NEW FACES SHINE
‘Regardless of the circumstances, it was good to see Grobler getting an ovation like he did’
MUNSTER secured another vital bonus-point win last weekend, John Poland and Gerbrandt Grobler got their first taste of action, and it has set the team up nicely ahead of a tough trip to Cardiff Arms Park.
It was an opportunity for some of the younger guys to shine and show their wares. Jeremy Loughman was a particular stand-out and it’s good to see that sort of depth in the loosehead position.
But it was the impact of the more experienced players who came on that really made the difference, with John Ryan, Rory Scannell and Ian Keatley to the fore and Dave O’Callaghan back from injury.
Regardless of the circumstances, it was good to see Grobler getting an ovation like he did. He has been through a lot over the past month or so, and he had the injuries to contend with before that. Hopefully the worst of that is over now.
It was a hard-fought win and it was a challenging first 50 minutes, Zebre touched down just after half-time and it was 12-5 at that stage.
But from the outset going into that game Munster would have been very happy with the end result. Getting a few guys blooded in the process of another bonus-point win under Johann van Graan is another step in the right direction. It’s not a Champions Cup game but the younger, less experienced players got to see what it is like in a competitive setting.
Poland was in for his first cap off the replacements’ bench, and it was great to see him play because you can never have too much cover in a pivotal position like scrum-half.
He comes with a lot of promise and has captained Pres at Munster Schools level. He seems to have the temperament and ability, and who knows he could be challenging Conor Murray for the No 9 shirt in the near future.
Sam Arnold had another stunning game at centre and he is another player with a massive future ahead of him. He has been unlucky with injury too and still looks to be playing to his potential at an important part of the season.
He has learned an awful lot from time in Irish camp before the Six Nations. You up your game and learn from the professionalism of being a part of an Ireland squad in training. Once you have a taste of that environment, it’s addictive.
NOTICE
In a short space of time Arnold has gone from playing club rugby with Garryowen to the B&I Cup, and now onto the senior set-up. Joe Schmidt has obviously taken notice by bringing him to Spain, and involving him at Carton House too.
The gulf between the different levels is a big realisation for any player. But when you get a taste for the international and professional set-ups you don’t want to go back to the amateurish ways. There is the honour that goes with it too and it’s great to see more Munster players involved.
Cardiff will be a tough one tomorrow, with a few internationals back on both sides. Wales is a tough place to go at the best of times. Munster will be happy with last weekend, but they know this is a chance to go out and improve their performance in testing themselves against a better team again.
Glasgow Warriors are a fair bit ahead of Munster in Conference A, but with a lot of their Scottish contingent missing during the Six Nations, it could be a chance for Munster to cut the deficit a bit.
There are a few of the senior players away but a strong cohort of the main squad are left behind and they will want to keep the ball rolling. It is so important when the Six Nations is going on in the background that the team maintain their position and go forward in the Guinness PRO14.
And the momentum created is so important too. The squad is strong, and there is a winning culture in there at the moment. It’s much easier to come back into a winning squad with guys fighting for your positions.
You come back in from Irish duty but you still aren’t assured of your position at your province. That’s the best way to bring a squad forward.
Going into that Toulon game, I don’t expect Toulon will roll over like Toulouse have done in recent years.
It will be a bigger challenge for Munster and they need to be on a positive footing across all fronts.