CLAYTON MCMILLAN gave an early indicator of what he’s looking for from his Munster team when he pointed to an unheralded moment in the 34-21 triumph over Scarlets as his pick of the day.
Brian Gleeson’s 50-metre burst upfield from the back of a scrum may have been dynamic, Jack Crowley’s two passes in the corner try for Mike Haley may have been delightful, and the midfield partnership between new boy Dan Kelly and Alex Nankivell was definitely eye-catching.
But it was a tackle at the end of the first half that best pleased Munster’s new boss as Jack O’Donoghue somehow stopped Josh Macleod from completing a pass to the unmarked Gareth Davies five metres out during a period of heavy Scarlets pressure.
It proved to be the difference of ending the half 13-0 ahead and heading to the sheds a mere six points clear
“There were a few eye-catching moments in attack, but I was more impressed with the one produced by Jack O’Donoghue in saving a try,” said McMillan.
“If you have a team that can show that kind of desperation and pride it will take you a long way. The flashy stuff looks good on TV and makes headlines, but it is the effort and unseen stuff off the ball that has a big impact on the game.
“We had some long, gritty defensive sets – some character-building stuff that shows people care. I was happy to get the result and there was enough there for us to be optimistic about.’’
Four tries and five points at a ground where it was difficult to get a result last season made it a very solid start for the New Zealander. With more players to come in, he has definitely got something to build on and work with.
“There was some validation that the work we had put in during the pre-season was worthwhile. There were some parts of our game that I thought were really good and will stand us in good stead moving forward,” added McMillan.
“There are good people in our building, management and coaches, and I haven’t come in to re-write the script. There is some really good stuff that has been happening and it’s just about having a fresh pair of eyes to challenge the stauts quo.
“There are some things I feel strongly about that we are trying to embed, but it’s not all going to happen at once. It is a process we will work through over the next few months.
“I did a fair amount of homework on what has made Munster the team that they have been and the team that we want them to be. I’m trying to get those two things aligned in what they have traditionally done well and also what the current profile of the team best suits.
“That’s not an overnight thing, it’s going to take a little while to embed. I just hope we keep getting better.”
