David Corkery on Munster Rugby: I'm sick of the false dawns, new coaches and excuses

Welcome to the stimulating and sometimes very unforgiving world of European Cup rugby, Mr McMillan.

If Munster’s new coach Clayton McMillan was looking forward to experiencing the very special ambience that only European Cup rugby can produce, I think he got more than he could have ever have bargained for on Saturday night.

SHOCK TO THE SYSTEM

In sport, you sometimes need a good hard shock to the system before you can truly understand where you stand in the greater scheme of things. In the damp and cold air that descended upon the picturesque city of Bath on Saturday evening, McMillan, his coaching ticket, and his players were taught a very valuable lesson by a side who know what is required to win trophies.

I’m sure many folk will look at the disruption that took place in the hours and minutes before this game, and look to apportion some bit of blame on that. 

The harsh reality is that as a collective, there is no real substance in the quality and depth that the province is producing and there hasn’t been for some time now.

For nearly two decades now Munster rugby has struggled when it comes to building a squad strong enough to deal with situations exactly like the ones that arose on Saturday.

The news that Jean Kleyn was ruled out on the morning of the match for personal reasons and the unfortunate injury that front row forward Michael Milne picked up during the warm-up are things that can happen to any side, but it’s how you deal with them and what back-up you have, will determine where you finish come the final whistle.

First of all, I hope that whatever reason Kleyn had for withdrawing from the game is nothing that serious and that he will be back sooner rather than later. Secondly, that the injury to Milne doesn’t require that long of a lay-off because both players are needed badly.

Up until last week’s eye-opening home loss against the South African Stormers, who at that point joined Munster as the only other undefeated team in the URC, Munster rugby and McMillan were enjoying somewhat of a happy honeymoon period. 

Since that home defeat, however, and Saturday’s away trashing, McMillan now knows the true size of the task that he has signed up for.

To win the European Champions Cup, you must have a squad of 30 or more players that are all capable of playing international rugby and can seamlessly fit into any situation, and this is the sword Munster have continuously fallen on when it matters most.

POWER

Stormers' forwards showed Munster the kind of power that is needed in the scrum and this week, Bath showed just how ruthless you need to be in exploiting any supposed disruption or weaknesses.

Setting to one side that this game was sadly over after just 18 minutes when Bath dotted down for their fourth and bonus point try, it was the strength of their substitutes that painted the more accurate picture in the gulf between these sides.

Possibly excluding Craig Casey and Tadgh Beirne, I think if any of Bath’s substitutes were available to Munster before the game, they would have all easily commanded a starting position in McMillan’s first 15 and that paints a bleak picture.

As examples, let’s take English international backrow Sam Underhill, South African prop Thomas du Toit, and the Argentinean Swiss army knife Santi Carreras, who can play international rugby as a fly-half, wing, or full-back and be highly competent in each of these positions.

The emergence of Underhill alone after the half-time whistle completely altered the order of merit at the breakdown, where his ability to disrupt, pilfer and clear out could easily have given him the man of the match nod.

Munster’s set-pieces also raised their ugly heads again and their inability to win any kind of clean, first-phase ball allowed their hosts way more possession and advantageous field opportunities then they would have ever dreamt of.

The players who did play well for Munster were JJ Hanrahan, Shane Daly, and Thomas Ahern, but in any European Cup game, it takes far more than three players to win.

For 20 years, we have witnessed the decline of Munster rugby and while there were a few highlights sprinkled along this journey, the lack of serious depth in the squad is the common denominator that keeps appearing at the top of the list.

I, like so many others, am now sick of the false dawns, new coaches, and excuses, and unless this is seriously addressed by the blazers in the IRFU, nothing is going to change in the short to medium term.

The game we see today is solely governed by money and unless McMillan is prepared to live off whatever is left over when Leinster’s needs are fulfilled, he will soon find himself becoming the fall guy, like all those who have gone before him.