ALL IS NOT LOST
Rowntree’s Red rebuild will take some time but better recruitment and smarter investment can speed process
ANOTHER season, another European failure. The Munster fanbase have become somewhat resigned to it at this stage.
The halcyon Heineken Cup glory days feel like a long time ago now. We’re not far off the 20th anniversary of the maiden triumph in 2006 when Biarritz were beaten at Millennium Stadium.
There was a time when Munster’s inability to progress past the semi-final stage drove the narrative, the province falling at that hurdle on seven occasions since the second Heineken Cup victory in 2008.
They haven’t reached that stage since 2019. Munster didn’t get out of their pool the following season. They fell at the last-16 stage in 2021 before losing to Toulouse in a quarter-final penalty shoot-out 12 months later. The Sharks dumped them out at the last-16 last term, with Northampton repeating the trick last weekend.
The fallout will be along predictable lines in the coming days. There have been rumours swirling around about an unhappy camp.
As for optics, where do you start? RG Snyman’s transfer to Leinster, Joey Carbery’s impending departure, Conor Murray and Peter O’Mahony’s contract stand-offs as well as Antoine Frisch’s potential exit to pursue his Test ambitions with France. This is far from a well-oiled machine at the moment, clearly.
No doubt, there will be calls for big changes at Thomond Park.
Maybe everyone needs to take a breath, though, and take stock.
Yes, Munster remain off the pace in the Champions Cup. However, there have been definite signs of progress under the Graham Rowntree coaching ticket. The URC title ended a decade-long title drought, a host of young players have been brought through the system while the attacking game has reached new levels in recent times. All positives.
There are plenty of issues as well. Some are glaring. But Munster can bridge the gap in the years ahead if Rowntree and the province’s power brokers focus their resources and energies on a few key areas…
RECRUITMENT
A lengthy injury list and illness took its toll on Munster in Franklin’s Gardens. Ultimately, this group didn’t have the energy reserves or quality in the replacements to sustain an 80-minute challenge against the English Premiership’s form side.
It merely exposed a long-standing issue in this playing group. Munster have lacked real depth in key areas for quite some time.
The frontrow has been a worryingly bare area for many seasons. After much investment in fledgling tighthead projects such as Keynan Knox and Roman Salanoa, Rowntree — after seeing little return — went to the market and secured the signing of Oli Jager. It proved a masterstroke. The Irish-qualified Crusaders prop settled in quickly and became a first-choice pick. Jager impressed Andy Farrell as well, making his Test debut from the bench in the Six Nations win against Wales a few months back.
The 28-year-old has been limited to just six appearances — including four starts — since he arrived from Christchurch due to a knee injury. When Jager gets back up and running, he will bring real quality and solidity. The big question is: what else do Munster have in reserve? Stephen Archer and John Ryan are 36 and 35 respectively. A pair of operators who don’t have many frontrow NCTs left in them. Knox is rumoured to be departing while Salanoa has been hampered with injury.
Niall Scannell and Diarmuid Barron continue to soldier on but Munster need a marquee signing. Springbok hooker Malcolm Marx and Bulls No2 Johan Grobbelaar have been linked with the province in the past. A player of that quality would be transformative. Same goes for loosehead. Jeremy Loughman is solid. Dave Kilcoyne is out of contract while Josh Wycherley is not trusted enough in big games. A gnarly, tough operator in the mould of Federico Pucciariello would do wonders.
Lock and backrow are stacked with quality, but a tough, experienced player is needed in this department.
Curiously, Munster’s transfer activity so far has been limited to signing Billy Burns and Diarmuid Kilgallen. Smart transfers to add depth at out-half and the back three, especially with Carbery and potentially Frisch and Simon Zebo leaving in the summer.
Munster need big reinforcement up front and, if the noises around a tight budget are true, then the organisation needs to get creative about sourcing more revenue.
FINANCE
Munster don’t have the budget to whip out the chequebook and sign a flurry of Springboks and All Blacks to plug the holes in their current squad. It’s not the way the IRFU conducts its business anyway. Only a few bigname foreign signings are permitted at each province. If Munster want to secure more personnel, they must be Irish qualified, be it a transfer from another province or a player from abroad with a bit of Irish blood flowing through them.
But if Munster want to get serious about their Champions Cup ambitions, they clearly need more star power.
If the margins are tight, then the bean counters at Munster HQ need to be more open and creative about how the province brings in funds. The recent jaunts to Páirc Uí Chaoimh have been a huge success. The home of Cork GAA was packed to the rafters for the visits of South Africa and Crusaders in recent times. It was win-win for all involved.
Maybe it’s time to take a big derby game against Leinster, or a European pool game, to Leeside. Extra ticket sales is more money in the bank. It might irk plenty of people in Limerick but it’s time to think a bit bigger. While we’re on the subject of Thomond Park, it might be time to sell the naming rights to Munster’s hallowed ground. Again, it won’t go down well with the traditionalists but if it allows the club to infuse the frontrow, half backs and midfield with some box-office personnel, the ends will certainly justify the means.
TRUST THE SYSTEM
It’s worth remembering the contributions of Munster’s academy products over the past 18 months or so. Jack Crowley has succeeded Johnny Sexton as Ireland’s first-choice out-half. Calvin Nash was a breakout star in the recent Six Nations title charge.
Tom Ahern, Edwin Edogbo, Brian Gleeson, Ruadhán Quinn, Ben O’Connor and Shay McCarthy have all broken into the senior ranks. Ethan Coughlan and Tony Butler have shown promise.
Craig Casey, John Hodnett, Alex Kendellen and Shane Daly have all become mainstays in the senior ranks, too. Big things are expected of Max Clein, Evan O’Connell and Seán Edogbo in the future. Mike Prendergast and Denis Leamy have won plenty of plaudits for their impacts on the respective attack and defence briefs. Andi Kyriacou won’t be happy with some of the maul defence and lineout work this season, but the Munster forwards coach has had to contend with a large number of injured frontliners. Rowntree may be feeling a bit of heat but this is only the second year of his project and he and his assistant coaches have taken things forward. They just need some extra investment, on and off the pitch, to continue this rebuild.