Munster Rugby: Jack O'Donoghue says squad will dive into crucial period despite coaching upheaval
The back row star praises the influence of 'lineout nerd' Alex Codling as well as the steadying presence of Denis Leamy and Mike Prendergast, who have signed new deals ahead of Lions clash
Jack O'Donoghue has praised Munster's players for their reaction to the loss of Graham Rowntree and Andi Kyriacou from the coaching ticket.
O'Donoghue is confident that the Reds are ready to dive into a big few weeks for the province against a backdrop of turmoil in the coaching set-up.
Ahead of next week's Champions Cup return, Munster are in action at home against the Lions on Saturday night in a brief return to URC action - and desperate to improve a record that reads two wins, four losses, to date.
READ MORE:Paul O'Connell rules himself out of Munster Head Coach role
"I'm pretty sure we found ourselves in this position before," the 30-year-old said. "That's to show us, maybe, that we're late bloomers come towards the end of the season. But, at the moment, it's firmly focused on the Lions and getting the result and performance that we're proud of."
He is also relieved that attack coach Mike Prendergast and defence coach Denis Leamy have signed contract extensions ahead of the fixture. "To be able to try and keep some continuity, I'm just I'm actually delighted that the two lads have signed on," O'Donoghue said.
The experienced flanker is proud of the way the squad have dealt with the departure of head coach Rowntree and forwards coach Andi Kyriacou since the Reds' last outing, the defeat to Sharks in South Africa.
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"It's no secret that results didn't go our way and we had a tough run and, mentally, that's quite straining," said O'Donoghue. "You feel a lot of that as players, that maybe we underperformed, and you're looking at areas we can improve on.
"I'd say it's not just the leaders - it's the whole squad. I think there's an incredible shared ownership amongst the group and between the coaches that are there.
"You have lads who are actually standing up and finding their voice who in the past might not have, and it's really important from a player's point of view that we do drive things and we step up and help the coaches as much as they help us.
"But I have to credit the playing group for their reaction after the news of the last couple of weeks - everyone's been on task and and certainly been able to to train to the best ability. We've been able to block out the external noise and really hone in on our area and our game.
"Being able to just get away from rugby for a week was really important. You come back with unbelievable mental freshness. We've worked hard on certain areas where we needed to and I hope that this weekend, we'll be able to showcase that those areas have certainly improved and we're heading in the right direction."
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