Friday's United Rugby Championship meeting with Cardiff is a "must-win" one for Munster, according to defence coach JP Ferreira.
Last week's win away to Ulster has given the province a big chance of securing a home quarter-final in the URC, but with just three points separating Munster in third from the Bulls back in eighth place, a slip-up against Cardiff would ensure last week's efforts were for nothing.
"It's must-win, definitely," said Ferreira, ahead of the meeting with Cardiff at Musgrave Park on Friday.
"We've got the same mindset that we had since we played Exeter in the Round of 16. Our mindset hasn't changed in that sense, every game is a knockout for it now, we're getting to the end of the season, and it's must-wins. We take it like that. It doesn't matter what the opposition, it's the next game.
"The URC is so close now, the South African teams are doing so well, getting bonus point wins and putting themselves up there. It's all to play for in the next two rounds.
Aside from their opening half away to Exeter, Munster have noticeably played a more attacking and adventurous game in recent weeks, particularly in the first 40 minutes against Ulster last Friday where their width and tempo created problems for Dan McFarland's side.
And while Ferreira (above) admits there are plenty of factors that have contributed to the change in style, a large part of the change has been down to factors outside their control.
"It's pretty simple. Sometimes it can be difficult, but in the northern hemisphere we're facing three seasons. You start your campaign in dry weather, then you get into wet weather and mucky conditions, and now at the back end of it you're getting dry conditions again," he added.
"That has a massive role to play - the conditions - and what we face week-in and week-out. Steve [Larkham] has done a great job with them in their handling and attacking philosophy. Dan [McFarland] said it on his pre-match interview [pre-Ulster], he commented on how difficult it is when you face Munster, and the tactics they have on attack, how to defend that.
"Steve instils this into the team, and obviously the conditions are a massive part of it, but they've got it in them and they can express it, and they did it on the weekend."
The province will have to do without Dave Kilcoyne for the rest of the season after the loosehead prop underwent neck surgery, while they are also counting the cost of last Friday's win at Ulster with back rows John Hodnett and Chris Cloete picking up respective knee and neck injuries.
In better news, Peter O'Mahony (above) has returned to full training, but the possibility of Tadhg Beirne (thigh) and Andrew Conway (knee) returning for the Heineken Cup quarter-final against Toulouse remains unknown.
The pair haven't played since the Six Nations due to injury, with Ferreira saying there is no update on when they could return to action.
"At this stage, they're still busy with their rehab, and training hard, so we'll have to wait and see in that week.
"Currently, it's still the same, we go ahead as if they're not going to be available. If they are available, then excellent, but we'll wait on our medics next week to see who is available.
"We'll wait on next week and see if they're available or not, but at the moment they're not."
Watch DHL Stormers v Leinster on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player on Saturday from 4.45pm with live updates on RTE.ie/Sport and RTÉ News app
