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Foley has words of praise for the Leinster scrum. James Crombie/INPHO
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No 'roaring and shouting' for Munster in build-up to forwards battle in Dublin

The southern province’s head coach Anthony Foley picked out Leinster’s pack as their key strength.

MUNSTER COACH ANTHONY Foley believes Leinster’s current strengths lie in the eastern province’s formidable pack of forwards, from where he expects the greatest challenge on Saturday evening in Dublin.

There has been a change of style under Matt O’Connor at Leinster in the last year or so, with increased focus on the set-piece, kicking for territorial gain and then ensuring maximal return from visits to the opposition 22, by whatever means necessary.

Some supporters have been disillusioned by the shift in playing philosophy, but last season’s Pro12 title can be pointed to as ample justification by O’Connor and his coaching staff.

Foley is overseeing his own change in style with Munster, who remain in the early and testing days of their own alterations. Asked for his opinion on Leinster’s ability, the former No. 8 immediately pointed to the forwards.

“They’re a very good side, they’re technically organised up front,” outlined the ex-Ireland international. “We expect a tough battle up front in terms of the scrum and they’re probably one of the sides that do a lot of scrums to completion.

There aren’t a lot of penalties and free kicks out of their scrum. Set-piece in the line-out will be a tough contest as well with Kane Douglas and Devin Toner, Mike McCarthy thrown into the mix. It’ll be a tough test for our forward pack this weekend.”

The Munster head coach underlined that Leinster have an all-important winning mentality, whatever about the manner in which their approach has differed from the Joe Schmidt days.

“They’re very abrasive, they’re very tactically aware. They’ve a lot of very good players up there,” said Foley. “They obviously know how to win trophies and how to get to the back end of the season in a strong position with a lot of their players fit.

MunsterÕs head coach Anthony Foley Foley is hopeful that his new game plan will pick up more momentum on Saturday. Inpho / Billy Stickland Inpho / Billy Stickland / Billy Stickland

“It’s a good template, it’s one that had worked for Joe Schmidt previous to Matt, and Matt got some results last year as well.

“Leinster are a team, similar to us, who have won two and lost two [in the league this season]. It’s a matter of who flicks the switch this weekend.”

Munster head into this game stung by the home defeat to the Ospreys last weekend, their second loss at Thomond Park this season. The game plan hasn’t quite clicked out on the pitch yet, but Foley sees this encounter as another chance to ensure that happens.

“We’re obviously coming off the back of a defeat coming into this game, so we’re looking to gain some momentum.

We’ve got to go through a process. You can’t go in there beating your chest, roaring and shouting. That won’t get the job done. It may have got the job done a decade ago, but it ain’t going to get the job done now.

“There’s too many quality players out there. We need to understand where we play the game, manage the game, what areas we’re going to attack, making sure that we’re fully aware of how Leinster want to attack.

“If we can manage all that and kick our goals, we’ll be in a good position.”

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