Denis Leamy: Munster's 'hardened bunch' ready for another big away day
LEADER LEAMY: Munster Defence Coach Denis Leamy. Pic Credit ©INPHO/Ben Brady
Thomond Park has earned its elevated place in rugby folklore but it is Munster’s away form that has written the latest chapter in the province’s long and proud history.
Wins on the road against Northampton Saints, Ulster, Stormers, Glasgow Warriors and Leinster – not to mention a critical draw against the Sharks – have been the main high points in a season that has known its dips and its peaks.
The last step to the summit faces them this Saturday in the form of a URC decider in the DHL Stadium, the home ground of the Stormers’ reigning league champions, where the lion’s share of the 55,000 crowd will be shouting against the men in red.
Munster head coach Graham Rowntree spoke after the semi-final win against Leinster about the benefits his team - whose last home tie was at the back end of March - has attained from their time in transit and Denis Leamy has echoed that view now.
“It has taken a little while but we genuinely feel that we have a hardened bunch on the road,” said the defence coach. “We understand what it feels like. It’s a massive challenge to go to places like Glasgow, Leinster, coming to South Africa, everything that it entails. But we have gone about our business in a fashion that we feel has been very positive, very workmanlike.
“There is a tight group here. We have grown from those victories on the road and how we trained and how we have gelled together. It is a group of very few egos, if not none. Guys are very honest with each other, we speak to each other in a very growth mindset way and conversations are always very strong in terms of how we can get better.”
Munster arrived in South Africa earlier in the week after what was their third long-haul trip to the country in less than two months. A long slog but Leamy didn’t take up the offer to paint those air miles as some sort of penance.
The side trained on Wednesday morning, RG Snyman and Ben Healy are expected to be fit as they progress through return-to-play protocols, and 2,000 or more Munster fans are expected to sprinkle themselves through the massed home ranks at the weekend.
All is good.
It’s less than six weeks since the province last found themselves facing the reigning league champions on their home patch, a surprise 26-24 win shattering a long unbeaten record at the ground for the hosts and rekindling the visitors’ season.
Leamy and Munster have taken some confidence in that particular encounter but then this is a new day and a new game. There were 15,000 fans at that one, far from the heaving full house we will see in three day’s time. A black canvas, Leamy has called it.
“The games take on a life of their own and it’s very hard to predict how the game will play out but certainly you see the quality of their players up close, you see the strength, size and power of their forward pack and the ability, the skillset and speed that these guys have.
“We are learning about South African teams as they are learning about the Irish teams, what we do well and don’t do so well. It’s very much a work in progress about formulating game-plans around South African teams. It’s hugely exciting to be back here for a final. What dreams are made of.”
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