After their loss to Leinster on Saturday, the season looks to be unravelling for Munster. The club is still yet to announce a head coach for next season. They have a lot of big names like Damian de Allende, John Ryan and Chris Cloete leaving and at the moment they're in an injury crisis with many of their best players out of action for the foreseeable.
The silver lining for Munster fans this season is that though their game plan not being the prettiest, they're still winning games. But on the weekend the gulf between Leinster and Munster was vastly wide, by the time the final whistle blew. Leinster were firing on all cylinders and Munster didn't have any reply.
Munster now have a huge home-and-away duel with Exeter before more big URC interpros at the end of the month. It really is make-or-break.
Stephen Ferris On Munster's Rest Of Season
Speaking to Balls on The Buildup in association with Ladbrokes, former Ireland and Ulster flanker Stephen Ferris looked at the rest of the season ahead for Munster and how they might be some trouble ahead for the Red Army.
They're thin on players. They've a tough run of fixtures, they have Exeter away this week. Exeter have seem to found their groove, they have a few players coming back in form, they've kind of changed their style a little bit to adapt to a couple of rule changes especially around the pick and go.
In the URC Munster have to go away to Ulster, then they're home to someone like Cardiff and then they're away to Leinster. Ulster haven't lost at home in the URC all season, they're unlikely going to win there. They're unlikely going to win against Leinster or get anything out of that game.
So you say they're going to get five points, so that's them on 52 points and if you look at all the teams below them, Munster could easily drop out and next thing you know, they're in a quarter-final away against Leinster or Ulster! Or you might have to travel to face the Bulls! It could be a really sticky season.
And the future may not only be sticky for the rest of this season but the future is still unclear heading into next season. Johan van Graan is leaving to join Bath and the only member of the current coaching staff that is staying is Graham Rowntree, so he could be promoted to head coach but there is still no news on that front.
It's certainly a big few weeks ahead for Munster.
SEE ALSO: Ronan O'Gara Involved In Touchline Incident With Bordeaux Coach
