Overview
Mike Prendergast has said that one of the lessons from last season was the importance of taking chances at key moments in big games, such as the ones they failed to seize in the Champions Cup Last-16 tie they lost to Northampton and the URC semi-final in which they were beaten at home by Glasgow.
The latter defeat was especially disappointing as Munster’s superb 12-match winning run in the URC had seen them top the table and set up the prospect of a home final against the Bulls. That had seemed unlikely when a high casualty list contributed to callow benches and a recurring inability to see out games, notably during a costly run of one win in six games around the turn of the year – albeit that one win was away to Toulon.
Loading the bench for the high veld was handsomely rewarded when Munster returned from their South African safari with a 10-point haul. However, they were possibly a bit too clever with their selections in the draw at home to Bayonne, whom they seemed to take too lightly, and in that Glasgow semi-final.
Keeping big game hunters such as RG Snyman, Gavin Coombes and Conor Murray on the bench would also have further provoked Glasgow, bitter rivals in recent years. So, the other lesson is probably to be locked and loaded for the big games, not least in avoiding a third Round of 16 away tie in successive seasons.
In truth, after understandable teething problems at the start of the first season under the Graham Rowntree ticket, winning the URC after plotting an unlikely away route to the title was possibly ahead of schedule, even if ending their 11-year trophy drought removed a monkey from their collective backs.
Last season, they had looked better placed, and ultimately it was an anti-climactic campaign. Granted, the suspicion lurks that Munster’s relatively early exit from the Champions Cup in each of the last two seasons was a blessing for their tilts at the URC.
This gave them three idle weeks when, by comparison, Leinster were playing every week in pursuit of two trophies. Although the investment in younger players has borne fruit, Munster still don’t have the kind of strength in depth that their rivals possess, and that complicates their efforts to progress deep into the knock-out stages of two competitions.
Furthermore, at face value the departures of Snyman and Joey Carbery, along with the retirement of Simon Zebo, appear to have diluted their X factor significantly.
As well as promoting talented youngsters such as Brian Gleeson, Edwin Edogbo and Tony Butler, a Grand Slam winner with the Ireland Under-20s in 2022, Munster have tried to be astute in the transfer market. The ex-Connacht duo of Diarmuid Kilgallen and Tom Farrell, along with Billy Burns, bring plenty of experience of the Irish set-up and the URC, while Thaakir Abrahams could prove to be especially clever business.
Prospects
In a welcome change, rather than having it hang over them until nearer the end of the campaign again, Munster will travel to South Africa in October to take on the Stormers and the Sharks in rounds five and six. Then again, this will come in the immediate aftermath of facing Leinster in Croke Park and, so, after then putting together a side for their marquee friendly against the All Blacks on November 2nd, they will be grateful for the November break.
It also means Munster will need a good return from their first three games against Connacht (home), Zebre Parma (away) and the Ospreys (home).
Ultimately though, Munster judge themselves, and are judged by, their performances in Europe. Based on the heroic deeds of the past, it’s been part of their DNA since the tournament’s inception. It’s what stirs the blood of the Red Army and two Last-16 exits away to the Sharks and Northampton in the last two seasons just didn’t cut it, the latter after failing to win either of their two pool ties at Thomond Park against the debutants Bayonne and Northampton.
Their Limerick citadel hasn’t seen a home Champions Cup knock-out tie since the Last-16 second-leg win over Exeter in April 2022. And getting another won’t be straightforward. They start on December 7th at home to Stade Français, who finished second in the Top 14 behind Toulouse last season with the best defence in the regular French season and have added the talented ex-Toulon outhalf Louis Carbone from Montpellier.
They then have a six-day turnaround before a tricky Friday night game away to Jeremy Davidson’s Castres, their long-standing rivals since the 90s. They resume in January with another must-win home game against Saracens, for they will want points in the bag before returning to the scene of last season’s exit at Franklin’s Gardens against Northampton, the English champions.
Doubts remain as to their ability to mount meaningful tilts at silverware deep into both competitions. But earning at least one home knock-out tie in the Champions Cup, and restoring the “Thomond Park factor”, has to be a minimum target this season.
Achieve that, along with at least a top-four finish and home quarter-final in the URC, also seem like realistic goals, and after that let the chips fall where they will. They are Munster, after all.
One to watch: Thaakir Abrahams
For Jack Crowley to bring his game to an even more assured and consistent level would probably make him Munster’s most important player this season. But he will be missing for chunks, whereas Abrahams could become a regular spark for team and home supporters alike throughout the season.
The electric 25-year-old outside back wasn’t given much opportunity at Lyon, but that is a club that seemingly lacks stability and clear direction, and in nine starts across all competitions Abrahams did score seven tries.
Having recently become a father, he could flourish with the fresh opportunity afforded him in a welcoming Munster environment and replace some of the X factor that has departed with Zebo’s retirement. Munster will need that.
Ins
Diarmuid Kilgallen (from Connacht), Billy Burns (Ulster), Tom Farrell (Connacht), Thaakir Abrahams (Lyon), Brian Gleeson (Academy), Tony Butler (Academy), Ethan Coughlan (Academy), Mark Donnelly (Academy), Edwin Edogbo (Academy), Bryan Fitzgerald (Garryowen, three-month contract).
Outs
Joey Carbery (to Bordeaux), RG Snyman (Leinster), Antoine Frisch (Toulon), Keynan Knox (Bourgoin), Neil Cronin (released), Andrew Conway (retired), Simon Zebo (retired), Daniel Okeke (released), Jack O’Sullivan (released), Chris Moore (released).
(Andrew O’Mahony and Colm Hogan were also released after short-term deals during last season).
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