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Graham Rowntree perplexed by Munster Champions Cup flop
By Ian Cameron
Munster head coach Graham Rowntree expressed his 'huge' frustration following his team's 32-24 defeat to Exeter Chiefs in the Investec Champions Cup.
Despite leading 24-13 after 65 minutes, Munster could not withstand a strong comeback from Exeter. Henry Slade was pivotal for the Chiefs, contributing 17 points through a try, three conversions, and two penalties, in front of an enthusiastic crowd of over 13,000 at Sandy Park.
Exeter's victory was marked by tries from Dan Frost, Jack Dunne, Ross Vintcent, and Slade, showcasing their resilience and ability to rally late in the game. This follows their narrow 19-18 win against Toulon last week, also clinched by a last-minute effort from Slade.
Munster's performance featured tries from Tom Ahern, Calvin Nash, Antoine Frisch, and Shane Daly, with Jack Crowley adding two conversions.
Rowntree cut an agitated figure at the post-match press conference. Despite securing a bonus point and initially dominating, Rowntree lamented the game's shift against Munster. He highlighted the third try from Exeter as a turning point, describing it as "crazy" and "against the run of play."
“I’m hugely frustrated and need to calm down and have another look at some of the crucial incidents.
“We scored some cracking tries to get a bonus point and get on top of them but the game got away from us and it shows that the game is never over.
“The third try from the bouncing ball was just crazy and was against the run of play.
“As far as this competition is concerned, we’ll see how the cards develop as we still have Toulon away and (Northampton) Saints at home, but we are the world specialists in making life difficult for ourselves.”
additional reporting PA
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Latest Comments
Don't think you've watched enough. I'll take him over anything I's seen so far. But let's see how the future pans out. I'm quietly confident we have a row of 10's lined uo who would each start in many really good teams.
Go to commentsHopefully Joe stays where he is. That would mean Les, McKellar, larkham and Cron should as well. It’s the stability we need in the state programs. But, if Joe goes, RA with its current financial situation will be forced into promoting from within. And this will likely destabilise other areas.
To better understand some of the entrenched bitterness of those outside of NZ and NSW (as an example 😂), Nic, there is probably a comparison to the old hard heads of welsh rugby who are still stuck in the 1970s. Before the days where clubs merged, professionalism started, and the many sharp knives were put into the backs of those who loved the game more than everyone else. I’m sure you know a few... But given your comparison of rugby in both wales and Australia, there are a few north of the tweed that will never trust a kiwi or NSWelshman because of historical events and issues over the history of the game. It is what it is. For some, time does not heal all wounds. And it is still festering away in some people. Happy holidays to you. All the best in 2025.
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