Munster will begin their European adventure on Saturday evening in Cork vs Racing 92. Over 20,000 tickets have been sold for the opener in Pairc Ui Choimh. For the second season Munster will play a European game in Cork. Let’s hope the lessons of last year have been learned and screens will be put in to aid people trying to follow the game in certain sections of the ground as a rugby pitch is much shorter than a GAA pitch.
This move has time again opened up the Us vs Them debate, Munster Rugby can now count a 3rd ground as a home venue. I feel it has been utter madness that Thomond Park has been left idle for a second season and will only host 1 round possibly which will be Gloucester in January 2027. The usual argument of Cork vs Limerick seriously needs to be ended for once and for all.
The game went professional 31 years ago in 1995 and this childish playground squabble of the games should be here or there needs to end as it has harmed Munster for years. The decision rightly or wrongly was made to base themselves in Limerick and yes in the early years of the professional game, Munster played in Musgrave Park or now Virgin Media Park and Thomond Park and that was crazy as I have yet to hear of any other sporting organisation having multiple home venues for one team.
A big thing we have heard about in recent times in the cost of events and yet again Saturday will cost big money with only a fraction of the tickets sold so far and I highly doubt you’ll get big numbers to part with cash to walk up on the day. Rugby yet again is losing the constant battle for hearts and minds.
Anthony Foley’s 10th anniversary will fall on Friday and by coincidence it is Racing 92 who provide the opposition as they did back in 2016 on that faithful Sunday afternoon when Anthony’s untimely death was confirmed.
Munster will need to start with a win as they will travel to Bristol and Bordeaux Begles in rounds 2 and 3 away from home before ending at home to Gloucester in Limerick in January. The try bonus point system will now mirror the Top 14 where a team will need to be 3 clear tries in front of their opponents to gain the try bonus point.
This in theory will help teams to attack for the full 80 minutes, teams will have been briefed on this change and it should mean teams will attack with more frequency and more tries will be scored, well that is the theory anyway !!
This season has started in mixed fashion for Munster with a win, draw and a loss in the opening 3 games of the URC. No better time than the first game of the Champions Cup to kick start the season. Connacht, Leinster and Munster are in the Champions Cup with Ulster playing in the Challenge Cup this year.
Let’s see what unfolds in week one of Europe which begins on Friday night…..