exit.
Rowntree was a popular figure with supporters and Barron, who captains Munster tonight, is grateful for what the former England prop did for his own career.
“I am very fond of Graham, a fantastic family as well, getting to know them over the past few years, it has been great to know them and I would like to think there will be a relationship that will continue on there, so absolutely fondly remembered, the work we have done with him and like many other players as well will cherish the time.
“He showed a lot of faith in me, along with the rest of the coaching ticket, obviously these decisions are made as a group.
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Ian Costello is acting as Munster's interim head coach. Laszlo Geczo / INPHO
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“He has done a lot. I won my first trophy under him. He selected me as captain of Munster for the first time, so I suppose I have a lot to thank him for really. As a player he has been driving me on and showing a lot of faith in me so I have a lot to thank him for.”
With the news still settling in, the players have done what sportspeople do and tried to throw themselves into the next task. There’s an All Blacks XV in town today, and the group are keen to put in a performance for the 26,000-plus who will be in attendance at Thomond Park.
Even with the distraction of Rowntree’s exit dominating the news cycle this week, internally, the province have tried to make the most of what should be a special occasion for the players.
“We had some past players in, we had Brendan Foley actually presented us with our jerseys and spoke briefly and we had some video messages from some world class players like Dougie Howlett,” Barron explains.
“It is all I dreamed of anyway as a kid. It is all you ever heard of in terms of Munster being the first Irish team to beat the All-Blacks. Ireland hadn’t beaten the All-Blacks so it is very special, a special week and we get to show what that means to us.”
Barron captains the team from the front row, where the shortage of options at prop sees John Ryan continue at loosehead, having switched from tighthead against the Sharks last weekend.
Peter O’Mahony’s return is a boost in a strong back row, while Diarmuid Kilgallen is named on the wing to earn his first Munster cap.
The visitors have plenty of talent on board. Fullback Shaun Stevenson, capped once at Test level, is an electric running threat, while all-action flanker Du’Plessis Kirifi has been tipped for an All Blacks cap.
It’s a tough ask against a strong All Blacks selection, but Munster are determined to put a difficult week behind them with a performance to get Thomond Park rocking.
MUNSTER: Mike Haley; Shay McCarthy, Tom Farrell, Rory Scannell, Diarmuid Kilgallen; Billy Burns, Ethan Coughlan; John Ryan, Diarmuid Barron (capt), Stephen Archer; Fineen Wycherley, Tom Ahern; Peter O’Mahony, John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes.
Replacements: Niall Scannell, Kieran Ryan, Ronan Foxe, Evan O’Connell, Ruadhán Quinn, Paddy Patterson, Tony Butler, Ben O’Connor.
ALL BLACKS XV: Shaun Stevenson; Chay Fihaki, AJ Lam, Quinn Tupaea, Kini Naholo; Harry Plummer, Finlay Christie; George Bower, Brodie McAlister, George Dyer; Isaia Walker-Leawere, Fabian Holland; Oliver Haig, Du’Plessis Kirifi (capt), Devan Flanders.
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Shock of Rowntree exit hangs over Munster's meeting with All Blacks XV
WHEN DIARMUID BARRON received the message to join a Teams call with his Munster teammates on Tuesday morning, no part of him was expecting the news that Graham Rowntree’s time as head coach was over.
“I definitely didn’t see it coming to be honest, we were told just before it was released to the media,” Barron explains.
“I was shocked. I would have a good relationship with Graham. Yeah, a bit of shock around it but we have a big task on our hands. There is no time to dwell at the moment. We’ve got to drive forward.”
That task is this evening’s meeting with an All Blacks XV [KO 5.30pm, available to stream on Access Munster for €10], but the chat in the pubs and rugby clubs around Thomond Park will centre on Rowntree’s surprise exit.
Rowntree was a popular figure with supporters and Barron, who captains Munster tonight, is grateful for what the former England prop did for his own career.
“I am very fond of Graham, a fantastic family as well, getting to know them over the past few years, it has been great to know them and I would like to think there will be a relationship that will continue on there, so absolutely fondly remembered, the work we have done with him and like many other players as well will cherish the time.
“He showed a lot of faith in me, along with the rest of the coaching ticket, obviously these decisions are made as a group.
“He has done a lot. I won my first trophy under him. He selected me as captain of Munster for the first time, so I suppose I have a lot to thank him for really. As a player he has been driving me on and showing a lot of faith in me so I have a lot to thank him for.”
With the news still settling in, the players have done what sportspeople do and tried to throw themselves into the next task. There’s an All Blacks XV in town today, and the group are keen to put in a performance for the 26,000-plus who will be in attendance at Thomond Park.
Even with the distraction of Rowntree’s exit dominating the news cycle this week, internally, the province have tried to make the most of what should be a special occasion for the players.
“We had some past players in, we had Brendan Foley actually presented us with our jerseys and spoke briefly and we had some video messages from some world class players like Dougie Howlett,” Barron explains.
“It is all I dreamed of anyway as a kid. It is all you ever heard of in terms of Munster being the first Irish team to beat the All-Blacks. Ireland hadn’t beaten the All-Blacks so it is very special, a special week and we get to show what that means to us.”
Barron captains the team from the front row, where the shortage of options at prop sees John Ryan continue at loosehead, having switched from tighthead against the Sharks last weekend.
Peter O’Mahony’s return is a boost in a strong back row, while Diarmuid Kilgallen is named on the wing to earn his first Munster cap.
The visitors have plenty of talent on board. Fullback Shaun Stevenson, capped once at Test level, is an electric running threat, while all-action flanker Du’Plessis Kirifi has been tipped for an All Blacks cap.
It’s a tough ask against a strong All Blacks selection, but Munster are determined to put a difficult week behind them with a performance to get Thomond Park rocking.
MUNSTER: Mike Haley; Shay McCarthy, Tom Farrell, Rory Scannell, Diarmuid Kilgallen; Billy Burns, Ethan Coughlan; John Ryan, Diarmuid Barron (capt), Stephen Archer; Fineen Wycherley, Tom Ahern; Peter O’Mahony, John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes.
Replacements: Niall Scannell, Kieran Ryan, Ronan Foxe, Evan O’Connell, Ruadhán Quinn, Paddy Patterson, Tony Butler, Ben O’Connor.
ALL BLACKS XV: Shaun Stevenson; Chay Fihaki, AJ Lam, Quinn Tupaea, Kini Naholo; Harry Plummer, Finlay Christie; George Bower, Brodie McAlister, George Dyer; Isaia Walker-Leawere, Fabian Holland; Oliver Haig, Du’Plessis Kirifi (capt), Devan Flanders.
Replacements: Bradley Slater, Xavier Numia, Marcel Renata, Naitoa Ah Kuoi, Corey Kellow, Noah Hotham, Josh Jacomb, Ruben Love.
Referee: Takehito Namekawa.
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