Munster are well aware that their task to qualify for the BKT URC play-offs and the Champions Cup is only half done, according to defence coach Denis Leamy.
Victory over Ulster on Friday night, and the weekend's subsequent results, leave Munster in eighth place in the table, in between Benetton and Cardiff with all three teams on 46 points.
The Italians, who beat champions Glasgow 33-7 in round 17, are the visitors to Musgrave Park on Friday night (8pm) and they will secure their passage with a win or a draw.
A win for Munster will seal their place in the knock-outs, while Cardiff and Edinburgh, on 44 points, are waiting to see who slips up.
The Welsh region are away to Stormers, while the Scots host Ulster, who are out of the running. All three games are on Friday night.
"It’s only half-time in these two games and we spoke about that," former Ireland back row Leamy told RTÉ Sport.
"The feeling is we had a very good training week last week and we put in place certain things that we wanted to go after against Ulster and I think the boys put their best foot forward.
"It wasn’t perfect by any means but we’d a good performance and in fairness, Ulster challenged us and they came at us from the start.
"They scored a couple of tries but the boys were really good, calm.
"We stuck to the plan and got the job done so very pleasing from that point of view."
Interim head coach Ian Costello said that much of the motivation to beat Ulster came with the fact that stalwarts Peter O'Mahony, Stephen Archer and Conor Murray were playing their final games at Thomond Park and Leamy acknowledged that they won’t be able to fully park that aspect with Cork natives O’Mahony and Archer, in particular, getting their home-town send-off.
"There will be that little bit of emotion around the fact that the boys are retiring to Cork for their final game," he said.
"That will be there but we’ve a big job of work to do. We’re playing a very good team and it’s fair to say it’s a cup final, or a cup game.
"We’ve spoken about how we want to implement our game plan, their threats, they have many, a very good backline, good set-piece, maul, scrum.
"So look, it’s going to be a real challenge, a tough affair and there’s an awful lot on the line but it’s a great challenge and one we’re genuinely looking forward to."
While Munster's fate is in their own hands, there remains the possibility that their season could be over at ten o’clock on Friday night and the prospect of missing out on Champions Cup rugby for the first time looms large.
Asked about the pressure on the club, Leamy said: "We’re very lucky that the majority of our players grew up playing cup rugby, so it’s a cup match, and that’s something that we’re well versed in and we’ve a long history in.
"So, we embrace that and we embrace the challenge and look forward to it.
"I know it probably won’t come as a surprise [but] it’s as boring as having a check list in terms of the content that we need to get covered, on a Monday and a Wednesday and a Friday, and getting through that check list and creating a training environment that is challenging and exciting, constantly trying to create learning within that as well.
"We had a very good start today. I think we did a very good review/preview of what we did against Ulster and what we’re going to face against Benetton.
"We had a very good session, so that's today boxed away.
"We’ve put in place a good foundation, now we build on it on Wednesday and then on into Thursday for our captain’s run, and you’re hoping that it all comes together in a big performance on Friday night."
Munster will be without hooker Diarmuid Barron (shoulder) and prop Oli Jager (head) but confirmed that Archer, Murray, O’Mahony, John Hodnett, Tom Ahern and Josh Wycherley all came through the weekend’s game with no issues following their returns from injury.
Liam Coombes also made a successful return to action in last week’s Munster 'A’ clash against Connacht Eagles, while there was good news for Edwin Edogbo as he returns to training this week and his availability for selection will be determined as the week progresses.
Watch Leinster v Glasgow in the URC on Saturday from 7pm on the RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app and listen to Saturday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1
