Erasmus eyes more intensity
Zebre v Munster Guinness Pro 12, today, 3pm
MUNSTER, with just one away Pro12 defeat all season, face a Zebre side that have yet to win at home this campaign, so it’s hard to predict anything but a win for Rassie Erasmus’ side. However, the Munster coach is looking for an intense display from his team, who are just seven days out from their Champions Cup quarter-final. Erasmus is still without Irish internationals Conor Murray, Donnacha Ryan, Keith Earls and Simon Zebo, but he has wasted little time in selecting Peter O’mahony – who will captain the side in Parma – Andrew Conway, Niall Scannell and John Ryan, all of whom were involved in the Six Nations campaign. Erasmus expects his side to show some decent form despite their recent three-week lay-off. “I guess one must look at it from the point of view of most of the guys who won’t play this weekend will have played Test rugby last weekend,” said Erasmus. “The intensity they are used to is Test match rugby so I know a quarter-final will be close to Test match level so I know Peter, Zeebs and Earlsie and Andrew Conway would have high intensity games behind them. “It would have been great to play three or four games together before that but it’s the same for Leinster and all the other boys, but for Toulouse they’ve had a great build up. “They lost four games but this weekend they had a great win and they only have four guys in the French squad so they will be a bit on a roll so we have a big challenge next week.” On the bench prop James Cronin is a welcome return for the first time in two months after his hand injury, while Dave Johnston is also included for the first time this season.