Anthony Foley admits scale of Munster challenge

Munster will travel to Belfast for Saturday's sell-out at Kingspan Stadium in good nick and good form, but Anthony Foley admits the same is undoubtedly true of Ulster, whose home form makes this the most daunting assignment which the Guinness Pro12 can currently throw up.

Ulster, in third, trail Munster by a point so the prize at stake in this penultimate round of matches could well be home advantage in the semi-finals a fortnight later – conceivably pitching the two sides against each other again.

Each side has suffered only one defeat in their last eight league matches, and Munster boast the best away record in the league, but Ulster have won all 10 of their Pro12 games at home this season, amassing 44 points in the process. Not being encumbered with European distractions, albeit regrettably, has helped both teams according to Foley.

“They are going well aren’t they? In their last couple of games they have shifted up a gear. They have had the benefits of the weeks off like we had and it allows you prepare and be diligent around what you are doing.

“They came down here back in early November [Munster winning 21-20] and they took us right to the wire so we expect a battle up there. I think we went up there last year and we put it up to them as well. So it should be a very interesting engagement.”

All-round game

Foley highlighted Ulster’s all-round game, identifying their strength at scrum-time, their lineout, good game management at halfback in Ruan Pienaar and the in-form Paddy Jackson, choices in midfield and dangerous players out wide.

“They do kick a lot but also they have a lot of little plays that they bust teams with,” said Foley, but in citing their all-round package, he added: “Their biggest strength for them is their work around the breakdown. We have got to be careful with our ball. It sounds like a very tough team to play against doesn’t it?”

Owens appointment

Not surprisingly, Foley welcomed the appointment of the excellent Nigel Owens as match referee.

“You’ve got to have a strong referee up there because it is a hostile environment and Nigel Owens is a strong referee so there won’t be any excuses after the game.”

“At this stage of the season, there is a big advantage playing at home. The crowd will get in there and will put us under pressure. They will build momentum against us from the terraces but if you go about your job in the right manner you can flip that around as well so it’s important to understand that the game flows and it’s important that when we are on top in the game that we capitalise.

“Having gone up there and rarely won, you do understand the importance that when you do have a good opportunity you have got to take it.”

Munster arrive in the Kingspan on the back of three bonus-point wins in a row.

“We are building momentum,” said Foley. “I think every team is trying to get to the stage where they are filling their squads and with all the quality players. We had a session out there and the two packs could start. We are back to a good state of health and hopefully that competition in training will lead to performances on the pitch on Saturday.”

While Ulster are seeking a third derby win in a row, Munster’s only interprovincial defeat this season was away to Connacht, and victory on Saturday would see them top an interprovincial table this season.

“It’s not something that we go around talking about,” said Foley.

“Because derby matches are so big – the Leinster-Munster, Munster-Ulster – they are like mini-Irish trials, and fellas are trying to get one up on the opposition. This is no different. This is no different from when I played back in the day too. It’s your opportunity to get in the shop window and there’s no better place to do it than up in Ravenhill.”

Lucrative

Munster would welcome a lucrative and advantageous home semi-final at Thomond Park, where they trained yesterday but where they have played only once since the 65-10 Champions Cup win over Sale at the end of January.

As well as Paul O’Connell, Donnacha Ryan also trained fully yesterday, after coming through his first start since March, which offset the loss of Dave O’Callaghan and James Cronin this week due to knee injuries.

Mike Sherry also took part in some non-contact work, having being sidelined by two shoulder operations since November 2013, while Tyler Bleyendaal’s first game in a Munster jersey for the A team last week after a serious neck injury prompted Foley to say: “I think that it is important for us that we get some value out of him before the end of the season and if we can do that it provides competition in the 10, 12 slot. So hopefully we see him in the red in a Pro12 game but that is not guaranteed either.”

Foley has admired the plenty since his New Zealand under-20s days and has tried to sign him on loan before.

“We liked what we saw since he got back out on the pitch and started training with us. He is a very calculated individual, he has got qualities, he understands the game really well and he can move a team around the pitch.”