Latest news with #GrahamRowntree
Irish Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Sharks v Munster LIVE coverage of the URC quarter-final from Durban
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Munster's mission to the Shark Tank with a place in the last four of the URC at stake. Munster last played at Kings Park at the end of October, when they conceded over 40 points and Graham Rowntree's reign ended in the aftermath. New boss Clayton McMillan will come on board in July and, since Rowntree's departure, Ian Costello has been in the hot-seat. The Reds had to scramble to make the play-offs - thus securing Champions Cup rugby for next season - but they have impressed in doing so when the pressure was on. However this afternoon's encounter in Durban represents a step-up against a side that finished third in the URC table having lost just twice at home this season - to Toulouse in the Champions Cup and to Leinster in the URC. John Plumtree has picked a side with 12 Springboks in the starting line-up, including Siya Kolisi and skipper Eben Etzebeth, but Munster have been able to pick the same team for the third successive game for the first time in eight seasons. That should ensure a cohesive performance for the Reds, who will look to their title-winning run-in two seasons ago for inspiration as they look to upset the odds in the humidity and at altitude. Expect another big performance from Peter O'Mahony - who is again in last-game of his Munster career territory - and also from the newly-crowned RPI Players' Player of the Year Tadhg Beirne, while Jack Crowley winning his battle to be fit after a rib injury is a boost to the province.
RTÉ News
6 days ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Season comes full circle as Munster return to Durban
Seven months on, Munster return to the ground where their season, and future, changed dramatically. When the province were heavily beaten, 41-24, by the Sharks in Durban at the end of October, it marked the end of a miserable South African tour, and left them with just two wins from their opening six games. It was a bad start to the season, but it was still a major shock when the province confirmed they had parted company with head coach Graham Rowntree just a couple of days after returning home from that trip. With an early-season coaching change, and a further shake-up of the backroom team when forwards coach Andi Kyriacou was let go a few weeks later, it's naturally been a season of peaks and valleys for the province. Big wins, inexplicable defeats and everything in between. There's rarely a quiet week at Thomond Park. Munster are never more dangerous than when they are rallying around a cause, and the pending departures of Peter O'Mahony, Conor Murray and Stephen Archer have been a real motivating factor in the last month. You could argue they never should have let themselves get into a position where they needed to win their remaining two regular season games to secure a play-off spot, and more crucially Champions Cup rugby for next season. But after finding themselves in must-win territory, there is no doubting they delivered, and arguably played their best rugby of the season in each of those second halves. Their reward for making it into the play-offs is another trip to South Africa, against a Sharks side that blew them apart back in October (above). On paper, the Sharks should be overwhelming favourites. Their teamsheet boasts multiple World Cup-winning Springboks, notably in the pack where they start Siya Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth, Bongi Mbonambi, Ox Nche and Vincent Koch, as well as former Munster and Leinster lock Jason Jenkins. If you can deal with them, you still need to worry about Jaden and Jordan Hendrikse, Lukhanyo Am, Makazole Mapimpi, Andre Esterhuizen and Aphelele Fassi out in the backline. The Sharks are the most fascinating team in the URC. Laden with superstars, they have consistently failed to play as a sum of their parts, and finished fourteenth last season with just four wins from 18 games. They did, however, secure Champions Cup qualification through winning the Challenge Cup. They have been more consistent this season in the URC, and are the third seed for these play-offs, although there is still a question mark around their consistency, as their 10-7 home defeat to an understrength Leinster illustrated in March. "We obviously know that the quality is there," Munster interim head coach Ian Costello said of the Sharks improvements this season. "What we've seen over the last few weeks is how good they are off the ball; a team that's highly motivated, that scramble well, they're off the ground quickly. There's a good spirit and I think that enhances the quality that they have, where maybe in the past it mightn't have appeared they were as connected as that. "They look like a very connected group and it comes out really in the work-rate moments or the non-talent moments. They're very, very physical but what we've probably observed over the last few weeks if you make a line break it takes a lot of finishing before you score. "So, there's going to be really important battles off the ball in what we would call our catch-up in defence in our scramble or in our push-through in attack. If we bend them or if we break them we have to stay on top of them. "That's one of the key differences that we've picked up. Their work off the ball and their non-talent stuff is in a really good place in the last six to eight games anyway." The must-win element of the last couple of games, and the motivation of giving O'Mahony (above), Murray and Archer a fitting send-off has obviously played a part in Munster's return to form, but other, more obvious factors are at play. The end of the Women's Six Nations has allowed interim forwards coach Alex Codling return full-time with the province for the time being, and their lineout has started to function better as a result. The signings of