Effort Triumphs Over Accuracy: Munster's Resilience Pays Off
Munster's head coach, Clayton McMillan, expressed his satisfaction with the team's effort, despite their less-than-perfect performance against Connacht. The 17-15 victory at Thomond Park secured their fifth consecutive win, placing them joint top of the table with the Stormers, their upcoming opponents after the international break.
The match saw tries from Jack O'Donoghue in both halves, including a crucial score with 12 minutes remaining, and an intercept try by Diarmuid Kilgallen in the first half. JJ Hanrahan's successful conversion proved to be the decisive factor, as the visitors missed all their conversion attempts.
Following their impressive win over a strong Leinster side the previous weekend, McMillan challenged his players to replicate that performance against another interpro rival. He acknowledged the difficulty of maintaining the same level of effort after a high-intensity game.
'It was always going to be tough to match last week's effort,' McMillan told RTÉ Sport's Michael Corcoran. 'We took pride in our relentless efforts, never giving up. Accuracy and discipline weren't always there, but we made up for it with sheer determination. Connacht pushed us throughout the game.'
McMillan, who joined the province over the summer, reflected on his first experience of interpro rugby, drawing parallels to the competitive nature of matches between New Zealand or Australian teams.
'It's been a real pleasure to experience interpro rugby here, similar to the intensity of matches between teams from those countries,' he said. 'These are tough games, with no room for error. I'm grateful for the positive outcome.'
McMillan emphasized the importance of patience in their game management, highlighting the risk of attempting to win the game in the first five minutes after halftime.
'We're working on building patience within the squad,' he explained. 'It's a risk when we try to win the game too quickly. We need to manage the game and wait for the right opportunities. In the second half, we won enough moments and applied enough pressure to secure the victory.'
He added, 'We've faced five different teams with distinct playing styles, involving 41 players. I hope this prepares us well for the upcoming games.'
McMillan also praised debutant scrum-half Jake O'Riordan for his composed performance, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a balanced approach.
'Jake O'Riordan, a 20-year-old, came on at a crucial moment and executed his role flawlessly,' McMillan said. 'He didn't overplay or underplay his part, just did what was required, and I'm proud of his contribution.'
Meanwhile, Connacht's head coach, Stuart Lancaster, reflected on the game, acknowledging their resilience despite the loss.
'We took pride in our resilience,' Lancaster said. 'The first half was strong, and we deserved the lead, except for the intercept try. In the second half, Munster dominated possession and territory, and we struggled to break free.
'We managed to secure a point, which is a small consolation. However, I believe we could have won if we had made different choices. The outcome hinged on small margins; Munster's strategic decisions proved effective.'
Despite their current record of three losses and one postponed match, Connacht must regroup before their next home game against the Sharks on November 29th.
