We’ll be better for wake-up call — Strauss
THE longest unbeaten run since Irish rugby went professional was also its most talked about. But Richardt Strauss has suggested the ending of Leinster’s gallop last Friday might just tighten the team’s focus ahead of the season’s climax. The Ospreys made Leinster pay for injury-inflicted scrum weaknesses in the RDS and hooker Strauss (right) said correcting the mistakes in defeat was more important than simply targeting a return to victory in Thomond Park on Saturday. ‘It’s more important that we execute the stuff that we’re trying to do,’ he said. ‘That’s what we need to get right first. ‘Obviously it’s good to get a few wins under the belt. But we also know it was a good wake-up call for us and a reminder that you have to work hard if you want to get anything. ‘The Ospreys was a very good preparation for us for the Cardiff game because they play a very similar brand of rugby and try to target our rucks. Maybe we’ve learned a lesson in that regard.’ Whether they choose to learn those lessons at the expense of information regarding their next opponents remains to be seen. Strauss was polite when talking up the intensity of the derby date with Munster but there was more substance in his views on the improvements in Munster’s scrum — a relevant subject given the bad luck with props that allowed the Ospreys to power to victory. ‘I’d know BJ from South Africa and he really prides himself on his scrum,’ said Strauss. ‘Wian [du Preez] is playing with him as well so you have two really big, strong men and good scrummagers there. ‘I think they felt a bit vulnerable in the scrum last season and they came up short there once or twice, but BJ and Wian have made a massive difference. If you look through their games you can see that they have a really strong pack now and that’s something we have to deal with. ‘They gave us a lesson in the Aviva in the first game so hopefully we can get one back on them.’
SHANE MCGRATH