Red tide rolls on to Cardiff

AS the oldest international stadium in world rugby, Lansdowne Road has witnessed many an epic encounter over the past 120 years.

It seemed entirely fitting therefore that the last competitive encounter should be a classic head-to-head between age-old rivals Munster and Leinster that will be talked about for years to come. Well at least in Munster.

When Ronan O’Gara scored the match-clinching try in the 77th minute in front of the south terrace, scenes reminiscent of the 1978 World Cup final in Buenos Aires and Mario Kempes came flooding back.

O’Gara’s spontaneous leap over advertising boards saw him devoured by the adoring Munster faithful. It was a moment to savour for the rest of his life - in fact, one for all of us.

At this level of competition, there is no substitute for experience. In the heat of battle Leinster were totally devoid of confidence and lost faith in the game that has got them this far in the tournament.

From the opening sequence when Malcolm O’Kelly fumbled the kick off, Munster were in control.

Once again Munster laughed in the face of adversity. The injury jinx that has surrounded the squad all season struck again on Friday when Peter Stringer suffered severe back spasm that had his participation in doubt right up to the pre-match warm-up. With a doubt also surrounding his direct replacement Tomas O’Leary, Munster were under severe pressure.

One wonders if a health warning should accompany the outside centre position given the injuries Munster have suffered in this position. With Barry Murphy out for the season, Munster were dealt a severe blow when John Kelly was forced to retire after only 11 minutes with an injury to his AC shoulder joint. Despite the lack of recent match practice, his direct replacement Henderson made a strong contribution before he suffered an ankle injury in the final quarter.

With under four weeks to go to the final in Cardiff, the Munster medical team face some serious challenges.

Before the kick-off, I always felt that the power of the Munster pack was the key to the outcome of this game. The major question was whether Leinster’s inexperienced quartet of Brian Blaney, Bryce Williams, Cameron Jowitt, and Jamie Heaslip would be able to sustain a level of intensity that they had never experienced in their careers. In the end they were found wanting.

Munster won this game because they dominated all the key head-to-heads. Nowhere was this more crucial than in the battle of the two out halves. All season, Felipe Contepomi has been the driving force in Leinster’s assault on Europe. Yet on the day when it mattered most, his temperament let him down. The Munster back row - and in particular Denis Leamy - had him under constant pressure and the Argentinian’s poise deserted him.

By way of contrast, O’Gara was truly magnificent.

His ability to reward a pack for hard work in terms of territorial gain through the boot is well known to all. While he was masterful in this aspect of play, it was his ability in attack that created most difficulties for Leinster. In tandem with Trevor Holstead, they made numerous line breaks and O’Gara’s try was a fitting reward for a player who has contributed so much to the Munster cause.

The platform for that dominance was set by Paul O’Connell and company up front. Overall the Munster lineout had far too many options and the quality of ball was far superior to that provided by Leinster. In this respect O’Connell and Donnacha O’Callaghan led the way.

O’Connell is a true leader of men. His one-handed take which led to Munster’s opening try by Leamy after just five minutes was inspirational.

The Munster scrum was also dominant throughout and Freddie Pucciariello - up to the point of his yellow card - had his best game in a Munster shirt. His ability to put pressure on Will Green in the Leinster scrum provided an outstanding platform for Anthony Foley.

The other key issue in deciding this game was the effectiveness of Munster at the breakdown. Keith Gleeson has been a thorn in the side of all Leinster opposition in this respect since his comeback after serious injury. On this occasion, he was thoroughly outplayed by Leamy and David Wallace and exerted little influence on the game.

As a result of the pressure imposed by the Munster eight, Leinster’s key game breakers Brian O’Driscoll, Gordon D’Arcy and Shane Horgan were deprived of attacking opportunities. Only Denis Hickie posed any serious threat to the Munster line.

The other key factor in this historic victory was the excellence of Munster’s defence. What odds before this game that Leinster would be held try-less? So effective was their defensive organisation that Leinster were forced to kick in order to gain any territorial foothold as the second half progressed. This was totally alien to the manner in which they attacked Toulouse in the quarter-final.

Off the field, it is safe to assume that this is a victory that Declan Kidney will savour for a long time. Tactically he won the battle hands down against his Australian counterpart Michael Cheika. He now leads Munster into the final of a Heineken Cup for a third time in his coaching career. Many doubted the wisdom of his decision to return to Munster at the end of last season but once again Kidney has silenced the doubters.

This Munster team is an extremely difficult side to play against. When the occasion demands, they always rise to the challenge. Despite being under pressure for a 15-minute period in the second half, they never lost their composure.

Leinster, on the other hand, seemed to be in a constant state of panic. When Pucciariello was sin-binned with eight minutes remaining, Contepomi was presented with a penalty opportunity to narrow the gap to seven points. His failure to convert the opportunity sunk Leinster hearts. Incredibly, Munster, despite their numerical disadvantage, scored converted tries during that period. The character displayed at that stage of the game says everything about this side.

Munster now return to the scene where many feel the hand of Neil Back deprived them a Heineken Cup four years ago. On the final whistle, the massive screen on the south terrace sent a personal message to the Munster supporters “See You in Cardiff”.

You can take that for granted.