Munster Rugby players get week off as focus moves to Six Nations

MUNSTER players begin a week off breathing a huge sigh of relief following their last gasp victory over Benetton Rugby in Italy on Saturday night.

A dramatic drop goal from replacement JJ Hanrahan with the final kick of the game prevented Johann van Graan’s charges from suffering a shock first defeat to Benetton Rugby in eight years.

The Italian side had lost all of their nine Guinness PRO14 fixtures this season prior to kick-off.
Munster’s win saw Johann van Graan’s charges move 15 points clear of second-placed Connacht in Conference B of the PRO14. The Westerners do have a game in hand on their provincial rivals.

With the Six Nations Championships taking centre stage from this weekend, Munster’s next competitive outing in the PRO14 will be a Saturday, February 20 meeting with Edinburgh Rugby at BT Murrayfield, 7.35pm.

That will be the second of six fixtures Munster will play minus their Ireland Six Nations players.
Reflecting on his side’s hard fought win over Benetton Rugby, Johann van Graan said:  “Look, I am very happy with our form away from home. Only the one defeat away to Ulster which was also a one score game.  

“Last week (against Leinster) we probably played a lot better and lost. Like I said, tonight we were not at our best and won. That is the game. 

“This has been a long block of rugby, some sore bodies. The time of Covid-19 mentally it has been such a long time since we have had a proper break. So we will go on a nine-day break now and then come back in on Tuesday week. 

“We will play the game against Connacht with some guys who really haven’t had gametime and then refocus for the final push of the season which is four more months of rugby so really looking forward to the break now.” 

Replacement prop  Jeremy Loughman made his first appearance for Munster in Saturday’s game since October after recovering from a shoulder injury.

Meanwhile, Academy prop Josh Wycherley and his brother Fineen started together for Munster for the first time in Saturday night's rearranged fixture.