TODAY IS THE day the real work starts at Munster. Having negotiated their way through a challenging week which started with Graham Rowntree departing the province and ended with Saturday’s thrilling Thomond Park clash against an All Blacks XV, the balls and bibs will be packed away as focus turns to the boardrooms and offices at Munster HQ.
Saturday’s entertaining 38-24 loss to the All Blacks was the last day of work for the players before a welcome 10-day break. Those not involved in Ireland’s November internationals will use the time to decompress after a difficult start to the season which yielded just two wins from their opening six games.
For the Munster staff, there’s no such luxury as this morning was marked in as the real start of the recruitment process for their next permanent head coach.
Head of Rugby Operations Ian Costello, was is currently deputising as interim head coach, outlined last week that CVs were already flying in from around the world. Interest may be high, but getting the right man is crucial for a province who are determined to be competitive on two fronts come the business end of the season.
“There is a bit of work in profiling the coach we are looking for, how they would add to what we have already because genuinely we feel like we are doing an awful lot of things really well and that alignment and integration, we want someone that is going to add to that,” Costello says.
“If it takes a month, if it takes three months, if it takes seven, the key thing is we get the right person, the right (fit) for the squad for what we have built already.
“I think that’s where we have to be really clear. We have to have confidence in the direction we are going, the strategy we have had, the vision we have had in the last couple of years, and then find a coach.
If it takes the rest of the season to get the right person, so be it.”
Saturday’s meeting with the All Blacks XV provided a welcome opportunity for the players to get back on the pitch after a testing week behind the scenes.
Munster digested the defeat with familiar frustrations around some of their execution and unforced errors, but were largely proud of a spirited team effort.
Young players were key to that charge. Munster had six Academy players involved, including four in their pack, with young props Kieran Ryan and Ronan Foxe part of an effort that won a big scrum penalty under the East Stand.
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Munster's Shay McCarthy, Ben O'Connor, Ruadhan Quinn, Kieran Ryan, Ronan Foxe and Evan O'Connell after the game/ Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
And there was a scrapbook moment for Academy lock Evan O’Connell – nephew of Munster legend Paul – who marked his first senior cap with a superb turnover penalty in his first action on the pitch.
The home crowd may not have got the desired result, but these were encouraging glimpses at promising young talents.
“I think sometimes we underestimate how much pressure is on young players,” Costello said.
Evan O'Connell shone for Munster off the bench against the All Blacks XV.
The 20-year-old academy second row, who is Paul O'Connell's nephew, won this smart turnover.
Involved in the tackle, swings back around into legal position, and jackals to win penalty. pic.twitter.com/GW6xWuIr4j
“He (O’Connell) captained the Ireland U20s side and was on the bench for the Ulster game last season and didn’t come on, so he looks around and sees all his Academy teammates getting debuts, you know, Ruadhan Quinn is in double figures now, Brian Gleeson has played Heineken Cup. He’s looking around and these are the guys he’s playing with at national level and he’s just been unfortunate.
“I think there’s a little bit of a monkey off the back now and I’m just delighted for him. You could see his celebration when he got the jackal, how much it meant to him. I spoke to him and his family, who were in the dressing room afterwards and he should have a class future ahead of him.”
Diarmuid Barron captained Munster on the night and felt it was a significant moment in his career.
“Captaining Munster against an All Blacks side has to be right up there,” Barron said.
“I suppose the feeling in the dressing room at half-time, even at the end, I know we came away at the wrong side of the result, but if you could bottle up the feeling of the exhaustion and the feeling that you have gone to war with lads younger than you, lads older than you who are close to 300 hundred games in and lads that it’s their first game…
Diarmuid Barron captained Munster on Saturday. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
“It’s a very special feeling, particularly here. Memories like that last with you for a long time. It’s a pity we didn’t win obviously, it would have been a particularly special memory.”
Over 26,000 packed into Thomond and delivered a raucous atmosphere as the sides shared 10 tries, the excitement around the fixture highlighting why these games still hold a place in the modern game.
“I was expecting it to be a big occasion and I’ve still got hairs standing up on the back of my neck,” added Costello. “I’ve been here a lot of times when it’s been full in the last 15 years and I think nights like tonight have to stay in the game.
“It’s because we were so competitive against a South African XV last year that they (New Zealand) wanted to play this fixture so we think we’ve still got a very strong brand, well known around the world, and the history of the fixture made it special tonight.
“And then you throw in a full Thomond going crazy. Yeah, I hope they never go out of the game.”
The All Blacks XV head coach Clayton McMillan echoed those sentiments.
“It was an unbelievable experience. We had heard about the passion of the Limerick people and the Munster supporters and we got that in spades, I thought. Coming in we saw the energy of the crowd, they come in early. They sing and they are right behind every play. The silence when the goal kickers are on: there are some things that we just don’t see back in New Zealand so it was a hell of an experience and the game contributed massively towards that.
“There is a huge appetite among coaching staff and players (in New Zealand) to come and have these experiences.
It’s almost a throwback to the old days when you used to have tours and playing club sides. Those are memories that last a lifetime.
