Toulouse hold no fears for O’Gara

MUNSTER fly-half Ronan O’Gara is happy to take on Toulouse at their own game of running rugby tomorrow.

With South of France temperatures yesterday in the balmly mid 70’s, the conditions are calling out for an exhibition of expansive rugby.

Whereas previously the thought would have given Irish sides an inferiority complex against traditionally cavalier French opponents, O’Gara believes coach Alan Gaffney has added powerful weapons to the Munster armoury:

“We’ve expanded our game and fellas know what they’re doing off the ball as well as the fellas that have the ball. I think it’s an element we probably weren’t too aware of in previous seasons but now everyone from one to 15 wants the ball and if it’s gone wide they know what they’re doing.

“With the advent of European rugby we have become very experienced at travelling, be it at international level or with Munster.

“The thought of travelling to France doesn’t frighten any of us. It’s been a good place for us, although obviously the disappointment in Lille sticks in the back of your mind.

“But we’re looking forward to the conditions. It will be very taxing for the forwards but for back lines these are the conditions you enjoy playing in and keeping the ball in hand.”

Meanwhile, Toulouse coach Guy Noves believes Munster rugby has come a long way in the three years since the most painful defeat of his career.

Noves admits he is still haunted by the 31-25 defeat in Bordeaux by Munster three years ago and is confident the time is ripe for revenge.

“We felt untouchable before that match,’ he conceded yesterday. “We were full of illusions, internally as well as externally. We were sure we were going to the final and that disturbed our mental preparation.

“You have to accept things like that as a sportsman. It’s one of the defeats that has most haunted me, like the one last year against Agen in the semi-final of the French championship.

“Last year, Munster beat Stade Francais in Paris and then beat Castres at Beziers. They have just knocked out the double European champions Leicester on their home soil. They have to be favourites.”

His view was echoed by stand-off Yann Delaigue who said: “When a team wins so often against the French it can’t be purely down to luck.”

Delaigue missed the match three years ago with a broken knee, but is confident of playing against Munster after a scan on a thigh he injured in the 55-33 victory over Pau yielded no significant damage.

Emile Ntamack is nursing a sore shoulder, while Jan-Baptiste Elissalde and Trevor Brennan are back in training. Only winger Finau Maka is not training normally ahead of today’s team announcement.

The club’s backs coach Philippe Rouge Thomas believes Toulouse’s own Irish man, Brennan, could hold the key.

“Munster have 13 Trevor Brennans in their team,’ he said. “They train the same way they play, they stick to the ball, they are like flies. They let nothing go.’

Noves believes that Munster are an improved side from the raw outfit they met three years ago.

“In three years, they have accumulated confidence,’ said Noves. “They are good at turning the ball over, have an excellent half-back pairing and can play far from the line.

“The Irish have always had the mental capacity, but now they play top quality rugby.

“When we played our quarter-final with Northampton we knew we were playing a very powerful team but one with a very stereotyped game. Munster are a much more complete side.”

Unsurprisingly, he refused to divulge his tactics, but he believed he had picked up hints from Munster’s match with Leicester.

“The Leicester coach Dean Richards thinks that in spreading them out you can tire them out,’ said Noves. “Toulouse’s trademark is to adapt itself to what is in front of us.”