There was a distinct lack of bite to everything Munster did today. Their pre-match words, the opening exchanges, the scrum, breakdown… every bloody thing.
There was about an eight minute period where Munster got in Leinster’s face and stuck it to them. Robbie Henshaw took on Rory Scannell but was met by another three red jerseys piling in. They drove Leinster deep into their 22 and did not leave until they had mauled over for a try.
That was about it. Tommy O’Donnell had a decent game and Darren Sweetnam continued his good start to the season.
Everything else was grand; fine. That in itself is the problem.
I was seated beside an Italian rugby journalist for the game. Beforehand, he told me he was planning on attending Munster’s away trip to Racing 92 in Paris – the reunion with Ronan O’Gara.
By half-time he was telling me Munster were lacking something and, struggling to find the word, he snapped his fingers. They had no snap, no spark.
By full-time, he had called his editor and argued that he should go see Ulster take on Ian Madigan’s Bordeaux-Beglés at Stade Chaban-Delmas. That would be more of a contest.
Just about everyone acknowledges that Munster are not for the short fix. They desperately need young players to fill the jerseys of bygone legends. The jerseys are being filled, physically, but the matchwinning experience, and nous, is missing.
On the whole, that Munster snarl is missing.
Rassie Erasmus insisted he would give Munster’s next generation a fair crack when he arrived as director of rugby. As the weeks have passed, Super Rugby players are being parachuted in.
Following the sheer, break-neck excitement of Connacht’s 30-25 win over an Ulster side that came to Galway to play, last night, Leinster vs. Munster was a much more sedate affair. It felt like a pre-season hit-out at times and the odd sound of conversation filled the Aviva Stadium throughout the first half.
Business picked up after the break but, as so often happens now, injuries and replacements stopped the flow.
Leinster got the job done without wasting themselves. They were patient in defence and Munster struggled to make a dent. They made three line breaks all day. CJ Stander was the only player to make 50+ metres with ball in hand and that was off 22 carries.
All very samey. No… snap.
All Munster could hope for in the final five minutes was a losing bonus point but they ebbed away and trudged off shaking their heads.
The worst part of all was the genial reactions from Erasmus and Stander in the post-match press briefings. They were far too accommodating; far too accepting.
It could well be the public persona – the Munster lads could be tearing into each other right now.
There is an air of resignation about Munster right now and it needs to stop. Racing 92 will take no pity on them.
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