“Exciting energy”: Everitt focussed on Munster after storm disruption

After preparing all week to face Ulster in front of a sell-out crowd, the squad was forced into a sharp pivot. Now, with frustration firmly channelled, the focus is fixed entirely on the trip to face Munster in Cork this Friday night.

The unexpected weekend off has allowed for a mental reset and, crucially, the integration of a massive boost: the return of prop Boan Venter, fresh from his Rugby Championship victory with South Africa.

“Yeah, it’s extremely disappointing,” Head Coach Sean Everitt admitted. “We prepared really well for the game on Friday night and I think it’s disappointing for the guys that they weren’t able to perform in front of their home fans, which was, I believe, a sellout.”

“We’ve got to pretend that that game’s happened and that we played, and we move on to the next one. It’s a different opposition, different venue, away from home – and Munster is a tough challenge in Cork.”

This unplanned ‘two-week build-up’ could pose a challenge, but the squad believes it has successfully leveraged the time. “I think the players will have enjoyed their weekend,” the coach explained, adding that a pre-planned Sunday training session – necessary due to a schedule heavy with Friday fixtures – meant the break worked out well.

The extended preparation time has allowed the group to revisit the successful elements from their victory in Cork last season. “There’s a lot of belief within this group, even though we didn’t get the result in round one,” the coach stated. “And there’s been a lot of growth and there’s a lot of new faces and fresh faces and youngsters coming through, so there’s an exciting energy within this group.”

This energy is amplified by the return of powerhouse prop Boan Venter, fresh off winning the Rugby Championship with South Africa. “Boan Venter has arrived back and we’ll see how he gets through training today. He will be up for selection if he comes through the week.”

“He’s really excited where he is because earlier in the year he would never have thought that this opportunity would have arrived. It’s surreal in the way that he went in and ended up winning the Rugby Championship, which South Africa under Rassie has only won it three time, so it’s not often that you get that opportunity. I’m sure he’ll come back a better player. And he can pass on the knowledge that he’s gained onto the rest of the squad and particularly the youngsters around him.”

The selection for Munster fits into a meticulously charted five-week plan designed to manage the full group’s load ahead of a gruelling schedule. “We’ve planned these five weeks quite meticulously with regards to selection because it’s important that we do rotate our group within these five rounds to give everyone a decent opportunity to get some rhythm for selection,” the coach explained, noting the upcoming November Test series and ten weeks of continuous play in December and January.

“It’s important for us to try and rotate our group and we have planned it that way,” he confirmed, adding that the selection pivot meant sticking to the original match plan: “We have to pretend that the game has been played and move on to a team that we had previously selected for Munster.”

This focus on depth is crucial as the club welcomes back several players from the medical room. Cammy Scott is available for selection this week, while Paul Hill’s availability is pending how he manages his training load.

Promisingly, summer recruit Dylan Richardson has completed two full weeks of training now, making him a strong contender for selection, while Ben Muncaster “was out on the field last week doing his return to play”.

While Luke Crosbie is unavailable this week, and Ross Thompson is looking “more like Cardiff than Benetton,” the overall trajectory is a positive one, bolstering the squad’s options for a challenging match-up Cork.