MUNSTER’S WIAN DU PREEZ feels the side struggled to get out of third gear in their 15-9 win over Saracens but another issue is threatening to derail their Heineken Cup campaign – false starts.
For two of the side’s last three games, Munster have almost been whistled off the park for early engagements at scrum time.
Dave Kilcoyne copped the whistle-blowing flak against Scarlets in November while BJ Botha was the player most scolded on saturday.
Add to that, 18 penalties for infringements real or imagined and it is a miracle that Munster left the pitch at Thomond Park as winners with a handful of points to spare.
“It’s how the referee sees it on the day and the information he gets from the side, the touch judges,” du Preez told Limerick’s Live 95fm. “You’ve just got to get on with it.”
“If it’s an early engagement call,” he added, “you’ve got to get back 10 metres. There’s no point on complaining. You just have to get on with your next scrum.”
Another must-win
The South African prop says there was no back-patting after the Thomond victory and the search for improvements continued this week.
If the scrum, in du Preez’s opinion, was 50/50, there is no doubt that Munster pull a swift one on the Saracens lineout. He said:
The had a 100% record going into the weekend but hats off to Donnacha Ryan for the way he organised the lineout.
“I have to mention the other guys, reacting to the movements of the Saracens players having spent hours watching the videos.
“Surely Saracens will be lifting their levels and bringing in some new options so it will be a fresh start for Sunday.”
Farm strength.
One word: Animal
A Combine Harvester.
The way he places the ball at the ref’s feet in that first gif is hilarious. He was unbelievable at the breakdown on Saturday. An absolute tank.
Makes Zebos MOTM award laughable
at the same time sob didn’t do a whole lot else
Zebo didn’t have 4 big positives like this, did he? SOB no pistaches, either.
I was myself happy both played well (we need an alternative to Kearney) but SOB was clearly better.
*mistakes* (french auto correct!)
Against Scotland. That’s nothing to boast about
You’ve done pretty well at the breakdown yourself, have you Mike?
As good as you I’d say
I reckon that a back row of O Mahony, Henry and O Brien is our best scavenging back row.
I would love to see it against a team like Australia who could play Pocock and Hooper.
The choice of Henry over heaslip just baffles me.