Paul O’Connell is very much focused on his short-term future as Munster travel to face Saracens in their must-win European Rugby Champions Cup clash at the weekend.
The Ireland lock admitted that big European games will be few and far between in the future but stressed the fact that preparations would remain the same as Anthony Foley’s side travel to Allianz Park in Barnet, knowing that victory is needed to remain in this year’s competition.
“I don’t really know. I’m very much undecided at the moment,” O’Connell told RTÉ Sport, when asked whether this would be his last European campaign. “I’d love to stay playing until the World Cup and we’ll see after that.
“I am conscious that there’ll be less occasions but I hope that preparation isn’t any different to what it would have been in the past.
“You've just got to prepare to play your best, whether it’s your first Heineken Cup game or your last few.”
The Ireland captain was more forthcoming when asked about this weekend’s trip to England as third-placed Munster know that two wins are required from their final two Pool 1 fixtures.
“They have an excellent pack of forwards, a very clever pack and they produce a lot of tries so from a front-five point of view, you are getting ready for a physical battle,” said O’Connell.
“You look at their pack. They had 12 line-outs at the weekend and they mauled all 12 of them and scored three tries off them.
“They are a clever team and throw different things at you around the line-out, around their mall, their scrum plays or second and third phase plays. They make you think and make you work it out.”
So while the game may be won or lost in that physical forward battle, O’Connell is not too concerned about playing a match for the first time on the artificial 4G surface at Saracens.
O’Connell added: “I’ve never played on one but I have trained on one, the one in UL for preparation, so the bounce of the ball might be an issue and the games tend to be a little bit faster, but you get on with it.”
And O’Connell admits that the mood is much more sombre this week around the training ground but that is because the Munster squad know the job that is at hand.
“Mood is always quite tentative for these sort of games,” he said.
“Guys tend to know what is at stake and what needs to be done and it quietens things down. Guys are a little nervy, but are looking forward to the game.”
Meanwhile, Conor Murray is a doubt for Munster, as he took only a limited part in training on Monday.
The scrum-half did not take part in any of the on-field sessions after picking up a neck injury while scoring a try against Zebre on Saturday.
Murray will continue to be monitored ahead of training on Thursday.
