Munster require something special to reach Champions Cup quarter-final

There are key battles all over the pitch, with the battle of two young Test fly-halves in England’s Fin Smith and Ireland’s Jack Crowley, and two old warriors at blindside flanker in Courtney Lawes and Peter O’Mahony two of the more eye-catching ones.

MASTERPLAN: Head Coach Graham Rowntree. Pic Credit: Laszlo Geczo, Inpho.

With or without John Ryan on their bench, Munster have known tomorrow’s Champions Cup knockout tie at Northampton Saints would require something special to progress to next weekend’s quarter-finals.

Having the veteran prop’s three-match suspension upheld yesterday afternoon following Munster’s appeal against the severity of the tighthead’s act of foul play in last Saturday’s URC win over Cardiff hardly makes life easier as they prepare to head through Storm Kathleen towards Franklin’s Gardens and a date with the in-form Premiership leaders.