Graham Rowntree admitted his side simply weren't good enough, as Munster opened their Investec Champions Cup campaign with a disappointing 17-17 draw against Bayonne at Thomond Park.
The province gave up a 14-3 half time league to the French side, who were playing their very first game in Europe's top tier competition, as Remy Baget's late try and a touchline conversion from Thomas Dolhagaray secured them a deserved draw.
Munster had started the game well and led 14-3 after just over 20 minutes following tries for Shay McCarthy and Gavin Coombes, but the URC champions were wasteful in attack and had to settle for a single Jack Crowley penalty across the final 60 minutes.
"We were hanging on in there for a draw and it feels like we lost the game," Rowntree told RTÉ Sport.
Given Bayonne's status as Champions Cup rookies, Munster were heavy favourites not just to win, but do so with a bonus-point. However, the Basque side were full value for their two points, and celebrated their performance as if it were a win, with a rendition of Munster's adopted tune 'Zombie' being heard from the visitors' changing room after the game.
And Rowntree (below) says his side can have no complaints about the outcome.
"The start of the European campaign, first pool game at home, Thomond Park, Saturday night, it was all teed up for us, but we couldn't get going enough. We were really disappointed in the second half, the amount of possession we had on their line and we couldn't get over it.
"We've got to take our chances. We had a heap of possession on their tryline and couldn't get over it enough. We spoke about our sloppiness, but credit to them, they made it a proper dogfight there."
Despite making 11 changes from their last Top14 defeat to Montpellier last week, Bayonne imposed themselves physically on the game, dominating Munster in some early scrums before turning their attention to the lineout and maul, where they slowed down multiple Munster attacks.
'Really disappointed with the second half.., It feels like we lost' - Graham Rowntree reflects on Munster's draw at home to Bayonne
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) December 9, 2023
Recap: 📱 Live updates and reports on RTÉ Sport Online and the RTÉ News app https://t.co/42lYFNhpHl#ChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/dWcGPuDGXz
The hosts were continually frustrated in the second half with the French side's disciplined defence, and although Munster could have won the game with a late Jack Crowley drop-goal, his effort sliced wide and right.
"They were forcing errors with their collision work," Rowntree said of Bayonne's defence.
"They got a bit of weight in that team around set-piece and ruck and they were putting pressure on us. Around their own goalline they were chancing their arm and slowing us up, and credit to them. We couldn't deal with it."
And while the Munster coach was complimentary of the French side, he says his own team played a big part in their downfall.
"That composure that's required to get over the line, we're normally better than that. I'm disappointed with that. I spoke to the lads, we'll go back and look at our starter possessions around lineout, how we can improve that."
The 17-17 draw was the third big surprise of the weekend in Munster's Pool 3, with Northampton Saints claiming an impressive win away to Glasgow Warriors on Friday, and Exeter Chiefs coming from 18-5 down to win 19-18 away to Toloun.
Munster travel to Exeter next weekend (Sunday 17 December), and Rowntree has already turned towards making amends at Sandy Park next week.
"Look at what they [Exeter] did today. We'll get back in at the start of the week and look at what bodies we've got and we'll look forward to next week
"We got out of there with a draw, [but there was] an opportunity there to put a marker down on this campaign. You look at other results in this pool, we just made our life harder.
"It feels like we lost, we got out of there with a draw against a team who made life hard for us, and we'll have to roll our sleeves up and get better."
