Adventures in French Auvergne
These back-to-back series of games in the Heineken Cup have that effect on you.
The little narks and niggles that fester, the comments that grate and the sheer desire to rectify the issues that were a source of concern from the opening encounter (all in the course of only two meaningful training sessions), impose its own demands on the management teams.
Last weekend was new territory for me. Following the fortunes of Leinster in the pool stages of the tournament meant missing a pool game in Thomond Park for only the third time since Swansea arrived for that very first European experience back in 1995. Attempting to follow the fortunes of Tony McGahan’s charges from the press room at the Stade Marcel-Michelin was frustrating to say the least. French television has no interest in screening a Heineken Cup game without a French involvement and we were confined to updates from the internet. It must have been like this in the old days when people gathered around their radios to listen to the dulcet tones of Michael O Hehir.
First dispatch — Ospreys are leading…then Dougie Howlett try…Munster leading at the break. Then the first bombshell, Tommy Bowe intercept try, Ospreys leading again. At this stage most of us manned our positions in the press or commentary box waiting for news. Then it happened, just like that scene in the film “The sum Of All Fears” when all the CIA heads in Washington are at a state dinner at the White House and a clatter of mobile phones start buzzing at the same time to signal trouble. Within a period of seconds, I had four texts all with the same message — Paul O Connell has been sent off. All around me, the Irish press contingent were instantaneously getting the same alert.
I didn’t get to see the incident until we got to the airport. Modern technology was beginning to click in again when someone was able to locate it on YouTube. An orderly queue formed. I felt sorry for O’Connell and I can empathise with what happened. Pumped up trying to get into the game off the bench, instinct took over when held and he lashed out.
I remember reacting the same way in similar circumstances years ago but had the misfortune to connect with the back of the offending player’s head and I broke my hand. While it didn’t look great, O’Connell will take his punishment — I wouldn’t anticipate any more than a three-week suspension — and move on. What I didn’t like was the veiled attempt by Ospreys forwards coach Jonathan Humphreys to influence the disciplinary procedure by stating that Gavin Henson had got a lengthy ban for a similar offence. That was underhand and will add to the friction that will follow this game to Swansea on Saturday. I will not be missing that one.
AT LEAST I managed to get the better game last weekend, with Leinster outstanding in carrying the game to Clermont Auvergne right from the outset with some excellent passages of off-loading resulting in that early try for Shane Horgan. The home crowd were stunned. There was so much to commend in this Leinster performance when not only the old experienced heads stood up to be counted but also the newer brigade. Eoin O’Malley, Fergus McFadden, Sean O’Brien and Dominic Ryan have come on in leaps and bounds in a short space of time. Add to that the progress made by Devin Toner, Dave Kearney, Andrew Conway and Jason Harris-Wright this season and factor in what Luke Fitzgerald, Rob Kearney, Jonny Sexton and Jamie Heaslip have achieved at a relatively young age and you begin to appreciate that Leinster will be a force in Europe for a long time.
To hear Clermont complain after the game that they felt Leinster didn’t pay them enough respect was just about the biggest compliment you could pay this young side. What did Clermont coach Vern Cotter expect Leinster to do, stand off and admire them? That is what used to happen at the outset of the Heineken Cup when all the Irish sides respected reputation too much, were a little overawed and invariably travelled home on the wrong end of a drubbing.
Thankfully those days are long gone and the fact that so many young players stood up to be counted in this fascinating cauldron against the reigning French champions says everything about this Leinster side.
To survive in France, as Leinster found to their cost last May against Toulouse in the Heineken Cup semi-final, you have to withstand the inevitable assault in the scrum. Leinster failed on their last visit, but remained competitive against two entirely different international front rows over the course of the 80 minutes, with Mike Ross ever present. Against Toulouse, he was only given a token few minutes at the end off the bench and no chance to impress. On Sunday he did a great job against French powerhouse Thomas Domingo.
With just a six-day turnaround, this week will be more about rehab and trying to fine-tune the areas of concern from Sunday. Munster should take a lot from their encounter against the Ospreys as they offered more in attack and were generally more creative.
The Ospreys backline was poor and felt the loss of the injured Shane Williams and Lee Byrne. Munster offered Tommy Bowe more attacking opportunities than his own team. Defensively Munster were well organised and closed the space early in midfield. At out-half Dan Bigger is a promising young player but is far from the finished article.
Munster should benefit from Sunday’s game and I expect them to pitch up at the Liberty stadium and produce one of those belligerent displays that they roll out every now and then in Europe. A win would ease the pressure big time with that trip to Toulon to come after Christmas. I think they can certainly produce it.
Likewise Leinster can take much from their performance in Clermont and turn it into a winning one. Their younger players will have learned a lot from the experience but need to be careful. It can be difficult for less experienced players to rise to those heights two weeks in a row. The health of Heaslip and O’Brien are crucial at this stage. Leinster’s fortunes hinge greatly on that duo starting.
