Jerry Flannery on Zebre and a crucial few months ahead for Munster.

Jerry Flannery will oversee this weekend’s Guinness Pro 14 game with Zebre, along with Felix Jones and George Murray, as new head coach Johann van Graan takes the week to acclimatize himself to his new surroundings.

The former Munster hooker, who joined up with the coaching ticket at the province in 2014 believes that squad strength is key in what could be a season defining few months ahead.

“This block of games coming up to the end of the European champions cup in January kind of dictates where our season goes. It also going to test the depth of our squad, but it gives us the opportunity to get guys on the field that hadn’t had a lot of game time up until now and you learn a lot then where your squad is at. The first priority for us is to get a win but we would like to be building towards these European games and the two French games in January, and if we can get more competition in the squad, if a couple lads put their hands up as well that would be great”

With eight Munster men included in the Ireland squad for this weekend’s clash with Argentina, Munster must again plan without most of their more experienced players. Flannery says that it isn’t hard to stick to the game plan when the squad leave for Ireland camp, but it is sometimes difficult to assimilate them back into the Munster style of play when they return.

“Our game plan doesn’t differ much when we lose personnel up to Ireland. I think the big sticking point is how to assimilate the Irish lads back into our game plan because Joe will have a different way of playing to us and the players have to get on board with that because it’s a short period they come together they have to get up to speed with that, with what their roles are going to be with Ireland. For them to kind of erase that and come back down to us that is something you’ve to manage when you come down”

While the forwards coach also believes that games during the Internationals are crucial in helping to drive competition within the squad.

“They’re the key because this is your opportunity. If they put their hand up here and perform well then they drive competition going into Europe and it also gives them confidence, much like Internationals, like Darren Sweetnam and Chris Farrell going up and playing international rugby and then coming back to us and being more confident, we want guys to step up and perform and know that they’re good enough at that level and that puts a little more bite at training.”

This weekend’s opponents Zebre have shown improvement under new head coach Michael Bradley this season. Claiming impressive home wins over Ulster and the Southern Kings.

“They’ve changed, their style of play has changed dramatically since Michael Bradley has taken over. I was chatting with the lads earlier saying how they would have been a very much a set piece orientated team previously around their scrum their maul and their lineout. They’ve done a 360 now and they’re moving the ball around the field. They’re obviously going to lose a lot of players to Italy, but that’s going to be a good test to see what depth they have but still be able to play the same game plan. It’s the same for us but they’ve definitely evolved as a team”

James Hart makes his first start for Munster at scrum-half on Sunday in place of the injured Duncan Williams following his summer move from Racing 92. Flannery is looking forward to seeing him in action.

“I’m excited to see how James goes now. I think we were probably a bit thin at nine but last week James took an awful lot of reps, where as previously when Mur and Duncan Williams were available they would be significantly reduced and getting up to speed, the 9 and 10 the way we play are so pivotal in managing the game and getting us to play in the right areas. James has the right skill set, it’s just giving him the opportunity to actually get the reps and to keep greasing those patterns and understanding the movements of other players around him”

While with Tyler Bleyendaal injured, JJ Hanrahan will get another chance to try and impress at fly-half, with Garryowen’s Bill Johnston among the replacements.

“Obviously, with Tyler’s neck, it’s not ideal but we’re really lucky in terms of having Ian Keatley performing so well, at 10 for Ireland at the moment and to have JJ Hanrahan come back, and you saw how JJ performed against the Dragons, he’s one of the most exciting talents in Irish rugby so to have them there and then have the likes of Bill Johnston behind them, we’re pretty well stocked. Its just a case of consistently getting them on the field and getting them performing.”