Graham Rowntree: ‘I’m proud of the resilience and the fight shown by a young group’

Munster 14 Ulster 15

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

As a philosophy it’s one to which Munster head coach Graham Rowntree appears to subscribe, positive and progressive in outlook and intent despite a ridiculously challenging start to his tenure that has been long on misfortune, particularly in the context of injury.

He said: “I keep saying to everyone, I sound like a broken record at this stage, but I’m proud of the resilience and the fight shown by a young group. We’ve used 55 players so far this season which is unprecedented.

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“It’s been a difficult week. Lots of moving parts. The real big bonus for me is the young men, sticking their heads up and they’re leading and pulling the group along.”

There was plenty to admire in his team’s defeat, their fifth in seven United Rugby Championship matches, from a young Munster side that saddled themselves with a considerable handicap, indiscipline, and basic mistakes at the forefront. Yet they clawed their way back, only to be denied victory by the width of an upright.

It’s not that the home side deserved to win – Ulster will have a hard look at what was essentially a patchy display in which they abdicated their previous control of the match after the interval – but Munster could have and had they done so it wouldn’t have been unjust on the strength of the second 40 minutes.

The minuscule margin in defeat will serve to tantalise, ramping up the scrutiny on every decision, by players and the officials, the conclusions drawn largely defined by allegiance.

Munster supporters made their feelings known in no uncertain terms as referee Frank Murphy left the pitch but, whatever grievances they harboured, only the most partisan could overlook the fact the home side should have finished the game with 14 players.

Malakai Fekitoa’s shoulder to the cheekbone/jaw of Ulster flanker David McCann in an attempted tackle on 38 minutes was mitigated down to a yellow card, a decision that is hard to fathom. Munster will feel that a clear-out on wing Patrick Campbell where he was inverted past the horizontal merited censure.

Both teams though should look closer to home in the review for clues to performance glitches; a clue, not conceding penalties, 10 letters, begins with ‘d’.

Ulster’s three unconverted tries in the first half for Jordi Murphy, Tom Stewart and James Hume all originated from set piece, the first two from well-crafted lineout mauls and the second from a scrum when Munster were a man light.

The thing that will rankle most for the home side was that they provided easy access to their 22 on foot of a slew of penalties. Ulster were able to kick their way down the touchline. Despite the setbacks Munster heads never dropped, nor did they retreat into the sanctuary of a limited game plan.

Rowntree acknowledged: “I want us to be brave and that’s not all a physical and emotional thing, that’s taking shots, that’s not kicking for the posts all the time, that’s going for the corner. That’s being brave, firing shots.

“I want to fight and to be brave and they’re showing that. We’ll get there, it’s been a difficult run, lots of things thrown at us, we’ll get there. It’s really showing me who’s got it and who wants it.”

John Hodnett, Alex Kendellen and Edwin Edogbo had super games, Jack O’Donoghue and Diarmuid Barron too. Mike Haley was impressive on his return from injury while Jack Crowley’s effervescence, confidence and game management is an obvious legacy from the Emerging Ireland tour.

Rowntree agreed: “Look at Jack Crowley, at the end of the game he’s still navigating us around the field. He’s really grown as a leader. I’m really pleased with that young man. It’s not just him as well.

“There’s plenty of others, I don’t want to embarrass everyone, but particularly in the forwards there’s young men, guys who’ve been on the Emerging Ireland tour, they’ve come back with a real bounce in their step and the rest of the squad are feeding off it. It’s my job to get us better, discipline-wise, technically skill-wise and keep driving forward.”

Ulster led 15-3 at the interval but facing into the rain and wind the intensity and cohesion of the first half disappeared, Munster outhalf Crowley adding two further penalties, as the home side edged closer. Replacement Simon Zebo timed his run beautifully from the blindside wing and provided Shane Daly with the try scoring pass; Crowley’s conversion, difficult in the conditions, came back off an upright.

The visitors called upon their experienced internationals to try and weather the onslaught, and players like Duane Vermeulen, man of the match Marty Moore and James Hume stepped up with some big plays while others like David McCann, Tom Stewart, Stewart Moore, Ethan McIlroy, and Ben Moxham demonstrated quality in an attacking capacity.

Ulster had three set piece opportunities from close range to grab a bonus-point try but were repulsed on each occasion by some resolute goal line defiance.

The fact that the visitors managed to cling on to a first victory in Limerick since 2014 provided a handsome compensation that looked like it might be snatched away in the game’s death rattle.

SCORING SEQUENCE – 3 mins: Murphy try, 0-5; 9: Crowley pen, 3-5; 13: Stewart try, 3-10; 40 (+1): Hume try, 3-15. Half-time: 3-15. 47: Crowley pen, 6-15; 53: Crowley pen, 9-15; 65: Daly try, 14-15.

MUNSTER: M Haley; S Daly, M Fekitoa, R Scannell, P Campbell; J Crowley, P Patterson; D Kilcoyne, D Barron, J Ryan; E Edogbo, E O’Connor; J O’Donoghue (capt), J Hodnett, A Kendellen.

Replacements: C Hurley for O’Connor (50 mins); N Scannell for Barron, J Wycherley for Kilcoyne, R Salanoa for Ryan {all 59); S Zebo for Campbell (60); Barron for N Scannell (HIA), N Cronin for Patterson (both 69).

Yellow card: M Fekitoa (38 mins).

ULSTER: S Moore; B Moxham, J Hume, L Marshall, E McIlroy; B Burns, N Doak; A Warwick, T Stewart, M Moore; A O’Connor (capt), S Carter; D McCann, J Murphy, D Vermeulen.

Replacements: R Sutherland for Warwick (half-time); A Curtis for Marshall (41 mins); J Cooney for Doak (43); Matty Rea for McCann (52); C Izuchukwu for Carter (53); J Andrew for Stewart (59).

Yellow card: C Izuchukwu (62 mins).

Referee: F Murphy (Ireland).