Munster and Leinster must come to terms with the knowledge they contributed to their own demise – The Irish Times

In every sport, there comes a time when teams are faced with games they can win, should win and should win. In those different pre-game circumstances, adjustments are needed in preparation that are relevant to the task at hand, both mentally and physically.

The top performances of Ireland’s mixed and women’s 4x400m relay teams at the recent European Championships represented one end of the spectrum, while Rory McIlroy’s heartbreaking loss to Bryson DeChambeau at the US Open golf at Pinehurst was the other extreme.

Pressure can be suffocating, so the ability to execute when it is at its peak is a cherished trait. Just because you’ve done it before doesn’t mean you’ll get immunity next time. It’s conditional in the truest sense of the word, and in some ways that’s what makes sports fascinating.

Munster and Leinster went into the United Rugby Championship (URC) semi-finals last weekend as favorites but fell short. Their respective opponents, Glasgow Warriors and the Bulls, emerged winners and were worthy of their places in this weekend’s final in Pretoria.

A deadly feeling after defeat is knowing you have contributed to your downfall, and that is what Munster and Leinster players now have to deal with. It is important to face the mistakes so that you do not repeat them in the future. The debriefing is painful but important.

Leinster had tried to create an internal advantage, focusing on the ability to bounce back from the disappointment of the Champions Cup final defeat to Toulouse, but that did not materialize in performance terms on the high court in Pretoria.

Munster appeared to have one eye on a final, where they could potentially enjoy home advantage for a third successive knockout match. Graham Rowntree’s side were largely in ‘should win’ territory. They dominated the opening twenty minutes, had a 6-0 penalty count in their favour, Glasgow second row Richie Gray was in the sin bin and they had over 75 per cent of possession and territory stats. The only disappointing figure was on the scoreboard; three points was a dismal return.

Glasgow have historically been mentally weak in relation to the quality of players, and their record in knockout matches is poor. However, it is not a given that this will always be the way; it is the job of the opposition to bring this to the fore. When Munster didn’t collect enough points during that period of dominance, they left the door open, and Glasgow happily walked in.

Center Sione Tuipulotu was indefensible for most of the match and his performance alone would have inspired confidence among his teammates. The Scottish team had a clear plan to disrupt and frustrate Munster by not putting any numbers on the slump unless there was a golden turnover opportunity.

Credit where it’s due, Glasgow defended with real intensity, to which the Munster attack failed to respond adequately. Jack Crowley tried to do what was necessary, find space at the back with probing kicks as the momentum disappeared from the attack, but for the most part they lacked the required accuracy, while the chase line was not as quick or coordinated as it should have been.

Crowley is actually only 18 months into his senior Munster career, having been used sparingly under the previous coaching regime, and from time to time that lack of experience on the hot seat surfaces, occasionally in tricky games. He’ll be better for the experience, but the timing was unfortunate.

The decision not to start RG Snyman raised a few eyebrows, especially considering how different a team Munster has been when the towering South African plays; Imagine the difference an accurate offload in the first twenty minutes would have made.

Leinster attempted to bring a semi-South African style game plan to Pretoria, with an emphasis on a strong, high defensive line and attacking the ball carriers and the ruck. Former Wales, Lions and current France defense coach Shaun Edwards spoke of it being a ‘heart first’ type of defence; it’s not technical, it’s about aggression.

The Irish province met a Bulls team familiar with the content of the style of play. For the second time this season, when Leinster needed to win in a match, familiar fault lines were exposed. Their strength has always been that they are more than the sum of their parts, but this season the focus has been trained on some parts.

The French media noted after the Champions Cup final defeat to Toulouse that Leinster’s bench was made up of substitutes rather than finishers. Occasionally, players in games will have to stand on their own merits, be able to bring a set of skills that go outside the system.

When opponents have successfully attacked the Leinster slump and slowed the ball down, individual moments come into sharp focus, and Leinster lost too many for the second major knockout match in a row.

The Bulls’ aggressive defense pushed Leinster deeper and deeper into phase play, and the home side’s kicking play ruthlessly isolated the Leinster three. James Lowe struggled to find a way into the match, while Willie le Roux and Johan Goosen tormented Jordan Larmour, Jimmy O’Brien and Ciarán Frawley, all three struggling with the ball in the air, covering in the backfield and the high line of defense.

In matches as close as this, it’s rarely the spectacular things that win the matches, but usually the simplest things are executed in an excellent manner. Leinster’s lack of a specialist replacement full-back for Hugo Kennan was clear and obvious. A high ball proved to be their ultimate downfall in terms of the final score.

There are similarities with the way both Leinster and Munster attack, and there are similarities with the way Glasgow and the Bulls defended them. None of the Irish teams could get to grips with the rucks, often using too many resources or chasing the wrong ruck.

Munster tried to change the image they presented of Glasgow at least on a number of occasions through Crowley, but too often Leinster were far too predictable and rigid in the prescribed structure. A striking example was Robbie Henshaw’s line break. Instead of moving the ball away from the point of contact, they opted to continue with the planned play which the Bulls easily defended.

Three weeks ago there was a season finale that was promising for the two provinces, but it turned out disappointing. It will be interesting to see how Ireland fare in the two Tests against the Springboks, the performance of which will tell a lot about whether it was pilot or system error that undermined the provinces. That in itself will be educational for the future.