Munster Rugby coach Graham Rowntree: "We got to the play-offs now, can't wait"

MUNSTER Rugby head coach Graham Rowntree said he was immensely proud of the side's resilience in claiming 44 points from a possible 45 over their final nine regular season URC fixtures to claim top spot ahead of the play-offs.

URC holders Munster made it nine wins on the bounce in the League when recording a dramatic 29-24 come-from-behind victory over Ulster in front of an attendance of 17,496 in their final regular season fixture at a sun-drenched Thomond Park on Saturday evening.

Top seeds Munster will now take on eight seeds Ospreys in a URC quarter-final at Thomond Park on Friday night, 7.35pm.

Munster head coach Graham Rowntree is expecting a stern test from the Ospreys in their last eight clash.

"We have a lot of respect for what Toby [Booth, Ospreys head coach] has done there. As a club what he's done, there, the challenges around availability and budget. They're a sticky team.

"We had a good battle with them over there in February or March. They are a tough team. 

"That's the next game, we're at the play-offs and finished the league at the top. I'm immensely proud of that as a club. I think we were 11th on January 2, we had our injuries around Christmas, and picked up 44 of a possible 45 points since that Connacht game, then away in South Africa. 

"I'm really pleased with how we finished up if I am honest with you. You don't get a trophy for it. Where we were and where we got to, I'm immensely proud. 

"We go to the play-offs now, can't wait."

Reflecting on Munster's hard fought interprovincial win over Ulster, Rowntree said a combination of individual errors and some poor discipline had cost them in the opening half.

“We don't do things easy, do we?” Rowntree said.

“Credit to them, they came to play and grew into the game. We made some individual errors there, they capitalised, they scored off them. Half time was about staying calm and they came back in the third quarter, a missed tackle from John Hodnett and they were through.

“We found a way, it's an overused expression, but we found a way to win the game. The bench was big again.

“When you go 6/2 (forwards and backs) and lose a back in the first half, we were still brave around the 45 minute mark bringing four forwards on. I couldn't really bring Conor (Murray) on any earlier than we did, but overall, I think it worked, the punch that our bench gave us. It really stood to us. I'm happy with it.

“Our discipline was poor . .  .  Jack Crowley, by his own admission, in the side of ruck, it's a penalty, they go in the corner, they break down the front of the maul.

“Then he kicks a ball directly out from a goalline drop-out. They're just individual errors, which he'll recover from, and he did in the game.

“When we get the ball in their '22, we were forcing things, forcing passes, we just lacked a bit of composure. Half time was about being calm.

"There's plenty of bits to review, but a lot of our errors were individual errors, and then it was composure in the last 10 metres of the field.

"I'm delighted with our attitude there, we went for the corner, mauled them over, our scrum was in good nick and we used it as a good platform for penalties. It will stand to us.

"It wasn't perfect, we go into the play-offs Friday night, we have a few sore bodies, we'll see how they pulled through and name a team in the middle of the week."