Forward battle crucial, says Boher

PERPIGNAN coach Philippe Boher is under no illusions of the difficulty facing his side in Saturday’s Heineken Cup quarter-final against Munster.

“They provide almost the entire Irish forward division, the out half and scrum half and have some new players in the backs. It is almost like playing an international team,” he contends.

Prior to Perpignan’s European semi-final against Leinster three years ago, Matt Williams described the French side as one that plays “real street fighter rugby” and Perry Freshwater admitted that they would love nothing better than a bruising battle with Paul O’Connell and company at the weekend.

His coach agrees.

“It is going to be very hard for the forwards,” said Boher who, appropriately for an ex-services man, lists “combat” as his favourite word on the club’s website.

“We know that Munster are very good at performing in the scrums and the line-out and maul. That may be the key of the game. If we play well in the forwards we can expect to have a good game. If that is not the case it is going to be very hard for us. Castres had big problems against Munster.”

Perpignan will be playing Munster in Lansdowne Road and not Thomond Park, where the Irish side’s home advantage will be slightly diluted, despite the hordes of Reds making the journey to Dublin.

Their experiences of 2003 should prepare them for a venue which Boher acknowledges is unique.

“The club played three years ago in Lansdowne Road, while some of our players know the stadium from playing with international teams. We know that it is full of history and has wonderful home support.

“Those players must talk with the others who were not there, to share these experiences. That will be important. We must not think too much about the place - just the field of play.”

Perpignan travel with a team balanced by old vets and young stars like scrum-half Nicolas Durand and centre David Marty, both wise beyond their tender years.

Most of the experience is concentrated in the pack with the backs providing the vim and vigour of youth and it’s a concoction that has worked well this season with the club currently fourth in the league. Much of the reason for that is their vastly improved away form this season.

Bourgoin had gone four years without a home league defeat prior to Perpignan’s win there last Saturday, and three other victories have been claimed on the road.

“We have so much more experience,” Boher says in explanation.

“I think we have grown up from last year. They work a lot to win away from our own stadium.

“When other teams have a good moment in the game we don’t doubt ourselves. We stay in touch and then take the game to them again and try to score.”

With six rounds left in the league, Perpignan’s run-in is far smoother than that of Bourgoin, who lie fifth, but the suspicion remains that the Catalans might not be able to serve a domestic and European master for the remainder of the season.

Which then is more important? Success at home or abroad?

“For the Catalan people, winning something in the Heineken Cup, in Europe, is very important.

“But to play the two competitions at the same time is very hard. There is only two, maybe three teams, who have won their league and the Heineken Cup in the same season. So, it is very, very hard. We are going to try to play both competitions to the best of our abilities.”