Munster Rugby coach Graham Rowntree: 'We've got a massive game in Belfast on Sunday'

MUNSTER Rugby head coach Graham Rowntree says the side must 'crack on' for a 'massive game' against Ulster on New Year's Day following their frustrating one-point defeat to Leinster at a sold-out Thomond Park on St Stephen's Day.

Munster sit in ninth place in the United Rugby Championship table with four wins from their opening 10 league fixtures ahead of their trip to Belfast to face third-placed Ulster. The game in Belfast which kicks off at 5.15pm is live on TG4 and Premier Sports.

Munster looked well placed to end Leinster's three-game winning run in Limerick on Monday night when leading 14-6 early in the second half as the visitors had also lost Max Deegan to the sin-bin.

However, the concession of 14 points, including two tries from tap penalties, despite their numerical advantage, ultimately proved crucial in Munster's undoing.

Munster have now won just one of their five interprovincial fixtures in the URC this season.

Rowntree agreed that Munster's failure to capitalise on the 10 minute period when Leinster had lost Deegan to that yellow card was a key factor in their undoing.

"That for me was the difference between the two teams, that period," Rowntree said

“We’ll look at what we can do better and move one because it’s a big game every week at the moment. We’re halfway through a 10-game block. We’ve got to crack on, a massive game in Belfast on Sunday, then we’re at home the week after and then we go to Europe again.

“I’m not even going to talk about Europe, just talk about this game in Belfast on Sunday.”

Rowntree said Munster could take some positives from Monday night's game with Leinster.

Asked what these positives were, Rowntree said: “Several aspects around our set-piece, some of our defence, just the way our attacking shape is continually developing. There’s components in all of that but we’ve got to do better against a top team.

“But they get shaded by the negatives. Our game is developing, it’s growing and we got tested tonight by a class team. I repeat, whoever they have on the field they’re a class team. They work with class players every day, good coaching team.”