Treviso Task Awaits

As the build-up continues to Sunday’s Guinness PRO12 encounter in Italy, we look at both camps and get the pre-match viewpoints of Munster’s Andrew Conway and Treviso’s Tom Palmer.

Full-back Conway has already faced the Italians twice this season – once in the Champions Cup and once in the PRO12 – but the speedster has yet to encounter a Treviso side riding high off the back of two impressive wins against Cardiff Blues and Newport-Gwent Dragons. 
 
“I didn’t play in our last game against them – Champions Cup Round 6 –  but I remember our guys started really well but then Treviso got right back into the game and had they kicked a few goals it could have been a different outcome.
 
“They have won their last two matches proving they are a dangerous side and they will take a lot of confidence from that. 
 
“When a team is losing and lacking confidence, that’s when you want to strike, but when they are winning, they go into training on a Monday morning excited about what happened and what they will see in their review meetings.  They will then work on that to get better.
 
“You never get anything easy against the Italian sides, especially over there, and when you add in what I’ve just mentioned, we’re expecting nothing different this weekend.”
 
Much of Treviso’s recent success has been attributed to a strong lineout, a set-piece weapon that was no doubt bolstered by the signing of English international Tom Palmer.  Commenting on Treviso’s return to form of late, the former Stade Francais and Wasps lock said,
 
“I am responsible for coaching the lineout and it is an area where I feel we have performed well all season.  I have put a system in place, but the success of the lineout is due to the hard work which the forwards do in training and the time spent by each individual studying their roles, making sure that they do their job correctly.”
 
And with Sunday’s forecast in Treviso less than favourable to expansive running rugby, Palmer and his pack will look for continued precision at set-piece.
 
“Munster are always a difficult team to play.  They are a team with a great history who always play with lots of passion and physicality.  Looking at the weather forecast for heavy rain on Sunday I expect the game will be set piece based with lots of kicking.”
 
Benetton Treviso v Munster Rugby, Guinness PRO12 Round 16, Sunday February 28^th at the Stadio Monigo – KO 2pm (Irish).