The toughest week of Munster’s preseason is in the books but there is no signs of the intensity ratcheting back.
We are enjoying the weekly update’s from Munster’s preseason training. Judging by the clips the province have shared, the lads will be eager to their their hands on some ball, soon.
Week 4 was all about bringing the previous weeks to bear. As strength and conditioning coach Adam Sheehan explains, the latest gym sessions saw the player’s loading increase and new benchmarks sought. “They were tested on the first day and they were re-tested today,” he says.
Core lifts – clean followed by squat and bench – were the order of the day. Three reps of each.
Most of Munster’s tight five are comfortably lifting over 200 kilogrammes, with a few men topping out at 230kg. Back-rows Jack O’Donoghue and Robin Copeland were also around the 200kg mark. Sheehan adds:
“In the backs, some of our biggest lifters would be Rory Scannell and Darren Sweetnam, who had a good day. Those two boys would be up around 200 kilos. It’s nice to see that push on, especially from the younger lads.”
While we are not surprised that squat, inside centre powerhouse Scannell is clear 200, we were somewhat taken about to see Sweetnam feature.
The Cork native, who played across Munster’s back three, must have put on some timber in the off-season.
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