Munster are in South Africa hoping to hold off Sharks and upset URC odds once more 

Munster’s season is very much on the line as they face an extremely physical Sharks side laden with multiple World Cup winners in the URC quarter-final at the Hollywoodbets Kings Park Stadium in Durban on Saturday.

The Sharks are unsurprisingly hot favourites and Munster will have to channel their exploits of 2023 on South African soil if they are to emerge on the right side of this one.

Back then a win over the Stormers by 24-26 was followed by a 22-22 draw the following week against the Sharks and suddenly there was a huge air of positivity around Munster, even though they knew they would have to win three times on the road to win the title. 

Glasgow, Leinster and the famous final in Cape Town against the Stormers, again, were all negotiated as Munster ended their long trophy drought in scintillating fashion.

DAUNTING

The memories of that amazing run means Munster do not travel to Durban without some hope, although one senses that the potential route to victory – against third-placed Sharks, second-place Bulls and then URC leaders Leinster - looks even more daunting than what they had to navigate two years ago.

The Stormers and the Bulls have reached two URC finals apiece since joining the league in 2021, with the Stormers being the only South African side to lift the title to date. 

It could be argued, however, that the Sharks have always been the biggest of the South African franchises and that they have underachieved in the competition since joining.

They can spring Boks of the quality of Eben Etzebeth, Siya Kolisi, Makazole Mapimpi, Lukhanyo Am, Grant Williams and the talented Hendrikse brothers at half-back, but possibly where they look most intimidating is their front row, as they can unleash units of the calibre of Ox Nche, Trevor Nyakane, Vincent Koch and Bongi Mbonambi.

The fact that Dian Bleuler, who almost single-handedly dragged Munster out of a slump during his seven-match loan spell around the turn of the year, has only appeared three times for the Sharks since speaks volumes. 

STAR-STUDDED

He would be a mainstay of this Munster side yet is just making up the numbers within this star-studded Sharks pack. He certainly would have gotten a lot more than 102 minutes had he been allowed stay at Thomond Park in January.

Ian Costello has brought a 32-man squad down for this do-or-die battle.  The squad is as healthy as it gets with only Oli Jager and Shane Daly missing out from players who would have expected to feature.

Fans may be disappointed by the absence of Ruadhan Quinn, Brian Gleeson, Evan O’Connell, Ben O’Connor and Edwin Edogbo in the squad. 

These players are the future of the club, and they really should be getting more exposure to these types of games at this stage of their development.

It will take a similar effort to the La Rochelle display in early April for Munster to extend their season on Saturday. 

The odds are against them, but if the front row can survive then they have a puncher's chance.