Donal Lenihan: To end their drought Munster need to be bold

Regardless of what happens at the DHL Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday, Munster are already in bonus territory. Not that that should or will in influence the way Graham Rowntree’s men take on the huge challenge of beating the Stormers.

With yet another opportunity to end a trophy drought that has dogged successive Munster management teams for over a decade, this squad has a golden chance of succeeding where their immediate successors have failed at the semi-final and final stages of domestic and European competition since last securing silverware 12 years ago. Even more remarkable is the route travelled to arrive at this point.

It’s been an extraordinary two months for Munster and its new coaching team. When the final whistle sounded at Kings Park after the devastating 50-35 Round of 16 Champions Cup loss to the Sharks, Munster’s season looked dead and buried.

In a defeat that was even worse than the scoreline suggested, the Munster players and management were left staring into an abyss. Things could hardly get worse. Then again, given their fixture schedule - two rounds of URC action back in South Africa against the same opposition and, a week earlier, the reigning URC champions, the Stormers, in Cape Town where they hadn’t lost in 20 games against all comers.

The price for failure on their return to South Africa could not have been higher, the likelihood of being relegated to the second tier of European rugby next season in the Challenge Cup. To go from a position of extreme vulnerability to the brink of winning the URC was unthinkable when Munster boarded the plane for that trek.

Back then, it was all about survival. Speaking to the management team in our hotel on the eve of that game against the Stormers, the gravity of their position was palpable. There was a nervous tension that can force a team to go either way.

What transpired the following day, a magnificent performance and morale boosting 24-26 win, proved transformative to the point where, despite having to play their last five games on the road against top quality opposition, Munster find themselves on the brink of achieving something special. The big question now is, can they deliver?

Pitch shortcomings may yet prove a blessing 

Interviewing former Munster No 8 CJ Stander pitchside before the kick-off of that incredible win over the Stormers at the DHL Stadium six weeks ago Saturday, I couldn’t get over just how bad the surface was.

I had been aware of difficulties ever since some genius sanctioned a Monster Jam truck rally there a few weeks earlier but was shocked with what I saw that day. It was bare, lumpy and gave way underfoot even when walking on it.

It didn't help that a Currie Cup game between the Cheetahs and Leopards was played as a curtain raiser. The problem really came to light at scrum time when massive divots came loose after every engagement.

It’s clear that Stormers coach John Dobson isn’t happy with the situation either. It might even work to Munster’s advantage on Saturday. If Munster carry one area of vulnerability into this final then it’s the ability of their scrum to cope for the entire 80 minutes against a powerful Stormers front five.

With an all-Springbok front row in 2019 World Cup winning props Steven Kitshoff and Frans Malherbe, operating either side of twice-capped hooker Joseph Dweba, the Stormers are capable of exerting big pressure on the Munster scrum.

The starting front row of Jeremy Loughman, Diarmuid Barron and Stephen Archer has coped well against them in the past but the real problems arise when Munster have to dip into their bench, especially at tight head where Romain Salanoa has a way to go yet as a top class scrummager.

Last time out against the Stormers, Archer was required to put in a full 80-minute shift. It’s unlikely Munster will get away with that again, even more so given what Dobson observed when Munster went to the bench for the semi-final win over Leinster.

Dobson revealed his personal dissatisfaction with the state of the pitch and the implications when he said “it’s going to be frustrating because one of our opportunities against Munster is our scrum. You saw what Leinster did to them in the backend of the URC semi-final.

“It’s tricky on that field, but we will find other ways to win it.” 

Because the underfoot conditions are so unstable, the more powerful scrum is unable to dig their studs in and use their power to propel the scrum forward.

The big issue is the surface gives way immediately and leads to a collapsed scrum. It doesn’t really facilitate a preordained second drive. As a result, referees have to be a bit more tolerant. That’s why Munster need to get the ball to the feet of Gavin Coombes off a quick channel one strike and empower him to pick and generate forward momentum with his trademark carries.

Don’t die wondering 

The odds might be stacked against Munster on Saturday but, so what. It’s been that way for most of the season. Having travelled this far, for the third time in two months, it’s imperative that Munster play.

Their new attacking shape has served them well once everyone became more familiar with their expanded individual roles. It has gotten them further than anyone expected therefore it’s important that Munster deliver their best shot on Saturday.

That starts up front. While the scrum will be a challenge, their line-out maul is a potent weapon and one the Stormers struggled to cope with last time out. In the semi-final, Connacht exposed deficiencies in the Stormers defence, scoring four tries, but were ultimately undone by their own defensive shortcomings.

The Stormers are an outstanding attacking outfit, capable of punishing any loose kicking with their ability to transition immediately into attack, to identify and exploit any space left available in the backfield. Connacht, despite dominating possession and territory to an amazing degree, failed to cover the outside channels from broken play and were ripped apart.

Munster’s defence is much better than that. It will need to be. Denis Leamy has worked a minor miracle in transforming Munster from a position where they conceded 130 points in three matches a few months ago to a point where they have become far more difficult to break down.

If Munster can match Connacht’s semi-final performance up front and deliver quality ball in the same fashion, they are capable of winning this game. The return of two Springbok forwards in second row Marvin Orie and open side Deon Fourie will improve their line out and ability to generate turnovers at the breakdown.

Fourie is a menace on the deck and difficult to shift, hence the decision by Rowntree to retain the underappreciated John Hodnett in the back row. The easy decision would have been to reinstate RG Snyman to the second row with Tadhg Beirne switching to the back row and Peter O'Mahony to open side.

O'Mahony plays his best rugby at No 6 and Rowntree has recognised this. The facility to introduce Snyman off the bench where he made his biggest impact for the Springboks as a member of their famed bomb squad, wreaking havoc with 30 minutes left, offers the Munster pack a huge lift heading towards the final quarter.

The trick is to still be in the fight at that stage. Remember La Rochelle have won back-to-back Heineken Champions Cups by staying alive entering the last lap. In the semi-final, Munster showed against Leinster that if it’s a one-score game with the clock ticking towards the red, they have the mental capacity to close it out.

To enable that to happen, Conor Murray and, in particular, Jack Crowley need to deliver. Murray has more than proven his credentials with quality performances on numerous occasions over the years and looks back to his best. For Crowley, this is the biggest test of his career to date and could have a massive bearing on his ranking within the Irish squad for the World Cup.

Opposite him, Manie Libbok blows hot and cold, especially in the place-kicking department. An off day from him might just open the door for Munster. The odds may be stacked against the visitors but, given where they’ve come from only a few short months ago, Munster have the ability to make history. To do so, they need to be bold.