Andrew Conway under no illusions about Cardiff task

The winger admits his side have a lot to make right after a poor outing last Friday.

Andrew Conway started at full-back in Munster’s 37-10 loss to Glasgow last Friday night and admits that Munster simply didn’t turn up at Scotstoun and were made to pay by a physical Glasgow Warriors side.

Speaking to the press during the week, Conway said Monday’s video analysis session was not pleasant viewing.

“We reviewed it and the image are hard to watch. We were really poor, we lacked intensity, lacked physicality, lacked accuracy so when you play against a team like that  and you don’t turn up and you’re missing all 3 of those things you’re going to get a hiding and that’s what we got.”

The manner of the defeat will have disappointed a lot of Munster fans, especially after their perfect record against the Scots last season. However, Conway knows the team have to move on quickly and look ahead to Cardiff on Saturday in Thomond Park to rectify the wrongs of that ill-fated Glasgow trip.

“We’re going to have to take a huge amount from it but we need to park it and get back to winning ways and put in a more physical performance a more accurate performance and just need to represent the group and Munster better really.”

Four games into the new season and it looks as if Munster’s Lions representatives will be deployed in some form or another on Saturday. It is a huge boost for the province and comes at the perfect time, with Leinster coming up next week and their opening Champions cup fixture the following week against Castres in France.

For Conor Murray, Peter O’Mahony and CJ Stander it has been almost 11 weeks since they last laced up their boots and took to the field, but Conway feels his International team mates are more than ready to go, even more after the Glasgow defeat.

“I’m sure they’re raring to go, it’s not easy watching from the sideline’s. When the team are winning you want to be involved in that and when the team are losing you obviously think you could help out.”

CJ Stander is one of the Lions contingent hoping to play on Saturday

Even with their internationals back, Munster won’t be taking the Blues lightly and know all too well about losing at home to the Welsh side having been downed 24-23 at Musgrave park last September.

The Blues beat Connacht away last weekend in the dying minutes of the game and narrowly losing out to Glasgow the week previous by a single point.

Munster’s opponents posses huge attacking threat’s in their backline with centres Ray Lee-Lo and Willis Hallaholo impressing over the last couple of season’s with their footwork and superb off loading capabilities as well as captain and scrum half Lloyd Williams dangerous quick attributes from the base, like so many current Welsh number nines.

In the pack, Danny Wilson’s men have a familiar face in Nick Williams, a former Munster and Ulster player, as well as the work horse that is Josh Navidi who is sure to be a thorn in Erasmus’ side at the break down and in defence.

The former Blackrock College student reiterates the fact that Cardiff know what they are capable of after last years scalp, and after last weekend’s victory on Irish soil, understands that to get the four points needed, Munster have to be on top of their game

“It was a similar meeting last year when they beat us. We lacked physicality we got bullied around the place. They worked harder than us. They know they’ve come here before and beaten us and they’re just after beating Connacht so they’ll be mad for it.”

Conway in action against Toulouse last season

If the Dubliner is involved on Saturday afternoon, it will mark his 103rd appearance in the Guinness Pro 14 league, which at 26 is a remarkable achievement. 2017 has been a huge year in Conway’s career not only at club level but also at International level, making his Irish debut in their memorable St.Patricks weekend victory over Eddie Jones’ England to deny them the 2 in a row Grand Slam as well as earning a further 2 caps on Irelands tour of Japan and the US over the summer.

It is a little bit later than normal to earn your first International call up, but the utility back credits this and his overall development as a player to taking his extra’s seriously and not doing them to just please himself or his coaches.

“Consistency at the start I didn’t have it. I thought we’ll tap into this for a week or two and then we’ll tap into something else and we’ll play around with this technique and then you go off it.

“As much as you’ve got coaches there to facilitate you, it’s on me on a Wednesday if its pissing down four weeks from now and I’ve played well the week before, its on me to do my tackle tech.

“That’s where I’ve seen growth within the last few years but it takes an accumulation of work and to build, I think that’s one of the things that stood to me.”

If Conway is to continue his early season form then it wouldn’t be much of a surprise if was to be included in Joe Schmidt’s November squad to add to his three caps.

Munster supporters will definitely be hopeful he can continue his rich vein of form going into the Winter period where Champions Cup and Pro 14 fixtures become even more important.

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