Earls Eyes Connacht Clash

Munster winger Keith Earls on the need to avenge a narrow loss in Leinster, the formidable challenge of Connacht, and what it is that sets interpros apart from other fixtures on the Guinness PRO12 calendar.

This Saturday sees Munster face, in terms of the league table, the second best side in the PRO12 at a ground where they have only lost once in the current campaign – against Ulster in December.   Standing Connacht in good stead all season has been an exciting brand of running rugby with Pat Lam’s men second only to Cardiff Blues in the try scoring stakes, bagging 51 tries thus far.
 
“Connacht are a great side and lovely to watch.  Pat Lam has done a wonderful job and even with their internationals away they still put in great performances.  Now their internationals have slotted back in perfectly and they are playing a great expansive game.
 
“I’ve no doubt they’ll have a few tricks up their sleeve to unlock our defence as well as being hugely physical.”
 
The endlessly changeable weather at present could play a significant role in Saturday’s proceedings with players often having to contend with strong and erratic winds at the Sportsground.
 
“The Sportsground is known for it but hopefully we can get a bit of sun and dry conditions like we’ve had today (Tuesday), but regardless the weather is no excuse and whatever the conditions we’ll have to be good enough to adapt to them.”
 
Both sides will take to the field in front of a sell-out record attendance of 7,800.
 
“That’s wonderful to see and the crowd will be hugely vocal backing their side.  A number of season’s ago a lot of people would have backed Munster to win but it’s credit to Connacht and the strides they have made that we are going up there as underdogs – second in the league doesn’t lie.  This is a massive game for us.”
 
Munster enter Round 20 of the Guinness PRO12 off the back of a three point loss to Leinster, a bitter pill to swallow, especially as Munster spent the last ten minutes of the game camped deep in the Leinster 22.
 
“We didn’t have a game last week to get over it and put things right, but that’s rugby.  We need to learn from that and if we don’t we’ll need to take a serious look at ourselves.  We need to take the hurt of that and bring it into our performance this weekend.”
 
On what it is that makes interpros that bit more special, the Limerick native concluded by saying,
 
“You are playing against your buddies.  It’s like brothers, you probably fight harder with your brothers than your friends.  You always wake up sore the next morning and you know you’ve been in a battle and it’s bragging rights for supporters.”