The season finished disappointingly for Munster but the summer tour with Ireland gives us a chance to get back onto the field, writes Jerry Flannery in his latest column for JOE.
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We were very disappointed with the way the Magners League semi-final against Leinster went. It was a very disappointing end to the season but the important thing now is that we as players are quite hard on ourselves and see where we’re coming up short, and what we can do better.
The way the standard is at Munster, if we don’t perform we’re gone – it’s as simple as that. So we have to see how we can improve ourselves as players, because this season wasn’t good enough. We didn’t perform and we’ve got to ask ourselves some hard questions.
It would be great if everyone was younger but I wouldn’t rule out anyone yet
There has been talk about the age profile of the Munster team but people were talking about that when I came into the team in 2006. When we played the Dragons in the Heineken Cup back then, one of their props came out in the paper and called us Dad’s Army.
Obviously, looking to the future you can’t discount it. It’d be great if everyone was younger but I wouldn’t rule out anyone yet.
Ireland’s call
At this point, we just want to look forward and luckily some of us have a chance to get back playing again quickly with Ireland in the game against the Barbarians and then the summer tour to Australia and New Zealand.
It’s a bit of a monkey on our backs that we haven’t beaten New Zealand, so any chance to do something like that is a big thing
The squad was announced last week and I’m really looking forward to it. You’re only going to get so many chances to play for Ireland so to get picked for any tour is exciting. It’s a chance to go down and play against the southern hemisphere teams so I always look forward that.
I’ve a bit of a calf injury but I’m hoping to have shaken that off by the time we’re due to head off. Summer tours are always enjoyable. My first one was to New Zealand and Australia in 2006 and I’ve always enjoyed them but we’d prefer to be getting a few more results.
Four years ago we ran the All Blacks really close in both games and it was very disappointing not to come away with a result. It’s still a bit of a monkey on our backs that we haven’t beaten them, so any chance to do something like that is a big thing.
For us to take a step forward we need to go to southern hemisphere teams and beat them down there. That’s what we’ll be trying to do
It’s always hard – you’re playing against the best teams in the world in their back yard – but we’ll be going there aiming to win all our games. Something we’ve identified as a team, for us to take a step forward we need to go to southern hemisphere teams and beat them down there, so that’s what we’ll be trying to do.
I think the whole squad will have plenty of motivation to go there and do well after the way the season finished. Hopefully Leinster will win the Magners League this weekend but all the provinces will probably be disappointed with the way the season finished. It shows how fine the line is – ourselves and Leinster were in the Heineken Cup semi-finals and Connacht were so close to getting to the Challenge Cup final. We were all knocking on the door and it’s very fine details that decide whether you have a trophy or not at the end of the year, but that could drive us on as a squad when we go Down Under.
Stop-start season
I understand that for some of the lads who were on the Lions tour last year it may seem like another add-on to a very long season but personally, my season has been so stop-start that I’m really looking forward to it. With the way the season finished for us, to have another chance to get back on the field is a big thing.
I didn’t know what the make-up of the squad was going to be until it was announced last week. A lot of people in the media were talking about the possibility of leaving some people at home and going for a bit of experimentation, but there isn’t a very big playing pool in Ireland and we’re going to play New Zealand and Australia. I heard stories of lads years ago going on a development tour to New Zealand. They got torn apart down there and the experience of that finished a lot of people’s careers.
Anyway, there’s still a good blend in the squad. There are young fellas coming through and I don’t think Declan Kidney will be holding back – he’ll be thinking if someone’s good enough they’re old enough.
