Live

Highlights on Off The Ball

05:00 PM-12:00 AM

Highlights on Off The Ball
Advertisement
Rugby

Rassie Erasmus continues to laud Saracens

Munster Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus has continued to heap praise on Munster's conquerers at ...



Rassie Erasmus continues to la...
Rugby

Rassie Erasmus continues to laud Saracens

Munster Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus has continued to heap praise on Munster's conquerers at the weekend.

The Irish side went down 26-10 to the defending champions Saracens but Erasmus was keen to learn from the experience and move on. Speaking to Limerick's Live 95FM Sport, he said: "We were very much disappointed but if you sit and feel sorry for yourself the whole day nothing will change.

"You must get back on the horse and ride it again and try and get better so we're disappointed but it doesn't help to dwell on the past. 

"We were beaten by a team that if - and I said this all yesterday - that if we played them 10 times, I think they'd beat us eight out of 10 times currently where we are as a team. Get past it, accept it, learn form it and tackle the next challenge."

Saracens Chris Wyles scores his sides second try. Image: ©INPHO/Billy Stickland

Asked if Saracens were the toughest team Munster have come up against this season, Erasmus said: "Yes, without a doubt, without a doubt. Not just tactically and individual brilliance but the intensity they throw into the game.

"We try and pride ourselves as a team that can put up the intensity but there doesn't seem to be a facet their game where they don't have massive intensity - if it's scrums, if it's mauling, if it's breakdown, if it's defence.

"You can see it is a squad that has been developed over a few years and they've learned lessons from losing quarter-finals, semi-finals, winning here, winning there. They've got into one of the best club teams in the world," he added.

Looking ahead to this weekend's clash with Treviso in the Guinness PRO12 Championship, the Munster boss is keen to secure a home semi-final after recently finding out no team has ever won away to qualify for the final, saying: "Yes actually, I've just heard that five minutes ago. It's the first time I've heard a stat like that where never an away team has won a semi-final in the PRO12. It has never been done so it's unbelievable. 

"We'll try and get it. Obviously the Scarlets will have other plans with that but it's still in our own hands. If we can win one of these two games then we'll have a home semi-final."

Munster head to Italy to take on Treviso this Saturday. 

 

Download the brand new OffTheBall App in the Play Store & App Store right now! We've got you covered!

Subscribe to OffTheBall's YouTube channel for more videos, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for the latest sporting news and content.


Read more about

Rugby