SINCE THE LAST time Munster and Saracens went head-to-head back in 2019, the English side have been through a rollercoaster couple of years which took in relegation from the Premiership for salary cap breaches, followed by promotion back to the top tier and a Premiership title win in the 2022/23 season.
Munster haven’t experienced the same level of highs and lows but it’s fair to say both clubs have had a bumpy enough ride ahead of their rematch at Thomond Park this evening [KO 5.30pm, RTÉ 2/Premier Sports 1].
Munster, URC champions just two seasons ago, are working their way through another messy campaign. For the second year running injuries have piled up at a damaging rate while the squad have struggled to find consistency on the pitch. To further complicate matters, Munster and head coach Graham Rowntree parted ways back in October, with the search to appoint his successor still ongoing.
Given the disruption, there has been a sense this season could slip away from the province and they now head into a massive couple of weeks as they look to give themselves the best chance of going deep in Europe.
Munster and Saracens last met in 2019. Billy Stickland / INPHO
Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO
They are in familiar territory with every point vital to their hopes of securing a home tie in the round of 16. The province currently sit third in pool three on six points. Saracens are second on nine points after wins against the Bulls (home) and Stade Français (away), with Northampton Saints a point clear at the top.
Munster make the trip to Northampton next weekend so today’s meeting with Saracens looks their best bet to getting more points on the board.
If they are to do that then they need to find more accuracy in their performance. The December defeats to Leinster (home) and Castres (away) highlighted the recurring problem of Munster creating scoring opportunities but failing to capitalise.
If today’s game is to be the tight encounter that is anticipated, then it won’t be a day for leaving points behind.
Advertisement
Three-time European champions Saracens are not the force they once were but are certainly capable of turning Munster over in Limerick.
Key faces such as Owen Farrell, Will Skelton and Billy and Mako Vunipola have moved on since their most recent European success in 2019, but stalwarts like Jamie George, Maro Itoje and Ben Earl remain important figures and will have no shortage of motivation this close to the Six Nations.
Jamie George remains a key man for Saracens. Billy Stickland / INPHO
Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO
Look through their recent results and a 10-try, 68-10 hammering at Bath jumps out, but that appears to be an outlier. The English side had gotten the better of Harlequins, the Bulls, Stade Français and Northampton in the weeks leading into that Christmas stuffing and responded by beating Bristol 35-26 last weekend.
Their attacking style is more expensive these days and while there is a familiar aggression in their approach to defending, they do also offer space for the opposition to target. That could bode well for a Munster team who have been well able to create linebreaks and get their offloading game going. At the other end of the pitch, Munster see the Saracens maul threat as a key area they need to defend if they are to avoid defeat on home soil.
It could well descend into a classic Thomond scrap and in that regard the absence of Peter O’Mahony is significant. Munster’s spiritual leader is still highly influential on the big days and the province miss his presence when he’s not on the field.
With O’Mahony unavailable due to a calf issue others need to step up to bring that physical edge and with Alex Nankivell, Craig Casey, Jean Kleyn, Thaakir Abrahams, Dave Kilcoyne and Jeremy Loughman also part of a lengthy injury list, there is a backs to the wall sense about these next two weekends.
A 6/2 bench split is indicative of the type of battle Munster expect and while Tom Ahern is something of a surprise inclusion among the replacements, the opportunity to introduce the explosive Waterford forward alongside John Hodnett and Brian Gleeson should bring energy in the second half. Yet with only Paddy Patterson and Billy Burns covering the backline, any early disruption among the starting backs could prove an issue.
Conor Murray's return is a big boost for Munster. Steve Haag Sports / EJ Langner/INPHO
Steve Haag Sports / EJ Langner/INPHO / EJ Langner/INPHO
Munster have so often shrugged off poor form to deliver at Thomond Park in Europe but the Limerick ground has not been the fortress of old in recent times, with the province winning just two of their last five Champions Cup games at the stadium (v Stade Français this season and Northampton in 2022/23).
Saracens have been talking up the scale of their task but they also sense opportunity against a depleted and inconsistent Munster team.
“We are going to one of the great European grounds,” said Saracens director of rugby, Mark McCall.
If you think Munster at home are vulnerable you are probably pretty stupid. People have short memories. They won the URC two years ago, they were top of the log in the URC after the regular season last season.
“We have been to Thomond Park a couple of times since I have been at Saracens and we haven’t won there but it is a great, great place to go. Some of our players who have been there have talked to some of the players who have not been there about what to expect but hopefully what to enjoy as well.
“It is a good test for us. It will be a beneficial experience come what may but we do also have an opportunity and let’s see if we can take it.”
Sarries sense blood. Munster need to produce a big performance if they are to ease the pressure ahead of next weekend’s trip to the Saints.
MUNSTER: Mike Haley; Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Rory Scannell, Shane Daly; Jack Crowley, Conor Murray; Dian Bleuler, Niall Scannell, Oli Jager; Fineen Wycherley, Tadhg Beirne (capt); Jack O’Donoghue, Alex Kendellen, Gavin Coombes.
Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, John Ryan, Stephen Archer, Tom Ahern, John Hodnett, Paddy Patterson, Billy Burns, Brian Gleeson.
SARACENS: Elliot Daly; Liam Williams, Alex Lozowski, Nick Tompkins, Lucio Cinti; Fergus Burke, Ivan van Zyl; Phil Brantingham, Jamie George, Marco Riccioni; Maro Itoje (capt), Harry Wilson; Juan Martin Gonzalez, Ben Earl, Tom Willis.
