Champions Cup cauldrons in France are new to Clayton McMillan, but nothing new to Munster.
The New Zealander knows his side are in for a hostile reception at Stade Felix Mayol this Sunday when they face three-time champions Toulon in a game that will swing Pool 2 one way or the other - just one point separates the six teams in Pool 2.
Munster beat Toulon at that venue this time two years ago, and while they haven't been beyond the quarter-final of the Investec Champions Cup since 2019, four wins from their last seven trips to France in this competition show they hold no fear of the Top14.
Eight of Munster's starting team this week were also starting for the bonus-point win against Toulon in 2024, but for others, like Edwin Edogbo and Ben O'Connor, this will be a new playing experience.
And while McMillan admits there's no substitute for experience, they have been bracing their players for what to expect.
"We'll have our fair share of supporters, they'll be outnumbered by others, but we'll embrace the cauldron," the New Zealander said, ahead of his side's departure for France.
"Embrace European rugby, embrace the atmosphere and use that energy to help us get the sort of performance that we're looking for.
"You certainly address it and you talk about it. We've had stereos blaring at training with the sort of noise that you're likely to encounter there.
"But it's like anything, you can do all the prepping in the world but until you actually get there and experience it, sometimes the preparation doesn't quite make what you actually encounter on the day [any easier].
"But there's a real opportunity when you go to places like that, that you can feed off that energy if it's channelled in the right way."
The return of O'Connor to the Munster side offers an insight into how Munster are likely to approach this week's game, with the 21-year-old named on the left wing in place of Thaakir Abrahams.
Having played the majority of his rugby at full-back up until recently, O'Connor started the province's win against Gloucester in December on the wing where he was a valuable addition, particularly in the kicking game.
And while McMillan says he still views the Cork man as a full-back long-term, his skillset is transferable to the wide channels.
"I think he had a great game that day [against Gloucester]," the Munster boss said of O'Connor (below).
"He was pretty error-free, he was sound defensively, he was particularly good under the high ball, and if that [ankle] injury hadn't impacted his ability to be selected in the following weeks, then he probably - in all likelihood - would have still been out there off the back of that performance.
"So he's worked his way back to full fitness and gets another opportunity.
"I think he's a great communicator, a massive work rate, equally good under the high ball. And we just think we can probably simplify Ben's game a little bit by just putting him on the wing at this stage."
Just as they did two years ago, Munster travel to France with their backs against the wall after a frustrating run of form which has seen them lose four of their last six games, the most recent of which was a chastening 28-3 defeat to Ulster in Belfast.
The province had been unbeaten prior to the November break, with five wins out of five to begin the URC, and while than run included a spectacular hammering of Leinster at Croke Park, it was the only breakout performance across a run of hard-fought wins.
"They've all had a fair crack, anyone who has been fit..."@bernardjackman and @steeno10 expect Munster's Clayton McMillan to be ruthless with his selections in the coming weeks. 🔴
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) January 7, 2026
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And McMillan admits their current standing, both in the URC and Europe, is a fair reflection of their season to date.
"When we were sitting first or second on the table, we probably felt that we didn't really deserve to be there if we were judging ourselves on the quality of the performances, as opposed to the wins and losses.
"We've obviously dropped from second at the weekend down to sixth and just asked ourselves, is that a true reflection of where we think we're at? And I think it is.
"But there's only about three or four points separating first to sixth, so we're not that far off, but it's just actually just acknowledging that lots of different parts of our game are not quite where we want them to be.
"We're by no means pushing a panic button. We know we've got good quality here and just keep working hard at our craft that we'll find the rhythm that we're looking for," he added.
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