SOLD OUT. Five thirty kick off and a giant of European rugby comes to town. We have been here before haven’t we? The tale of money versus parish pride will once more unfold at Thomond Park this Saturday night. Clermont are the visitors this weekend as Munster prepare for back to back games that could define their season; head coach Anthony Foley has had to shuffle his pack.
Injuries to Keith Earls, Cian Bohane, Ivan Dineen and a potential knee injury to Andrew Smith have forced Foley to play a medical ‘joker’ to allow South African centre Pat Howard join the European squad in time for this weekend’s clash.
Smith’s knee injury is due to be assessed this week with the view to starting the game. Also back for Munster this weekend are their Irish ‘Aces’ Paul O’Connell, Peter O’Mahony, Conor Murray and Felix Jones. With three wins from three in the Autumn and Munter on a seven game unbeaten run themselves, the mood in the camp this week is positive.
“We’re all looking forward to it. You can feel it around the squad that there is a big weekend involved for Munster rugby. There is a lot of focus around the squad, there is a lot of work being done around it. It’s great to be in these situations and great to be in this competition at this stage and hopefully we can get a result on Saturday,” added Foley.
Murray’s return allows for Munster to rely heavily on their kicking game from nine and ten. A ploy which secured victory over Saracens in round two. Foley believes that winning at all costs is the name of the game. Styles of play don’t come into question when wins are secured.
“We are in a results business, it doesn’t matter how they are got, it is a results business. You are going head to head with Clermont, you can’t give them any leg up. You can let them create their own opportunities. We’ll have to create our own so let them create their own, let’s not give them anything. That has been where our focus was this week, don’t give them anything, making sure our discipline is right.”
With stars such as Fofana, Rougerie, Stanley and Nalaga in the Clermont ranks, Munster will have to make sure they take their opportunties when they come and not rely on Clermont to freeze in the frosty atmosphere of Thomond Park.
Final words ahead of the big clash are from Axel Foley once more.
“We have got to look at them in order to go out and play to the best of our ability which we will. However we just need to be ruthless, you get a few points ahead of a side you don’t take your foot of their throats. If we get momentum into this game, we keep the pressure on and we don’t come off it.”
