77 Irish players sampled the adrenalin rush of victory last weekend — there is plenty talent out there
Nowhere was this more evident than in Leinster’s wondrous performance against Northampton at Franklin’s Gardens when the gulf in class between the sides on the day was a yawning chasm. Is it any wonder their outstanding English flanker Tom Wood declared himself ashamed and embarrassed with their performance.
Let’s put this Saints team into context. They currently lie second in the much-hyped Aviva Premiership, two points behind leaders Saracens with eight wins and a draw from nine league outings to date. Half of their pack starred for England in a very decent autumn programme with Alex Corbisiero, Dylan Hartley, Courtney Lawes and Wood all seen as key components in the side Stuart Lancaster is developing for the 2015 World Cup.
The home fans may point to the fact that Lions hero Corbisiero was an absentee due to injury but that was balanced by Cian Healy’s withdrawal from the Leinster front row shortly before the game. The difference was his replacement Jack McGrath was far more influential that Corbisiero’s back-up Alex Waller.
Excluding Johnny Sexton, 16 Leinster players experienced game time against New Zealand last month and once the disappointment abated after that historic missed opportunity, a realisation must surely have dawned on the Leinster contingent that if they can run the best rugby side on the planet that close, then they must have something decent to offer themselves.
Despite being short three players who featured against the All Blacks in Healy, Isaac Boss and Kevin McLaughlin, Leinster tore Northampton apart. It was as if the New Zealand experience opened their collective minds to the possibilities open to them and that there is more than a spark of light at the end of the tunnel post the Sexton/Isa Nacewa era.
Does that mean they will stuff Northampton again in the return game next weekend? At this stage Matt O’Connor would settle for another win as Leinster are unlikely to match the 33-point margin they enjoyed away from home. If Ireland’s back-to-back performances against Australia and New Zealand has taught us anything, it’s once a team’s pride and commitment is called into question, there is going to be a response. Wood’s comments alone are sufficient to guarantee a reaction next Saturday.
Likewise, Munster can expect a far less accommodating approach from Perpignan when they look to set their stall out in the opening quarter at the atmospheric Stade Aimé Giral. In the four years since Munster were there last, much has changed for both clubs.
Perpignan were the reigning French champions while Munster’s starting team had six Lions, with two more in Alan Quinlan and Tomás O’Leary who due to suspension and injury never got to tour. New Zealand’s record try-scorer Doug Howlett was on the wing while waiting their chance on the bench were current Springbok captain Jean de Villiers, Peter Stringer, Mick O’Driscoll, Donnacha Ryan, Niall Ronan and current hooker Damien Varley.
Not bad.
Despite that depth of talent, Munster only secured a one-point win the previous weekend but significantly enjoyed a nine-day turnaround. That helped in delivering one of Munster’s best ever performances on French soil in that four-try bonus point 14-37 win. Having cruised to a 28-point win last Sunday you can take it as read that Munster will be made fight tooth an nail for every point this weekend.
The fact that Perpignan lost to Clermont Auvergne in their last home game and are away to Castres in their next French Top 14 outing on Saturday week means they will throw everything at Munster this time out. The fanatical home support will be in no mood to witness two home defeats on the trot and the players will know that. Munster travel this time with nothing like the experience or strength in depth of four years ago. However, the current squad can draw from the positivity of their quarter and semi-final experiences on the road last season.
The loss of Conor Murray is a severe blow, well and all as Cathal Sheridan played when introduced on Sunday. With the niggling groin injury that Ian Keatley is playing through at present, there is every chance that Sheridan and JJ Hanrahan will be required to close out next Saturday’s game. Compare that with Racing Metro introducing the Lions half-back pairing of Sexton and Mike Phillips in their unsuccessful attempt at rescuing a lost cause against Harlequins in Nantes last Saturday.
Munster are shipping a lot of injuries of late and could do with having Murray, Donnacha Ryan and Tommy O’Donnell back in the mix. Then again, no side has suffered quite as much from untimely injuries this season as Connacht. They travelled to Toulouse last weekend hell bent on avoiding a humiliation. A bit like Ireland’s performance against Australia, Connacht reached their season’s nadir against Edinburgh the week before, losing 43-10 to a very average side.
What they achieved at the Stade Ernst Wallon against a Toulouse side that started with seven France internationals, three Springboks, an All Black and Samoan colossus Census Johnston was truly remarkable. Not only were they good value for their win but the margin could have been more. They were sensational. Their line speed in defence, protecting a precarious two-point lead in the final minutes despite being physically pummelled, was inspirational.
Pat Lam has some really talented home-grown players in his squad, some of whom have been redirected from Leinster such as Dave McSharry, Jason Harris-Wright, Matt Healy, Fionn Carr, Craig Ronaldson and Mick Kearney, along with Connacht academy graduates Robbie Henshaw, Eoin Griffin, Kieran Marmion, Eoin McKeon, Denis Buckley and Munster’s Sean Henry. Surrounding them with a core of experience in Dan Parks, Craig Clarke and Nathan White is the key to Connacht’s future.
The most significant factor to emerge from last weekend’s outstanding clean sweep by the provinces is that Leinster started with 15 Ireland internationals, with six more Irish qualified players on the bench. Munster started with 14 Irish qualified players and six on the bench. Connacht had 17 in their match-day squad and Ulster 19 in their 48-0 thrashing of a Benetton Treviso. In addition, Jared Payne becomes eligible on residency grounds next season. Therefore a total of 77 players available to Joe Schmidt shared the adrenalin rush of winning against quality opposition from England, France and Italy last weekend. With Schmidt anxious to grow the depth of his squad, that’s not a bad starting point.
There is plenty talent out there.
