Denis Leamy claims that Munster's recent away days have them battle hardened for the task of beating the Stormers on their home patch for the URC crown.
Speaking from Cape Town, where the Reds arrived yesterday ahead of Saturday's final, the province's defence coach pointed to the superb recent run that has put Graham Rowntree's side in the decider.
A disappointing Champions Cup last 16 exit to the Sharks in Durban led to fears that Munster's season would implode.
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Instead, the squad rallied and they returned to South Africa for the final two regular games of the URC season, beating the Stormers at the Cape Town Stadium - the first team to manage that all season - before drawing with the Sharks.
Then Munster beat Glasgow in Scotstoun in the quarter-finals before overcoming Leinster at the Aviva Stadium in the last four.
"Away days produce a focus like no others and we have gotten that right by and large on the road," said Leamy. "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 no egos.
"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."
Munster hope to be at full strength for the encounter and will go into it buoyed by their victory at the Stormers in April.
"You take a bit of confidence from that," acknowledged Leamy. "Obviously they hadn’t been beaten there in over two years.
"It is something we will draw on but this is a new game, a blank canvas. It is the final of a competition so while we have the experience of being here, I think the last time there was 29,000 in the stadium, now there is going to be 55,000. That’s a bit of a chance already.
"The games take on a life of their own and it’s very hard to predict how the game will play out but certainly you see the quality of their players up close, you see the strength, size and power of their forward pack and the ability, the skillset and speed that these guys have.
"We are learning about South African teams as they are learning about the Irish teams about what we do well and don’t do so well. It is very much a work in progress about formulating gameplans around South African teams. It is hugely exciting to be back here for a final - what dreams are made of."
And winning it? "It would be very special," said the former Ireland back row.
"It’s been a while, a number of years. It’s great to be in a final of such a good competition like the URC. Being part of these final days as a player and a coach over the years, you can’t look too far ahead.
"It’s all about your preparation, getting all the little bits and pieces right and then the performance on the day. To win it would be great but it is all about the performance and the process that goes with it and that is what we are very focused on."
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