Eddie O’Sullivan said Munster are becoming a much tougher team to defend against as Mike Prendergast’s attacking influence begins to bear fruit.
Munster have scored nine tries in their last two matches as they registered back-to-back victories in the BKT United Rugby Championship for the first time this season.
Five of those tries came against Edinburgh last Friday as Munster came from behind to pick up their first away win of the campaign and moved back into the URC playoff places.
"Once you create that possibility of running over, through or around teams, the defence has to adapt and that's when the cracks appear."
— RTÉ Rugby (@RTErugby) December 6, 2022
Darren Cave and Eddie O'Sullivan analyse Munster's attacking shape against Edinburgh. #RTERugby #AgainstTheHead pic.twitter.com/meAomdd10a
Their focus has since shifted to the Heineken Champions Cup, with five-time winners Toulouse visiting Thomond Park for Sunday’s opener, live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, and former Ireland head coach O’Sullivan believes their attacking game is capable of troubling the best defences in Europe.
Speaking on Against The Head, O'Sullivan said: "There are a couple of things that have changed for Munster. Firstly, they’re attacking the gain line further from the ruck. It’s not as narrow anymore, there’s more width in their attack. And with the [forward] pods, there is much more variety. They are either carrying straight, tipping on or it goes out the back.
"The one thing that makes it easy for a defence is if a team becomes predictable, and Munster had become extremely predictable. If you just muscled up on Munster, you could shut them down.
"But the predictability has disappeared now. Once you create that possibility of running over them, through them or around them, the defence has to adapt and that’s when the cracks appear."
There is a new look to the Champions Cup this season, with three South African teams involved for the first time.
On Saturday the Cell C Sharks and Vodacom Bulls host Harlequins and Lyon respectively, either side of the DHL Stormers' trip to Clermont Auvergne.
While some have voiced their disapproval, O’Sullivan is fully supportive of their inclusion.
"It's a whole new dimension to the tournament," he said. "It’s a European Cup with a South African flavour. I don’t think people care because it does move the tournament up a notch.
"Imagine having your first pool match away in South Africa, that’s a big change to going to Wales. The South African dimension really freshen it up.
"I’m not sold on the pool format but once you get into the last 16, it’s play or go home time."
Watch Munster v Toulouse in the Heineken Champions Cup live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player from 2.30pm on Sunday
