O’Mahony: We have to be on our game

Victory over Clermont Auvergne on Saturday is non-negotiable for Munster captain Peter O’Mahony as he prepares to lead his side into another must-win European home game.

The French Top 14 high-fliers and perennial Heineken Cup contenders come to Thomond Park this weekend to reprise a rivalry last visited on a sunny afternoon in Montpellier when Munster lost narrowly in a thrilling April 2013 semi-final.

This Saturday evening in Limerick promises very different circumstances with the home side looking to build on an unbeaten start and the visitors looking to grab a first away win in Pool One having lost at Saracens in round one.

O’Mahony knows Munster’s wins at Sale Sharks and at home to Saracens, however impressive, have merely kept them alive in the group going into round three and with a return trip to Clermont’s Stade Marcel Michelin fortress next weekend he believes only victory at home will do if they hope to get out of the pool.

“It’s non-negotiable, the home wins, you’ve just go to win your home games. That’s what drives you on. It’s the fear that drives you on about European rugby; you have the first two games, you think you’re doing all right and then all of a sudden you’re into back-to-back with Clermont.

“I suppose it’s the beautiful thing about this competition, how competitive it is and how it’s turned out now. It’s probably more competitive than it ever was so you have to be on your game.”

Munster have managed home and away sweeps over Scarlets, Gloucester and Perpignan in the past three seasons and come into this series on the back of a seven-game winning run in league and European competitions, Anthony Foley’s side keeping the streak alive by squeaking home against Ulster at Thomond Park in a 21-20 win over their interprovincial rivals last Friday.

O’Mahony acknowledges facing a star-studded Clermont side in successive weeks is more akin to his experiences of the last month with Ireland and the high-intensity games against South Africa and Australia than scraping narrow Pro12 wins, however important they are.

“One hundred per cent, it’s the closest thing you’re going to get to it, they’re similar. French teams in the back to back games — it doesn’t get any bigger. We’ve had a couple of games over the last couple of years that we mightn’t have come out the right side of, the one-pointers, the two-pointers, and that will give us a certain amount of confidence but we haven’t been overly happen with some of the performances but it is a confidence boost to come out of those scrappy ones with the points,” O’Mahony said.

“We have plenty to work on and plenty to be nailed off this week. I think when it comes to Clermont we have to be better all over the park. They’re just such a dangerous side coming out of their 22 on a counter attack, you name it. They’ve got guys who can punish you from all areas and we have just got to everything nailed on to be competing with these guys.”

Having played in that 16-10 semi-final defeat at Stade de la Mosson two seasons ago, O’Mahony knows all about the talents Clermont bring and though they are yet to conquer Europe, having reached a final and semi-final in the past two seasons, the Munster captain believes they are now a better outfit, despite losing last weekend to league rivals Toulon in Nice.

“Clermont are a team that have always impressed me and that I’ve kept an eye on. There’s a bit of a Munster-ness about them, the way they’ve come so close over the last few years and how competitive they are and obviously their home record will be something along the lines of Thomond Park as well so I’ve always enjoyed watching them and keeping an eye on them. I think they’re a hugely competitive team and... they don’t have to be going well and (can) still do savage damage so I’d have a lot of respect for them. We have a huge amount of homework to do on them at the moment but it’s important we get ourselves right for this week.”