With the score 5-0 in Munster's favour against Ospreys at Thomond Park last weekend, it was plain to see that had Keith Earls, Simon Zebo or Felix Jones been on the pitch the Welsh would not have scored that converted try four minutes after Gerhard van den Heever's touchdown. Munster lost the game 14-19.
Clearly management will have a vision of how they want the game to be played. Deep cultures are generated when players follow the coach’s vision and not the coach himself. This is the extremely tricky balancing act between management and leadership.
Last week Van den Heever displayed fast feet throughout and scored a beautiful try but is less comfortable in defence, especially when facing multiple attackers.
As Justin Tipuric and co created space and momentum Van den Heever faced Andrew Bishop, Justin Tipuric and Jeff Hassler. On Van den Heever's inside Pan Keatley worked his socks off to fill the gap on Bishop which freed Van den Heever for Tipuric and crucially allowed Johne Murphy at fullback to step out and smash Hassler. But Van den Heever joined Keatley to double Bishop and an overlap was created, 5-7.
An easy answer is to amend (or manage) the vision, to the players available, but that stunts the growth and ambition within the team. This would eventually render the team into a negative style of mauling and corner kicking.
Back on track
Munster are determined to get back on track. What is back on track? I tend to agree with
Conor Murray
: “There is pressure on us, but I think we are not far away from clicking.”
The challenge for the management is suitably fit personnel that are currently capable of fulfilling the vision.
For instance Munster have struggled around the base of the scrum especially when the scrum is unsteady. One compounding the other. A 60-minute Munster scrum was sloppy at the base and Ospreys scrumhalf Rhys Webb scampered away in possession.
Four minutes later the Munster scrum is stepped backwards resulting in a poorly controlled pop-out ball with Murray under terrible pressure from Webb, a penalty to make it 14-16. That’s 10 cheap points conceded, excluding missed Munster kicks.
Munster have been hitting the gainline quickly while going the same way in possession. And every now and then they like to switch against the grain when Keatley spun left to hit BJ Botha with Ospreys pushing up both sides.
Munster have developed a keen attacking play from deep, especially off scrums, which could test Leinster. On a 30 minute right-hand scrum on Munster's 22 Denis Hurley received directly from Murray while switching with Keatley.
Ivan Dineen at 13 ran a hard line of support for Hurley with Keatley sliding out behind the screen to receive from Hurley. As 12, 13 from Ospreys narrowed to defend with their back three hanging back for a kick, Keatley found Murphy on the opposite side with a two versus one with Van den Heever carrying to the half-way line and into touch.
Four Munster passes, all crisp and clean. Good play which would have been enhanced had Van den Heever elected to drill the ball down the tracks.
Therein lies Munster’s challenge: good play resulting in a lineout and infringement penalty. Injuries are impacting the vision. So do Munster stunt the vision?
Maximise resources
It seems with an abundance of players to step in, the reverse is Leinster’s challenge which is interesting, considering their destruction of Cardiff. They have the personnel but are struggling to maximise their resources.
Left winger Darragh Fanning has sparkled. Initially off Eoin Reddan’s excellent box kicks where Fanning put huge pressure on Cardiff. Possession is not the issue for Leinster but how they use it.
At the Sportsground it was a consistent series of one up carries with very little invention. At the RDS much of the back play was inaccurate and behind the shoulder, limiting talent such as Fanning. Early season blues?
I do expect Leinster to target Munster’s midfield. Hurley at 12 has much to offer but the immature chain of three (10, 12 and 13) defence off second phase tomorrow will be interesting. Last week, within two phases Dan Biggar created two massively different outcomes. Off an Osprey scrum he attacked the line with 12 (Josh Matavesi) on an inside switch which tested Keatley and Hurley’s defence reading and tackle. Both held their zone with Keatley tackling 12, job done.
Off the subsequent ruck Biggar received possession, slipping out and shaping to spin a big one into midfield but feigned the right-hand pass and attacked Hurley’s inside shoulder. Crucially Keatley was still tied up from the tackle with Munster’s openside filling the slot.
Linking Connacht and Cardiff the question is where is Leinster's accuracy? Off a 24-minute scrum outhalf Jimmy Gopperth received with Ian Madigan screening in front for a pre-planned cut out targeting Gordon Darcy. It arrived miles behind his shoulder. Rhys Ruddock stepped up where he massive left-armed Chris Dicomidis and Lewis Jones for a five pointer. Brilliant, but covering up early season cracks?
Leinster’s starting rows will be interesting with two possible beanpoles (Devon Toner and Kane Douglas) in the engine room providing a lineout luxury to test Munster but lacking an enforcer in the trenches.
Understandably Douglas was a yard off last week and needs games. Munster’s lineout stats are very positive with much of their successful takes close to the front which is good for possession.
Will Leinster ignore the front to protect further back?
In the end it may all come down the scrum as it did last season with Munster ignoring Michael Bent, electing to target Mike Ross where tomorrow the referee may become the biggest player in “vision”. liamtoland@yahoo.com
