CARBERY FARE A BIT DULL IN THE GRAAN SCHEME
JOHANN van Graan avoided a week of questioning his leadership as Munster scraped a two- point win over Connacht at Thomond Park.
Faith in Joey Carbery at out- half, essentially central to the JVG plan, came within an ace of back-firing on the South African.
Unconvincing for most of the game, Carbery may have had set up the try that got the Reds in 7- 6 ahead at half- time.
But repeated TV viewing showed the out- half, having dropped too deep on what was attacking ball, had left most of his intended kicking recipients off- side.
Nonetheless the try stood as Munster looked to be about to see off Connacht before 11 minutes from time, Carbery had a perfunctory clearance from his own 22m blocked down.
Connacht’s No 10 Jack Carty made the blockdown, regathered, and scored before adding the conversion to put his side five points ahead.
A Diarmuid Barron try two minutes from time saved Munster’s bacon, Carbery converting for the win.
“In every match, especially when you are a No 10, you’ve got up and down moments,” said van Graan of Carbery’s erratic performance.
“The important thing for him mentally is that he stayed in the game and that is the sign of a class player.
“We saw that late on when he made that conversion.
“It is a 23- man (albeit sub No 10 Jake Flannery was not used) game and it took everyone to get us into that position.”
As margins went, it should be noted Carty has missed a relatively simple conversion, hitting the post following an earlier Paul Boyle try.
And it is clear van Graan’s margins are narrowing, not least in regard to the out- ofsorts Carbery.
Simply put, Ben Healy looks the in- form Munster out- half.
Consider this;: Munster are away at Ospreys next Saturday before travelling for a double- header to the for Bulls and Lions in late November and early December.
That first game will be in the much- vaunted Loftus Versfeld Stadium, some 1,300 metres above sea level and a the second in Jo’berg at 1,753 metres above sea level — now that’s lung- burning altitude.
Munster’s opening Heineken Cup games follow, away at Wasps and at home to Castres.
Ospreys, Bulls, Lions, Wasps (all away) followed by Castres at home all come before Christmas dinner is served.
Thrives
JVG’s future could rest on just which of his No 10s, Carbery or Healy, gets selected — and thrives.
For now though, and on a far more pleasant plus side, the table doesn’t lie.
Munster won on the night, their fourth URC won from four, a result van Graan can bank, and leaves him in credit.
“It was a very physical interpro,” accepted the South African.
“Both sides gave it all they got and while I’m thrilled that we won, small margins determined the result.
“That’s the beauty of Irish rugby.
“We weren’t accurate enough in the first half specifically.
“But good teams score when it matters and the try before halftime was a big moment.
“We had a very strong wind in the second half and from a territory point of view we managed it pretty well.
“We and managed to come back from the charge down and we finished the game pretty well.”