AS MUNSTER LOOK to put the pain of their Champions Cup campaign behind them for now, there could have been few better ways to focus the minds than the visit of Leinster to Thomond Park.
The now traditional St Stephen’s Day contest in Limerick is a sell-out again and even if it’s expected that both provinces will be missing several key players after two busy weekends in Europe, it will be full-blooded.
The fact that the recent inter-pro between these sides in Dublin was such a thrilling affair. They both went full strength that day, of course, and Leinster edged out a 21-16 win.
The last time they played in Thomond Park, it was an intense battle too. Leinster came out on the right side of a 20-19 scoreline last December, but Munster went on to get the better of them when it really mattered in the URC semi-finals.
All in all, this rivalry has been reinvigorated in the last couple of seasons so there is great anticipation about the next instalment in a week.
“It’s a great fixture for the fans and a great fixture for us as well,” says Tadhg Beirne, who captained Munster in last weekend’s Champions Cup defeat to Exeter.
“Full stadium at capacity in Thomond Park, unbelievable opportunity to bounce back from the last two weeks, which we were obviously pretty disappointed with.
“Even when we last played Leinster, we felt like we had opportunities there to beat them, so big week ahead. We will have to fix up a lot of things. We’re constantly saying we are learning from these games, but it’s probably time now we start showing it.”
While they have home comforts for the Leinster battle, Munster have another inter-pro to come on New Year’s Day against Connacht and they’ll be looking for their first away win of the season.
While Graham Rowntree’s men went on a remarkable run of wins away from home to claim the URC title last season, they have yet to enjoy a victory on the road this season.
After a draw away to Benetton, they have lost to Ulster, Leinster, and Exeter.
“I’d be concerned if they were all blowouts,” said head coach Rowntree of their away record.
“In all those games we were literally a score away. We were held up over the line in Ulster, in Leinster we’re chasing the game at the end there but like today [against Exeter] we’re giving teams presents. ‘Have another one, merry Christmas, have another present’.
“Those moments we’ve got to get better at. Yeah, we’ve had changes, everyone’s got injuries, yeah, there’s still some young men learning but we’ll look at how we can wrestle back control and look at our composure in the last quarter of the game.”
The return to Champions Cup action is not far off. Following these festive clashes with Leinster and Connacht, Rowntree’s side will enjoy the rest weekend on 6/7 January before they go back on the road to take on Toulon.
With a home clash against Northampton to follow a week later, Munster need to pick up results if they’re to feature in the Round of 16 in the Champions Cup.
“We’ve been in tough positions before, and we will certainly back ourselves,” said Beirne.
“Six points behind Northampton, we play Northampton, if we come away with a win, it’s a four-point turn there. If we come away with a bonus-point win, it’s a five-point turn there.
“So, there is obviously a lot of pressure on us to get victories in the last two games but that’s the situation we find ourselves in, and that’s the situation we are going to have to try get ourselves out of.”
