"It's A Cup Final For Us" Munster Coach Denis Leamy Previews Benetton Clash
"It's A Cup Final For Us" Munster Coach Denis Leamy Previews Benetton Clash
Munster faces Benetton in a must-win BKT URC clash Friday night at Musgrave Park, with Champions Cup and playoff spots on the line. Watch live on FloRugby.
Munster knows the job is only half done, and the stakes couldn't be higher, as the team prepare to host Benetton at Musgrave Park on Friday night (8 p.m. local time).
The winner likely will secure a coveted BKT United Rugby Championship playoff spot and a place in next season’s Champions Cup. The match will be streamed live on FloRugby.
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Fresh off a gritty win over Ulster, Munster sits eighth in the URC table on 46 points, level with Benetton and Cardiff in a tight race for the final playoff positions.
Benetton arrives in Cork buoyed by a resounding 33-7 win over defending champion Glasgow, and Benetton needs a win or a draw to advance.
For Munster, the scenario is straightforward: win, and Munster is in.
“It’s only halftime in these two games,” said Munster defense coach Denis Leamy. “We had a good performance against Ulster. It wasn’t perfect, but the boys stayed calm and stuck to the plan.”
The clash will be particularly emotional for Munster stalwarts Peter O’Mahony, Stephen Archer and Conor Murray, who are set to play their final game in front of a home Cork crowd.
Interim head coach Ian Costello previously noted that the emotional farewell served as added motivation against Ulster, and Leamy believes that sentiment will linger into Friday.
“There will be that little bit of emotion around the fact that the boys are retiring to Cork for their final game,” Leamy said. “But we’ve a big job of work to do. It’s a cup final for us.”
With Cardiff and Edinburgh, both sitting on 44 points, also in action Friday against the Stormers and Ulster, respectively, any slip-up could see Munster miss out on the knockout stages and Champions Cup qualification, a rarity for the proud province.
“We’re very lucky that the majority of our players grew up playing cup rugby,” Leamy added. “It’s a cup match, and that’s something we’re well-versed in and have a long history with.”
Munster will be without hooker Diarmuid Barron (shoulder) and prop Oli Jager (head) for the clash, but several key players —John Hodnett, Tom Ahern, Josh Wycherley, as well as the retiring trio — came through last weekend’s game unscathed.
Liam Coombes also returned to action for Munster ‘A,' while lock Edwin Edogbo is back in training and could be in the selection frame.
“We’ve put in place a good foundation,” Leamy said. “Now, we build on it. You’re hoping it all comes together in a big performance on Friday night.”
For Munster, Friday night in Cork isn’t just another game - it’s a defining moment in the season, and perhaps for some of the team's most loyal servants, a defining moment in their careers.
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