Aurelien Rougerie became the first ASM Clermont Auvergne player to score a hat-trick of Heineken Cup tries as he inspired his side to a seven-try feast against Llanelli Scarlets
Aurelien Rougerie became the first ASM Clermont Auvergne player to score a hat-trick of Heineken Cup tries as he inspired his side to a seven-try feast against Llanelli Scarlets that sent them rocketing to the top of Pool 5 and set the alarm bells ringing in Munster.
The French club, who have only once bettered that return when they scored eight against Northampton Saints back in the 2001 / 2002 tournament, now go to Limerick as a team in red-hot form.
The teams have never met in the tournament but Munster will be well aware of the French club's recent achievements - and signings.
Rougerie's team won the 2007 European Challenge Cup, finished at the head of the Top 14 competition and reached the 2007 French Championship final. Since then they have been boosted by the signings of players like South Africa's World Cup winning captain John Smit, Julien Bonnaire and Alex King.
"Obviously going into the Munster game on the back of our victory against Llanelli Scarlets will give us a great boost," said Rougerie.
"We had a great time on the pitch last weekend and, although we weren't perfect, we played some great rugby and I'm proud of the whole team for that.
"However, we also realise that we need to look at the video, go through it and then correct the errors we made."
Clermont's emphatic 48-21 win followed London Wasps' 24-23 thriller against Munster in the other Pool 5 contest as two superb tastes of things to come.
"I think this Pool is seeing some great rugby because everybody knows that to get out of this group and qualify for the quarter-finals is going to take something really special," he said. "We watched a bit of the Wasps and Munster game and it's great for the supporters of all the teams that they are getting such a spectacle.
"In terms of preparation, I think we'll just take things slowly and keep calm about the whole thing as we definitely need to be a bit more level-headed and clinical.
"We played Llanelli with our heads a bit in the clouds and that's something we really can't afford to do against Munster. We will need to have our heads screwed on and our feet firmly on the ground.
"Having said that, I think with our first match we showed everybody that we're here, that we are in the running for this Pool and that we are contenders along with everybody else.
"Our line-out was very strong against Llanelli - we stole half a dozen balls which was fantastic - but it's certainly not something we can count on against Munster.
"We know they have very strong set pieces and we will have to be very clinical not to be punished in these areas. If we can play like we did against Llanelli, but iron out the silly errors and be a bit more clinical, I think we will be a really tough challenge for Munster.
"Because we lacked caution at times in the game against the Scarlets, particularly when we had stretched the lead, and they came right back at us and almost took a bonus point.
"Munster have a lot of very seasoned internationals and they will be quick to take any chances we give them through carelessness or lack of caution. I'm sure they'll be looking at the match to pick out our weak points so it'll be a tough week's training ahead."
