Leamy calls for vintage performance from ‘written off’ Munster

Not being given a chance ahead of a crucial European match remains a prime motivator.

MOTIVATOR IN CHIEF: Defence coach Denis Leamy during Munster rugby squad training at University of Limerick in Limerick. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach, Sportsfile

The odds are once again stacked against Munster as they prepare for Sunday’s Champions Cup knockout clash at English Premiership leaders Northampton Saints yet it needed only a few succinct words from Denis Leamy to underline why his side will not travel to Franklin’s Gardens in fear.

"It's Europe, it's Munster in England against the Premiership leaders. Written off. It's Munster," the defence coach said.

That Leamy had introduced the concept of being written off ahead of this Round of 16 game gave an insight into how they have circled the wagons at Munster’s High Performance Centre on the back of a Thomond Park pool defeat to 14-man Northampton in January and a distinctly off-colour 20-15 URC victory over Cardiff at the same ground last Saturday as the Saints relaxed following an impressive 41-30 league win over Saracens the previous night.

Leamy’s words could have come from one of the team-talks the former back-rower would have listened to as a player when he was helping his province win Heineken Cups in 2006 and 2008 but not being given a chance ahead of a crucial match remains a prime motivator.

"You sense it. Not to overplay that, it's important not to overplay that. That's not what we're about in terms of that siege mentality. But Northampton have earned the right to be favourites, they've earned the right to be spoken about the way they play the game.

“You look at the English internationals they have. Alex Mitchell will probably return and he's a fantastic player for them, makes them tick. Look at a player like Fin Smith, he's probably going to be a Lion or certainly an English player for a number of years. Lawes, Ludlam, Langdon. They're really, really good players.

"So it's a big task and that's why people will make them favourites and say Munster have a difficult job to do. We've got to fall back on our abilities. We've had the ability to go on the road. We've won in Glasgow, Dublin, Cape Town last year. We've done it to Toulon (in January). We're good enough to go to Northampton and put in a performance. If that's good enough on the day, absolutely brilliant."

Leamy has been imparting to the squad his own experiences as a player in similar weeks to this one and he downplayed the idea Munster would go to a sold-out Franklin’s Gardens seeking revenge for that 26-23 defeat in the Limerick rain 11 weeks ago.

“We absolutely respect opposition, it's part of our DNA, we always would. We do our homework, a lot of homework, and we see the quality Northampton have.

A dejected Jack Crowley of Munster and his teammates at the final whistle of during the Investec Champions Cup Pool 3 Round 4 match between Munster and Northampton Saints. Pic: Brendan Moran, Sportsfile

“It can be put in a lot of different ways. We spoke about it not being about revenge. It's about a performance. Northampton came to Thomond Park, they were really good on the night, they controlled the conditions, they went a man down, and they deserved to win the game. 

"We didn't play well on the night so it's about understanding the mistakes we made that night, going over there and looking to get our game going, to get our attack flow, to get our transition on defence into gear, our set-piece, all those crucial things.” 

It is the sort of contest the 42-year-old Leamy would have relished being on the field for and he referenced a Heineken Cup quarter-final victory in England on route to the trophy exactly 16 years ago in relation to this weekend.

“It’s exactly what Munster are about. You think about going to Gloucester in ’08 (Munster won 16-3). It feels a little bit like this. We defended for 20 minutes. Someone found Federico Pucciariello out having a burger in the car park and he came on and wins us the game full of chips.

“It’s amazing looking back. Wed had to absorb a lot of pressure. Our scrum was under a huge amount of pressure and he comes off the bench, we win a big scrum, we go up the pitch and win the game in that two minutes really. Once we got ahead we were never going to be beaten, and it feels like that.

“Gloucester were an incredible side at the time, I think they were the English champions. So, there certainly is that feel to it and you certainly miss days like that when you’re retired.”