A Munster media gig around this time of year usually has a big European knockout match at its core, but Anthony Foley's men are having little difficulty getting themselves into the right frame of mind for a league showdown with their biggest rivals on Saturday.
Winning the European title would normally be the primary target at this stage of the year for Munster, not worrying about qualifying for next season’s tournament, but Foley said these are changed times.
And he said that if this generation of Munster players want to be playing do-or-die Champions Cup rugby in April or May then it is up to them to do it for themselves.
Disappointing season
It’s been a disappointing season for
Leinster
and Munster but that dejection will become much more acute if one of them fails to make the Pro12 semi-finals or, heaven forbid, do not qualify for the Champions Cup.
“There’s a lot of things that have changed in the Irish game at the moment,” said Foley. “There’s a generation that have gone, whether that’s through retirement or moving on. There’s a group of players now that need to find themselves.
“Unfortunately at times... you take last year and again this year there was 80 minutes, you lose those games and suddenly you don’t get another 80 minutes at this time of the year.
“That’s the harsh reality of professional sport. Not having a game next week is something I haven’t really thought about yet, because normally that’s around the press and the build-up to the quarter-final and you’re not in there – that’s when that hurts.”
He will have to plan for the remainder of the season without former Australian international Mark Chisholm, with the lock being rested indefinitely after suffering a concussion against the Dragons earlier this month.
Twice capped All Black Francis Saili, who missed the record 47-0 win over Zebre on Friday night with a shoulder injury, returned to "modified training" in Limerick yesterday.
On the transfer front, Munster have re-signed their own academy product Darren O’Shea from Worcester Warriors, where he spent the last two seasons. The 23-year-old saw a lot of action in their successful promotion bid last season, but less so in this campaign after, ironically, former Irish lock Donncha O’Callaghan followed him to Sixways Stadium.
Ulster native John Andress has also been signed for next season, with the 32-yea-old tighthead prop joining from Edinburgh after spells with Exeter Chiefs, Worcester Warriors and Harlequins.
Such importance
But for now a lot hinges on Saturday’s game at the Aviva and Foley can’t recall a league match, outside of three in the semi-finals or final, between them having such importance.
“Not in recent times anyway. Everyone is still vying for position and trying to make sure they secure Europe first and foremost. . . And then you want to get top four, then most teams will want to get one of the home semis because traditionally nobody loses them. .. It’s about making sure you’re qualified for Europe first . . . It’s important that we go up to the Aviva and make sure we show our wares.”
Munster have done the double over Leinster three times in the league, while Leo Cullen’s men will be bidding to do it for the fifth time on Saturday.
Foley said he has noticed Cullen’s stamp on Leinster as he prepares to go into battle with his former Irish colleague.
“You can see a lot of aspects of the game have changed, it’s evolving, it takes time. They still play with a lot of quality ball off their lineout, they will try to set us up from time to time on different plays so it’s important for us to understand that things may look similar but will have different execution points to them and it’s about making sure that we’re across that.”
