Fitting finales for Gaffney, Gatland

WITHIN hours of each other on Saturday, two coaches who have contributed much to the development of the game in this country, bid farewell to their respective squads.

After five years at the coalface in both Leinster and Munster, Alan Gaffney signed off in triumph as Munster secured the Celtic Cup in impressive fashion at Lansdowne Road.

After the disappointment of finishing second in the Celtic League and having toiled over nine months and 23 games against our Celtic cousins, Munster deserved this trophy. To finish the season lifting silverware was only fitting for the contribution captain Anthony Foley has made to Munster's cause this season. The fact that he insisted on sharing the moment with his outgoing coach was a reflection of where Gaffney sits in the hearts of the players. Tomorrow he heads for Australia, where the national squad await at their palatial Coffs Harbour training headquarters. While the Celtic Cup may seem trivial given that his next challenge is the Tri-Nations series, deep down he will have derived huge satisfaction from signing off on a positive note.

Munster lined out with six Lions, past and present. The withdrawal of Dwayne Peel before the game meant Llanelli had none. This was a fair indicator of the gulf between the two sides.

The other significant factor in Munster's performance was the return of Ronan O'Gara after seven weeks out with a knee injury. Normally O'Gara is a slow starter after injury but, mindful that the Lions assemble tomorrow, he was determined to erase any doubts about his fitness to tour. Within 37 minutes he had achieved a full house of scores with a try, penalty, drop goal and two conversions. In addition, his superb distribution enabled Munster play with width and allow the talents of Anthony Horgan, Mike Mullins and Sean Payne to blossom.

Munster's superiority in both scrum and lineout in the opening 30 minutes ensured that a 10-point half time lead was secured. However, given that they had played with the aid of a strong breeze in the opening half, Llanelli still had everything to play for.

One always suspected that Munster were playing within themselves. However, the intensity that was so obvious against Leinster was missing on this occasion. With the boost of two early second-half penalties, Llanelli improved their forward effort and dominated possession for long periods.

When the need was greatest, once again Paul O'Connell assumed the role of the spiritual leader and steered Munster back on course with an outstanding display in the lineout and in the loose. On this evidence he will have a major part to play in New Zealand over the next seven weeks. Beside him David Wallace, the forgotten man of Irish rugby, was also impressive as he alternated between the back row and the wing.

When Mullins capped a fine performance with an excellent try under the post with four minutes remaining, Munster finished the season on a high.

Within this squad, the final whistle also signalled the end of tenure in a Munster jersey for the likes of Jim Williams, Jason Holland, Gordan McWham, Dave Pusey and others. Declan Kidney now reassumes control and, with the certainty of new signings and the emergence of fresh local talent over the next 12 months, the Munster story is about to enter a new phase.

Meanwhile, in Twickenham, former Ireland coach Warren Gatland signed off on a remarkable four seasons with Wasps by securing a third Zurich Premiership in-a-row. Having also won the European Cup last season, Gatland's coaching pedigree has been widely praised and acknowledged in England. Despite some rocky days with Ireland, he never received the recognition he deserved in this country. His appointment was the catalyst for change and players responded.

With the hype surrounding Martin Johnson's retirement, along with his and Neil Back's last game in a Leicester jersey, sentiment was with the midlands side. But it was clear from the off that the likes of Wasps skipper Lawrence Dallaglio would have no truck with sentiment. His forward unit completely demolished a Leicester pack that worryingly featured six forwards selected by the Lions. Wasps' 39-14 victory was a true reflection of Gatland's side's dominance.

Like his Munster counterpart, Gatland also heads for home this week, where he assumes the reins of his beloved Waikato for the upcoming NPC championship. He will also have a role with the Waikato Chiefs squad in the Super 12 next season.

One suspects that the next time he leads a side to Ireland it will be as head coach to the All Blacks.

I wish him and Alan Gaffney well.