Munster Rugby coach Graham Rowntree: 'We weren't at the races early on'

MUNSTER Rugby head coach Graham Rowntree admitted the side had 'plenty of things to work on' ahead of the start of the new United Rugby Championship season following their 19-33 defeat to Gloucester at Virgin Media Park on Friday night.

Munster shipped five first half tries in a lacklustre first half showing as the Cherry and Whites ran out deserving winners in a fixture in which the home side gave gametime to no fewer than 30 players.

Rowntree's Munster side open their URC campaign at home to Connacht in a big interprovincial clash at Thomond Park on Saturday, September 21.

Reflecting on their defeat to Gloucester on Friday night, Munster head coach Rowntree admitted his charges were 'not at the races' early on.

Rowntree said: "We’ll have a good review of it, we’re not perfect, are we, going into the season. Good God, plenty of things to work on. I was disappointed with our energy, our actions, collisions. We spoke about it a lot during the week, it’s quite evident we weren’t at the races early on.

“Nothing against them, they looked sharp, particularly off set-piece. Plenty for us to work on and I’m hoping I’m going to look back in 15 days’ time and think that’s exactly what we needed, a kick up the backside going into the URC.

“Lots of things for us to look at. I was proud of some of the performances of some of the young men that came on the field, Gordy Wood, his first touch of the ball was to field a high ball under a lot of heat. Seán Edogbo was outstanding.

“Thaakir Abrahams is everything that we’ve been watching, that’s why we signed him. He looked very agile, he looked dangerous.

“Again, I’m not taking anything away from the Gloucester team, they did very well in the second half after a lot of changes themselves. With all our territory we just couldn’t get over the line. Lots to work on.”