“For all of our guys who were involved, this is something that will last a long time for the competitiveness of the game and just the overall experience. We have been so well-received here in Munster. It’s an experience that has been quite different.
“The people have been really friendly. We’ve been looked after from the hotel to Garryowen where we trained, nothing has ever been too hard and too much to ask for. The people have been fantastic and the icing on the cake.”
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'If it takes the rest of the season to get the right person, so be it'
TODAY IS THE day the real work starts at Munster. Having negotiated their way through a challenging week which started with Graham Rowntree departing the province and ended with Saturday’s thrilling Thomond Park clash against an All Blacks XV, the balls and bibs will be packed away as focus turns to the boardrooms and offices at Munster HQ.
Saturday’s entertaining 38-24 loss to the All Blacks was the last day of work for the players before a welcome 10-day break. Those not involved in Ireland’s November internationals will use the time to decompress after a difficult start to the season which yielded just two wins from their opening six games.
For the Munster staff, there’s no such luxury as this morning was marked in as the real start of the recruitment process for their next permanent head coach.
Head of Rugby Operations Ian Costello, was is currently deputising as interim head coach, outlined last week that CVs were already flying in from around the world. Interest may be high, but getting the right man is crucial for a province who are determined to be competitive on two fronts come the business end of the season.
“There is a bit of work in profiling the coach we are looking for, how they would add to what we have already because genuinely we feel like we are doing an awful lot of things really well and that alignment and integration, we want someone that is going to add to that,” Costello says.
“If it takes a month, if it takes three months, if it takes seven, the key thing is we get the right person, the right (fit) for the squad for what we have built already.
“I think that’s where we have to be really clear. We have to have confidence in the direction we are going, the strategy we have had, the vision we have had in the last couple of years, and then find a coach.
Saturday’s meeting with the All Blacks XV provided a welcome opportunity for the players to get back on the pitch after a testing week behind the scenes.
Munster digested the defeat with familiar frustrations around some of their execution and unforced errors, but were largely proud of a spirited team effort.
Young players were key to that charge. Munster had six Academy players involved, including four in their pack, with young props Kieran Ryan and Ronan Foxe part of an effort that won a big scrum penalty under the East Stand.
And there was a scrapbook moment for Academy lock Evan O’Connell – nephew of Munster legend Paul – who marked his first senior cap with a superb turnover penalty in his first action on the pitch.
The home crowd may not have got the desired result, but these were encouraging glimpses at promising young talents.
“I think sometimes we underestimate how much pressure is on young players,” Costello said.
“He (O’Connell) captained the Ireland U20s side and was on the bench for the Ulster game last season and didn’t come on, so he looks around and sees all his Academy teammates getting debuts, you know, Ruadhan Quinn is in double figures now, Brian Gleeson has played Heineken Cup. He’s looking around and these are the guys he’s playing with at national level and he’s just been unfortunate.
“I think there’s a little bit of a monkey off the back now and I’m just delighted for him. You could see his celebration when he got the jackal, how much it meant to him. I spoke to him and his family, who were in the dressing room afterwards and he should have a class future ahead of him.”
Diarmuid Barron captained Munster on the night and felt it was a significant moment in his career.
“Captaining Munster against an All Blacks side has to be right up there,” Barron said.
“I suppose the feeling in the dressing room at half-time, even at the end, I know we came away at the wrong side of the result, but if you could bottle up the feeling of the exhaustion and the feeling that you have gone to war with lads younger than you, lads older than you who are close to 300 hundred games in and lads that it’s their first game…
“It’s a very special feeling, particularly here. Memories like that last with you for a long time. It’s a pity we didn’t win obviously, it would have been a particularly special memory.”
Over 26,000 packed into Thomond and delivered a raucous atmosphere as the sides shared 10 tries, the excitement around the fixture highlighting why these games still hold a place in the modern game.
“I was expecting it to be a big occasion and I’ve still got hairs standing up on the back of my neck,” added Costello. “I’ve been here a lot of times when it’s been full in the last 15 years and I think nights like tonight have to stay in the game.
“It’s because we were so competitive against a South African XV last year that they (New Zealand) wanted to play this fixture so we think we’ve still got a very strong brand, well known around the world, and the history of the fixture made it special tonight.
“And then you throw in a full Thomond going crazy. Yeah, I hope they never go out of the game.”
The All Blacks XV head coach Clayton McMillan echoed those sentiments.
“It was an unbelievable experience. We had heard about the passion of the Limerick people and the Munster supporters and we got that in spades, I thought. Coming in we saw the energy of the crowd, they come in early. They sing and they are right behind every play. The silence when the goal kickers are on: there are some things that we just don’t see back in New Zealand so it was a hell of an experience and the game contributed massively towards that.
“There is a huge appetite among coaching staff and players (in New Zealand) to come and have these experiences.
“For all of our guys who were involved, this is something that will last a long time for the competitiveness of the game and just the overall experience. We have been so well-received here in Munster. It’s an experience that has been quite different.
“The people have been really friendly. We’ve been looked after from the hotel to Garryowen where we trained, nothing has ever been too hard and too much to ask for. The people have been fantastic and the icing on the cake.”
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Diarmuid Barron evan o'connell Ian Costello Munster the search is on