Munster coach Mossy Lawler has said that chase for cohesion will see the province attack the upcoming United Rugby Championship window with vigour as they prepare for Saturday's trip to Osprey.
That Welsh trip will be the first of three URC games around the turn of the year, with interpro derbies with Leinster (27 December) and Ulster (2 January) to come, before attention turns back to Champions Cup matters.
Lawler doesn’t envision the foot coming off the pedal too much as they try and build on Saturday’s 31-3 win over Gloucester.
After that Champions Cup match, head coach Clayton McMillan said that some internationals will be entering a rest period this weekend, but Lawler said that ambition will still be high for the trip to Bridgend.
"With a big squad like this, I think your cohesion is always challenged," Lawler said.
"This weekend is a massive game, the Ospreys are playing really good rugby and put it up to you in terms of their kicking game.
"We’re going to pick as strong as we can to make sure we go to Wales and get the job done.
"Obviously there will be opportunities for some, but we’ve got to make sure that we put our best foot forward and attack the game as we always do every week."
One player who may have put his hand forward for a starting spot when the team is announced on Thursday is Conor Bartley who made his Champions Cup debut off the bench against Gloucester.
The 30-year-old tighthead prop helped Munster win two scrum penalties in the final stages at Páirc Uí Chaoimh in what was a landmark moment of a career spent almost exclusively outside the pro ranks.
"I think his story is amazing, he’s someone who has worked tirelessly for years and years at club and he eventually gets an opportunity and takes it with both hands.
"He came into the squad at the start of the year and he’d tell you himself his body wasn’t ready for professional rugby, but he grinded and grinded and grinded, and he got his opportunity at the weekend and I was just so happy for him to come on and perform."
Ospreys have had a clean December to date, winning at home to Connacht - having trailed by 21 points after 27 minutes - and away to Montauban in the Challenge Cup.
Their URC campaign has been difficult but their last outing – a 19-17 loss in Edinburgh – did point to improvement and Lawler expects more of the same.
"They’re a serious team, they pose a huge threat in relation to their territorial game, they’ve a really good kicking game and put you under serious pressure and force you into errors.
"When they get you in your own half they’ve got a really good attack under Mark Jones so certainly a massive test for us this weekend."
Meanwhile, Munster will welcome Fineen Whycherley and Calvin Nash back to training this week.
Whycherley missed the Gloucester match with a hand injury picked up the week before in Bath while Nash has been out for more than a month with a shoulder injury.
Diarmuid Barron failed a post-match HIA after Saturday and will begin return to play protocols.
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