Michael Milne and Lee Barron have also added some heft to the pack, but the most crucial element has been the injury list which has eased up, giving Costello more and more players back on deck. That good run of luck has now allowed Costello pick the same starting team for three games in a row. The last time Munster had previously named an unchanged team was in January 2018, a remarkable run of 188 games with at least one change in the side. Craig Casey and Jack Crowley are playing some of their best rugby, while the return of Diarmuid Kilgallen and Thaakir Abrahams from injury has seen them gain real speed in the back three. Defensively, there are still issues which were exposed by Benetton and Ulster in recent weeks, but after scrapping their way into the play-offs, they are a side that nobody will be comfortable facing, particularly with their unlikely run to the 2023 title still fresh in the memory. One of the big results on that title run came at this afternoon's venue, Kings Park in Durban, where they fought back for a 22-22 draw against the Sharks in the final round of the regular season, a result which altered their play-off path, and denied the Sharks a place in the Champions Cup. While they drew that afternoon, Kings Park remains the only South African ground Munster are yet to win at in the URC era. If they can channel the emotional energy of recent weeks, they have an outside chance of completing that South African set this evening.
The 42
29-05-2025
- Sport
- The 42
Sharks have improved but remain URC's most perplexing team
THE SHARKS CONTINUE to be the most perplexing team in the URC. Packed with Test-level talent, the South African side are a more balanced outfit than they were last season yet they remain prone to swings of inconsistency. This weekend they take on Munster in the URC quarter-finals, and the province will be well aware of the threat posed by the Sharks given their ill-fated trip to Durban earlier this season. That 41-24 loss in October proved to be Graham Rowntree's final game in charge. Having scraped into the playoffs, Munster will need to step things up if they are to keep their season alive this Saturday. The Sharks have taken confidence from their new-found ability to win tight battles, games they would have previously struggled in, but have made it clear they are determined to play when Munster come to town. This campaign has been a notable improvement on last season, where the Durban side only managed to win four of their 18 games as they slumped to a 14th-place finish. That return was all the more baffling given the Sharks managed to put together a brilliant Challenge Cup run, beating Gloucester in impressive fashion in last year's London final. This time around, they've had the look of a team who benefited from a full pre-season together. Whereas the Sharks were heavily impacted by the 2023 World Cup – not recording their first win until round six of the URC – this season the Sharks went into the opening rounds fully loaded. Advertisement They also added more quality to an already talented squad. Jason Jenkins joined from Leinster and the lock has been almost ever-present in the starting team. World Cup-winning tighthead Trevor Nyakane has brought power up front and Andre Esterhuizen has locked down his place at inside centre. The Sharks have also been playing with a new 10, with 23-year-old out-half Jordan Hendrikse recruited from the Lions last summer. Yet the headline signing was that of Springbok captain Siya Kolisi, who cut short his time in France with Racing 92 to return to South Africa. Kolisi is their top try-scorer and his presence has clearly helped lift things at the Sharks, and alongside other Springbok stars such as Eben Etzebeth, Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi, Makazole Mapimpi and Lukhanyo Am, the team is backboned by a core of experienced, proven winners. Eben Etzebeth. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo That's all fed into a notable upturn in form. The Sharks finished third in the URC table, bettering last season's performance by 11 places, and winning 13 of their 18 games. Munster's task this weekend is a difficult one but the Sharks have not cut out all those old bad habits, and they still tend to give their opponents opportunites. They can be guilty of switching off in games and turning over the ball too easily, while their defence still needs shoring up – shipping 30 points or more seven times this season (twice in the Champions Cup). Back in March they needed a 74th-minute try to avoid a home defeat against a struggling Zebre team, winning 35-34. That sloppy performance left head coach John Plumtree feeling his team had made life 'easy' for the Italians, admitting their skills had not been up to scratch. That has too often been a source of frustration. A week later they lost 10-7 at home to a young, heavily-rotated Leinster team – their only defeat across their last seven URC outings. The Sharks finished strong in winning their four final regular-season URC games, but even some of those performances raised questions about their temperament. Now that it's knock-out rugby, they are determined to shake off those questions. They have managed to make Durban a fortress, losing just twice at home – against Toulouse in the Champions Cup and against Leinster in round 14. And they hope there is more to come. Injuries left the Sharks light at out-half in recent weeks but Jordan Hendrikse has been back in training ahead of the Munster game. If they click, they can make life very hard for Munster, but the province will head into their quarter-final clash knowing the Sharks still have a soft side which can be exposed. Earlier this week, Etzebeth admitted the players have at times been 'frustrated with ourselves' for a lack of consistency across their performances. Now that they're in the play-offs, and with home advantage on their side, they feel they can make a real charge for the title.
