Clayton McMillan says Munster must meet Bulls head on: They like to impose their physicality on you

Huge challenge awaits in Saturday's URC quarter-final  in South Africa

Munster coach Clayton McMillan. Picture: INPHO/Bryan Keane

Clayton McMillan knows what is coming Munster’s way at Loftus Versfeld and he knows his players need to meet the challenge head-on when they meet the Bulls in their URC quarter-final on Saturday afternoon.

Munster will name their team on Friday morning for this play-off clash at altitude in Pretoria, two months on from being edged out 34-31 by their hosts in a high-tempo game played in high temperatures on a blistering South African autumn day.

The thermometer will be significantly lower at 12pm (Irish time) on Saturday but the test offered by the Bulls will be very similar and the Munster head coach needs his team to be smart, accurate and confrontational if they are to progress to the semi-finals.

“I don't think we're going to be surprised by too much we know what's coming at us,” McMillan said. “We understand the conditions, we understand the arena and we understand our opposition.

“We've watched them play all year and we've played them fairly recently. Everyone will bring something slightly different, you'll be stupid if you don't, but they're a big physical team who like to impose that physicality on you through their set-piece, through their carry, clean and defence.

It's a collision-based game and that's something that they pride themselves on so we have to meet that front-on. 

"They've got a really good tactical kicking game playing at altitude, you've got to use your local knowledge around that to your advantage so we know that our source of possession, a lot of it will come from either a contestable kicking game or a long kicking game and it's our ability to deal with that and be smart around how we use our possession.”

McMillan is particularly impressed by the Bulls’ consistency, across a campaign and from season to season.

“There's a level of respect for teams that are consistently playing in finals and I remember from their Super Rugby days they went on a run there for a long period where they were nearly unbeatable.

“You talk about generational, inspirational players, they had a lot of those guys playing through that era so I just think they're a tough rugby team particularly hard to beat at home, well-rounded but like every South African team, a big power game that you have to meet front-on. 

"And if you don't do that then it's tough to win rugby games.”