Pics & Quotes | Ospreys Preparations

Take a behind the scenes look at training this week and get the pre-match thoughts of Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus as Munster target three wins from three in the Guinness PRO14 away to Ospreys on Saturday – ko 3.15pm.

Click here to view our latest training shots.

As Munster share Conference A with this weekend’s opponents, this will be the first of two clashes against Ospreys this season and the Welshmen will no doubt want to avenge a heafty 23-3 defeat in last season’s league semi-final.

Looking ahead to the trip to Liberty Stadium, Erasmus commented, “Ospreys we played three times last season and they have the same coaching staff this year, but they have so many different options and ways to vary it up, at 10 and 15 and their loose forwards for example.  With their ability to add something new into the mix all the time it’s impossible for me to hit the nail on the head on Monday and tell you what we expect this weekend.  It will be a tough assignment, that is for sure.”

On how the province can learn and improve – of the back of two bonus point wins – heading into round 3, Erasmus added, “It’s important that we carry the positives from the first two rounds into the next game, and apart from the obvious things that everybody sees, the players took some nice opportunities when they came their way.  By that I mean, you don’t always have to execute the game plan 100%, when opportunities arrive, take them and trust your skillset.

“As a coaching team, we would also like to see that mind-set flow into pressure games.  It’s easy to take them when you are 20 or 30 points up, but doing it at critical junctures of pressure games is where you need to grow it to.

“Elsewhere, we could have been more accurate at the breakdown, we had a concentration lapse in defence just after half time and that allowed Cheetahs cross for a simple try.  If we do that against a team like Ospreys they can put us away.”

Next Home Game

Munster return to home action against Cardiff Blues at Thomond Park on Saturday September 30th for a lunchtime kick-off, 1.30pm.

Tickets from

• Adults €20
• Juniors €7
• Families €40

Tickets can be purchased online here, from the Munster Rugby Ticket Offices at Irish Independent Park and Thomond Park, from Ticketmaster outlets, or by calling  061 421103.