Traditionally there's been a bit of a bite to Heineken Champions Cup matches between Munster and Castres Olympique, whetting the appetite for another spicy encounter at Thomond Park on Saturday night (8.0).
Familiarity – the Irish province has played them more often than any other club in the tournament – has bred a feisty edge into an exhaustive rivalry, one that is undiminished by the passing of time. Faces may change but the belligerence is rarely far from the surface when Castres spy a Munster jersey.
Munster's Dave Kilcoyne is well versed with what to expect at the weekend. "I've played them a couple of times now, and every game has [had] a lot of niggle in it. They're a physical side, big set-piece, good scrum and maul, and their scrumhalf Rory Kockott likes to get under fellas' skin."
The South African-born former French international likes to chirp away, unsolicited, a trait that got him into a bit of trouble last weekend and an official reprimand from the tournament organisers about the way in which he addressed referee Nika Amashukeli during the 20-18 home defeat to Harlequins. There was no doubt that it was laced with frustration.
It’s been a headline week for Munster, kicking off with last Sunday’s splendid win against Wasps in Coventry, a match in which, backboned by an experienced core, a liberal sprinkling of the province’s young prospects played a substantial part in the victory.
Mentoring
Kilcoyne enjoyed his mentoring role in the build-up to the game. He explained: “Yeah, I loved it and it is very easy to love it when you are dealing with lads who are so eager to learn. We all were, say, given a buddy and I would have been trying to help the frontrows as best I could in terms of our scrum sessions and working with Andy [Kyriacou].
“Mark Donnelly, who I thought did really well [from the bench], came in on the Monday or Tuesday and knew his roles, knew his detail; I was just giving him pointers all week on what to expect, smart decisions to make, things like in and around the breakdown, not to be chasing lost causes, small things that I think all the players benefited from.”
Kilcoyne paid tribute to the nurturing environment created by Ian Costello, who acted as head coach in the absence of Johann Van Graan and Kyriacou and Greg Oliver. "When you're younger you get those chances in the Heineken Cup, your first cap, sometimes you can be overawed with nerves and lads don't express themselves.
“I think Andy Kyriacou and Ian Costello and the rest of the lads had them so well equipped with their detail going into the game that they could actually relax and just focus on being physical and using the tools they have to express themselves that way.”
Mental preparation
Kilcoyne also pointed to the work that sports performance psychologist Caroline Currid undertook in working on the mental preparation ahead of the Wasps match. He said: “She’s been incredible for the environment; you can understand how Limerick [hurlers] have been so successful with her.
“We did a connectivity meeting where we sat down last week and just really got to know each other. She’s top class, brings a huge amount of positivity but in terms of the psychology side, she makes us think quite differently.
“She’s been great at getting us connected and getting us ready for games, bringing a different element which we’re all loving here at Munster at the moment.”
Kilcoyne accepted that the squad understands that, irrespective of who plays, it would be a travesty to undo last week’s excellence with a poorly focused or distracted performance this week. There can be no complacency – an issue that’s already been addressed, replaced instead by a familiar excitement that comes with running out on a European night at Thomond Park.
