Donal Lenihan: As Munster labour, the Big Blue powers its way to Europe’s No 1

It’s a bit early to be talking about defining games of the season, but it was difficult to avoid that assertion ahead of Munster’s Champions Cup encounter against Saracens on Saturday. It was hard to ignore the reality staring you in the face at Thomond Park that, having already drawn their opening home game against Racing 92, Munster had to win this one.

That tends to focus the mind. Team captain Peter O’Mahony said as much earlier in the week when admitting the fear factor of losing this game and the subsequent impact it could have on their chances of reaching the quarter-final stage was a constant in the players’ minds.

That type of pressure can work in different ways. In a week where IRFU performance director David Nucifora indicated that ‘performance anxiety’ was a contributing factor in Ireland’s failure to reach the semi-final of the World Cup, that fear can either paralyse a player or drive him on.

Mark McCall’s decision to include only seven of the side that started the Champions Cup final against Leinster in Newcastle last May offered an indication of his thinking in advance of this one. Despite suggestions to the contrary earlier in the week, Europe would not be their priority this season, unless they could somehow garner some reward from their visit to Limerick.

Saturday’s losing bonus point not only offers a vindication of sorts for the confidence McCall has in the depth of his squad, it will also encourage him to roll out the big guns for the return game at Allianz Park next Saturday. That’s not good news for Munster or, perhaps in the longer run, for other contenders for Champions Cup honours later in the season.

Given the side they picked, with a rookie at out-half in the form of last season’s England U20 Manu Vunipola — a cousin of Maka and Billy — anything less than a minimum four-point haul for Munster would represent a serious setback. After all, Racing 92 had already accumulated five points against 11 of this starting Saracens team in Paris in Round One.

Considering McCall rested 11 internationals, including seven Lions, from his first-choice combination, there was a danger that, psychologically, Munster might not be as up for it as they would be if all the visiting stars were on board. We only have to go back to the World Cup to see how a wavering mindset impacts performance.

Whether Munster’s selection was dictated with a fully locked-and-loaded Saracens side in mind, we don’t know — but it’s clear that packing Tadhg Beirne, Peter O’Mahony, Billy Holland, and Jean Kleyn into the starting forward unit was geared towards taking on the highly-rated Saracens lineout, whilst also competing furiously for turnovers at the breakdown.

It’s one thing having the ball — what you do with it is another thing altogether. The variety and tempo Munster brought to their game in the opening half was both refreshing and admirable.

Their execution, however, let them down at crucial times, with players mis-timing their runs on too many occasions, which led to a plethora of handling errors. The costliest occurred when Chris Farrell, in his eagerness to run an inside line, was too flat and knocked on in the build-up to what would have been a superb try for Rory Scannell.

If Munster were guilty of anything, it was an over-eagerness to execute a more expansive gameplan, especially when playing with the aid of a strong wind in the opening half.

Munster’s new approach was most visible when it came to playing off lineouts in the Saracens 22. Time and again Munster delivered quick ball off the top for a midfield assault, as opposed to their more traditional lineout maul. Given the difficult conditions, that wasn’t always the best option.

Despite the absence of so many regulars, Saracens were always going to pose a difficult challenge, given the powerful second-row combination of Maro Itoje and Wallaby Will Skelton, a very competitive back row, and a midfield duo of captain Brad Barrett and Alex Lozowski who between them shared 350 appearances in Saracens colours.

Despite playing some scintillating rugby, Munster found themselves in a precarious position after the break, carrying a tenuous seven-point lead and having to play against a strengthening gale with an accompanying rainstorm in their faces.

That left them with no choice but to carry far more into contact rather than persevere with their expansive approach.

It took 30 minutes of action for Munster to make their first incursion into the Saracens 22 in a dour second half that failed to yield a point for either team.

For a second home game in a row in Europe, the biggest drama was reserved for the period when the clock was in the red at the end of the game. If JJ Hanrahan’s missed drop goal left the crowd stunned against Racing 92, the fact that Munster had to survive a red card for Arno Botha in added time and an additional assault on their line after celebrating what they thought was the final whistle, made for a breathless finale.

A brilliantly pilfered Saracens throw, straight out of O’Mahony’s repertoire by Jack O’Donoghue, who along with Fineen Wycherley made a telling impact off the bench in the last quarter, eventually saw Munster over the line.

With an air of disappointment hanging over the game in Limerick as a consequence of Saracens’ selection policy, Leinster’s visit to Gallagher Premiership leaders Northampton Saints was instantly elevated to being the game of Round 3. The attacking quality on show from both sides meant this contest had no problem living up to that billing.

Unbeaten domestically and in Europe all season, Leinster were already one of the fancied sides for Champions Cup honours this season prior to this masterclass. Despite an excellent win on the road against Lyon last time out, there was a distinct feeling that Leinster were still some way short of their best.

Beating a highly-rated Northampton team away from home is one thing — demolishing a side currently attracting rave reviews in England for their performances in the Premiership by 27 points is something else entirely, and now elevates them to the status of tournament favourites.

Not only had Leinster bagged a four-try bonus point five minutes into the second half, but by registering seven tries in total, the visitors sent a clear message to all and sundry that they desperately want to avenge their defeat to Saracens in last season’s final.

The one blemish on an otherwise perfect day for Leo Cullen was a nasty looking knee injury to Johnny Sexton. Within two minutes of the Leinster captain’s departure, his direct replacement Ross Byrne dotted down his side’s fifth try to remind everyone of the quality he brings to the table.

That is so typical of what Leinster have been doing all season. Regardless of who is handed the jersey, the outcome is the same. Byrne will now be called upon to direct matters from No 10 when the sides meet again at the Aviva Stadium next weekend. Another win there and Cullen can start planning for a home quarter-final.

While their outstanding defensive effort was central to that away win in Lyon, the quality of their counter- attacking play — with Jordon Larmour and James Lowe superb — was crucial here. That, coupled with the explosive power they brought to the close-quarter exchanges when executing a series of pick-and-drives close to the Northampton line, meant they were far too good for the Saints.

Ulster continued to show a massive appetite for the fight with a marvellous comeback from being nine points down against a dogged Harlequins outfit to snatch victory at the death in Belfast to retain a one-point lead over Clermont Auvergne in Pool 3. Both Ulster and Clermont now look poised to emerge from this pool.

That put the pressure on Connacht going into their Pool 5 encounter against Gloucester at Kingsholm yesterday to register another clean sweep for the Irish in Europe.

That put the pressure on Connacht to secure another clean sweep for the Irish in Europe as they took on Gloucester in their Pool 5 encounter at Kingsholm yesterday.

Unfortunately, their challenge turned on an intercept try for the hosts against the run of play and a yellow card for Kyle Godwin that Gloucester took full advantage of, scoring 12 points in that 10-minute period.

Connacht’s failure to rescue a losing bonus point makes it almost impossible for them to make the knockout phase on what was an otherwise bountiful weekend for the provinces.