Stark contrast for Friend and Rowntree after Connacht get things up and running

As was always going to be the case after a dog-eat-dog derby between two sides who’ve struggled for lift-off in the early stages of this season, the contrast in emotions between Andy Friend and his Munster counterpart Graham Rowntree could hardly have been more stark.

For Connacht, this victory was almost non negotiable given they’d lost their opening three games, this was their first home game of the season and on their pristine, freshly laid all-weather pitch, and not least because Leinster are due here next Friday. The result, as Friend admitted, was paramount.

“We said coming into the game we needed to win and we’re now talking about the fact that we got a win. It wasn’t perfect, we know that, but it was a win, it was an interpro win, it was our first home game on our new pitch and in front of our fans and friends and supporters here. It’s a great way to start the weekend.”

Friend attributed the win to the physicality of his team.

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“I thought our forward pack laid a really good platform for us and I thought for the majority of the game we dominated the physicality. That was what we said coming into the game, that it was the team that was going to be the most physical, the most disciplined, and have the least amount of unforced errors, and I think on two of those fronts it was us. I don’t know about the unforced errors yet, I haven’t seen those stats, but I thought we were the team that delivered on that front too.”

The Connacht director of rugby also conceded his side’s performance, much like the game, was far from perfect.

“It wasn’t, and you could see both teams were nervous because both teams haven’t really clicked at the front end of the season for various reason. But I thought the forward pack, as I said, just laid the platform for us and got us on the front foot, and going in at 8-5 down at half-time was frustrating because you were scratching your head thinking ‘how are we behind?’

“Then they get an early penalty so it’s 11-5. ‘Jeeze, here we go again.’ Then we get the try but even right to the death there, we came down on their line, give away a penalty and I’m thinking ‘I’ve seen this happen before’ but thankfully it didn’t happen and we managed to get another try ourselves.

“So it’s a great way to finish the game and a nice way to get our season started.”

For Rowntree, there was little solace in either the performance or the result, which condemned his side to a third defeat in four URC matches under his new reign.

“Yeah, we lost our way, didn’t we? Inaccuracy again, and the last 15 minutes in particular, was littered with ill-discipline, backing up penalty on penalty. It put us in the corner, put us under pressure so that will again receive our focus in training.

“It’s the annoying thing, what’s killing us is our control of the ball, our accuracy and our discipline.”

Munster struggled to build up any momentum in the face of Connacht’s defence, ultimately being outscored by 15-0 in the last half-hour, and Rowntree admitted his team needed to be considerably more accurate under pressure.

“Skills under pressure, that’s how we train. We’ll keep driving that and keep pushing it down their necks; accuracy, accuracy, accuracy under pressure, under fatigue.

“We’ll review this Monday and see how our injuries pull up. Couple of injuries, Pete [O’Mahony] came off (neck) and we’ll see how he pulls up. We’ll look forward to a huge game at home next week, against a very good, physical (Bulls) team in front of our home crowd,” said Rowntree ahead of Munster’s welcome return to Thomond Park for the first time this season next Saturday.

Of O’Mahony’s injury, he added: “I’m not sure. It’s around his neck and shoulder area. He’s tough lad and we’ll see how he pulls up in the next couple of days.”

What frustrated Rowntree the most was the way his side “just losing momentum”, adding: “You literally swing from one end of the field to the other through our own inaccuracy and our own ill-discipline. It’s not their effort or their energy I can fault but it’s just that ill-discipline and inaccuracy, backing up penalties, breakdown side-entry, maul side-entry, it’s killing us.”

He agreed, when asked, that there were “lots of positives”, specifically: “I can see what we’re doing in attack on the training field coming out in how we play and the intensity of what we’re doing there.

“Plenty. We are finding out about some young men coming through. I’m keen to bring those guys through as soon as we can and when appropriate so there’s two big positives for me.”