Tunnel vision a plus for provinces
Despite suggestions to the contrary, no decision has yet been made as to who will fill the role, despite the fact that Rob Penny and Tana Umaga travelled from New Zealand last week for interviews.
The fact highly rated Canterbury ITM coach Penny is an unknown quantity in this part of the world worked in his favour as he was able to go about his business in relative obscurity. Former All Black captain Umaga did not enjoy that luxury, with photos of him sampling the local hospitality in Longboats in Ballintemple with former team-mate Dougie Howlett already doing the rounds.
When the Munster provincial board make their final decision on McGahan’s successor that will have to be submitted and ratified by the powers that be in IRFU headquarters, so it could well be another fortnight before Munster make a definitive announcement.
That suits McGahan as it will keep things on edge within the group as they set out to retain their league title which, at this stage, looks as if it will have to be won the hard way on the road, with a probable away semi-final against Ospreys at the Liberty Stadium and a potential final against Leinster at the RDS.
At least Munster have a clear vision of what the final few weeks of the season offer them. Ulster, after successive defeats in the RaboDirect Pro12 against Irish opposition since beating Munster in the Heineken Cup quarter-final at Thomond Park, also have tunnel vision with their league aspirations gone for another season.
Brian McLaughlin had an anxious night’s sleep on Friday after seeing three of his key players leave the field against Leinster in their defeat at Ravenhill. At least Pedrie Wannenburg was cleared for action by Monday morning but there remain slight doubts over the availability of Paddy Wallace and Chris Henry. To lose both would be a cruel blow, especially as their outstanding tight head prop John Afoa is already ruled out due to suspension.
Edinburgh coach Michael Bradley was prepared to take no such risks and rested his entire starting side for the visit to Cardiff on Sunday — and was subsequently thumped 38-13 against a Blues side that have been appalling in recent weeks.
Bradley has cut his cloth to measure all season and clearly targeted Heineken Cup success over the grind of the domestic league. The fact that Ulster played Leinster on Friday night, thus offering McLaughlin’s men an eight-day turnaround before next Saturday’s semi-final, while Edinburgh would only have enjoyed a six-day break also played a big part in Bradley’s thinking. That said, Edinburgh have shipped 92 points in their two games since that dramatic quarter-final victory over Toulouse which cannot have done much for their confidence.
It has also raised further debate, especially in Wales, as to why the RaboDirect is not used as a vehicle for Heineken Cup qualification as with the domestic leagues in England and France. There is no doubt it would add far more spice to the tournament as only six sides had anything to play for last weekend with two rounds of action remaining.
Were that the case at present, Connacht would not be depending on an outright win by either Leinster or Ulster to guarantee them inclusion in next season’s Heineken Cup as they would have earned that right by virtue of their league form. Likewise, Edinburgh, currently one from bottom in the RaboDirect, would not qualify for next season’s tournament unless they won this year’s competition outright.
That is something that needs to be looked at but would have further ramifications for Ireland’s player management programme. Could you imagine one of the Irish provinces in danger of missing the cut for the following season’s Heineken Cup and Declan Kidney insisting on resting some of the international contingent for a key qualification game? The financial impact on say Munster or Ulster missing out on the Europe’s premier competition would be huge and therefore you can be sure the IRFU will resist any attempt from their Welsh counterparts to dish out Heineken Cup slots based on their final league standings. It will attract further debate, however.
Leinster will have no such worries about any developments on that front at present, however, given the strength of their squad.
Over the last two weekends they have been able to mix and match without any apparent loss ineffectiveness. It helps when so many fringe players such as Fergus McFadden, Devin Toner, Dave Kearney, Shane Jennings, Sean Cronin and Ian Madigan are fighting tooth and nail for a starting position. That level of competitiveness helps to keep everyone on their toes as four of the above were involved with Ireland in the Six Nations yet have been largely utilised off the bench in the Heineken Cup by Joe Schmidt.
Clermont Auvergne have even bigger resources and their team selection in successive wins over Stade Francais and Montpellier since their quarter-final win over Saracens has been every bit as varied as Leinster’s, with most of their front-liners being offered plenty of rest.
Coach Vern Cotter has clearly tweaked his selection policy of late to have everyone in prime shape for the visit of the Heineken Cup holders to Bordeaux on Sunday.
The semi-final draw for the Heineken Cup is about the only thing outside the control of the respective management teams in the planning process and Leinster have been dealt a cruel hand on that front. Then again, the situations were reversed last season when they hosted Toulouse at the Aviva Stadium in what turned out to be a thrilling semi-final.
Sunday’s meeting brings together the two best sides in the tournament and has the capacity to establish this Leinster team as one of the truly great Heineken Cup sides of all time.
If they can somehow manage to negotiate a safe passage through this one then I could not see them slipping up in a final at Twickenham against either Ulster or Edinburgh.
Sunday’s game, however, is Leinster’s biggest test since losing to Toulouse in France at this stage two years ago. That day a creaking scrum and the absence of Jonny Sexton at out-half due to injury were the key elements in their demise.
This time around they have a full deck to play from but will need every little advantage to go their way in a game that will hang in the balance right up to the final whistle.
