Cork turns out in force for Munster’s ‘second coming’
On an extraordinary night of emotion, the province’s unique sporting legacy — which spans age groups, traditions and continents — witnessed Rua Tipoki perform the Haka and fly-half Ronan O’Gara sing De Banks on the podium.
This multi-cultural feast underlines all that is best in Munster rugby and why it attracts a diaspora of supporters from around the globe. They are honest, loyal and enjoy themselves whether they win, lose or draw.
The response from the fans to the O’Gara and Tipoki impromptu entertainment was chants of “Munster, Munster” and the oft-heard and uplifting Fields of Athenry anthem.
The Red Army supporters came to show their loyalty, and the players responded with an outpouring of affection which it seems no team in the world will ever replicate.
O’Gara, told a scrum of well-wishers at a City Hall civic reception that the essence of the Red Army supporters is that they never give up, even when the going is bad, and even after Ireland’s less than impressive World Cup performance.
Anthony Foley, who is bowing out more than gracefully from the intensity of heavyweight rugby encounters, saluted the diehards who stayed with the province when the results weren’t going their way.
“They just kept coming back and they gave us the belief in ourselves. It just brought us to another level,” said the man who will always be known as “Axel”.
Captain Paul O’Connell lavished praise on the men, women and children who followed the team through thick and thin.
“These days are for the fans,” he said with an emotional bite of the lip.
O’Connell added that the Red Army had spent huge money following his team throughout the competition, and the Munster squad were “overwhelmed” by their commitment.
Coach Declan Kidney summed it up by best by emphasising the mettle of the fans.
“We want to thank you all for your support when it didn’t go well. You only know your friends in the dark times,” he said.
As per usual the shy Kidney tried to spread the credit for a second Heineken Cup victory in two years around the backroom staff.
He rattled off a list of worthy names as the gathering in City Hall cheered each one, but there is only one Kidney and while his departure is going to be a huge loss to Munster, everybody in the room expressed the belief that he will put the steak back into the Ireland pie.
Gentleman giant Jim Williams, the Australian exile who was there to kick-start the Munster legend some years ago, looked on quietly from the background. Yet another solid, yet modest personality behind the scenes of what has become an extraordinary journey in sport.
He admitted to well-wishers that he was exhausted after three days of celebrations.
But he, along with the players, continued to smile and pose for countless photographs, and sign dozens of Munster shirts, match programmes and autographs books. Williams jumps on a plane this afternoon for London before catching a flight later for Sydney to take up the position of assistant coach with the Australian national squad.
With the formalities over, the team marched across the Lee to the stage where a sea of red was waiting for them. The crowd roared “Munster, Munster” as each team member took to the stage.
O’Gara was coaxed to sing a rather hoarse verse of De Banks.
The physiotherapists need to check out his larynx before the next game. It’s less likely to have been caused by a high tackle, than a high amount of vocal exercise following the nail-biting 16-13 victory over the supposedly imperious and unbeatable Toulouse at the Millennium Stadium last Saturday.
ROG, as he’s known amongst the players, also admitted that what happened in the closing seconds was dictated by the forwards.
He said that even with the chance of a penalty from well within his range, it was decided that a miss would give the ever-potent Toulouse the chance of a lethal counter-attack. They were capable of it, as was witnessed by Carl Haymens’ earlier escapade — they simply weren’t prepared to take the chance.
The team left the stage and walked the short distance to the Clarion Hotel where they were again mobbed by adoring fans.
As old rugby diehards chatted in the bar of their former glory days, the team retired upstairs for a private function with close family and friends.
The tv screens in the bar showed Ireland destroy the Barbarians — a sign of good times to come. Glory days to Kidney days, perhaps?
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