Gethin Jenkins is hoping for another strong defensive display when Cardiff face Munster in the BKT United Rugby Championship on Saturday night at Thomond Park.
The Blue and Blacks were narrowly defeated at Glasgow last week having put in an impressive defensive performance but will have to be at their best again this weekend against the defending champions who are once again towards the top of the URC.
“I thought we showed some good stuff on the weekend and I think the weather conditions helped us a little bit in terms of defensively, but first half especially I thought we put some good sets together,” said Jenkins.
“We had a three week build up to that game so for me it was a good chance to put a lot of things in place and the pleasing thing for me was some of the transfer.
“We've got a tough away fixture this week, there's going to be another chance for us to go on the road and show some of that fight that we showed on the weekend.
“There's some really good attacks coming against us, so we've got our hands full in dealing with these teams. I'm sure they'll have some players back from Ireland as well.
“We've done some homework on what's coming, but it'll still be a big occasion, a chance for us to go out there again and keep building on our performance.
“I think that's the main thing, the stuff that we do in the week, the habits we try and create in the week, the opposition, the little movements we were doing in defence, trying to put some pressure on them, all those things that were pretty decent on Friday, we need to repeat them again.
“I think the challenge for this group is how consistent can we be, especially two away games on the trot where you suppose you're going up there, you're not in your comfort zone at home.
“They’re a very good team, we’ve watched footage of them, and the same as Glasgow last week they have threats all across the field and they can mix styles as well in terms of what they do now compared to probably back in the past.
“This team has developed again and they've got a few more strings to their bow.”
Cardiff have been boosted by the return of their remaining Wales players for the match, with Tomos Williams the only one missing after he sustained an injury in the Guinness Six Nations.
“We’ve got pretty much everyone back from Wales this week,” added Jenkins.
“We blooded a few in last week and I think everyone who played the majority of the fixtures in the Six Nations have come back in this week.
“Apart from the same ones who were injured last week in terms of Tomos, I don't think there's much more to report.
“The boys coming back in are quality players but we haven't had them for eight weeks so we've been building as a group and in fairness to the boys who've come in there's a lot of players who've come into the side over the last you know four or five weeks played Leinster, Connacht and now Glasgow who've put their hands up and really put in good shifts.
“I suppose the challenges for those boys coming back from Wales is can they blend straight back into our systems, can they impose themselves on the game and can they work for the team as much as they can.”