Munster head coach Clayton McMillan said their 31-28 win over Argentina XV at Thomond Park on Saturday night was a worthwhile exercise which has helped them increase their depth chart.
Munster led 10-7 at the break in front of a crowd of just over 15,000, with Evan O’Connell getting them off the mark before Tony Butler got the first of his two tries against an Argentina selection with three full internationals on board.
Gavin Coombes extended the lead after the restart before Butler got his second while scrumhalf Paddy Patterson was in the bin. And while the visitors kept responding, Seán O’Brien sealed the win with Munster’s fifth try.
“Look 12 months ago I was in the other changing room [with a New Zealand XV] and got a sense then for what rugby meant to people at Munster and also just how much they value playing international sides,” said McMillan.
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“It is a little bit of a luxury and one that we don’t take for granted and it was fantastic to see a really good crowd turn up with a lot of other rugby on TV and things going on at the moment. I guess that is a reflection of how much playing these sort of games means to the people of Munster. Mike Haley got a little bit of a rolled ankle but we came out injury-free so even better.”
Lock Conor Ryan made his bow while hooker Max Clein and backrower Luke Murphy came off the bench to make their Munster debuts on an evening when outside centre Fionn Gibbons and tighthead Ronan Foxe made their first starts for the province after a handful of appearances off the bench. The scores from O’Connell and Butler were their first tries for Munster.
“I’ve been really impressed with the effort that everybody in the squad has put in, and a lot of the younger guys have done a huge amount to help set up the guys that play regularly to go out on a Saturday and perform. You just can’t deny them the opportunity to go out and play,” added McMillan.
“It’s taken sort of five or six weeks to get there, but it was really pleasing, satisfying to give them that opportunity and see them go out there and enjoy themselves, express themselves and get a win.
“It’s important for the club, it’s important for our growth and creating depth, so there were so many positives I think that came out of tonight.”
McMillan, who has guided Munster to victory in all five URC games this season and whose next clash will be at home to the Stormers on November 29th, was pleased with the way his understrength side dealt with the physicality of the Argentina selection.
“We were probably a little bit guilty at times of playing festival rugby and looking to score off every position but when we respected the ball and a bit of territory we played some really good rugby,” added McMillan. “And a real pleasing part was that a number of other guys got exposed and a number of guys played their first game for Munster, so that’s all really pleasing.”
