Waterford manager Derek McGrath has said his team will be sticking with their trademark defensive style in this year's championship.
The Déise's deployment of a sweeper in recent years has been a regular talking point on the terraces, with McGrath admitting "there's huge debate around at the moment in terms of hurling and different styles".
However, he says Waterford's style "is no different to anyone else in that it's built on what we feel is best for our group of players."
The secondary school teacher says creating a style that suits the players available is the "ultimate goal of any management".
"You have to go with what you feel is best and you live and die by that. That's what we'll be sticking to."
Waterford open their Munster campaign against Clare, their conquerors in the League final, but the manager says that defeat was parked once his panel left the dressing room in Semple Stadium.
"We'd no choice but to reassess straight after. We’ve a massive challenge next Sunday so we're disappointed in how the game ended and how we were defeated, we immediately had to park it and concentrate on next Sunday."
"You have to go with what you feel is best and you live and die by that. That's what we'll be sticking to" - Derek McGrath
The Waterford panel returned to their clubs after the Clare game, which McGrath feels helped them put the defeat behind them.
"I think that break from the inter-county scene did them the world of good."
League champions last year, Waterford had openly launched an all-out assault to retain their title.
McGrath plans to carry this naked ambition into the championship campaign.
"We were very, very open about our approach to the league - we were very serious about it. We are equally open about our approach to Sunday - we're seriously intent on doing well."
This confidence, not always a feature of Waterford hurling, is reflected in midfielder Jamie Barron.
The Fourmilewater man says the side, All-Ireland semi-finalists last year, do not want to be seen as a "one-season team".
"I think we set out this year to build on what we did the year before. we didn't want to be a one-season team like we've seen in the past."
Barron says the side believe in themselves, and their ability - something that has not always been the case.
"Maybe years gone by we weren't sure where we stood with teams like Kilkenny or Clare, or any of those teams. Now I think we believe we are at that standard and competing.
"Now I think with a rub of the green on any given day any team can beat anyone."
The UCC food business student, who is combining Championship hurling with the possibly less stressful task of writing a thesis, says that whatever side improves most from episodes one and two of this trilogy will triumph on Sunday.
"I think we set out this year to build on what we did the year before. we didn't want to be a one-season team like we've seen in the past" - Jamie Barron
"Either team could have won it on either day. Whichever team brings the intensity, and the shooting, up another level will pull through."
The trilogy factor is also not lost on McGrath, who says it will contribute to what promises to be an atmospheric summer afternoon in Thurles.
"I think the fact it's a trilogy, there seems to be a buzz building towards the genuine start of the Championship in terms of ourselves and Clare."
Given that the clash of Tipperary and Cork was a damp squib in every sense, many people feel the Munster Championship starts in earnest this Sunday.
McGrath himself admits that "everything is on the line".
"It's now just a matter of changing any tension or nervousness in the approach to adrenaline and excitement."
Waterford v Clare is live on RTE2 from 4pm on Sunday, with a live blog here on RTE.ie
