ONE MIGHT HAVE expected that Rassie Erasmus dipped into the archives in the past fortnight to take a look at Munster’s most recent European Cup quarter-final, particularly given that it came against Toulouse.
The southern province host the Top 14 side on Saturday in Limerick, three years after they dismantled them 47-23 at Thomond Park in that quarter-final.
Dave Kilcoyne at Munster training yesterday. Donall Farmer / INPHO
Donall Farmer / INPHO / INPHO
Munster haven’t been back in the Champions Cup knock-out stages since, but Erasmus has resisted any temptation to take a look back at a game that saw Munster score six tries under then coach Rob Penney.
“When I got to Munster I told myself that I want to experience all the nice things and I don’t want to have perceptions about players,” says Erasmus, whose future with Munster remains unclear.
“I actually watched some of the big European games with Axel and he would show me, for example, from a kick-off how Munster would flood over a team from the first kick-off and we would use clips like.
“But on purpose, I wanted to experience things like that for myself and not be guided by other people’s perceptions. I wanted to be guided by myself.”
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Erasmus’ sentiment makes sense. He has judged his Munster players on their training and game-day performance since he has arrived, although he would naturally have been aware of the higher-profile players in the squad.
The South African probably hadn’t heard of a large portion of this group, however, and was keen to give everyone an equal opportunity. The competition for places in Munster has grown as a result, whereas recent seasons had seen the depth being a real issue.
Almost 10 months into his time with Munster, Erasmus is still experiencing new things and this quarter-final against Toulouse is another item to tick off the list.
“I love being part of it,” says Erasmus. “Lots of things were the first for me this season, but this again is going to be something new and the players are telling me about how big it is.
New signing Jean Deysel, left, is available this weekend. Donall Farmer / INPHO
Donall Farmer / INPHO / INPHO
“I can’t actually believe that, with some of the things that happened this year, this is going to be bigger, but I’m looking forward. The challenge is that it is going to be a hell of a grind for us.
“We are definitely a small team, a physically smaller team. No doubt about that. We will have to punch above our weight and when we get those one or two opportunities, try and make them count.”
Erasmus will be waiting anxiously on a late fitness test on Conor Murray’s shoulder, while Jack O’Donoghue is a doubt with a hip flexor issue and Andrew Conway is recovering from a neck/left shoulder problem.
But the Munster boss will definitely be able to call on recent South African signing Jean Deysel, whose work permit has come through ahead of the weekend.
Ian Keatley and Francis Saili have surprised Munster with the speed of their recoveries from injury, but Erasmus insisted they wouldn’t take risks with the backline pair.
As for the opposition, Toulouse are certainly a shadow of their former selves and currently lie 10th in the Top 14, but Erasmus says Munster are not allowing themselves to lose focus.
“Currently, all people are talking about is where they are on the table and luckily we don’t look at that. If you start analysing them, it’s just threats all over, it’s world-class players all over. It’s almost a Racing with bigger and heavier players.
“A team that mauls 70% of their lineouts, so they put pressure everywhere they can use their size from mauling, scrumming and breakdown, and then they have got world-class finishers.
“Some people from the outside think they are 10th in the table in the Top 14 but if you just watch two weeks ago when they played Lyon, they just smashed them.
“A lot things just didn’t go their way in the last four, five games and they are used to playing in play-offs. And the history with us and them is massive. It’s an exciting game.”
'I didn't want to be guided by other people's perceptions' - Munster's Erasmus
ONE MIGHT HAVE expected that Rassie Erasmus dipped into the archives in the past fortnight to take a look at Munster’s most recent European Cup quarter-final, particularly given that it came against Toulouse.
The southern province host the Top 14 side on Saturday in Limerick, three years after they dismantled them 47-23 at Thomond Park in that quarter-final.
Munster haven’t been back in the Champions Cup knock-out stages since, but Erasmus has resisted any temptation to take a look back at a game that saw Munster score six tries under then coach Rob Penney.
“When I got to Munster I told myself that I want to experience all the nice things and I don’t want to have perceptions about players,” says Erasmus, whose future with Munster remains unclear.
“I actually watched some of the big European games with Axel and he would show me, for example, from a kick-off how Munster would flood over a team from the first kick-off and we would use clips like.
“But on purpose, I wanted to experience things like that for myself and not be guided by other people’s perceptions. I wanted to be guided by myself.”
Erasmus’ sentiment makes sense. He has judged his Munster players on their training and game-day performance since he has arrived, although he would naturally have been aware of the higher-profile players in the squad.
The South African probably hadn’t heard of a large portion of this group, however, and was keen to give everyone an equal opportunity. The competition for places in Munster has grown as a result, whereas recent seasons had seen the depth being a real issue.
Almost 10 months into his time with Munster, Erasmus is still experiencing new things and this quarter-final against Toulouse is another item to tick off the list.
“I love being part of it,” says Erasmus. “Lots of things were the first for me this season, but this again is going to be something new and the players are telling me about how big it is.
“I can’t actually believe that, with some of the things that happened this year, this is going to be bigger, but I’m looking forward. The challenge is that it is going to be a hell of a grind for us.
“We are definitely a small team, a physically smaller team. No doubt about that. We will have to punch above our weight and when we get those one or two opportunities, try and make them count.”
Erasmus will be waiting anxiously on a late fitness test on Conor Murray’s shoulder, while Jack O’Donoghue is a doubt with a hip flexor issue and Andrew Conway is recovering from a neck/left shoulder problem.
But the Munster boss will definitely be able to call on recent South African signing Jean Deysel, whose work permit has come through ahead of the weekend.
Ian Keatley and Francis Saili have surprised Munster with the speed of their recoveries from injury, but Erasmus insisted they wouldn’t take risks with the backline pair.
As for the opposition, Toulouse are certainly a shadow of their former selves and currently lie 10th in the Top 14, but Erasmus says Munster are not allowing themselves to lose focus.
“Currently, all people are talking about is where they are on the table and luckily we don’t look at that. If you start analysing them, it’s just threats all over, it’s world-class players all over. It’s almost a Racing with bigger and heavier players.
“A team that mauls 70% of their lineouts, so they put pressure everywhere they can use their size from mauling, scrumming and breakdown, and then they have got world-class finishers.
“Some people from the outside think they are 10th in the table in the Top 14 but if you just watch two weeks ago when they played Lyon, they just smashed them.
“A lot things just didn’t go their way in the last four, five games and they are used to playing in play-offs. And the history with us and them is massive. It’s an exciting game.”
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European Rugby Champions Cup Erasmus Munster Rassie Team:Stade