'A different challenge' - Gavin Coombes adjusting to new role

For the last couple of months, Gavin Coombes has found himself battling with quantity and quality.

The 26-year-old has played every single game for Munster this season, and is key to whether or not Graham Rowntree's side go on and defend their URC title later this month.

And yet, when the province kick off Saturday's BKT United Rugby Championship semi-final with the Glasgow Warriors at Thomond Park, Munster's best number 8 may be among the replacements.

In recent months, Rowntree and his coaching team have experimented with their team selections, with power players like Coombes, Oli Jager and Tom Ahern all held back in reserve for the second half of games, Munster's own version of the Springboks' Bomb Squad.

The system appears to be working. Earlier in the season, and particularly during their injury crisis, Munster were struggling in the final quarter of games, but by taking some big impact players out of the starting team and holding them back on the bench, it's allowed them play more consistently across 80 minutes.

Ten wins in a row is more then enough evidence to show that the system is bearing fruit, even if Coombes admits Rowntree had to give him the hard-sell initially.

"The first time in South Africa, I was obviously a bit disappointed and you're always going to be disappointed when you're not starting," Coombes said, ahead of Saturday's semi-final with Glasgow.

"But there's reasons behind their thoughts and you've got to park that disappointment because you're still playing on the day and you've still got to do your role to the best of your ability.

"It's probably very disappointing when you don't see your name in the starting team but, for me, you park that and you do what you can for the team.

"It's been a different