MUNSTER DEFENCE COACH Denis Leamy says that a real rivalry has built up with the Stormers since they met twice at the business end of the URC last season.
Munster backed up their 26-24 win over the then reigning champions in April before returning to Cape Town the following month and edging out the South Africans 19-14 in the final to claim their first trophy in 12 years.
And having also beaten them in their only other league meeting 34-18 back in October 2021 at Thomond Park, Leamy is expecting a reaction from the Stormers when they return to Limerick this Saturday as the champions of the past two seasons go head to head.
“It’s always a great challenge, analysing them, and it’s always a big ask to go out and defend against them,” said the former Irish international. “But also the line speed they bring in defence against your attack, it takes an awful lot of calmness, good shape and being brave to try to break them down.
“So it presents a big challenge and, I suppose, a big competitor to go up against.”
His side lost their unbeaten start to the season when they surrendered an 11-point lead in Belfast last weekend, and Leamy said they have had plenty to work on this week.
“It’s a difficult position to be in, it’s never nice to lose. We’ve taken the bits and pieces out of it that we need to improve on and I know for a fact we’ll be better this weekend.
“We started to lose set-piece, around the breakdown became very, very difficult around the interpretations, and our accuracy around the breakdown in terms of our ball control. Defensively we put ourselves under pressure off the back of that and Ulster, in fairness, to them were good enough to take advantage of that.”
Meanwhile, Leamy was coy on increased speculation that Irish-qualified tighthead Oli Jager is set to be unveiled as a Munster player after being released early from his contract with Rob Penney’s Crusaders.
“Wig (Graham Rowntree) is the only man in this building that will know anything about that. I can’t help you on that one,” added Leamy.
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