Matt Sherratt wants Arms Park ‘rocking’ for Munster showdown as he hails Cardiff players for not ‘downing tools’

Cardiff head coach Matt Sherratt wants the Arms Park to be “rocking” on Friday when they take on Munster in a massive United Rugby Championship (URC) clash.

The Welsh region goes into the fixture on the back of a resounding 36-19 win over the Ospreys on Judgement Day at the Principality Stadium, scoring five tries in the process.

Making Saturday’s victory all the more impressive is that Cardiff produced such a brilliant derby showing despite the region recently going temporarily into administration.

Welsh Shield wrapped up

The result, which saw Cardiff secure the Welsh Shield, moves them up to sixth in the URC table, level on points with Benetton, with Munster and the Stormers one behind.

Asked how much of an achievement it would be to make the play-offs, Sherratt, who was in charge of Wales during the Six Nations, revealed: “I think it would be massive.

“When I took the job, I was thinking I would love to get us into a play-off or a knock-out game within three years.

“We are in the fight, aren’t we? That’s against a backdrop of quite a lot of negativity and a lot of twists and turns over the last two years.”

Following their shock move into administration – which head coach Sherratt has admitted was unsettling – Cardiff were taken over by the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU).

“It’s credit to the players how they have reacted. It would have been so easy for them to down tools in the last two weeks,” he praised.

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“What I said to the players before the game is they are the club and outwardly people will judge Cardiff by watching them on the field.

“If they can show the heart they have shown over the last two years and the ambition they have with the ball, that’s what 90 per cent of people will judge Cardiff on, not the stuff off pitch.

“So it’s important for the players to realise they are the perception of the club and, credit to them, they have done themselves proud.”

Now all eyes turn to the aforementioned titanic tussle with Munster, which is set to see a full house at the Arms Park, with Sherratt hugely excited by the showdown.

A rocking Arms Park

“Our fans have got history in terms of when the club needs them, they usually come out en masse,” he said.

“Let’s hope we can get the Arms Park rocking on Friday night.

“It will be a big occasion for many reasons. There’s the league table, but there’s also going to be some personal reasons. It will be some people’s last home game for the club.

“The Arms Park is always a special place to play and we will definitely use that in the week to build the players up.”

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