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Rassie Erasmus: Munster can't simulate the same emotion as their win over Glasgow in Thomond

Rassie Erasmus admits trying to recreate the same intensity and harness the same emotion present ...



Rassie Erasmus: Munster can...
Rugby

Rassie Erasmus: Munster can't simulate the same emotion as their win over Glasgow in Thomond

Rassie Erasmus admits trying to recreate the same intensity and harness the same emotion present their rousing victory over Glasgow Warriors in Thomond Park earlier in the season will be difficult.

Munster honoured the memory of Anthony Foley during their first game back in Limerick without their iconic head coach and produced one of the most emotionally charged performances in the club's history.

After the game, the players stood arm-in-arm and sang 'Stand Up And Fight' in a cricle, alongside Foley's two sons last October.

Speaking ahead of their clash with Glasgow this weekend, Munster's director of rugby said that trying to recreate the same emotion would be impossible.

"We all know that's a week you can't simulate," he said. "You can't simulate the build-up and the emotions. This week will be focused and there will be a lot of intensity, but I think tactical play and technique are some of the things that will play a much bigger role.

"Luckily we've played there [in Scotstoun] this year before. We can't say we haven't played on the pitch. All the players have been part of that and we knew how lucky we were to get a drop goal at the end of the game. We could have lost that game easily. 

"They have all the international players back like we have now, of course they'll have a couple of injuries. It's an important pool match for them, we're doing our best to prepare and I'm sure they are as well."

Fixtures of such emotional importance continue to crop up for the Irish province, none more so than last week's victory over Racing 92 in Paris.

Munster had been originally scheduled to play against Racing last October, but it was hear where they learned of the death of Anthony Foley.

"I'm going to leave that fixture, it's gone. Racing are a quality team but I always felt that that fixture was always looming out there. We have to finish that to get back to normality again.

"Not that we will ever be just normal again without Axel, but to get that fixture out of the way. It's great to get the result but I'm more pleased that the fixture is out of the way."

Speaking about his side's good form as of late - they've won 10 of their last 12 games in all competitions - Erasmus said his side must learn to enjoy performing, improving and above all, winning.

"When you have it you must enjoy it because you can lose it quickly. If we keep doing what we're doing and concentrate on the different facets of the game, trying to improve on that, we have talented enough players to win more games.

"The focus isn't always to look at the score board but to try and improve every week. Hopefully we don't fall into a trap where we think we are bulletproof. We're certainly not."

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