Winning helps to mitigate performance blemishes without concealing them, a fact with which Munster forwards coach Andi Kyriacou might agree after last weekend’s narrow 35-33 victory over Connacht at Thomond Park.
It’s a hotchpotch of emotions, relief, pride, disappointment and delight all wrapped up in a five-point parcel. The key as they head for Italy and a date with Zebre in Parma on Saturday afternoon is to keep driving forward in content and outcome.
Kyriacou was asked to reflect first before projecting. “We showed a lot of character, didn’t we [in beating Connacht]? Fourteen points down [before] finding a way back into the game. We missed a lot of starter opportunities, missed touch off a couple of penalties, two early lineouts went awry, [a lack of] individual skill execution there. [There were] a couple of knock-ons [too]. We have reviewed that hard this week and they are great learning opportunities for us to get better going into the Zebre game.”
There were positive aspects too in the display, and those formed part of the review process.
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Kyriacou continued: “I thought our carry game was excellent, our breakdown work was incredibly good, we gave Craig [Casey] a lot of opportunity to play the ball at high speed, high tempo, and I thought we managed our way back into the game very well.
“Shout out to [replacement outhalf] Tony Butler coming on and directing play from that 10 role very maturely, and [he] showed an incredible set of stones on him knocking over those two [penalty] goals to get us the win.”
Zebre lost 22-17 in Cardiff, a late try from Samuele Locatelli converted by Giacomo Da Re earned them a bonus point. Kyriacou pointed to the fact that the Italians have qualities that make them dangerous opponents, especially on turnover ball.
“We understand the challenge, they’re quick, they’re a little less structured than you might be used to when you’re playing Irish or Scottish teams. They can throw the ball around, they play well off the kicking game, their back three are electric and take opportunities off turnover ball.
“If we are being loose with the ball, possession, they will capitalise on that. We have to be really strict in how we are trying to play the game, bringing huge physicality for the 80 minutes. They don’t go away as they showed against Cardiff at the weekend. If you give them an opportunity to strike they will take it. We have to be bang on it for 80 minutes.”
An injury to Leinster loose head Jack Boyle means that Mark Donnelly has been added to the Munster contingent in the Emerging Ireland squad that will play three matches in South Africa. Kyriacou was asked what qualities the Midleton native would bring to the touring party and then touched on the qualities of a couple of other Munster tourists in Evan O’Connell and Seán Edogbo.
“Mark is a really diligent pro, constantly working at his game. He is a great scrummaging loose head, his skill at the line has improved no end in the last two seasons. We are incredibly excited for him, and it is a good reward for the work that he puts in and the performances he puts out for Cork Con in the AIL.
“I coached Evan with the Ireland 18s a couple of years back. He is an incredibly mature kid who understands the lineout very, very well. He is confident and very assured in his skills. We are excited about where he can get to. He’s backing it up in training. He has bits to do around his attacking and defence side of the game in terms of how quick we move but that is just part of where he is at [in terms of] his age and his development.
“Seán is a bit different [in] what he can bring from a physicality standpoint. He is incredibly quick and explosive, but he can bang people in defence as well. What we have been impressed with him as well is his skill execution with the lineout. He’s got good aerial skills. When he gets to the ground he is strong and dynamic in the way that he mauls.”
There was no further update on the shoulder injury sustained by outhalf Billy Burns.
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