Gaffney rallies his troops

BEATING Gloucester by three tries and 19 points at Thomond Park on Saturday next to stay in the Heineken Cup has to be the tallest order to confront a Munster side, especially one suffering more and more injuries.

Having spoken to several members of the side that under-performed so disappointingly in Perpignan on Saturday, it is perfectly clear they are aware of how much they must do against Gloucester to make amends.

People point to the Thomond Park factor and how it can inspire Munster to heroics deeds. However, home advantage will not make a whole lot of difference unless the side improves its standards against the Zurich Premiership leaders.

Management and players alike are insisting that where there's life, there's hope, and there is sure to be a reaction to the kinds of words uttered by former England and Lions star Jeremy Guscott. "Gloucester will destroy the Munster pack," he said.

Sadly, that could well happen unless the home forwards produce something special.

"We know what we have to do," said coach Alan Gaffney. "It's going to be a monumental task but we'll just go and do what we can. We have to pick up from our worst 40 minutes of the season.

"We've got to play with pride, go out and beat Gloucester and if it so happens that we don't score enough tries to qualify, so be it. We've got to look to our pride and beyond that to Cardiff and the Celtic League final. It's a week-to-week proposition.

"Gloucester are a difficult side to play, they're strong right across the pitch. But Perpignan put a lot of pressure on the set pieces in their two games against Gloucester and we will try to do the same."

Gaffney insists there were some positives to be taken from the Perpignan defeat. Full-back Jeremy Staunton (although a doubtful starter for Saturday with a knee injury) was praised by the coach, especially for his first half contribution.

"He was put under a lot of pressure in the first 40 and did a number of good things," said Gaffney.

Staunton has long been regarded as one of the most promising players in the country and has an Irish cap against Samoa in 2001 to his credit. He has never really fulfilled his potential but against Perpignan he displayed a confidence that has often appeared to be lacking in his game.

"People have told me it was one of my best games for Munster but it's hard to look at it like that because we lost," he said.

"I was happy with the first half both individually and as a team. I felt I should have scored in the second half when I got one on one with a defender. I stepped in and went out again and I was pretty disappointed that it didn't happen.

"I'm getting more accustomed to the full-back role, getting more matches and that's what I want. The atmosphere in France was intimidating but it focuses the mind. There are improvements to be made and we are looking forward to the opportunity against Gloucester to put things right. We are still in with a shout. We're at home and stranger things have happened in Thomond Park."

Skipper Jim Williams agrees, claiming there remains a glimmer of hope, no matter how tenuous it might be.

"People are going to be talking about how many tries we need, what we've got to work on is how to score them by getting ourselves into good field positions," he said. "We need to get the phases in place and go through with them and if we do that, the scoring opportunities will come and I think we will take them.

"I don't think it will be hard to get the guys up for the game. They've been in this position before. They have lost in France before and come back. Last year at Castres was an example of that perhaps not as daunting as what we're facing now, but they know what must happen. We are training well, we are putting everything on the paddock and we will go as hard as we can."

In spite of the positive words of Jim Williams, it won't be easy for front-line Munster forwards like Frankie Sheahan to lift themselves for two such huge matches in the space of eight days. The hooker had three stitches over his left eye and bruises just about everywhere to testify to the intensity of Saturday's game and it will hardly be any easier against Phil Vickery and company at Thomond Park.

"We were happy with our front-row performance against Perpignan although very disappointed at the result," said Sheahan. "The Perpignan front-row kept driving us up and there was a good argument that if the game had been in Thomond Park, there might have been a few yellow cards.

"What we are facing now is a very tough ask. We are regrouping and we haven't been beaten in Thomond Park since the competition started and that is a record to be protected. The first thing is, we are going to try and win and secondly beat them by four tries. It's a professional game, you win some, you lose some. Our jobs are on the line and other guys will come in if we don't perform. We're back into it now and there's no fear that fellas won't be up for it."

The togetherness in the Munster squad remains as firm as ever. They accept they let the cause down in Perpignan and none are shirking their part in the defeat. Centre Mike Mullins is a case in point.

"We just didn't perform in the second half and I'll take some of the blame myself because I didn't think I had a great second forty," he said. "Now it's back to the drawing board and regaining some respect. We haven't given up hope and Gloucester is a big game for us."