Pete glad for a shot at champs
MUNSTER captain Peter O’mahony is feeling inspired – not fearful – about facing Leinster this weekend.
The Ireland flanker claims his men are viewing Saturday’s PRO14 semi-final against the Blues as a chance to make a statement.
“It’s going to be hard, probably the hardest game we’ve played all year, but it has to be our best performance,” said O’mahony. “Surely that’s what you want to do as a professional rugby player, you want to challenge yourself against the best. “It’s got to be a challenge, you’ve got to bring it on. If you’re sitting at home worrying about going somewhere at the weekend, you’re in the wrong business. You’ve got to see it as a challenge. Leinster are the team you want to be measuring yourself off.”
O’mahony, who will play at the RDS for the first time on Saturday, admires what Leinster have achieved but does not see this as an opportunity to close the gap between the clubs.
He added: “If we play well, I want people saying Munster played well. That’s what I want to hear, I don’t want to hear, ‘They’re close enough’.
“Leinster, what they’ve done for the last 12 to 18 months, we’re not going to change that in a game. That’s the standard they have. We’ve all got to strive to try and get there.”
Munster are awaiting head injury updates on winger Andrew Conway and scrum-half Duncan Williams but are boosted by the return to training of props John Ryan and Brian Scott and hooker Niall Scannell.