Munster need crowning glory

WHEN Peter Stringer scored against Scotland to guarantee a Triple Crown, Ireland’s rugby renaissance was confirmed.

The performance of the national side in the last four games of the Six Nations championship has won acclaim throughout the rugby world.

The confidence that comes from winning and achieving respect at the highest level will stand to Munster over the coming weeks. Given the disappointments that many of their players have endured at the final stages of European competition in recent seasons, delivering the Triple Crown in an atmosphere of high expectation was very significant.

When the Heineken Cup resumes this weekend, Munster are once again Ireland’s standard-bearer. They have become accustomed in recent years to performing at the quarter-final stage on limited preparation.

Two of their best ever performances came at this stage, against Leicester at Welford Road last season and Saturday’s opponents Stade Français in Paris two years ago.

The only difference is that Munster enter the fray with the unusual baggage of five defeats in their last six outings in the Celtic League. What bearing this will have on the outcome of the match remains to be seen.

Of some consolation to Alan Gaffney will be that his opposite number Nick Mallett has been operating under similar constraints. Stade had 14 players involved with various countries at the World Cup.

As a result they have played with little cohesion and are struggling in seventh place in their pool in the French championship.

Their record in this competition in Ireland is poor, having lost on three of their four visits. This is amazing given the quality of players that have represented them over the years.

In the build-up to this game, Mallett has often referred to the “Thomond Park” factor. Quite why they should travel with any sense of fear beggars belief. Their squad contains five players who contributed handsomely to France’s Grand Slam in recent weeks. Their Argentine contingent of Agustin Pichot, Ignacio Corleto and Juan Martin Hernandez are hardly filled with fear at the thought of Irish opposition. All three played in their narrow defeat to the Irish at the World Cup in Adelaide.

For the Munster players, the next three games represent a huge opportunity. A long overdue favourable draw suggests that victory on Saturday should ensure a clear path to the final in Twickenham next May.

However, it doesn’t work like that. Just ask Leinster. They were in a similar situation last season.

Three inspired performances will be required if Munster are to lift the trophy. Victory this weekend will set up a semi-final clash with England’s premier side in Lansdowne Road. My gut feeling is that this will be against Warren Gatland’s Wasps. Should Munster then reach the final it is probable that they will face champions Toulouse. In comparative terms, beating Stade Français, Wasps and Toulouse in successive games would represent a more difficult assignment than beating England, Wales and Scotland to secure the Triple Crown.

But that is the level of the task facing this Munster squad. Can they do it? Unquestionably yes. Despite the highs of recent years, there is a strong feeling of unfinished business with these players. They will not be satisfied until they lift the European Cup.

Over the next few weeks, their resolve will be tested to the full. Munster have always relied on a strong set piece to wear down the opposition.

On Saturday they meet a side of similar strength. On the international stage, France boasts the best scrum in the game. Had Pieter de Villiers not broken his shoulder in training, France could have gone on to win the World Cup. Munster’s front row of Marcus Horan, Frankie Sheahan and John Hayes know better than anyone the task they face against de Villiers and fellow French front rower Sylvain Marconnet. To their credit they have risen to the challenge before, most notably in the quarter-final two years ago.

In their vital pool game at Welford Road, Stade reserved their best performance of the season in dominating a highly-rated Leicester eight.

In similar fashion to Paul O’Connell and Donncha O’Callaghan last season, David Auradou and Patrick Tabacco dominated the lineout with a magnificent performance.

Auradou in particular has grown in stature since he burst on to the French side a number of seasons ago. The captaincy of Stade has improved his game.

BEHIND THE scrum, they possess some wonderfully talented players. In the centre, the South African born, French international Brian Liebenberg is used as a battering ram to punch holes in the opposition defence. He is a huge man. Stephane Glas and Christophe Dominici have the ability to capitalise on any defensive frailties. At full-back Corleto has been in outstanding form in the campaign. Yet one feels that the sum of Stade’s individual talent does not match the collective brilliance of this Munster team.

At half-back the perceived strength of Pichot and Diego Dominguez (assuming he is fit to play) could yet prove a weakness. Pichot is a live wire, always looking for the half break. Yet his service is nowhere near as sharp as Peter Stringer’s. There are times when he attempts to win the game on his own, something which will play into Munster’s hands.

At out-half, Dominguez has never been the greatest of defenders and at 37 he is hardly likely to improve. His greatest asset, as witnessed against Leicester, is his place kicking. From that perspective, Munster’s discipline will have to improve hugely from that evidenced at Sardis Road in the Celtic League last Friday night. In this respect Donncha O’Callaghan, in particular, needs to curtail his exuberance. Referees are now singling him out for special attention. One hopes that he has learnt the lesson from his costly yellow card last week.

One of the key components of Munster’s success in Thomond Park has been the input from the supporters. Given the controversy in recent weeks with regard to the ticket distribution, it would appear that a high percentage of tickets have ended up in the corporate sector.

One hopes that the atmosphere one associates with this venue will not be compromised in any way.

Overall, Munster’s collective will should be sufficient to mask their lack of preparation time together and poor Celtic League form.

Munster for the semi-final, again.