Graham Rowntree reveals RG Snyman setback
Springbok lock RG Snyman’s injury woes were compounded this week when his Munster coach Graham Rowntree confirmed he would not be back in action “for some time.”
It was widely expected that Snyman, who has been through several injury setbacks since joining the Irish club, would be available for the Springboks for their November tour, or at the very least for Munster when they play a South African XV in a tour match in Cork in November.
But the news will come as a body blow not only for the club but for Springbok fans as well, as the World Cup-winning giant has been sorely missed since he started picking up one injury after another.
Snyman has played just 54 minutes in two seasons for his club after picking up two cruciate knee ligament injuries and it seems he will be out for longer than expected.
“He’s not quite there yet. He’s had a very difficult year and we’re not pushing him. All I can say at this point, for the foreseeable, he’s not quite ready yet,” was all that Rowntree would say to media enquiries on his fitness.
It seems a certainty now that Snyman will not be in action until after the November break, and perhaps even longer if the prognosis is as bad as feared.
Rowntree is already under pressure as new coach of the team since Johann van Graan departed, losing to Cardiff and Dragons in opening round games that Munster would normally have ticked off as victories.
And now with a number of players in South Africa with an Emerging Ireland squad, Rowntree also has to contend with not having regulars Alex Kendellen, Gavin Coombes, Jack Daly and Andrew Conway while South African-born lock Jean Kleyn is also in doubt.
The two defeats in two starts represents Munster’s worst start to the campaign since the Celtic League started in 2001-2 and Rowntree is highly annoyed. And now heading into a fixture against much improved Zebre, who have surprised pundits with their performances this season, Rowntree knows the pressure is on.
“I require honesty from my players, so they are going to get honesty from me, and they are comfortable with that. Again, we can’t hide away from our inabilities on Sunday,” Rowntree said.
“Well, I could have done without it, to be honest with you. I would have preferred better results, but no, you deal with what’s in front of you. I have been around long enough to understand how to speak to people, control my emotions at the right time. But it’s a different experience (being head coach), a different experience.
“They are certainly not undercooked. I have never seen us as fit. It’s skills under pressure, things just didn’t work out for us and again, it’s a lot of stuff that we can control.
“Trying to force things that’s just not us. Ill-discipline, we’ve not had such a high penalty count for a long time. That’s on us. That’s our controllable.
“We have had a good, stern, honest review. We move forward. What else can you do? You work on what you can do and you look forward to the next game.
“As I said earlier, I have nothing but belief in the body of work we’ve done for the last few months. It’s just got to come out now. I can’t say to a guy ‘stop dropping the ball’, but I can say to a guy ‘we don’t practice that kind of pass, you’re trying to force things, stick to the plan’. They’re the ones that frustrated me, where we didn’t stick to the plan, and were trying to be too fancy. Trying to make overhead, long bridge passes, where little handling passages would do.
“The word I’ve used is I’m not trying to ‘sugarcoat’ anything. If there’s a bad game and mistakes and discipline, it has to be better. I put my hand up as head coach, but we’re working on it.”
– URCSA
Comments on RugbyPass
The value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
37 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
10 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
37 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
37 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
37 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
37 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
37 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
37 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to comments