Munster need Earls and de Villiers to click
That would be a mistake.
The publicans and hotels aren’t the only one eagerly awaiting the arrival of the visitors from Leinster to Limerick. The Munster players have been on the receiving end in the two most recent encounters with that soul-destroying Heineken Cup semi-final defeat in front of a world record club rugby match crowd of 82,208 in Croke Park, something that will stay with them forever. Even now, 10 months on, that defeat seemed far more comprehensive than even the 25-6 scoreline suggests.
Up to that point last May, Munster had played with more variety, width and freedom of expression than at any stage previously in their European odyssey. The performance in the quarter-final against a star-studded Ospreys outfit (43-9) must rank as Munster’s most complete performance ever in the knockout stages of European competition.
At this moment, the luminaries in both squads still feel the dull pain of that shattering Six Nations defeat to Scotland when the Triple Crown was ripped from their grasp.
Friday night’s game offers the first opportunity for the central characters to move on and refocus on the challenges ahead.
In many respects, despite a very unconvincing performance against Connacht last Saturday, Leinster are in a better place. Not only do they top the Magners League, four points ahead of nearest rivals Munster and Edinburgh, but they also have a game in hand.
While they may have scraped home against Michael Bradley’s men, they will know that when it comes to the most fevered rugby derby this country can offer, form is largely irrelevant.
In the past, the side who displayed the greater hunger and desire came out on top. That is why Leinster’s humiliation of their near neighbours by 30-0 in the RDS last October, given what had happened in Croke Park, was even more surprising and, for those of a Munster persuasion, deeply troubling.
Munster will console themselves with the fact that several of their forwards were still off the pace and seriously lacking in game time after the Lions tour, and were further handicapped by the sending off of John Hayes. In so many respects that does a disservice to a Leinster pack that have edged the battle up front in recent encounters between the sides and were far more combative at the RDS.
Never before had Munster failed to score in a competitive game in the professional era.
That is something that has to be addressed before Northampton come calling on Saturday week. Once again Munster’s scrum was dismantled by Glasgow last Friday and you can be sure that Leinster will focus their first point of attack on the scrum also. Julien Brugnaut has never convinced on the tight head side of the scrum and the late withdrawal of Tony Buckley due to illness was a letdown for all kinds of reasons.
Marcus Horan is still finding his feet after his recent illness and in those circumstances Dave Ryan is a better option off the bench than Brugnaut. He is making massive strides at present and will challenge seriously for a starting slot next season. While he too has the facility to play at tight head, he is far more effective on the loose head side and that is where his future lies.
With the probability that both Brian O’Driscoll and Shane Horgan will be unavailable for this one, some of their exciting newer brigade, including Fergus McFadden, should get a first taste of the Thomond experience.
ONE feels that Leinster, with their Heineken Cup quarter-final against high flying Clermont Auvergne first up on Friday week, may not view this meeting with the same do-or-die attitude as Munster. In all probability these two are likely to meet again at either the semi-final or final stage of the Magners League, not to mention the possibility of a potential Heineken Cup final in Paris in May.
Right now, if Tony McGahan was offered a win on Friday or on Saturday week against the Saints, then the answer is a no brainer. That said, a win for Munster would provide the perfect launch pad for the training ahead of that Northampton game.
After disappointing displays against the Dragons and the Scarlets in their recent Magners outings, Munster upped their performance appreciably against a strong Glasgow Warriors combination. The most pleasing aspect of that game for me was the improved form of the overseas contingent of Paul Warwick, Lifeimi Mafi, Jean de Villiers and Dougie Howlett.
There is always a period at this time of the year when those players not involved with Ireland, Ireland A or club sides struggle, due primarily to a lack of competitive games. This was certainly a factor in the poor performance away to the Dragons.
Against Glasgow, de Villiers looked very sharp on limited opportunity and Mafi was also hungry for work. With the decision regarding his future plans made, it would be easy for the Cape Town-bound Springbok to lose focus over the next few weeks but if Munster are to succeed in lifting silverware of some kind in May, they need the massive centre-back to where he was when he reclaimed his place in the side before Christmas. Both he and Keith Earls had just started forging a very potent working relationship which has since been interrupted by the Six Nations. They need to rediscover that, and quickly.
One hopes both sides get the balance right for this contest and that this potentially explosive fixture proves the ideal preparation for Europe – and not an 80 minutes that takes too much out of them for what will be two incredibly difficult Heineken Cup quarter final assignments.
