Munster V Montauban (19-17) 10th October 2008

Munster V Montauban (19-17) October 10th 2008
A nail-biter of a match to start the defense of the Heineken Cup with!

Jerry you are carrying an arm injury, how did it hold up during the game?

The arm took a few belts in the first half but held up well. This is going to be a slow recovery as it is a tendon injury and itendon problems take time to heal.

How do you feel about the general match performance?

Obviously the performance wasn't where we wanted/needed it to be, but in a cup match a win is what you want and that's the main thing we are focusing on.

Did Munster underestimate Montauban?

We didn't under-estimate them. They came with nothing to lose, no expectation, they left some of their big names behind. It was a "Get out of Jail" opportunity in the last few minutes but it just showed the experience of the Munster team when we didn't panic.

How did you feel about your own performance?

I played alright, I think I put in a reasonable performance, It was difficult at times because we couldn't hold on to a lot of ball. All in all I was just glad to get a full 80 minutes under my belt.

Do you think the new rule changes affected the game?

The rule changes have a big effect in wet conditions, they are designed to encourage expansive play, but the rule changes are a real equalizer in certain condition. Munster like the expansive play it allows us take advantage of our dangerous runners and they can do some real damage. The set pieces become a little more of a lottery but then the rules are the same for everyone.

Jerry Flannery in conversation with USN