Richard Cockerill expecting backlash from Munster

Leicester Director of rugby Richard Cockerill believes Munster are being written off too soon and expects a backlash when his side travel to Thomond Park on Saturday.

Munster are under huge pressure after successive defeats to Connacht and Newport Gwent Dragons, with head coach Anthony Foley admitting this week his side needed to beat Leicester to ‘stop the rot’.

Leicester, in contrast, are playing some of their best rugby in recent years and are on a high after announcing that four players – including Manu Tuilagi and Ben Youngs – have signed contract extensions.

But Cockerill believes talk of Munster’s demise has been greatly exaggerated and is expecting a very different European side to the one that has struggled in the Pro12 in recent weeks.

“I don’t know what the downer is on Munster at the moment,” said Cockerill, whose side have won seven of their eight games so far this season.

“They have a very good squad, play some very good rugby and sit healthily in the league.

“If they had played the Stade Francais game [which was postponed due to the terrorist attacks in Paris] and won we would be talking differently. They will be treated with full respect as they should be.

“That Connacht game was probably a one-off, and they sent a mixed team to Newport.

“But their European pedigree speaks for itself.

“They need a big game and Leicester are coming to town so I have no doubt they will bring their full physicality, and it will be a full Munster occasion.”

And Cockerill says he hopes to build on the success that other English clubs have had in Ireland during this season’s Champions Cup.

Wasps thrashed Leinster in round one and Saracens pulled off an equally impressive victory at Ulster the following week – and Cockerill hopes to make it a clean sweep for English sides against the provinces.

“Let’s hope it’s a good omen,” he added. “We will go there and do what we do. It is a big couple of weeks.

“If we can get through these weeks it sets us up nicely with Treviso next. We are gong there to win but it is about getting points, keeping on collecting them and getting out of the pool.”