‘You are always just one poor performance away from a kick in the backside’ – Munster’s Denis Leamy wary of Ospreys
Munster defence coach Denis Leamy will have plenty to chew over this week after the narrow win over Ulster last Saturday. Photo: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
Defence coach Denis Leamy during Munster rugby squad training
Munster were handed a timely reminder of just how tough it will be to defend their URC title in the coming weeks, as Ulster provided them with a stern test last weekend.
Not that there was ever going to be any sense of complacency in the Munster camp ahead of tomorrow evening’s quarter-final against the Ospreys at Thomond Park, but their feet have been kept firmly on the ground despite their remarkable run of picking up 44 out of 45 points in their last nine league games.
The manner in which Ulster breached Munster’s defence provided enough material for Denis Leamy to sink his teeth into this week, as Graham Rowntree’s men look to ensure they are primed for what they hope will be a run of three games en route to defending their title on home soil.
“Look, we have got the best record in the league in terms of the fewest points scored against us, and I’ve said to the boys, that’s all well and good but the reality at times is that we can be better, and I mean that in a good way,” said Leamy, Munster’s defence coach.
“Like last weekend . . . certainly the third try, we can control that against Ulster, we need to be better there. Falling off tackles and just not impacting the defensive reset, the ruck, how we fill the pitch.
“We can be better there, and there’s always going to be that, but as a group of lads, I find them incredibly giving in what they want to do for Munster.
“They work their hearts out for you. They are a brilliant bunch of lads. You could never question them in any way, shape or form around that sort of stuff.
“Look, the nature of defence is, you are always just one result or one poor performance away from a kick in the backside. So, we will never get too excited about stats or anything like that, but I would be very pleased with what the boys are doing.”
As a player and a coach, Leamy has been involved in plenty of big knockout games, so he understands the intricacies involved in ensuring players are mentally switched on.
On paper at least, table-toppers Munster should have far too much quality for an eighth-placed Ospreys outfit who just about squeezed into the play-offs, but as Leamy warned, do-or-die games can often take on a life of their own.
“I think with knockout rugby there’s almost a turn of the page,” the Tipperary native added.
“You’ve got to understand, it’s almost a different mentality, it’s a new challenge. The Ospreys are probably the most under-rated team in the league.
“I think the expectation would be that we are favourites but these guys are a very, very strong team and we’ve got to understand what we control is really important in terms of what we deliver. We’ve got to fire punches, we’ve got to be brave.
“We’ve got to go out and try and impose our game. We just can’t wait and see what the Ospreys are going to bring because they’re going to bring all of their quality and they have loads of it.”
