The 2011/2012 season has come to a conclusion with the final round of the summer test series. While many of us will be glad to get a bit of a break from the rugby overload, many more of us will already be looking forward to next season. Now is as good a time as any to look ahead to what lies in store for Munster, now arguably Ireland’s 3rd best province.
Tony McGahan has already settled into his new role with Australia, helping them to a 3-0 series win over Wales. Munster’s new Head Coach, Rob Penney, will arrive in the province in the next few days after guiding the New Zealand U20s to a 2nd place finish at the Junior World Championship. The ex-Canterbury man is clearly aware of the task that awaits him. He went as far as admitting that it could take 5 years for Munster to return to the heights of years past.
More encouragingly for Munster fans, Penney said, “waiting five years to lift some silverware is not my preferred option.” But do Munster have the necessary components for Penney to be an instant success? Plenty of the stalwarts have moved on. David Wallace, Jerry Flannery, Denis Leamy, Mick O’Driscoll and Darragh Hurley have all called time on their careers. Meanwhile, Lifeimi Mafi, Tomas O’Leary, Denis Fogarty, Declan Cusack, Tom Gleeson and Pete Borlase have left the province for pastures new.
That’s a huge chunk of last season’s squad gone. Centres James Downey and Casey Laulala are amongst the new signings. At 31 and 30 respectively, the pair are far from hot prospects, but could offer some balancing experience if Penney looks to put faith in youth. Peter Stringer returns from his loan spells in England, and could contribute towards Conor Murray’s development. Openside Sean Dougall arrives from English Championship side Rotherham Titans. The 22-year-old is set to face strong competition in the back-row.
Perhaps the most interesting addition Munster have made to next season’s squad is CJ Stander. The back-rower will join in November, when his Currie Cup commitments in South Africa end. The 22-year-old has played most of his rugby at blindside, captaining the South African Schools and U20 teams. Stander is a big, physical unit and is highly thought of in his home country. He’s been a first-choice starter for the Bulls in his first year of Super Rugby. Quite the pedigree and if he can adapt quickly, he looks like he could prove something of a coup for Munster.
One of the highlights of Penney’s time at Canterbury was his ability to develop talented young players, helping them to take their game to the next level and push into Super Rugby. He has been in charge of academies and other underage teams too. That track record clearly played a part in Munster’s decision to appoint him. Penney feels that Munster have “some young kids who should have the opportunity to express themselves and make their mark.” It’s a really promising sign that Penney is already aware of the young talent Munster have available to them.
Chief among that talent is man of the moment, JJ Hanrahan. The Ireland U20 star was deservedly nominated for the IRB Junior Player of the Year recently and the hype will continue to build. Integrating the Kerry man into the Munster team in the correct manner will be a key part of Penney’s job. But the 19-year-old playmaker is not the only youngster who will be hoping for opportunities under the new coach.
In the back-three, Sean Scanlon and Luke O’Dea have shown attacking threat in their limited appearances. Simon Zebo has just completed his first season as a starter and is still learning. In midfield, Scott Deasy and Danny Barnes have plenty to offer if given the chance. The issue of whether Ronan O’Gara needs to be replaced sooner rather or later is divisive amongst Munster fans. Hanrahan and Ian Keatley will be in the former camp. At half-back, Conor Murray is still just 23. Cathal Sheridan is the same age and moves into the senior squad for next season. The Sligo native is another with great ability.
Up front, there’s more promise. Loose forwards Paddy Butler, Dave O’Callaghan and Tommy O’Donnell showed up well last season. Second-rows Dave Foley and Ian Nagle have been highlighted as players of potential for some time now, and will hope to get the game time their development needs. In the front-row, Dave Kilcoyne, Mike Sherry and Stephen Archer should graduate into valuable squad members. Beyond that trio, hooker Sean Henry and props John Ryan and Alan Cotter will be hoping for exposure.
The point is that Munster have the raw materials there to build strongly over the next couple of seasons. We haven’t even mentioned the likes of Keith Earls, Peter O’Mahony and Felix Jones, who still have youth on their side. Penney’s job will be to exact the utmost from each of these talented players, blending their youthful zest with the experience of Paul O’Connell, Doug Howlett and Ronan O’Gara. It may take a couple of years, but the wait could well be worth it for Munster fans.
Let us know your thoughts on the season ahead for Munster by leaving a comment below. Which young players do you rate? Which new signings will have a big impact? Can Munster grab some silverware in Penney’s first season?
I think with Penney’s turn around in the last season of 16 new players in his squad and to still win the ITM cup speaks volumes of what he is capable of,and why he was brought in here for.JJ is finally getting the recognition he deserves and will push ROG this season,never mind keatley.With Dougie to marshall the backline we will be a very different team defensively next season.On that point while watching Zebo and Murphy shoot up in defense for Gilroy’s try in Thomond park,while they were already too far forward would definitely not have happened if Dougie was not injured.We made them look good on the day and while we deserved to be beaten after such an atrocious first 20 that does not put them above us in the Irish pecking order.They had a better starting 15 than us,not a better squad,that was brought about by the freakish injury count.Time to build,and for the next ten years! Form is temporary,class is permanent,Munster Abu!
