The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Townsend hails players in wake of emotional occasion in Limerick
Munster respond on emotional occasion to run in five tries against Glasgow
Disappointed Glasgow head coach Gregor Townsend hailed his players despite being on the wrong end of a Champions Cup thumping in Limerick.
The Munster players produced a stirring display on Saturday, just a day after the province’s former captain Anthony Foley was laid to rest.
The home side racked up five tries in easily brushing aside the challenge of their PRO12 rivals before a raucous capacity crowd of 26,500.
Munster’s performance was all the more remarkable as they played with 14 men for an hour after winger Keith Earls was red-carded for a dangerous 18thminute tackle on hooker Fraser Brown.
Townsend said their preparations had gone well in advance of the game.
The Warriors were exemplary in paying their respects to Foley, with Townsend and fellow coach Dan McFarland attending Friday’s funeral in Killaloe, County Clare, and the players also visiting the Thomond Park shrine to the late number eight.
“As coaches we obviously focus on the rugby, but we are also part of mentally preparing our players, getting them to believe in themselves and go out there and play,” said Townsend, whose side were trailing 31-3 before final-quarter tries from replacements Pat MacArthur and Mark Bennett gave them something to play for.
“This was different and we were focusing on the rugby side of it.
“We talked about what we expected today, with the crowd noise, the whole atmosphere. I felt the players were focused in the meetings and training sessions. We prepared really well.
“Just from the beginning of the game we didn’t defend that well.
“When we had the ball we looked like individuals, rather than sticking to what we know works. Munster looked like a team today. It’s the Champions Cup. We know every game is difficult. This was really difficult today.
“We have missed not picking up any points today and given one of our rivals five points. It will be tough from here.”
Tyler Bleyendaal, centre Jaco Taute and Simon Zebo all touched down for the hosts before half-time, while Munster were awarded a penalty try soon after the restart to secure the bonus point and Rory Scannell claimed the fifth try late on.
The game was entirely overshadowed by Foley’s death, with a minute’s silence impeccably observed before the start.
Spectators in the West Stand at Thomond Park held up placards which spelt out Foley’s nickname ‘Axel’ along with the No 8 shirt, and all Munster’s playing shirts had ‘AXEL’ sewn on their red shirts under the club crest.
The Munster Supporters’ Club choir performed There Is An Isle and soprano Sinead O’Brien then joined them to perform Stand Up And Fight, which the home fans, decked in their traditional red, stood and sang along to.
Munster’s director of rugby Rassie Erasmus said it had been a hugely emotional occasion, adding: “The tough things are the small things. You get into the bus to the field, Axel’s seat is there. You get into the changing room, all the little things that remind you.
“Then you get out to the field and the Munster people, the Irish people, do things that are very personal, with so much emotion and then I wasn’t sure how that would impact on everyone, from the opposition to us, so I am relieved the guys handled it like that.”
Munster: Zebo (R O’Mahony 78), Sweetnam, Taute, R Scannell, Earls, Bleyendaal (Keatley 66), Murray (Williams 76), Kilcoyne (Scott 72), N Scannell (Casey 61), J Ryan (Archer 68), D Ryan (Copeland 78), B Holland, P O’Mahony (O’Donoghue 61), O’Donnell, Stander.
Glasgow: Hogg, Lamont, Dunbar (Bennett 61), Johnson, Hughes, Russell (Murchie 61), Pyrgos (Price 48), Reid, Brown (MacArthur 48), Z Fagerson (Puafisi 44), Swinson, Gray, Harley, Wilson (Wynne 78), Strauss. Replacements not used: Allan, Favaro.
Referee: Jerome Garces (France).
It’s the Champions Cup. We know every gameis difficult. This was really difficult today. GREGOR TOWNSEND