'Great acquisition' Alaalatoa can 'change pictures' for Munster

After the Munster scrum was demolished by the Stormers, Denis Leamy knows Bath will target a perceived weak link

Tue, 02 Dec, 2025 - 01:05

Simon Lewis

After a sobering scrummaging lesson from the Stormers, Denis Leamy would expect nothing less than Bath to go after Munster’s set-piece at The Rec this Saturday.

The Thomond Park faithful witnessed a South African scrum decimate Irish opponents for a second week in a row last Saturday, following the Springboks' demolition of the Irish pack. With Bok tighthead Thomas du Toit nailing down the Bath front row, Leamy expects Johann van Graan’s English champions to make it their business to go after a perceived weak link.

The defence coach on Monday spoke of his confidence Munster’s issues at scrum-time would be fixed but that would not stop the set-piece becoming a focal point of Bath’s gameplan.

“I think you'd very much expect that, having been under the pump against the Stormers and given up a few penalties, that that's exactly where Bath will come after us,” Leamy said.

“The game is ruthless like that and they're obviously very skilled tacticians and coaches so you would have to expect Bath will come harder at us in that area and, look, we're well aware of that and the boys are prepping hard.

“It's a challenge and it's one that definitely gets you really hyper-focused but we've just got to find a way to deal with it.

“It's as simple as that.”

Leamy added: “It's a big challenge, isn't it? Dealing with these big packs in general. We just felt we were beaten to the punch a lot (by Stormers) and once they got their way through, we were in a very difficult position.

“The feeling among our forward unit is we can be better. I take them at their word in terms of there's controllables there and things we can do better. Beating them to the punch a little bit more and transferring our weight and just staying in the fight for the duration.

“That's definitely the challenge we've set ourselves in the last 10 hours since we came back in. It's just a feeling that we can and we will be better around that.”

There could be some significant additions to the Munster scrum this time around with Springbok tighthead lock Jean Kleyn back in the fold following a start in the 73-0 hammering of Wales in Cardiff last Saturday. While new signing Michael Alaalatoa brings a wealth of experience forged at tighthead prop in the front rows of the Waratahs, Crusaders, Leinster and Clermont having arrived for his first day of training on Monday.

Leamy agreed the 34-year-old Samoan could offer referees some different, more palatable pictures at scrum-time.

“I think so. Michael's a very experienced international player.

“He's played in big games for Leinster, played in European Cup finals. I think he's a great acquisition and absolutely he's somebody that can change pictures off the bench or whether he starts, whatever it may be.

“He's a big, strong man and there's not too many places that he hasn't been and we'll rely on him heavily, no doubt.”

The defence coach added: “You lean on your front five big time there. We have players like Jean Kleyn coming back, who are very good scrummagers, so we'd hope that we'd have the answers within the building.”