URC Rd 5: Stormers v Munster, DHL Stadium, Cape Town, Saturday, 5pm (Live on RTÉ 2)
There always seem to be some off the field adversity that Munster must overcome any time they go to South Africa, and it’s no different this time as they prepare to face the Stormers this Saturday in Cape Town and the Sharks in Durban next week.
Covid issues, flight delays and crazy fixture schedules have all contributed to cranking up the pressure when Munster have headed south in the past. This time around an injury list which shows little sign of abating, coupled with indifferent form which has seen them lose two of their opening four games, has pushed their backs up against the wall.
Craig Casey has become the latest to join the casualty list, having picked up an unspecified “knock” this week, with hooker Diarmuid Barron continuing to go through the return-to-play protocols after suffering a head injury against Leinster last weekend.
The fallout from the humiliating loss away to Zebre continues to rumble on, while the manner in which Leinster blitzed them in the opening quarter to all but wrap up last weekend’s Croke Park showdown with three tries in 15 minutes also set off alarm bells. But Graham Rowntree and his management will take encouragement from the way they steadied the ship against Leinster after the nightmare opening, before falling to a 26-12 defeat.
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They will also note their perfect record against a Stormers side who only won once on their recent three-match tour to Europe this season, with a 36-5 win against Zebre coming either side of a 37-24 loss to Ospreys and last weekend 38-7 to Edinburgh.
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Munster defeated the Stormers both times they hosted them and a 26-24 win in May 2023 in Cape Town was followed up a month later by lifting the URC title back there when they defeated the Stormers 19-14 in the final.
Rowntree will also point out to his men that they have not lost to South African opposition in nine URC games since going down to the Lions in Johannesburg in March 2022. But he knows too that the Stormers are under pressure to deliver a result, and taking Munster’s scalp for the first time would be a statement.
“We were disappointed with the way our tour ended last week, so this is a great opportunity to respond with a big performance at home,” said Stormers head coach John Dobson. “The next two games are important.
“We’ve got the 2023 champions Munster and last year’s champions Glasgow. If we can get our fizz back at home we will be okay for the rest of the season. The key for us is the next two home games. If we can get those next two we will be alive and kicking. There is a little bit of pressure in that respect.”
Munster attack coach Mike Prendergast said they would be concentrating on their own game and not what the Stormers may or may not need to do. “We haven’t really spoken about their first home game,” said Prendergast. “I think we’ve enough to focus on ourselves. We look at their threats absolutely and they have plenty of them with and without the ball.”
Both teams have made five changes. The return of Shane Daly and Billy Burns from injury is a boost to a backline shredded by injuries. Burns is on the bench but Daly starts, with Conor Murray taking over from Casey at scrumhalf.
John Ryan swaps places with Stephen Archer in the front row, with Tom Ahern starting this week having returned from injury off the bench against Leinster. He comes into a back row where Emerging Ireland skipper Alex Kendellen also returns to the exclusion of John Hodnett and Gavin Coomes.
STORMERS: W Gelant; S Hartzenberg, R Nel, D du Plessis (capt), L Zas; D Willemse, P de Wet; T Sithole, J Dweba, N Fouche; A Smith, JD Schickerling; M Theunissen, BJ Dixon, K Morabe.
Replacements: AH Venter, B Harris, S Sandi, R van Heerden, D Ewers, L Nel, H Jantjies, J Matthee.
MUNSTER: M Haley; C Nash, T Farrell, A Nankivell, S Daly; J Crowley, C Murray; J Loughman, N Scannell, J Ryan; J Kleyn, T Beirne (capt); T Ahern, A Kendellen, J O’Donoghue.
Replacements: E Clarke, K Ryan, S Archer, F Wycherley, R Quinn, E Coughlan, B Burns, S O’Brien.
Referee: M Adamson (Scotland).
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