The opposition is Racing - so are Munster hearts ahead of Champions Cup opener

01:00, 14 Oct 2026Updated 09:58, 14 Oct 2026

Don't ask Denis Leamy if he think the Heineken Champions Cup is a matter of life and death.

As a two-time winner, 2006 and 2008, he knows that in these parts from Cork to Limerick, from Abbeyfeale and Bruff to Youghal...it's far more important than that!

Munster open the 2026/27 edition on the 10th anniversary of Anthony Foley's death in Cork and against the team he was meant to face that weekend, Racing.

There is also a certain light-headedness about Munster having swept away some of the previous cobwebs, a behind-the-scenes broom sweeping clean.

"I think we're growing our game nicely after a relatively slow start against Glasgow where there were certainly things that we didn't do as well as we would have liked to," Munster Defence Coach Leamy.

"The Bulls, we got better. We win the game and I thought we showed a very good capacity to live with the best teams around our set piece. Our defence was quite good on the night and our attack has ever grown.

"Obviously, last week we did a really good job for the vast majority of the game in Ulster and are very, very close to beating a very, very good Ulster side.

"I'm slightly disappointed we didn't get the result in terms of a win, but huge positives and we've reflected on those and a few little bits and pieces that we need to improve on."

"We feel we're in a good position and we're looking forward to the game on Saturday."

The Reds won't look to reinvent the wheel, there is a feeling their game is developing by playing into traditional areas of strength.

"The legacy of Munster backrows over the 30 years of the European Cup or more has been really important.

Obviously, I would say that being a former Munster backrow, but I think the platform that our backrow needs to give us in any game is hugely important.

"I think that whoever takes the field this weekend does a big job."

Leamy is referring to both attack and defence there.

"You just look at the power of someone like Racing's Nathan Hughes and what he gives Racing in terms of go-forward.

"So we have a big job in terms of knocking their players down, knocking them back, putting pressure over the breakdown.

"Then also getting us on the front foot and having that ability, whether it's in the loose or the tight, to get on top of the opposing back row.

"It's a key battle, but look, we've got to get back our guys. I think we've got a good unit, no matter what way we go, and it's exciting. So looking forward to it."

Munster's maul was exceptional last week in Ulster although the Racing pack is expected to be weightier

"Tt's hard to deal with weight as well," continues Leamy of trying to, firstly, get acclimatised to new rules surrounding defending mauls.

"It has a certain amount of play within it, but in terms of technique, we practice very long and hard in terms of our technique and where we want to get our players and win slots and stuff like that.

"I think we've made a nice bit of progress over the last two months and Jimmy Duffy has done a really, really strong job around our maul, especially defence and attack.

"We got a couple of tries off the back of it last week, so that's usually pleasing to see the minutes that we put into it and invested in it, paying dividends.

"So a big Racing pack, no doubt, no matter who they put out. They are a handful, they are a challenge but I think our boys are getting better and better in that aspect all the time."