Great comment Paul! Completely agree with you on Dougie. His loss was massive last season. I was surprised he wasn’t mentioned more in the discussion after that quarter final. Will be brilliant to have him back, and expect that Penney will really encourage him to work even more closely with the young wingers in the squad. Also agree with your point that Ulster’s starting XV was stronger, but not their squad. We saw as they finished 5th in the PRO12, and had very little real impact off the bench in the big games.
I said that Munster were now ‘arguably’ the 3rd best team, and I think that many Ulster fans would insist that they’ve moved past Munster now. Everyone will have differing opinions on it. I don’t think it’s clear just yet. It’ll be a fascinating part of next season. Also, agree with your optimism for Munster’s future! I’m excited about next season and beyond under Penney.
Dougie back,finally a backs coach who understands what it is to run forward,Ulster losing Wannenburg. Wouldn’t be worried about them for one minute. They beat us fair and square in one game,a game they would not have won but for their performance in the first 20,and of course the ineptitude and blindness of Mr Poite.We were all over them after that,one game does not put them above us in the pecking order. Not that it really matters,with the youth we have coming through(B&I cup winners),and with the bitterness back,getting back to the top of Europe is what we will achieve in the next few years,never mind top dog in Ireland.
Yeah they did beat Munster fair and square, don’t think refereeing decisions had much to do with it. Munster had all the possession but couldn’t break down their excellent defence so they fully deserved it. As you said, getting Mannix in will hopefully mean that Munster use their possession a lot more effectively from now on. That was a big problem last season.
Totally agree on the reasons to be positive. That B&I team showed so much ability, especially beating the heavily-fancied Leinster in the semi-final that went to extra-time. Also, that’s a great point about the bitterness being back. Something that’s been a real part of the Munster psyche and it hasn’t been there to the same extent in the last couple of years.
2nd province in the country isn’t an accolade worth fighting over. Leinster are the target.
I’m optimistic about the new season. A HEC QF is attainable, and if the draw works out, there’s enough quality in the squad to get Munster to a semi or final. Leinster are perhaps a little way off yet, but their obvious impending difficulties in the engine-room mean they’re far from unbeatable.
Last season, in particular, was one of transition, with injuries initiating a long-overdue rebuilding of the squad and team. Of those lost to retirement, only Leamy had many years at the top left, and Munster could hardly have done better than bringing in O’Mahony as his replacement. The loss of David Wallace is greater, in part because McGahan failed to groom his successor, persisting with the wholehearted but underpowered Ronan while Tommy O’Donnell was left to stagnate. It remains to be seen whether O’Donnell will fulfill his early promise, but hopefully he will be allowed the opportunity to improve on his useful end of season performances.
The rest of the team is a season older and wiser, with Zebo, O’Mahony, Earls, Murray and Sherry gaining important HEC and international experience. They will be better again next season, and with the front-five still doing the business and Coughlan aging like a fine wine, there are only a few positions of concern: 7, 10 and 12. The squad has been strengthened and younger players have improved to the extent that there’s good cover in all other positions.
At 10, Keatley had a good first year overall, and he needs to be given an opportunity in a HEC game to make the jersey his. Racing and Edinburgh at home look to be good chances for experimentation. ROG is playing from memory these days, and offers almost nothing as an attacking force. If Downey was brought in to be ROG’s minder and workhorse, it doesn’t say much for McGahan’s succession planning.
Hanrahan’s elevation may be delayed a year or two, as ROG needs Downey at 12, and Keatley plus Hanrahan would be an inexperienced pairing. Also, put Earls outside JJ and the midfield appears lightweight. Downey will play a lot of games, and he’s far from a world-beater. If ROG and Downey start all the big games, that comparative weakness at 10 and 12 might sink the season, and with neither player on an upward trajectory, the one after that as well. I hope Penney is brave enough to give Keatley and JJ a go, but I’m not holding my breath.
Why buy Casey Laulala? It makes little sense, unless they think he can do a job at 12.
Which brings me to the issue of CJ Stander, who has been brought in to bolster the backrow and will probably squeeze Butler, O’Donnell and Dave O’Callaghan out of the side. I am not a fan of that at all. Munster’s apparent lack of destructive ball-carriers is a weakness of the front-row and not the back-row. Du Preez and Botha aren’t useful for much more than scrummaging, and one of them at least should be replaced with a carrier. But that’s not going to happen this season. Instead, Munster have chosen to remedy a limitation of their South African props by bringing in a project South African flanker. As a measure for the greater good of Irish rugby, I have to say it stinks.
If Poite had decided to actually deal with Afoa’s speartackle as opposed to giving a knock on against us,I think it would’ve made a big difference. Bit late for that now anyways,let’s hope Poite goes back to underage rugby where he belongs .The rudderless attack was a massive problem,there seemed to be no discernible game plan for a while and particularly at the end of the season,more Mafi running around like a headless chicken and only lateral lines being run from the rest of the backs.Tony Mcgahan has a lot to answer for,and while he deserves credit for the talent he brought through in difficult circumstances it was very much time for a change.
Reasons to be positive are many,not least beating Leinster and Ulster along the way to the B&I win.For some reason our underage players take longer to realise their potential than Leinsters’, who I genuinely believe are lucky to be at the height of their powers at the moment. With the traditional English and French powerhouses either in transition or underperforming,they are the best of a relatively bad lot,however our closeness is what got them to where they are,and will get us back to the top.Interesting times ahead indeed.