PUT IN the context of their recent difficulties and the high stakes that were at play last night, Tony McGahan struggled to pick out a better performance from his first campaign as Munster’s head coach. It would be difficult not to be happy with the performance overall, he admitted.
“Most of all I’m just delighted for the players. It was a credit to them the way they came out and played this evening. It was a massive game for us and we certainly knew what the outcome could be if we got the right result. So full credit to them, they were outstanding.”
Asked what pleased him the most about the performance, the Munster coach said: “I thought we showed a better blend between our attacking play and playing a little bit tighter when we needed to. When there was space on the edge I thought we were clinical enough, though we still have some way to go to get that balance right. But I think this evening was as close as we’ve been.”
McGahan paid tribute to Munster’s inspirational talisman Paul O’Connell, and also said he was still getting better, while the captain himself extolled Donncha O’Callaghan for the vital turnover at the start of the second half and the ensuing try by David Wallace as well as the workrate of all the team.
“People talk about defensive systems, but it’s about every player making big tackles and that’s what the lads did today. We have to monitor our mentality next week especially after the high of last week against the Ospreys, which turned our season around,” added McGahan.
Looking ahead to next Saturday, when a win and all the more so with a bonus point away to Montauban would give the champions 23 points and a shot at a home quarter-final, McGahan confirmed that not only would he be sending out a full strength side but that “the big challenge for us will be to put together good back-to-back performances”.
The vanquished Sale coach Philippe Saint-Andre couldn’t have been more fulsome in his praise of Munster and repeatedly referred to his side’s excellent form in the Premiership.
“We need to congratulate Munster. When you concede six tries then you have to say that Munster gave us a lesson in rugby, in their ball carrying and their body positions,” admitted Saint-Andre, who highlighted the dozen or so turnovers Munster forced Sale to cough up as critical to the outcome.
“After they scored two tries we tried to play catch-up and we played too much. There’s nothing else to say except that Munster were much better than us. We have the best defence in the Premiership, nine tries in 11 matches,” he pointed out with a smile that was almost scornful of the stat.
“But today we conceded six tries, so congratulations to Munster, they played very well. To be honest they were fantastic, and I think they will win the Heineken Cup again.
“I think the Red Army must be proud of their team because they were fantastic tonight and good luck to them for the rest of the campaign.”