Extra.ie
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Extra.ie
Munster need a repeat of their 2023 heroics to land another URC title… but this team thrives in foreign lands
Munster are on the road again. The squad boarded a flight to South Africa yesterday ahead of a seismic URC quarter-final with a Springboks-laden Sharks side in Durban on Saturday. That part of the world doesn't hold particularly fond memories for this playing group. Kings Park was the scene of a 41-24 hammering at the hands of the rampant hosts in October, a fitting end to a miserable two-week tour of South Africa. Munster weren't in a great place then. Graham Rowntree would part ways with the club a few days after the chartered flight had landed back on Irish soil. This turbulent campaign has never really settled down. Graham Rowntree. Pic: Shaun Roy/Sportsfile There have been some high points, including the stirring Champions Cup last-16 win at La Rochelle, but they have been maddeningly inconsistent. The fact that Munster needed a win against Treviso in the final round of the competition last weekend to secure a last-ditch place in the play-offs says everything about the stuttering nature of their performances. But they got the job done. And they head for the URC play-offs with some precious commodities at this time of year: confidence and momentum. Munster are far from world beaters, and the standard of Saturday's Champions Cup final in Cardiff looked a few levels above anything this current squad could deliver. Saying that, Ian Costello's crew have the ability, confidence and muscle memory to go deep in this competition again. They will draw immense belief from what transpired two seasons ago. It was a familiar scene. Pic: INPHO/James Crombie Rowntree, having succeeded Johann van Graan, was overseeing his first term in charge. Mike Prendergast had arrived from Racing 92 to overhaul an attack which had become blunt and predictable. Denis Leamy was lured down from Leinster to bring some steel to the defence. Suffice it to say, there were teething problems early on. Munster lost five of their seven URC outings, and words such as 'crisis' began to do the rounds. Many observers predicted that they would struggle to make the top eight. This wasn't dramatics. Munster were in a big hole at the time. Slowly, but surely, Rowntree's troops began to find their groove. Thanks to a few gutsy performances on South African soil, they snuck into the play–offs and were greeted with a fiendishly difficult route to the final. If Munster were going to land a first title since 2011, they were going to have to do it the hard way. Leinster head coach Leo Cullen. Pic: Seb Daly/Sportsfile What happened next was positively startling. Glasgow were beaten at Scotstoun. Leinster awaited in the semi-final at Aviva Stadium. Leo Cullen, keeping one eye on a looming Champions Cup final against La Rochelle, kept a host of frontliners on ice. Munster didn't need a second invitation to pounce on the vulnerable visitors, with Jack Crowley's late drop goal sealing their place in the final. A video of the Stormers celebrating that result would soon go viral, with one player infamously screaming 'We are gonna f*** them up' at the camera. Munster rolled into Cape Town and duly landed the title. Three daunting away assignments. Three wins. Jack Crowley. Pic: Grant Pitcher/Sportsfile Just to emphasise the enormity of this achievement, it was the first time that all three teams had lost a home game that season. 'There is no other team that has done this, six games away from home. And no one will ever do it again,' Rowntree reflected after that stunning win at DHL Stadium. 'But we will find a hard way to do it next time!' Munster has a pedigree in this competition, so make no mistake about it. They believe they can go on another run and secure a second title in three seasons. This team hasn't been shy on the subject either. Gavin Coombes made this squad's ambitions very clear a few weeks ago. 'We are still going to challenge for the title if we can,' the Munster No. 8 declared recently. 'When we won it, we came fifth and we went away every game, so why can't we do that again? 