Revenge is a big deal to Keatley
“We need to be on the money from the start”
MUNSTER out-half Ian Keatley is keen to make amends for a Heineken Cup semi-final defeat to Toulon four years ago which is still as fresh in his mind as if it was played last weekend.
Keatley was starting out-half that year alongside Conor Murray, and now with Tyler Bleyendaal a long term absentee he can call the starting shirt his own as they prepare for another crack at the French heavyweights on Saturday.
In 2014 Munster lost by 24-16, but midway through the second half Keatley missed a long range penalty, which would have given his side the lead. In a career of highs and lows he still remembers that.
‘It was an unbelievable game. I remember Simon Zebo made that unbelievable tackle on [Steffon] Armitage in the corner which kept us in it and then we had another chance, I think I had a kick from the half way off to the right and if I had gotten the kick it would have put us in the lead,’ said Keatley.
‘Rugby is such a funny game with momentum and swings that if you do put yourself slightly ahead of them they have to maybe chase the game and bit more and you might create more chances, attacking wise by them trying to pass the ball a bit more.
‘You need to get the lead in these games. You need to start well and you need to build momentum from the start, you can’t expect to let them run away with it for the first 20 minutes and expect to come back and win it.
‘We need to be on the money from the word go on the weekend. We have started our prep today, tomorrow and Wednesday making sure that we are well prepped to make sure we hit the ground running on Saturday.’
Certainly Keatley’s last 12 months has been filled with far more highs. Fresh off the back of his squad involvement in Ireland Six Nations’ Grand Slam win, Keatley made his return to the Munster shirt in their victory over Scarlets last weekend.
But after two months of training alongside Conor Murray in the Ireland camp, there is a certain comfort of being back alongside him on a permanent basis.
‘I’ve played a lot with Conor over the years. If anything, Conor brings that international experience. Obviously he’s just been nominated for Six Nations player of the tournament.
‘Conor is a phenomenal kicking player. We try to use that, maybe not to the max but it is a wonderful weapon to have. That also opens up space for someone else.
‘If they are worried about Conor’s kicking game, space might be on to run so we are trying to get that balance right this week. Hopefully we can exploit the space wherever it arises.’
Injury discussions have seeped all week from Munster with their backline of particular concern, and according to Keatley there is a need to punch clever against such a physical French side.
‘It’s simple science. If you’re 100kg against 130kg you’re more than likely going to lose out there. We have little ways of being nice and direct and attacking them.
‘But we also might have subtle little changes in point of attack. That will be our focus this week. We’re not going to be stupid and think we’re going to out-muscle them. That would be the wrong way to go about it.
‘We are still going to be physical, we’ll still be direct and we’ll change the point of attack and go for the spaces.’