Munster injury blow as Sheahan sidelined
Frank Sheahan, last week’s Man of the Match in the victory over Gloucester, has withdrawn from the team and is replaced by James Blaney who gets his first European start for the province.
Sheahan has a knee problem that flared up after the match last weekend. Yesterday, the circumstances changed and Sheahan was pulled out of the equation as a precautionary measure for the moment. He will undergo a scan to identify the source of the problem early next week.
Injury worries aside, the Munster coach has told his players to banish all memories of their emphatic Thomond Park victory over Treviso in December and prepare to slug it out with the Italians.
On the road, Treviso have had little enough success despite away wins over Edinburgh in 1997, Pontypridd in 1999 and, from their perspective, a famous one over Harlequins in 2000.
They are happier at home and their record is peppered with enough evidence to suggest that Gaffney’s troops will want to be wary.
At least Treviso have been good enough to forewarn the men in red. Victory this year over Bourgoin, others in the past against London Wasps, Harlequins, Edinburgh, Caledonia, Llanelli and Pontypridd and close calls against some of Europe’s best should easily be enough to focus the minds of their visitors.
Sheahan, although he will not be playing, knows what the coach is expecting.
“We’re not looking back, either to last week or December. The circumstances are totally different. Time has moved on and they’ll certainly be up for this one after beating Bourgoin.
“We’re aware of their home record, aware that they have turned a lot of strong sides over, teams with reputation.”
Patience and concentration and discipline will be three key factors, he believes. “In Limerick, Treviso didn’t get much ball and we will have to stop them at source again. There will be a huge onus on the pack to do the business. They have a pretty solid scrum, a couple of handy jumpers, a tricky out half and a couple of really good strike runners out wide as well as a very good kicker.
“We can’t afford to let the game become loose and fragmented. This has to be about forward power and sensible, controlled rugby. We know that defeat would wreck our plans to move on to the quarter-finals.”
Another injury victim, Treviso captain Alessandro Troncon believes Munster have every right to fear his side.
“We have improved a lot since the first game and we look forward to a return. We have respect for Munster. They are one of the great teams. They play with a lot of skill and with great passion but we can do the same.
“The big problem will be to win enough possession. The Munster forwards are stronger and they play together, not as individuals. There are no weak areas in their game. That makes it difficult, but if we can win possession, we could surprise them.
“The win over Bourgoin was encouraging and we scored some very good tries in the last two weeks. That’s what we like doing best and it is good for the fans as well. That’s what they come to see and that’s why they come back again.”
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