Provinces face crucial series of clashes
The next seven weeks will prove hugely demanding for players and management alike, particularly with regard to qualification for the knockout stages of the Heineken Cup.
From Munster’s perspective, next Saturday’s game against the Newport Gwent Dragons is of huge importance. The Dragons are bottom of Munster’s pool with just two bonus points from two outings. Their chances of reaching the next stage are zero, but they will be keen to topple Munster, whose reputation in Europe brings out the best in all opposition.
The sequence of games has been favourable to Munster, as the pivotal back-to-back fixtures are crucial in deciding who progresses to the next stage. Given that Munster have drawn the weakest team in the group for this decisive period, it presents the opportunity to top the pool before the Christmas break.
Simultaneously, pacesetters Sale will encounter Castres both home and away over a demanding eight-day period. A defeat apiece for these two would be a welcome outcome from a Munster perspective. Munster, on the other hand, will target nine points from their two games. They are more than capable of achieving this.
Should that scenario arise, Munster’s away game against Castres in early January will dictate their progress in the competition. Win that and the meeting with Sale in the final fixture at Thomond Park could present a winner-take-all opportunity; Gloucester revisited. I am quite sure that Declan Kidney would settle for that sequence of events.
Of more immediate concern to Kidney will be the fallout from the loss to Ulster last Saturday. He will certainly be concerned with certain aspects of that performance. In mitigation, the structure of the season dictates that while some players are constantly soldiering at the coal face, others have had a distinct lack of game time in recent weeks. While the majority of Munster’s returning internationals were pressed into service once again, others like Anthony Foley, Trevor Halstead, Gary Connolly and David Wallace were playing their first game in four weeks. Those players in particular should benefit from last weekend’s outing.
With Alan Quinlan already out for the season, one hopes the nasty gash Wallace sustained won’t stop him lining out next weekend. His presence in the Munster back row is vital.
For Munster to win, it is imperative that the lineout that stuttered at times during the Ulster match returns to normal service. The Dragons, with Luke Charteris, Ian Gough and Michael Owen on board, are sure to challenge Munster’s supremacy in that area. At times last weekend Munster shot themselves in the foot, particularly when throwing to the tail close to the opposition line.
Given the lack of bulk in the Dragons’ front five, they tend to favour the expansive tap-and-go game utilised by the national side. With backs of the calibre of Kevin Morgan, Gareth Cooper, Ceri Sweeney and Sonny Parker, they are more than capable of scoring tries. However, their dynamic wing, Chris Wyatt, suffered an elbow injury last weekend and is unlikely to be available for the next few weeks.
The other area that needs to be addressed rapidly is the protection of the ball. Incredibly, in the Ulster game, Munster turned over possession on 35 occasions. Against a side like the Dragons, who are excellent on the counterattack, this could prove fatal.
Munster’s performance last weekend lacked urgency in the first half and composure in the second. That performance will have the effect of focusing the mind and sharpening the senses. I fully expect to see a positive reaction in the form of another victory on the road in Europe.
Over the years, Ulster’s biggest failing has been the inability to win away from home. Last weekend suggests they have turned a corner in that respect. Over the next two weekends they face a Saracens side with everything to play for. The Londoners currently top pool four but are about to find out that returning triumphant from Ravenhill is almost as difficult as winning in Thomond Park.
Ulster’s victory over Munster could well prove to be the catalyst for greater things this year. They have failed to qualify for the knockout stages of the Heineken Cup since they won the competition in 1999. Despite the presence of Biarritz in this group, this year would seem to provide their best opportunity.
Leinster, like their provincial colleagues, also occupy second place in their pool with one victory from two outings. However, they appear to be under more pressure as they approach their twin outings against Bourgoin.
On Saturday last, against Connacht, their pack struggled for long periods and had to rely on the individual brilliance of Shane Horgan to finally pull clear of the westerners. Last season Bourgoin travelled to Lansdowne Road and fielded a second string side, conceding over 90 points in the process. Such was the outcry around Europe that they are unlikely to repeat that stunt.
Having competed well against a strong Bath pack in their opening game in the RDS, the Leinster forwards are sure to be put to the test once again by a massive French eight containing internationals Olivier Milloud and Pascal Pape.
The return from injury of Eric Millar last weekend contributed hugely to an impressive back row performance. He along with Keith Gleeson would seem to be recovering well from their latest injury setbacks. Between them, No 8 Jamie Heaslip was once again very prominent rounding off a magnificent score having supported a length of the field break by Horgan.
While Leinster managed a win on the road in their last Heineken Cup outing against Glasgow, their performance that day would be insufficient to beat many teams in this tournament. Now is the time for this particular squad to stand up and be counted.
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