Etzebeth expecting 'tight game' as Costello demands Munster discipline

Irish Examiner

2 days ago

It all depends where you look for the evidence that backs up Sharks captain Eben Etzebeth's prediction of 'a very close game' when Munster roll up to Kings Park on Saturday evening for this URC quarter-final.
Sure, the 22-22 draw on the last day of the 2022-23 regular season will go down in the record books as a pivotal game in Munster's URC title-winning season, the second of five unbeaten matches on the road which delivered a first trophy in a dozen years to the Irish province. Yet either side of that outcome, the Sharks have enjoyed the dominance to suggest that the visitors are one lax decision or a mistimed pass away from another difficult day in Durban.
That was the case three weeks before that vital share of the points. The Sharks blew Munster away on a steamy April afternoon in the Champions Cup Round of 16 with five second-half tries in a disastrous 25-minute window for the visitors, who only had their poor discipline and skill execution to blame.
Yet every Munster supporter knows what their side is capable of if it all comes together and recent memories of their epic knockout victory in La Rochelle last month give hope that another famous day could be in the offing down by the Indian Ocean.
A settled starting line-up certainly helps, with interim head coach Ian Costello naming an unchanged XV for third game in a row, as does the muscle memory of that title run that saw Munster visit Cape Town at the start and end of a sequence of results that also took in Durban, Glasgow and Dublin without a defeat.
The 2025 Sharks, though, represent a significant challenge from two seasons ago, as their captain suggested this week as he reflected on his side coming through several close-run contests this season.
'We've seen in the past that play-offs can be tight affairs, and winning tight games is something we've done a bit of this year,' Etzebeth said. 'Last year, when we ended up lower on the log, we lost those tight games but this year we've turned things around and won them.
'We're used to those kinds of games, hopefully we don't make it that tight on Saturday. They're a quality side and it's probably going to come down to discipline on the day and who has the better goal-kicker. It's going to be a very close game.'
Munster know what is coming with Costello neatly delivering a synopsis of the key threats on the squad's arrival in South Africa on Tuesday.
'We would have highlighted some areas that they are really strong – transition is the big one,' the interim head coach said.
'If you give them access through their power game, they can hurt you close to the line but if I was speaking about one area where they really come to life, it's in transition, but so do we.
'That will be a really fascinating battle. I think against Benetton, yeah we conceded two tries that we were disappointed with, but their set-piece strikes are outstanding and I probably look again at the second-half in the Ulster game and there were some outstanding defensive sets, moments, again fuelled by a lovely balance of physicality and calmness – getting that discipline balance.
'If we can keep that to the positive side, seven or eight (penalties) max, that gives us a really good chance against the Sharks.
'That's the same thing in D, having that balance of making sure that we are aggressive but also smart and disciplined with it.
Costello added: 'We have had a good record here (in South Africa) and the last couple of weeks have been really good for us to deliver under pressure. It's no different this week, we need to deliver under pressure.'
Sharks head coach John Plumtree's team selection on Friday underlined the size of the challenge facing Munster, with five changes from the side which edged the Scarlets 12-3 at home in the final round of the regular season a fortnight ago, and including Springbok captain Siya Kolisi and Lukhanyo Am.
In contrast to an unchanged starting line-up Munster have changed up their bench from the one which came on for the final two games of the campaign to help secure bonus-point home victories over Ulster and Benetton which lifted Costello's side into the play-offs and secured Champions Cup rugby for next season.
A fit-again Diarmuid Barron replaces loanee Lee Barron, an impressive try scorer off the bench against Benetton two weeks ago, as replacement hooker and there is a switch from a six-two split from the previous two outings to five forwards and three backs.
Lock Fineen Wycherley is the forward to miss out while veteran scrum-half Conor Murray is joined by two fresh backline replacements in the form of Mike Haley and Rory Scannell, who is set to make his 200th appearances for Munster, as Sean O'Brien is stood down as the lone outside back cover.
SHARKS: A Fassi; E Hooker, L Am, A Esterhuizen, M Mapimpi; Jordan Hendrikse, Jaden Hendrikse; O Nche, B Mbonambi, V Koch; E Etzebeth – captain, J Jenkins; J Venter, V Tshituka, S Kolisi.
Replacements: F Mbatha, N Mchunu, H Jacobs, E van Heerden, P Buthelezi, B Davids, F Venter, Y Penxe MUNSTER: T Abrahams; C Nash, T Farrell, A Nankivell, D Kilgallen; J Crowley, C Casey; M Milne, N Scannell, S Archer; J Kleyn, T Beirne - captain; P O'Mahony, J Hodnett, G Coombes.
Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, Josh Wycherley, John Ryan, Tom Ahern, Alex Kendellen, Conor Murray, Rory Scannell, Mike Haley.
Referee: Mike Adamson (Scotland).