RED THE RIOT ACT

Prendergast admits Munster deserved their grilling after horror Belfast display

- BY DEREK FOLEY

CLAYTON MCMILLAN and Mike Prendergast got ripped into their Munster squad following the capitulation to Ulster.

If there was a temptation to hide behind the fact Tadhg Beirne, Jack Crowley, Craig Casey and Gavin Coombes were all rested for the Belfast game, there was no sign of the thread being grasped.

The performance that led to a 28-3 URC humbling in Belfast on Friday simply left too much to be desired and the reality is that Munster - one win and one loss into their Champions Cup campaign - need to lift the standard against Toulon on Sunday.

"I won't be hiding about the fact we were very disappointed at the weekend, we were second to everything to be honest," admitted Prendergast.

"Credit to Ulster, they played very well but the first people we look at are ourselves and we just didn't fire shots.

"And, when you look back from the start of the season, consistency is one thing but there is also cohesiveness and there is a plan. Clayton has spoken about that, he wants to build a squad.