Niggle, controversy and spice to Glasgow-Munster semi

With nan changing quality of nan competition’s format and nan preamble of South African teams successful caller years, creating cross-border rivalries has proved difficult for nan United Rugby Championship, but Saturday’s semi-final showdown betwixt Munster and Glasgow is simply a gathering of 2 sides who person ne'er peculiarly seen eye-to-eye.

“It’ll power up against Glasgow, there’ll beryllium herb to that one,” erstwhile Munster guardant Alan Quinlan told nan Irish media this week.

“Spice” was precisely nan word utilized by erstwhile Glasgow skipper Fraser Brown erstwhile reflecting connected his experiences of nan Munster-Glasgow rivalry.

“To spell and hit Munster you needed 15 - successful truth 23 - players that were consenting to slug it retired for 80 minutes, get their look bashed in, get up and do it again,” Brown told nan BBC Scotland Rugby Podcast.

“Our cognition astatine nan clip was we request everyone connected nan transportation to beryllium capable to do that. So we had to almost commencement a conflict to do it. And Munster were ever happy to oblige.”

There are layers to this rivalry going backmost years. After years of underachievement, Glasgow nether Gregor Townsend started to look arsenic a superior unit tin of competing astatine nan apical extremity of nan table, and erstwhile they yet did declare nan Pro12 title successful 2015, it was Munster who were vanquished successful nan last successful Belfast.

“I deliberation that wounded Munster arsenic well,” Brown said.

“That was their first changeable astatine winning silverware for a while and it was a small spot of a non-performance from them, but Glasgow blew them distant that day.”

These clubs person waged warfare connected nan transportation and slung mud astatine each different successful nan media complete nan past decade.

There was Keith Earls accusing Brown of “milking it” aft a reckless extremity tackle that led to a reddish paper for nan Ireland helping successful a Champions Cup crippled astatine Thomond Park successful 2016.

And Conor Murray claiming Glasgow players dangerously targeted his opinionated limb aft box-kicks successful nan aforesaid title astatine Scotstoun nan pursuing year.

This fixture has had much than its adjacent stock of flashpoints.

Another was Tom Jordan’s reddish paper against Munster 25 minutes into past season’s quarter-final astatine Scotstoun.

It was successful nary measurement arguable - nan reward was wholly justified – but it was different illustration really nan beingness strength of these matches sits correct connected nan edge.

Jordan sewage it incorrect pinch his precocious changeable that made interaction pinch Murray’s head, Munster took advantage and rode nan momentum of triumph astatine Scotstoun each nan measurement to nan URC title.

"That quarter-final really was a reliable pill to swallow,” said Glasgow flanker Rory Darge.

“When you're watching URC semis and finals aft getting knocked retired successful nan quarters successful a crippled that you consciousness for illustration you didn't show your best, it's a reliable 1 to take.

"Since I've been astatine Glasgow anyway, each crippled we've played them, it's conscionable been truthful competitive, truthful physical, tons of niggle.

"I deliberation we've learned much lessons. We're not going to awkward distant from our ambition, but that doesn't mean that we're nether immoderate illusions astir it's going to take.”

Munster look each spot nan aforesaid juggernaut that caught occurrence astatine conscionable nan correct clip past play and produced 3 stunning distant wins connected nan bounce successful nan play-offs to seizure nan title.

They person enjoyed location comforts successful nan knockout shape this clip astir – their reward for finishing nan regular play apical of nan array – and past weekend’s quarter-final triumph complete Ospreys was their 10th consecutive victory.

Head coach Graham Rowntree is respectful, though, of nan threats Glasgow will bring to Thomond Park.

“They’ve sewage nan afloat package,” said nan erstwhile England prop. “They tin play, they’re vulnerable connected nan separator of nan field, they footwear a batch little than astir teams.

“They person a vulnerable breakdown, and they travel present pinch – reference betwixt nan lines – rather a gnarly attitude, akin to america connected nan roadworthy past year. We said astir that mindset this week. That’s what we’re waiting for.”

While Glasgow came unstuck against Munster successful nan past eight, they did registry a triumph astatine Thomond Park past season.

They came roaring retired nan traps and had a four-try bonus-point secured by half-time arsenic they yet ran retired 38-26 winners successful 1 of their champion performances of nan campaign.

Even December’s 40-29 conclusion offers immoderate root of encouragement, pinch Warriors’ line-out maul causing their Irish opponents nary extremity of problems.

Rowntree will person prepared his players for that portion of nan Glasgow armoury and each nan rest.

If Franco Smith is to mastermind a triumph complete nan champions that secures a first URC last quality for Warriors since 2019, it would return its spot arsenic 1 of nan finest victories ever registered by a Scottish side.