Johann van Graan: "We want to keep the Munster-ness but also add to it"

MUNSTER head coach Johann van Graan revealed that the province's four new signings for next season hadn't got a chance to meet  each other in person yet due to training restrictions due to the coronavirus.

Munster have bolstered their squad this summer by adding South African World Cup winners Damian de Allende and RG Snyman as well as ex-Saracens full-back Matt Gallagher and former Leinster prop Roman Salanoa.

De Allende, Snyman and Gallagher trio have signed two-year contracts with Munster that will see them remain with Munster Rugby until at least June 2022.

Commenting on the new signings in an on-line media briefing with journalists, Munster head coach Johann van Graan said: “In terms of the new players, some fascinating stories. Damian, RG, Matt and Roman haven’t actually even met all of the squad because we’ve been in smaller groups. Guys are meeting each other over Zoom and over Microsoft teams.”

“When Damian came in he was in isolation for two weeks. He’s coming in from Japan so you bringing him food and looking after him. sHe’s been behind a window and a wall, so (that was) a pretty strange start.”

“When RG and his wife came, similarly from Japan, they went into their home and there’s a wattbike and some weights waiting for him, and a piece of grass, and they just entered a home that’s so new to them.”

“Similarly with Roman (Salanoa), he came up the highway from Dublin and a nice story about Roman. He’s staying close to the Shannon river and he asked me is it okay if he can swim in there. I said: ‘You’re very welcome but absolutely not, it’s too cold.’ But he’s adapted very well.”

“Then Matt (Gallagher) obviously making the trip across from England. All four have settled in well and I think we’ll only see what they’ll bring from a rugby point of view in the coming weeks.”

“Everybody knows the ambition and the dreams we have as a club and I think it’s important to know that if you look at the four individuals, they all come from championship-winning teams and that’s something that we want to become and in our recruitment it’s very important for me to get more those players in to add to what we have at Munster Rugby.”

“We stated that we wanted to keep the Munsterness of Munster, but also add to that, and we’ve got two World Cup winners coming in. They have won a Rugby Championship together with a World Cup. Roman has been part of a very successful Leinster team and Matt’s been part of a very successful Saracens team. So that’s giving us more Championship-winning experience.”               

“That will hopefully come in time but in terms of what they can add right now is adding in small groups and hopefully being fit for that first game because the only thing we’re aiming for is that first game, to literally get back onto the pitch and play a game of rugby.”