Replacements: Theo Dan, Eroni Mawi, Alec Clarey, Max Eke, Nathan Michelow, Gareth Simpson, Olly Hartley, Tobias Elliott.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
5 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
Saracens sense opportunity against depleted Munster at Thomond Park
SINCE THE LAST time Munster and Saracens went head-to-head back in 2019, the English side have been through a rollercoaster couple of years which took in relegation from the Premiership for salary cap breaches, followed by promotion back to the top tier and a Premiership title win in the 2022/23 season.
Munster haven’t experienced the same level of highs and lows but it’s fair to say both clubs have had a bumpy enough ride ahead of their rematch at Thomond Park this evening [KO 5.30pm, RTÉ 2/Premier Sports 1].
Munster, URC champions just two seasons ago, are working their way through another messy campaign. For the second year running injuries have piled up at a damaging rate while the squad have struggled to find consistency on the pitch. To further complicate matters, Munster and head coach Graham Rowntree parted ways back in October, with the search to appoint his successor still ongoing.
Given the disruption, there has been a sense this season could slip away from the province and they now head into a massive couple of weeks as they look to give themselves the best chance of going deep in Europe.
They are in familiar territory with every point vital to their hopes of securing a home tie in the round of 16. The province currently sit third in pool three on six points. Saracens are second on nine points after wins against the Bulls (home) and Stade Français (away), with Northampton Saints a point clear at the top.
Munster make the trip to Northampton next weekend so today’s meeting with Saracens looks their best bet to getting more points on the board.
If they are to do that then they need to find more accuracy in their performance. The December defeats to Leinster (home) and Castres (away) highlighted the recurring problem of Munster creating scoring opportunities but failing to capitalise.
If today’s game is to be the tight encounter that is anticipated, then it won’t be a day for leaving points behind.
Three-time European champions Saracens are not the force they once were but are certainly capable of turning Munster over in Limerick.
Key faces such as Owen Farrell, Will Skelton and Billy and Mako Vunipola have moved on since their most recent European success in 2019, but stalwarts like Jamie George, Maro Itoje and Ben Earl remain important figures and will have no shortage of motivation this close to the Six Nations.
Look through their recent results and a 10-try, 68-10 hammering at Bath jumps out, but that appears to be an outlier. The English side had gotten the better of Harlequins, the Bulls, Stade Français and Northampton in the weeks leading into that Christmas stuffing and responded by beating Bristol 35-26 last weekend.
Their attacking style is more expensive these days and while there is a familiar aggression in their approach to defending, they do also offer space for the opposition to target. That could bode well for a Munster team who have been well able to create linebreaks and get their offloading game going. At the other end of the pitch, Munster see the Saracens maul threat as a key area they need to defend if they are to avoid defeat on home soil.
It could well descend into a classic Thomond scrap and in that regard the absence of Peter O’Mahony is significant. Munster’s spiritual leader is still highly influential on the big days and the province miss his presence when he’s not on the field.
With O’Mahony unavailable due to a calf issue others need to step up to bring that physical edge and with Alex Nankivell, Craig Casey, Jean Kleyn, Thaakir Abrahams, Dave Kilcoyne and Jeremy Loughman also part of a lengthy injury list, there is a backs to the wall sense about these next two weekends.
A 6/2 bench split is indicative of the type of battle Munster expect and while Tom Ahern is something of a surprise inclusion among the replacements, the opportunity to introduce the explosive Waterford forward alongside John Hodnett and Brian Gleeson should bring energy in the second half. Yet with only Paddy Patterson and Billy Burns covering the backline, any early disruption among the starting backs could prove an issue.
Munster have so often shrugged off poor form to deliver at Thomond Park in Europe but the Limerick ground has not been the fortress of old in recent times, with the province winning just two of their last five Champions Cup games at the stadium (v Stade Français this season and Northampton in 2022/23).
Saracens have been talking up the scale of their task but they also sense opportunity against a depleted and inconsistent Munster team.
“We are going to one of the great European grounds,” said Saracens director of rugby, Mark McCall.
“We have been to Thomond Park a couple of times since I have been at Saracens and we haven’t won there but it is a great, great place to go. Some of our players who have been there have talked to some of the players who have not been there about what to expect but hopefully what to enjoy as well.
“It is a good test for us. It will be a beneficial experience come what may but we do also have an opportunity and let’s see if we can take it.”
Sarries sense blood. Munster need to produce a big performance if they are to ease the pressure ahead of next weekend’s trip to the Saints.
MUNSTER: Mike Haley; Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Rory Scannell, Shane Daly; Jack Crowley, Conor Murray; Dian Bleuler, Niall Scannell, Oli Jager; Fineen Wycherley, Tadhg Beirne (capt); Jack O’Donoghue, Alex Kendellen, Gavin Coombes.
Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, John Ryan, Stephen Archer, Tom Ahern, John Hodnett, Paddy Patterson, Billy Burns, Brian Gleeson.
SARACENS: Elliot Daly; Liam Williams, Alex Lozowski, Nick Tompkins, Lucio Cinti; Fergus Burke, Ivan van Zyl; Phil Brantingham, Jamie George, Marco Riccioni; Maro Itoje (capt), Harry Wilson; Juan Martin Gonzalez, Ben Earl, Tom Willis.
Replacements: Theo Dan, Eroni Mawi, Alec Clarey, Max Eke, Nathan Michelow, Gareth Simpson, Olly Hartley, Tobias Elliott.
Referee: Pierre Brousset (FFR)
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Champions Cup Munster Preview Saracens