DONAL LENIHAN: Can the 16th man provide the X Factor?
A number of the players lining out for Munster tomorrow were brought up on a staple diet of famous Heineken Cup wins in Thomond Park when their parents brought them along to get a full understanding of what the power of the province is all about. Players like Peter O’Mahony and Conor Murray are now living the dream and are determined to continue a long legacy of famous European victories in Limerick.
The question now, however, is whether Thomond Park is still the intimidating cauldron that sent many a powerhouse English or French side packing against all the odds.
Those were the days when the fans turned up two hours before the kick off in order to secure their favourite vantage point on the terraces and as a result were almost on top of the pitch when the visitors were doing their pre-match warm up. Every dropped pass was greeted with a roar of approval. Now, more than ever, the Munster faithful need to get behind their team and recreate the type of atmosphere that a number of players witnessed first hand as teenagers from the other side of the fence. Some have questioned the fact that the new stadium, with its many bars and television screens scattered around the arena, has lost a bit of its famous bite. That was until Saracens rolled into town in December and even their most experienced players, including World Cup winning captain John Smit, left in awe. That game however had the primetime slot of 6pm on a Saturday evening and all the ingredients were in place to make it as intimidating as possible. The question now is whether that can be reproduced on the early shift tomorrow?
2 Are the Chiefs capable of denying Leinster that all-important winning bonus point?
If you want a picture in your mind of the challenge facing Leinster today, think back to the atmosphere as outlined above when teams like Wasps, Saracens, Harlequins, Perpignan, Stade Francais and Biarritz arrived in Limerick for the first time over a decade ago. For Thomond, substitute Sandy Park and you begin to get a feel for what the Exeter Chiefs and their fanatic support base will bring to the party today.
In their Heineken Cup debut season, they have already accounted for the Scarlets home and away. However Leinster, as champions, are the team Exeter have been preparing for since the pool draw was made in June. Having pushed them all the way at the RDS in the opening round — a draw would not have flattered their efforts — they have been waiting in the long grass since.
Incredibly Clermont Auvergne, in their pool game last October, became the first side to register a four-try win bonus in 37 competitive games across the Premiership, Amlin and Heineken Cup competitions at Sandy Park. That in itself gives you a clear indication of the challenge facing Leinster.
The question on all Leinster supporters’ lips today is can the cavalry charge of Fitzgerald, Kearney, O’Driscoll, O’Brien, Strauss and McLaughlin continue the upward spiral in form evidenced for about 50 minutes against the Scarlets last weekend? The worry is that if they fall off the pace, as they did in the final half hour of that contest, then securing that all-important bonus point could yet prove troublesome against an opponent renowned for their commitment, physicality and doggedness on their beloved home patch. Leinster are about to find out once again that carrying the mantle of champions brings out the best in all opposition. They should still be able to cope.
3 Will a dominance of teams from the Anglo-French alliance help or hinder negotiations?
With so much bickering going on in the ERC boardroom at present and the Anglo-French alliance pushing hard for change in the format of European competition, a win for Montpellier over Toulon today will have big implications for Munster and Leinster with one of the two runners-up slots occupied before they take to the field. It would also ensure at least three French sides will contest the quarter-finals. That could increase to four if Toulouse beat Leicester at Welford Road tomorrow. England could provide another three sides which would leave Ulster as the sole representative from the RaboDirect Pro12 — with no side from Italy, Wales or Scotland in the running for a quarter-final spot going into round six, it is once again up to the Irish to keep the flag flying for the under pressure Pro12. The best case scenario would see Munster and Leinster joining Ulster in the last eight but that depends on a combination of results.
After dominating the tournament with four Heineken cups over the last five seasons, the Irish success has got up the noses of English and French clubs and they have responded on and off the field. The question now is with such a strong showing this season and the possibility that they will dominate the knockout stages of the Heineken Cup, will that prove a help or hindrance to their blinkered desire for a radical overhaul across both European tournaments? Only time will tell.
