Would the real Munster Rugby please stand up?
Rassie Erasmus would not be blamed for looking at Anthony Foley and asking ‘What’s going on?’
Foley would not be blamed for looking back and giving a shrug. Welcome to Munster Rassie.
Six days after a superb, hard-fought away win over Scarlets and Munster are already unstuck. They fell 24-23 to Cardiff Blues at Irish Independent Park in Cork and lost more bodies in the process.
Andrew Conway scored a first half try for Munster but their defence – lauded last weekend – shipped one of their own before the break and they trailed 10-7.
They lost centre Rory Scannell at half-time, replaced by Cian Bohane, and Tommy O’Donnell hobbled off soon after. Both players have suspected concussions.
Munster players are dropping like flies. No sooner had Erasmus lined up Jaco Taute to fill in for the injured Francis Saili [shoulder] than Simon Zebo [fractured rib] was on the sidelines. Kevin O’Byrne’s shoulder injury has him out for the next three months.
Amid all this came the unfortunate retirement of young outhalf Johnny Holland after an old hamstring injury failed to heal properly.
CJ Stander made his seasonal bow off the bench but Peter O’Mahony is another week or two away and Conor Murray needs to be managed. Oh yes, Dave Foley [elbow] went off after 51 minutes and looked dinged up.
Munster did lead, midway through the second half, after a Dave Kilcoyne try, but Dan Fish got a converted try for Blues and Munster are no wiser than before the season kicked off last week.
Looks like it will be another tough, tough season.
The GAA Hour Hurling Show relives Tipperary’s sensational All-Ireland victory with Paidí Maher. Listen below or subscribe on iTunes.
