Munster head coach Graham Rowntree is confident in his team future despite a poor start to the United Rugby Championship campaign in which they have already lost five out of seven matches in the competition.
On Saturday, the Cork-based outfit fought back bravely from a 15-3 deficit against Ulster at Thomond Park but still suffered a narrow 15-14 defeat which means they are languishing in 14th position on the table.
Rowntree believes his team are moving in the right direction and feels his side gave a good account of themselves against a more experienced team.
“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,” he told the Irish Times. “We’ve used 55 players so far this season which is unprecedented.
“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.”
Munster improved considerably after the interval and did well to prevent Ulster from scoring during the second period but still conceded a plethora of penalties.
Encouraging signs
And although results might not be going their way at the moment, Rowntree is encouraged by his team’s style of play.
“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,” he said. “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, Edwin Edogbo all shone up front for Munster, while Jack O’Donoghue and Diarmuid Barron also caught the eye. Meanwhile, in the backline, Mike Haley delivered a strong performance upon his return from injury while Rowntree was impressed by Jack Crowley’s performance.
“Look at Jack Crowley, at the end of the game he’s still navigating us around the field,” he said. “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.”
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