Munster should pick up the tempo on home soil

POOL ONE MUNSTER v TREVISO: SPORTING ONE or two bruises from the brickbats, individual and collective, that have been hurled in their direction in recent weeks, Munster find themselves in the comforting surroundings of their Limerick citadel. It's not just the territory that's familiar.:

In European campaigns past, the Irish province had invariably opted to cross the Irish Sea on the opening weekend of the Heineken Cup, typically returning brandishing a bonus point in defeat. Franklin’s Gardens followed the dog-eared script in terms of the result, albeit that Munster came agonisingly close to filching a victory that at one point in the second half resembled a dot on the horizon.

In analysing Munster’s performance that day it’s difficult to look past the term curate’s egg: good in places, less assured elsewhere.

The rush to apportion blame has invited Jean de Villiers to don his flak jacket. It’s unfair. The South African is settling into a team that hasn’t fully dusted the cobwebs of the summer break, and he is still learning calls and the playing idiosyncrasies of his new team-mates.

This is partially attributable to the late return of the Lions and Ireland players. There is no substitute for match intensity and it generally can’t be replicated on the training ground.

Munster coach Tony McGahan knows there are small increments in quality required in terms of individual contributions and team patterns. This applies to defence and attack and needs to be embraced by the piano shifters and players alike.

The home side will look for a greater fluency and a higher tempo. It won’t suffice to kick and chase, unless it’s done with purpose and precision.

Treviso demonstrated last week in their superb win at home to French champions Perpignan they are underdogs who can take a considerable chunk out of any team that underestimates their qualities. Today at Thomond Park their forwards will once again seek to build a platform.

They’ll attack the Munster scrum, try to get the former Cheetah Cornelius van Zyl to pose problems out of touch and attack the contact and collision areas with a relentless physicality. There will be precious little subtlety to most of their gambits, except those involving twinkle-toed wing Brendan Williams.

He returns in place of Emilio Mulieri in the only change from the side that beat Perpignan. South African outhalf Marius Goosen contributed all his side’s points with three penalties last week: he’s generally reliable and accurate.

In some respects, though, it is not about what Treviso will bring to Thomond Park but rather the mental and physical application of the home side. They’ll need to vary their approach from the bone-on-bone confrontations to more enlightened gambits to circumvent the Treviso cover.

Niall Ronan is unlucky not to make the starting XV because his link play and skill set would be useful in pursuing an offloading, expansive approach. The easiest way to pass through a door is to open it, rather than try to take it off its hinges.

Jerry Flannery’s injury means Denis Fogarty starts at hooker. McGahan was right to defend the latter in terms of a misfiring lineout against Leinster. Fogarty was hardly the only culprit. A good start out of touch and he can get on with the other aspects of his game that are highly impressive.

The Munster management and supporters will look to traditional leaders like Paul O’Connell and Ronan O’Gara to fire the forwards and backs respectively and to put in place the building blocks of any victory: good set-pieces, patience, precision and a ruthless exploitation of opportunities.

The back play needs to be a little more varied and less lateral. A quick beginning on the scoreboard would simplify the afternoon.

The bookmakers are offering Treviso a 32-point start and, based on their result last week, it might appear tempting. However, on two of the last three occasions the Italian side played away in Europe they lost 52-0 and 68-8 respectively. If Munster assume an authoritative manner from the first whistle then the confidence that Treviso gleaned from last week will quickly evaporate.

If the graph of progression continues to rise then Thomond Park today should see Munster make a more articulate statement in terms of this season’s European ambitions.

Previous meetings: HC 2003-2004: Munster 51 Treviso 0; Treviso 20 Munster 31. HC 2009-2010: Northampton 31 Munster 27; Treviso 9 Perpignan 8.

Leading points scorers: Munster– Ronan O'Gara 14. Treviso– Marius Goosen 9.

Leading try scorers: Munster– D Wallace, T O'Leary 1 each. Treviso– none.

Odds(courtesy of Boylesports): Munster 1/200. Treviso 25/1. Draw 50/1. Handicap: Munster (-32 points) 10/11. Treviso (+32 points) 10/11 Draw 16/1.

Today, 1.35pm Thomond Park Live on Sky Sports 2

Verdict: Munster to win.