Munster's road warriors 'hardened' for task, says Leamy

Munster's path to the BKT United Rugby Championship final has them primed for the battle, according to defence coach Denis Leamy.

Graham Rowntree's side battled their way to Saturday's decider [5.30pm] against DHL Stormers the hard way, beating the Stormers - defending champions - and then drawing with the Sharks in South Africa at the end of the regular season before recording away wins at Glasgow and Leinster in the play-offs.

With one, significant, final fence left on the path to a first trophy since 2011's Celtic League, the former Ireland back row says he has seen the team grow on the road.

"Away days produce a focus like no others and we have gotten that right by and large on the road," he said.

"We have a mentally tough group, a physically tough group now.

"It has taken a little while but we genuinely feel that we have a hardened bunch on the road.

"We understand what it feels like. It's a massive challenge to go to places like Glasgow, Leinster, coming to South Africa, everything that it entails.

"But we have got about our business in a fashion that we feel has been very positive, very workmanlike.

"There is a tight group here. We have grown from those victories on the road and how we trained and how we have gelled together.

"It is a group of very few egos, if not none. Guys are very honest with each other, we speak to each other in a very growth mindset way and conversations are always very strong in terms of how we can get better.

"In terms of being in a tough place on the road in South Africa you need those types of characters to stand up and that’s the plan."

Leamy was speaking to reporters remotely after the team trained at Hamilton RFC earlier today, having arrived yesterday.

Out-half Ben Healy and lock RG Snyman, who