THE SEASON MAY still be in its infancy, yet Munster’s frustratingly inconsistent start out of the blocks sees them bordering precariously on must-win territory when they face Ulster in the first of back-to-back Guinness Pro14 inter-pros this evening [KO 7.35pm, eir Sport/Premier Sports].

Johann van Graan’s side have showed no signs of improvement on the road as two heavy away defeats in the first four rounds has raised serious questions over the southern province’s credentials, and they simply must produce a performance of substance tonight. 

The sides drew in the final regular game of last season. Source: Ryan Byrne/INPHO

They can at least rely on home comforts having comfortably seen off the Cheetahs and Ospreys in Limerick and Cork so far this term, but an inter-pro is an altogether different challenge, as the intensity goes up a notch in round five.

For Ulster, this represents something of a free-hit at Thomond Park, having started the season unbeaten under Dan McFarland, and demonstrated huge spirit and character in grinding out three late wins and snatching a 39-39 draw against the Cheetahs in South Africa last week.

Come Saturday evening, the pressure is all on Munster, and that’s reflected in van Graan’s team selection as he makes eight changes to the side which completely capitulated in Cardiff last weekend, with All Black Alby Mathewson set for his debut for the province.

There is also a boost with the return of fit-again internationals Keith Earls and Niall Scannell, who come back into the starting XV for their first appearances of the campaign, while the likes of Mike Haley, Billy Holland and Tommy O’Donnell are all recalled.

Van Graan insisted Monday’s video review session was not one of his toughest in the gig, and said the squad have extracted the positives from the 37-13 defeat to the Blues and left the performance in the rear-view mirror, but Munster know huge improvements are required.

The worrying malfunction of Munster’s defensive systems was costly in the extreme, as the province slipped off 20 tackles in the second period on their way to conceding four disappointing tries.

While credit must be given to the Blues, Peter O’Mahony is not one to shy away from the truth, as Munster slipped below standards that are acceptable.

“Naturally guys are going to be pissed off come Monday but you do your review and you take it on the chin,” the Munster captain says. “The days of shouting and roaring are gone, you have to be very pragmatic and we have to get a solution.

“You have to get out and train properly and our standards in training were superb the last two days. We didn’t go out and belt each other around or anything. You have to just go out and be accurate. Again, that counts for nothing until you perform on Saturday so that is our next test.”

The Ireland flanker continued: “It’s something you have to have huge pride in and they [Cardiff] walked through our defence twice without being touched.

“Of course you’ve got to hurt from that. Guys know themselves that it needs to be better, there’s no one harder on the players than us ourselves and guys would be beating themselves up during the week but you’ve got to scratch that now and you’ve got to implement your lessons into the following week.

O’Mahony starts in the Munster back row tonight. Source: James Crombie/INPHO

“If you’re feeling sorry for yourself for too long in this game all you’ll get is another beating and another beating after that, and it’s hard to get out of it. So you have to get back on the horse.”

O’Mahony starts his third consecutive Pro14 game tonight having made his seasonal reappearance in the dismissal of Ospreys in Cork a fortnight ago, but the visit of McFarland’s Ulster is an altogether tougher proposition. 

It may still be too early for a talk of a renewal around Belfast, but certainly the arrival of McFarland and several new faces has sparked an upturn in fortunes at Kingspan Stadium, with Ulster playing an attractive and exciting brand of rugby.

The northern province are unbeaten in their last nine Pro14 encounters, a run which stretches back to last March when they were beaten by the Blues in Cardiff, and certainly confidence will be high in the away dressing room later. 

Having left Thomond Park with a draw in the concluding game of the regular season last term, Ulster will no doubt arrive in Limerick eyeing their first win at the venue since May 2014.