Sideline role so frustrating for lionhearted Jim

IF anything goes wrong for Munster in Sunday’s Heineken Cup semi-final against Leinster at Lansdowne Road, don’t be surprised to see Jim Williams make an attempt to pull on a jersey and get on the pitch.

Williams is now consigned to a role on the sideline in a coaching capacity, but the former Wallaby’s gut instinct is to play every move.

“Right throughout the season, it’s been frustrating looking on, knowing you can’t do anything to help bring things along. I suppose it reached a height for me during the quarter-final match with Perpignan. It was a bit hard to take; I’ve been used to contributing on the pitch and you can only do that when you’re on it. It’s more difficult when you’re on the touchline,” he said.

Williams is a realist. He knows Munster have not been consistent, but neither is he the type to worry unduly. He points to some great victories in the Celtic League and Heineken Cup as ample proof that this team has what is required to go all the way.

“We look to attain high standards; sometimes we fall off that, but I believe this squad is always capable of beating the best. In Europe, apart from the first game away to Sale, I thought we did pretty well; well enough to qualify for the knockout stages. It was a difficult group, a difficult run, but everyone felt the same, because qualification for the last eight in this competition is not getting any easier.

“Right now, we’re in the last four of the Heineken Cup, we’re in contention to win the Celtic League and you’ve got to be happy with that. Other teams aren’t in a similarly happy position,” he said.

Williams admitted that Toulouse are, arguably, still the best side in Europe, although, he pointed out: “At the moment, they can’t have any complaints about their fate in the Heineken Cup.”

“They have some great forwards, some great backs; they’re a well-rounded team, but they were beaten by Leinster, by a better side on the day. That’s why the tournament is so popular; fancied teams can be beaten by others who come up to the mark.

“You have to give credit to Leinster for what they achieved,” he said.

But, as bookmakers throughout the country install Leinster as favourites to win through to the final at the

Millennium Stadium, Williams is in no mood to accept that fate.

Munster have gone into many European games as “underdogs” but Williams doesn’t accept that this should be so this weekend at Lansdowne Road.

“We will take no notice of which way the betting is going,” he insisted.

Williams accepts that Sunday’s game has captured the imagination of the Irish sporting public and remarked: “Long may it continue. You can’t get away from the fact that we’re two contrasting sides; last time, Leinster held us well in the forwards and supplied quality ball to their backs. We lost against a very good side that played very well on the day.

“But I don’t much care what anyone says, we’re not underdogs against Leinster, against anyone, and we don’t want to be because we would back ourselves against any of the remaining teams in the competition. That’s the way it should be, and I’m sure that’s the way it is with Leinster, Biarritz or Bath,” he added.

Williams believes professional players are more readily adaptable these days.

“Guys have got to be confident, willing to back themselves; sometimes things can still go wrong, but there is a lot more feedback between management and officials these days.

“This game is not about individuals any more; there is a lot of communication, particularly amongst the players, and that’s been a big help,” he said.

Last year, Williams said he intended staying for one more 12-month period.

He didn’t go much further than that when he arrived in Ireland over six years ago. Now, thoughts of a new life in Japan, have been put on hold.

He hopes Munster can provide him with the facility to go further in the coaching sphere and even without all the documentation, he knows that it will count for much in years to come.

“There was something special about Munster from the time I arrived here; it’s a great side to be involved with, something as good as the atmosphere I enjoyed with the Brumbies in Australia.

“We were newcomers, and we became a team; Munster were always a team, always enjoyed a great history,” he said.

Williams has a World Cup and Super 12 medal with Australia and ACT.

Somehow, you figure he would go to the other end of the earth to ensure his former playing colleagues, and the youngsters of Munster, finally get what most of the rugby supporters in the country feel they deserve.

Most of the country, apart of course from the eastern part of Ireland.