Reds go on tour but will keep focus
MUNSTER arrived in South Africa yesterday as they embark on a twomatch tour which will also double up as preparation for their Champions Cup semifinal showdown with Racing 92 in Bordeaux. Head coach Johann van Graan has brought the entire 23man squad who saw off Toulon 20-19 in such dramatic fashion at the weekened to the southern hemisphere. Brian Scott, Dave O’Callaghan, Conor Oliver, Dan Goggin, Stephen Fitzgerald, scrum-half Jack Stafford and academy player Calvin Nash, have also been added to the travelling party. Munster made the trip to South Africa in two groups, both going via Dubai and arriving into warm sunshine in Cape Town yesterday. The squad will get their first taste of playing in this weather when they train at the City Park rugby grounds in the city this morning. It’s coming to the end of summer in Cape Town and locals are hoping that rain will not be far away after suffering several months of drought which forced water rationing in the city. The Munster squad will depart by bus on Thursday for the fivehour trek to CJ Stander’s hometown George where they will play the Southern Kings on Saturday evening. They will then travel back by road to Cape Town on Sunday and base themselves there until Thursday when they will depart for Bloemfontein to take on the Cheetahs on Friday week for a crunch Conference A clash. But, of course, while Munster will bid to make their first ever trip to South Africa a winning one – they are the last of the Irish provinces to come out here this season – it will be hard to get away from the preparations for the Racing 92 clash. An update on Simon Zebo’s injury, along with others, is also expected today. Munster’s most experienced player, Billy Holland, said that the tour was an excellent opportunity to focus for the business end of the season. ‘It is really exciting. This squad hasn’t gone on many tours in the last few seasons for many reasons,’ he said. ‘You get to know fellas better on tour, you build even better relationships and you get to know lads better on tour. ‘It’s a very unique part of the world and to be heading to CJ’s hometown later in the week is something to really look forward to,’ Holland continued, before reminding his teammates to maintain their focus. ‘We mustn’t lose sight of the fact we have two important PRO14 matches, first against the Southern Kings and then against the Cheetahs. ‘There is a lot of travel and there are difficulties logistically but the change of scene from Cork and Limerick for two weeks will be something different.’ Some of the squad have played in South Africa before and for Holland this is his first time back in the country since featuring for the Irish U-19 side almost a decade and a half ago. ‘I played in U-19 World Cup in Durban in 2004 and I haven’t been back to South Africa since so I’m looking forward to the next couple of weeks.’