The Munster head coach is normally a glass half full kind of guy.
On Friday night in Glasgow, the South African was as surly and downbeat as we have seen him in his nine months in charge at Munster. It was only two games into the Guinness PRO14 season but van Graan knew the importance of making a stand at Scotstoun.
On September 22, last year, Munster travelled to Scotstoun and got a belting. Having started the season with three victories, Rassie Erasmus predicted a stern test but watched on as Glasgow Warriors got off to a rapid start. They led 20-5 at the break and ended up winning 37-10.
Just under a year later and van Graan’s Munster knew a storm would come in the first half and yet looked powerless to stop it. Tries from Callum Gibbins, Stuart Hogg and Adam Ashe helped leave it 22-0 at half-time.
By the time the Irish province came out after the break, there were four changes to their starting XV – Neil Cronin, Stephen Archer, Fineen Wycherly and Tadhg Beirne were pitched in earlier than planned as a tide needed swift stemming. JJ Hanrahan had a tough night of it but his coach left him on until his penalty reduced arrears to 22-3 but his next game may be off the Munster bench.
Rhys Marshall got a late, converted try but Warriors were deserving winners and van Graan’s post-match interview with eir Sport was telling. He tried his best to be civil but, in the 76 seconds he was in front of the camera, you could tell he was itching to get into the ‘away’ dressing room to lay down the law.
“This is week two of the competition,” he stated. “We don’t need any other belief. We just need to play better away from home.”
"This is week two of the competition. We don't need any other belief, we just need to play better away from home"
Johann van Graan spoke after a disappointing night for his side in Scotstoun. #GuinnessPRO14 #GLAvMUN #eirsportPRO14 pic.twitter.com/iRAbviiLel
— eir Sport (@eirSport) September 7, 2018
Two of the positives were Beirne showing off his stout defence and jackaling skills, at the breakdown, and the shift put in by replacement lock Fineen Wycherley.
Having been sent off at the same ground last season, Wycherley had some unfinished business and he showed plenty of signs of promise. He stuck all 12 of his tackles attempted and made a few forceful carries too.
Beirne will also have appreciated Wycherley’s choice of scrum-cap. The former Leinster and Scarlets forward wears a distinctive blue scrum-cap and it often marks him out as a target around the breakdown.
After Leinster defeated Beirne’s Scarlets in last season’s Champions Cup final, Kevin McLaughlin told The Hard Yards:
“It was almost an advantage for them, having Beirne playing in that game… in a warped way.
“They had a guy – I think Jordi Murphy said it in the press after the game – in a blue scrum-cap all week. One of the academy guys had the absolute shit kicked out of him all week. Any time they saw the blue lid, they absolutely smashed him.”
Beirne may be hoping – for more than one reason – that Wycherley spends plenty of time on the pitch with him this season.
Munster have in-form Ospreys coming to Cork next weekend and van Graan will be looking for an immediate response. Expect to see a couple more Ireland internationals featuring in next weekend’s matchday squad.
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