Leinster now everyone’s target, warns Cronin
Munster finally show signs of living up to legacy of 2008 icons
LEINSTER must learn to cope with having a target on their backs, according to hooker Sean Cronin. The reigning Pro14 and European champions were ambushed by a fired-up Munster side at Thomond Park last Saturday, and now face a season-defining month. Leo Cullen’s men play Ulster at the RDS on Saturday before welcoming Toulouse to the same venue seven days later. The French giants will be looking to follow up their 28-27 win over the province back in October, and Cronin has warned his teammates that Leinster are now the biggest scalp in Europe. ‘I think after you have a season like we did last year, there is a massive target on your back,’ he said, citing the defeat in France and manner of the fallout. ‘Take the Toulouse game… the reaction of their fans and coaching staff after beating us, I think that’s something that we definitely have to be better at coping with that. ‘We have a big target on our backs, the season before that we lost to Clermont and at home to Scarlets in the semi-final, we were hunting those guys the following year. ‘We’re playing the hunted now.’
IT WAS far from perfect, but Munster’s victory over Leinster at Thomond Park last weekend could, in time, come to be seen as a major turning point for the province.
Defeat would have meant three losses on the bounce heading into the defining period of their season, but seeing off a fired up and near full-strength Leinster before a feral full house in Limerick has sent a bolt of energy through the province.
They can now approach this month’s crucial Champions Cup games with an extra layer of belief and confidence.
While Johann van Graan’s men unquestionably benefited from the red card issued to James Lowe after 31 minutes – as well as yellows for Cian Healy and Tadhg Furlong before that – there was still much encouragement to be found in the way their side fashioned that 26-17 triumph.
Leinster admitted afterwards they may have been too wound up for the contest and suffered accordingly. Their discipline issues were also a consequence of being placed under intense pressure.
Much has been made of the move towards a more varied attacking game under Van Graan, but there were definite echoes of the grinding, claustrophobic performances of the province’s storied past – when Munster would make it their mission to force opponents to crack under the pressure.
The shadow of the European Cup-winning sides of 2006 and 2008 has hung over Munster for 10 years, while it has been eight years since they last lifted the Celtic League trophy, but Saturday suggested the province may finally be in a position to emulate their predecessors — if they can carry the same fire and focus with them on the road.
And, with unprecedented depth in this Munster squad, when you compare this side with the 2008 vintage, there are a clutch of current players who merit inclusion on a combined XV — a notable break from the harsh reality of previous seasons. The evidence suggests Munster have the squad to reclaim glory and, based on last Saturday, the attitude to make it count. Now it is about finding the 2008 levels of consistency to
carry it through...
THEN AND NOW...
Combined XV - best of 2008 & 2018-19
15 ANDREW CONWAY (2018-19)
Denis Hurley did a fine job when called into the Munster side for their run to the title — his size making him a force in defence and a powerful runner in attack. However, Conway has been Munster’s most potent attacking threat over the last two seasons and, although used primarily as a winger, his bravery and pace are also ideally suited to 15.
14 DOUG HOWLETT (2008)
One of the great overseas signings, the prolific All Black brought class and presence to the Munster backline and has rightly taken his place in the province’s hall of fame.
13 RUA TIPOKI (2008)
Johann van Graan is well served at centre at present and Chris Farrell could yet become a Munster great if he can shake off his injury issues. Tipoki, the quick-stepping and ferocious tackling Maori, had a huge impact during his two-season stay with the province.
12 LIFEIMI MAFI (2008)
Rory Scannell is bedding in as a play-making 12 and possesses a more rounded game than Mafi. However, the Tongan centre, with the pace of a winger, was an explosive presence in midfield when Munster last claimed European glory and was the perfect foil for Tipoki.
11 KEITH EARLS (2018-19)
Earls was just starting out in 2008 and was on the bench for the Cardiff final when Ian Dowling came from relative obscurity to produce a series of powerful displays in the 11 jersey. Ten years on, Earls is at the peak of his powers — the magic that marked him out as an extraordinary young talent now augmented by the guile that comes with experience.
10 RONAN O’GARA (2008)
Joey Carbery must be weary of the constant references to O’Gara and the Corkman’s dominating influence on the province over 15 years. Encouragingly, Carbery is starting to make his mark but O’Gara’s status as Munster’s greatest 10 is unlikely to ever change.
9 CONOR MURRAY (2018-19)
Tomás O’Leary and Peter Stringer were both key figures in Munster’s mid-2000s success but Murray has raised the bar since coming into the side in 2011. The Limerick native has years to go in his career but is already correctly regarded as the finest scrum-half to play for Munster — and Ireland.
1 DAVID KILCOYNE (2018-19)
Marcus Horan had a highly distinguished Munster and Ireland career for over a decade but, just turned 30, Kilcoyne is hitting top form, to the point of putting serious heat on Cian Healy and Jack McGrath in an intriguing loosehead contest as Ireland build towards the World Cup.
2 JERRY FLANNERY (2008)
Niall Scannell is coming through powerfully with province and country but Flannery (who as forwards coach has done much to aid Scannell’s progress) was among
the world’s best hookers between 2006 and 2010 — his set-piece excellence matched by an innate hardness that made him hugely effective all over the park.
3 JOHN HAYES (2008)
John Ryan and Stephen Archer are ensuring Munster no longer have an issue at tighthead, which was a problem position following the retirement of Hayes in 2011. The ‘Bull’ was a rock for his province and country through the 2000s, the reason he played into his late 30s and was so hard to replace.
4 DONNCHA O’CALLAGHAN (2008)
The ultimate second-row workhorse, who was happy to do the heavy lifting to free up others around him and was hugely effective in the role — to the point of winning 94 caps for Ireland and four for the Lions.
5 PAUL O’CONNELL (capt, 2008)
Jean Kleyn has taken on the role of Munster enforcer while Tadhg Beirne is ripping it up alongside as a breakdown terrorist and superb all-round footballer. However, the iconic O’Callaghan-O’Connell partnership is untouchable, with Munster’s 2008 captain carrying a presence that marks him out as one of the finest second rows the game has seen.
6 PETER O’MAHONY (2018-19)
Alan Quinlan had probably his best year when Munster last scaled Europe’s summit and was a skilful, uncompromising force on the flank throughout his lengthy career. O’Mahony is from the same mould, with the extra quality of inspirational leadership very similar to O’Connell and plays with a burning intensity that makes him the figurehead for the current crop.
7 DAVID WALLACE (2008)
Chris Cloete has used his traditional, ball-snaffling openside skills to good effect since joining Munster but has a long way to go to match the impact made by Wallace, one of the best backrows in the world through the 2000s.
8 CJ STANDER (2018-19)
The South African has been hugely influential through a difficult period and looks to be hitting his best form again. Denis Leamy’s raw power and abrasiveness typified the aggression that made the Munster pack so feared in its pomp but Stander’s relentless industry gets him the nod.