Munster Can Only Play 10 Man Rugby – David Knox

When Leinster coach (asst) David Knox sits down to plot Munster’s demise ahead of Sunday’s clash in Musgrave Park, he’ll not have much concern of a threat to his side from beyond the Munster number 10

When Leinster coach David Knox sits down to plot Munster’s demise ahead of Sunday’s clash in Musgrave Park, he will apparently not be too concerned about any threat to his side from beyond the Munster number 10 berth.

Speaking to Liam Heagney in Ireland on Sunday, Knox explained how the culture of 15 man rugby that serves Leinster so well is great for a man like himself.

And obviously very happy with his lot among the denizens of D4, Knox went on to say, ” It’s not as if I’m coming into Munster or Bath or somewhere they can just play with 10 men. I want to play an expansive game and I’ve got the players to do that.”

Just as well then that, on the evidence of their last outing, eight of the ten Munster threats are in good heart. Of the other two, Ronan O’Gara may detain Knox and Co a little while before they present their blueprint for victory to the players.

O’Gara , well served by his scrum-half Peter Stringer, was outstanding against Connacht at The Sportsground on Sunday. His return from the placed ball, seven from seven, included one from the touch line into the teeth of the notorious Sportsground gale and later, another from the half-way and two conversions from wide on the right.

His kicking from hand was right on the money in both halves, but with the wind behind him in the second, any time a game Connacht managed to gain a foothold in Munster territory, O’Gara invariably drove them downfield with long raking touch-finds.

Gary Connolly certainly caught the eye on his debut. Besides the two tries he scored, one in each half, his work-rate was impressive and at this stage, and it is early days, he looks to have been an astute acquisition.

It might be remembered that Connolly played with Harlequins in the 1996/97 season, reaching the quarter-final with a side that included Will Carling , Dan Luger and Keith Wood.