No let up for Munster as they face 'one of the toughest places in the world to play rugby'

Jack Crowley, Craig Casey and Jeremy Loughman are again available for Munster as Denis Leamy hopes a player-led clear-the-air meeting in Cape Town can spark a rebound from a heavy defeat to the Sharks

TOUGH PLACE TO GO: Munster lost 45-0 to the Sharks in Durban on Saturday with a daunting trip to face the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld up next. Pic: Shaun Roy/Sportsfile

Munster are hoping a Sunday night team meeting in Cape Town and the return of Jack Crowley, Craig Casey and Jeremy Loughman can reignite the tourists in the wake of a 45-0 hammering at the Sharks ahead of this Saturday’s URC clash with the Bulls.

The province’s two-match trip to South Africa got off to the worst possible start last Saturday as they were outmuscled and outclassed in Durban as the Sharks produced their best performance of the season to boost their own play-off hopes with a seven-try thumping at Kings Park.

Munster have managed to hold on to their sixth place in the standings but with five matches of the regular season remaining, starting this weekend at altitude in Pretoria, the margins are narrowing as they bid to hold onto the top-eight spot in the table which will enable progress to the play-offs and ensure Champions Cup rugby for 2026-27.

Having returning Ireland Triple Crown winners Crowley, Casey and Loughman available for the daunting trip to Loftus Versfeld was described by Denis Leamy on Monday as a “critical” boost to Munster’s efforts to rebound and the defence coach said the trio had already made their impact felt following their arrival into the touring party.

“Obviously, initially, the reaction (to the 45-0 defeat) is always one of huge disappointment when something like that happens,” Leamy said. “But over the last couple of days, we've gathered ourselves. We had a very good meeting here in Cape Town last night where the players led it and they analysed the game and they fed back really, really well.

“I think there's an acceptance that we need to be much better than we were. Sometimes that happens in the game but the focus is very much looking forward, getting a lot of confidence from each other through our training week and having a big bounce back, hopefully.” 

Of fly-half Crowley, scrum-half Casey and loosehead prop Loughman, Leamy added: “They're with us at the moment and they've come with a huge amount of energy and enthusiasm. Obviously they're bouncing back from a very successful Six Nations with Ireland.

“So to have them back and their voices and their leadership is really critical to us. So they've given everyone a bit of a bounce coming in.

“As I said, last night's meeting was very, very good and they had a big part to play in that as well. So on we go. A big couple of days ahead of us and we look forward to the challenge that's going to be the Bulls.”

Munster are under no illusions that the Bulls at altitude are going to be any less challenging than the Sharks were at sea level last Saturday and Leamy cited their 50-7 thumping of high-flying Cardiff at their Loftus Versfeld stronghold on the same day as evidence of that.

“Well, it doesn't get any easier, does it? That's a fact. And obviously you see what they did to Cardiff the other night. It's a real challenge. It's one of the toughest places in the world to play rugby.

“But look, we've been here before. We've won down here before. We'll take belief from that. The great thing about being a rugby player is you get to have the chance straight away, week after week, to put some of the wrongs to right. And that's what we plan to do.” 

Earlier on Monday, Munster declared a fully fit squad of 31 players was available for selection by head coach Clayton McMillan this Thursday but Leamy suggested a big improvement was needed from them if the squad was to return to Ireland next week with their position in the table enhanced.

“I think ultimately the Sharks were very good on the night. We struggled in a number of areas. We didn't take our opportunities when we entered their score zone. We gave away a number of penalties which gave them access into our score zone and they were very efficient in getting over our line. There were a couple of tries at the end and they were freakish moments but that's the game. You just have to try and limit opportunities to speedsters like (Makazole) Mapimpi and these sort of guys.

“So there's no feeling sorry for ourselves. That's the game and we know that's what can happen when you have to step out onto the pitch, and if you don't deliver there's quality teams, especially in this part of the world, that can hurt you badly.

“Unfortunately we were on the receiving end the other night.”