DENIS LEAMY INTERVIEW: GERRY THORNLEYtalks to the Munster forward about the province's poor start to the season and how they plan to get back to winning ways
OCTOBER HASN’T been good for Munster. Indeed, after the 30-0 rout at the RDS, clawing back a losing bonus point in Northampton constituted a high. Even the bonus point against Treviso couldn’t quite assuage the shock of the first half-hour, and then came last week’s limp defeat in Edinburgh.
To those on the outside, four defeats in eight games may seem like, if not a fully blown crisis, then perhaps a mini crisis.
“No, I don’t think there’s a crisis. That’s an over-reaction,” says Denis Leamy a little indignantly.
“There have been a couple of games this season where we haven’t performed to the level we have before, but I would think there’s been reasons for that. I think the more we play together and the season goes on I think we can rectify a lot of what has been wrong.”
He attributes this to players returning from an arduous 2008-09 campaign or injuries.
Munster’s technical problems emanate in large part from missing an entire, multi-decorated, multi-capped frontrow, as well as their primary back-up tight-head.
Leamy, true to Munster type, is not of a mind to make excuses, but as he says, “You take them out of any team, it’s going to make it very, very difficult.”
At times it’s as if they’ve been playing against 20 players, so often have they been running poor ball into massed defensive ranks.
Leamy, 28 next month, assumes more and more of a leadership role, and that is liable to be increasingly the case in coming years. The way he sees it, Munster’s main fault lines have been in their inability to build through the phases the way they did previously.
“That was always a strength of ours, taking teams through phase after phase, and that eventually ground down a lot of teams. But we’ve made a little mistake and the move breaks down very early in the phases. I think you could probably count on one hand the amount of times we’ve gone through more than three or four phases, and that’s very unlike us.”
One former player has openly claimed there’s disharmony in the camp, though Leamy sounds genuinely mystified by this. Knowing Munster, if anything they might be trying too hard.
In any event, watching them last week, there seemed almost to be an issue of confidence, both collectively and individually in cases such as Ronan O’Gara and Lifeimi Mafi.
“Confidence comes with good results. It’s a vicious circle. I think it’s fair to say we’re struggling to find form, but whether there’s a lack of confidence I’m not sure. There’s a lot of players who are very experienced and have seen dips in performances in different teams.
“A few of us were involved with Ireland in the World Cup and this isn’t the first time we’ve been accused of having a bad run of games. We’ve been through it and we know what it takes to get out of them. In many ways you just have to play your way out of them and stick together and be as tight as possible.
“I’ve heard one or two of the lads mentioning that, from different people, there’s a crisis in the camp. That’s totally untrue. Everyone is as tight as they ever were and we fully understand that we just have to knit together, keep working hard and it will come right.”
Last January, Ulster came calling and stealthily, at times brilliantly, inflicted the worst competitive defeat on the then European champions at their Thomond fortress, 37-11. An injured Leamy watched on television.
Tomorrow, Ulster, seeking a third win from three against fellow Irish provinces, are almost entitled to start favourites.
“I know one or two of the Ulster lads really well and they definitely seem to have gone back to basics. I know Brian McLaughlin has really harped home about really getting back the Ulster edge in to the team, and they’ve strung together some very impressive wins.
“They’re a team that are showing very, very good form, and we’ll give them a lot of respect. We’re fully aware that it’ll be very difficult.
“But I think it’s all about us at the weekend. We just have to look at ourselves, and we know there’s a good performance in us and it’s just about bringing that out now and putting this phase of the season to bed.”
After injury disrupted the last season or two, Leamy didn’t play one game without pain last season. His star has dimmed a little, whereas those of Stephen Ferris and Jamie Heaslip have soared. But having started seven from eight this season, his shoulder is “pretty good” and “body wise I’m in a pretty good place. That’s always a help. My form has been a little bit patchy and has probably mirrored the team’s in many ways.”
This is the last quasi-final trial before the autumn Test window.
“I’d imagine all the Irish coaching staff will be watching, so it is a big chance to lay down a marker. All the guys who have been selected for the Irish squad will want to make an impression, so it would be great to put in a big performance and give Deccie something to think about.”
TONIGHT: Connacht v Scarlets, Sportsground (6.30); Ospreys v Glasgow Warriors, Liberty Stadium (7.05).
SATURDAY: Munster v Ulster, Thomond Park (5.0); Leinster v Cardiff Blues, RDS (6.30).
SUNDAY: Edinburgh v Dragons, Murrayfield (5.05)
