'It means a huge amount to us' - O'Mahony 'constantly taken aback' by Munster support

Amid the 55,000 supporters in blue and white in Cape Town, you can expect to see some spatters of red.

In the 1990s and 2000s, the Brave and Faithful followed Declan Kidney's men in numbers - planes, trains and automobiles getting them everywhere from Twickenham to Toulouse.

There hasn't been the same level of red jerseys invading Cape Town this week, with an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 supporters making the journey to the Western Cape, but relative to the length of the journey and costs involved, it's a mightily impressive travelling support.

"Broken record stuff, you know, but we are constantly taken aback by the turnout of our supporters," Munster captain Peter O'Mahony said yesterday.

"Normally you're talking about within Europe, and it's a relatively short distance even though it is still a huge expense, but it is a long way to come and it is an expensive trip and, you know, walking around our area that we're staying in, it's like walking around Cork or Limerick or Tipperary or someplace, you know? You can't turn a corner without bumping into someone.

"It means a huge amount to us and I'm sure it will stand to us tomorrow."

Aside from bumping into supporters here and there in Cape Town, playing this final away from home has allowed them escape from the bubble and big game hype that they've left behind in their six counties.

Their three previous finals since they last won the title in 2011 have all been on Irish soil, and while the 2021 decider against Leinster was played behind closed doors during Covid lockdown, they were the unofficial home side for the 2015 and 2017 final defeats in both Belfast and Dublin respectively.

The province departed for Cape Town on Monday, allowing them settle into their routine as the week has