‘It’s pretty much a Springboks pack’ – Munster bracing for ‘big game’ against the Sharks
Split with Sharks stars and Graham Rowntree.
Munster boss Graham Rowntree is prepared for a massive clash with the Sharks in Durban this weekend in a game critical for their season.
The former United Rugby Championship winners have not had the best of starts to their campaign with only two wins from five leaving them in 11th spot on the table.
Of course, the regular season will only be a third of the way complete after the week but given how competitive the league is the province cannot afford to let it slip further especially given how they could not down the Stormers last time in a game they certainly could have won.
Find a way out
Rowntree believes his side can “get on with it” and find their way out of the difficult period although the Springboks-lade Sharks do not make it easier.
“You’ve got to roll your sleeves up,” said Rowntree to the Irish Examiner. “You’ve got to roll with the punches. You get on with it. Injuries come and go throughout the season. Obviously, we’ve had a tough period with that and we have done before.
“You get on with it and you test your squad depth. As I’ve said before, we’re lucky that a lot of the young men are training with us every day so we can dip into the academy props, for example. And some young men have done some famous things for us.
“So, that’s in the back of your mind: you’re testing your squad depth, naturally, with injuries. But you get on with it, don’t ya? You get on with it. Fix what you can.
“I’m incredibly lucky to have a great coaching group and I back them. I’ve seen them get players better. And that’s how we’ll drive on. You roll your sleeves up and get on with it. I’ve not got anything fancier than that to say to you.”
Limping line-out
One of the handicaps to Munster’s season thus far is their line-out which played a role in their defeat against the Stormers and the Springboks quality of Eben Etzebeth won’t make that easier.
The Munster boss is confident the issues can be resolved.
“I’m fairly confident that if we can improve our mechanics, our speed, our lift, our throwing accuracy, that will improve our lineout,” said Rowntree.
“I’m fairly confident if we take the right option that will improve our lineout. I am not here to consider inside knowledge. A lot of people, lineout calling is the same. It is about who can get in there quicker, who can move quicker than the opposition.”
The Sharks have flattered to deceive despite a jewel-encrusted roster in recent years but they do have eleven World-Cup winning players in their arsenal and Rowntree’s plain-speaking was apparent again when fronting up to the size of the task.
“It’s a big game. It’s pretty much a Springbok pack waiting for us Saturday in the heat in Durban. What gives me comfort is we’ve done it before.”
