Warriors Lie In Wait

Only four teams remain unbeaten as the Guinness PRO14 season begins to take shape after three rounds of league action. Two of those sides, Munster and Glasgow Warriors, go head to head at a sold out Scotstoun this Friday night at 7.35pm.

Something will have to give in this encounter as Glasgow Warriors and Munster are the only two ‘Conference A’ sides with a 100% winning record after three rounds.

This top of the table clash sees just a single league point separate them in the standings.  Munster picked up maximum points at home against the struggling Benetton Rugby and Cheetahs before grinding out a hard fought win away at Ospreys.  While Glasgow will arguably be that bit more streetwise following three stern tests against Cardiff Blues and former champions Connacht and Ospreys.

Rassie Erasmus’ men put the porous defences of Benetton and Cheetahs to the sword in the opening two rounds, scoring a grand total of 14 tries, but they will be afforded no such luxury this weekend.  If anything, expect somewhat of a stalemate on the scoreboard in a game where penalties and placekicks are likely to prove crucial.

Under new Head Coach Dave Rennie, Glasgow boast the best defensive record of Conference A to date, conceding just two tries, not that they will find it easy to score against their visitors with Munster also boasting a formidable defence, conceding just three.

This season’s form aside, in their past three encounters across all competitions, no more than three points has separated the sides.  But with Munster just shading it on each occasion, the hosts would love nothing more than to end the province’s unbeaten away run in the PRO14, one that extends back as far as Leinster at the Aviva last October.

Meanwhile, Warriors only defeat in their last five matches at Scotstoun was to Edinburgh in round 22 last season.

One man who added to his try-scoring tally in the red jersey last weekend was winger Darren Sweetnam, crossing on the 36th minute for his tenth Munster try in total.  He expects the toughest of challenges on Friday night.

“It’s never easy playing away, but especially over there.  There was little or nothing in our last number of games and we’ll need to build on the momentum we’ve gathered from the three wins leading into this weekend.  Obviously we know them a lot from last season, but they are under a new Head Coach so that brings more of an element of the unknown.

“We’re in a good place heading into this weekend.  There’s a great environment and there’s some buzz playing for this team.  They we are playing at the moment is great, we are seeing a lot more ball on the wing and as a player all you want is to get the ball as often as you can.

“We did a lot of work in preseason on handling, backs and forwards alike, and thankfully we are seeing the results of that on the pitch so far this season.  The forwards have been throwing passes like you’d see out the backs and that makes such a difference when you are trying to play an expansive game.  As a back-three that helps our game also.  And with the likes of the Lions still to come back in, the competition for places will only get fiercer which is what you want.”

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.

🎟️ 🥂 🇪🇺 Next up @thomondstadium it’s Cardiff, then European is back with Racing 92

Tickets & Hospitality | https://t.co/pJ8PAkWSl7#SUAF pic.twitter.com/JwAHX5r0Fu

— Munster Rugby (@Munsterrugby) September 19, 2017