Ben Healy leads the charge for Munster as Pro 14 resumes
THE first weekend of t he new s eason down and a clean sweep for the Irish provinces across the opening round of the Guinness Pro14.
Leinster, seeking a f ourth consecutive title this term, looked in ominous form on Friday night as Leo Cullen’s squad swept the Dragons aside in a comfortable 35-5 win, while Ulster defeated Treviso 35-24 in a hugely- entertaining encounter in Belfast.
Munster’s Lazarus-like, finalquarter f i ghtback at Parc Y Scarlets was the highlight of Saturday’s action, with Connacht ending a six-game losing streak against Glasgow with an encouraging 28-24 win over the Scots in Galway.
A good weekend for Irish rugby ahead of this marathon season. Here, Sportsmail addresses the major talking points from the first chapter of this new campaign…
HEALY IS THE HERO AS HANRAHAN FEELS THE HEAT
The scene was suitably grim with 15 minutes left on the clock at Parc Y Scarlets. It was Munster’s first outing since that Pro14 semi-final loss to Leinster last month. The backlash to that performance was seismic in the weeks that followed. Johann van Graan’s side came in for plenty of criticism in the wake of that display for their conservative tactics on the night. And it was more of the same at Scarlets HQ. You could almost hear t he audible sighs across homes in Cork, Limerick, Clare, Tipperary and Waterford on Saturday afternoon when Craig Casey – deputising for Conor Murray – decided to hoist up yet another box kick during a cagey first quarter. Only thing was he elected to use the much- criticised tactic on the edge of the Scarlets 22 when Munster were in a prime attacking position. Van Graan, who has been feeling the pressure of late, had stated his desire to back the province’s promising academy products this season and had given Casey his chance, but – frustratingly – the livewire half-back was seemingly being asked to fulfil Murray’s role as the team’s tactical kicker rather than play his natural game. Some of the officiating was questionable, but Munster were very much the architects of their own downfall with poor discipline, again. When Peter O’Mahony was sent off for a second yellow card – two soft infringements it must be said – it looked like an openinground loss was inevitable. Trailing 24-10, down to 14 men and lacking confidence, Munster were in big trouble. Step forward, Ben Healy and other young guns such as Fineen Wycherly and Gavin Coombes. JJ Hanrahan had been off his game for most of the afternoon, miscuing kicks to touch and at goal, with the Kerryman called ashore midway through the second half.
Healy is still a novice at this level but there has been plenty of excitement about the Tipp man’s potential ever since he guided Glenstal Abbey to their first-ever Munster Senior Schools Cup title in 2018. Healy and Casey, after all, were part of that superb Ireland U20 team that clinched a Six Nations Grand Slam in 2019 for good measure.
Healy’s nerveless l ast- gasp penalty to win the game won the headlines but Coombes and Wycherley, two fiery locks sourced from West Cork, made big impressions in the second half.
Healy clearly has the right stuff for this level. Ditto, Coombes and Wycherley. And the feeling among sources down in Munster is that Jack O’Sullivan, John Hodnett and Thomas Ahern are ready to make the step up as well. The first hour of Munster’s performance felt like the bad old days but the final quarter offered a glimpse into the future. Van Graan must embrace it.
HOPES AND FEARS FOR FARRELL
There was no sign of Andy Farrell at the RDS on Friday night, but Mike Catt and John Fogarty were in attendance.
They wouldn’t have learned much that they didn’t know already before that rout of the Dragons, but Catt – Ireland’s attack coach – will have been heartened by the displays of Hugo Keenan, J a mes Lowe a nd Jamison Gibson-Park.
Keenan has enjoyed a breakout campaign but this was his first run- out at f ull- back after a positional switch with Jordan Larmour, who looked far more comfortable on the wing. Keenan
is a physical, lively presence and, crucially, he looks to have the skills and temperament to command the backfield.
Farrell is set to name his squad for the forthcoming international campaign (taking in the rescheduled Six Nations games and the Autumn Nations Cup) this week and it would be no surprise to see Keenan make the cut.
Lowe and Gibson-Park are now qualified for Ireland and wherever you stand on the polarising issue of the residency ruling, there is no doubt that the Kiwi pair are bang in form and primed to make their mark at Test level in the coming months.
The provinces are awash with quality centres at the moment, with Bundee Aki and Garry Ringrose the clear favourites to start in Ireland’s midfield this autumn, and Robbie Henshaw the next cab off the rank.
Chris Farrell will be there or thereabouts, but Ireland’s head coach may want to take a closer look at Ulster’s James Hume while Tom Farrell – who has trained at Carton House under the previous regime – was superb for Connacht last weekend.
John Cooney is regaining his confidence after an early-season wobble while Rhys Ruddock reminded Farrell of his abrasive qualities with a powerful display.
Injuries to Johnny Sexton, Andrew Porter and Max Deegan are a worry while Peter O’Mahony was quiet again before his sending off in Llanelli. Plenty to focus Farrell’s mind in the days ahead.
LATE KICK-OFFS ARE LEAVING EVERYONE BEHIND
An 8.15pm kick- off time is a most unforgiving deadline for newspapers on a Friday night. And it seems that players, staff and supporters are not big fans either. The late, late show was justified in the past to satisfy the needs of broadcasters but press, pundits and punters alike are feeling a bit short- changed by the current arrangement.
A more civil kick- off time of 7pm would be most welcome.