'When we have been on it this season, we have had some great days and great performances. There is a lot of belief in this group that we have the talent to challenge for the league, so that's definitely what we are speaking about.' They have thrived on the road. It's ironic, really, given this team's rich history at Thomond Park. You could even argue that this current squad are delivering their biggest displays away from their Limerick fortjack ress. Yes, the Sharks will be laden with Test match quality. Their front five, featuring Springbok regulars such as Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi, Vincent Koch and Eben Etzebeth, will be sizing up Munster's creaky scrum, while Siya Kolisi, Andre Esterhuizen and Makazole Mapimpi will punch holes all day. But Munster will still feel quietly confident they can spring an upset in Durban. Just like in 2023, they have found form at the right time. This group has been through the mill, losing a head coach midway through the campaign, and has come out the other side. They have the added motivation of ensuring that Peter O'Mahony, Conor Murray and Stephen Archer won't be playing their last games in the red jersey this weekend. O'Mahony has looked reborn in recent weeks, and the veteran flanker is leading a young pack from the front, while Craig Casey and Crowley have been in sublime form. And Munster know they have a backline which can trouble any team in this league, with Alex Nankivell, Tom Farrell, Calvin Nash, and Thaakir Abrahams thriving. They will attack this week with vigour—another big task in enemy territory. Munster will relish it.
Irish Daily Mirror
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Leinster and Munster in URC quarter-finals - dates, TV times and paths to final
Leinster and Munster could face each other in the URC final in June - but there's a lot of work to be done before then. Both provinces are through to the quarter-finals but made the knock-outs in contrasting fashion. Leinster led the way in the championship from the off and won 16 of their 18 regular season fixtures, finishing off with a hard-earned win over reigning champions Glasgow Warriors on Saturday. As top seeds, Leo Cullen's side will face eighth seeds Scarlets at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday, May 31 with a 3pm kick off. The Scarlets beat a second string Leinster outfit in Swansea the week before the Blues were beaten in the Champions Cup semi-finals. Leinster's prize for coming through the quarter-final will be a last four clash with fourth seeds Glasgow or the Stormers, the fifth seeds, who face each other on Friday, May 30. The pressure is on the Blues as they attempt to end a three-year wait for silverware. 2023 champions Munster must make the trip to South Africa after securing their play-off qualification in their final round fixture against Benetton last Friday night, a result that also ensured they will be in the Champions Cup next season. The Reds, as sixth seeds, are heading to Durban on Saturday, May 31 (5.30pm Irish time) to take on the Sharks, who finished the season in third place in the URC standings. It was three days after Munster's 41-24 defeat at Hollywoodbets Kings Park in late October that the province announced the departure of Graham Rowntree as head coach. Ian Costello has held the reins on an interim basis since then, with new appointment Clayton McMillan arriving in the summer. Victory for Munster will see them through to a semi-final against the Bulls or Edinburgh, with the Reds facing another away mission. Friday, 30 May QF4: (4) Glasgow Warriors v (5) DHL Stormers Venue: Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow KO: 7:35pm Live on Premier Sports, Saturday, 31 May QF2: (2) Vodacom Bulls v (7) Edinburgh Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria KO: 12:30pm Irish time Live Premier Sports, QF1: (1) Leinster v (8) Scarlets Venue: Aviva Stadium, Dublin KO: 3pm Live on RTE, BBC Wales, Premier Sports, QF3: (3) Sharks v (6) Munster Venue: Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban KO: 5.30pm Irish time Live on TG4, Premier Sports, Semi-Finals – Saturday, 7 June SF1: Winner QF1 v Winner QF4SF2: Winner QF2 v Winner QF3 URC Grand Final – Saturday, 14 June Winner SF1 v Winner SF2
