Kidney: Munster face ‘huge’ Euro test

EUROPEAN champions Munster will do well just to qualify from their group, says coach Declan Kidney.

Munster will visit Leicester in the opening weekend of the Heineken Cup while resurgent Cardiff Blues and dangerous French club Bourgoin are also in the same qualifying pool.

“There is no easy match in this tournament, and just to get out of the group this year would be huge,” said Kidney.

Leicester head coach Pat Howard added: “It is a tough pool.

“Any team that looks further ahead than the group matches at this stage will probably go adrift.”

Meanwhile Gloucester star James Simpson-Daniel is closing in on his latest return from serious injury but admits another tough battle is just around the corner, as his club face Leinster in their Heineken Cup opener.

Simpson-Daniel could well have been a permanent fixture in Andy Robinson’s England team had it not been for a succession of untimely fitness setbacks.

The Gloucester wing was pencilled in to feature during England’s two-Test tour of Australia earlier this year but suffered a leg injury during training which not only ended his trip but necessitated a short spell in hospital.

Having overcome that demoralising setback he regained full fitness in time for Gloucester’s schedule of pre-season friendlies, only to break his collar bone against Llanelli at Stradey Park.

Simpson-Daniel’s injury catalogue would be sufficient to break the resistance of many professionals but he is now poised to take the field again and set off on the long road towards possible World Cup recognition in France next year.

“Hopefully, I will be playing again in a few weeks’ time,” Simpson-Daniel said during yesterday’s Heineken Cup launch at Twickenham.

“A lot of my injuries seem to be connected with bad timing, which was the case with England during the summer.

“I can’t believe I am saying it, but I am lucky in a way because there are so many matches in the season now and there are a huge number of games still to come.”

Simpson-Daniel was initially expecting to be out for three months while he recovered from surgery, and although he has yet to resume full contact training, an appearance ahead of schedule could be made later this month.

“I had an X-ray yesterday which showed the break had not quite healed,” he added.

“I will go back when the doctor wants to see me and, if things are looking good, then there is no reason why I cannot start contact.

“I am desperate to play again. Every time I get injured, I think ‘Why me?’ and I think I have had an injury every year of my professional career, but there are not many players who can go through a season without injury.

“I have made thousands of tap tackles in my career and never hurt my shoulder.

“But as it was, I came across a hard pitch in Wales and shattered my collar bone.”

England launch their autumn Test series against New Zealand at Twickenham on November 5, and although Simpson-Daniel is highly unlikely to play any part in appointments with the All Blacks, Argentina and South Africa (twice), this season’s RBS 6 Nations Championship presents a realistic goal.

In prime form, he is among the most deadly finishers available for head coach Robinson, but he accepts it will not be easy to force his way back.

“I am fully aware that I am missing out with Gloucester and with England at the moment, but you cannot take your place for granted.

“We have some very young guys coming through who are fantastic and the longer I am out, the tougher it will be to get back.” Gloucester open their Heineken Cup challenge against Leinster in Dublin on October 21, with the 24-team tournament reaching its climax at Twickenham next May.

With Twickenham’s capacity increasing to 82,000 after the new South Stand is completed, organisers are confident of eclipsing the crowd record for a Heineken final of 74,600 when Leicester beat Munster at the Millennium Stadium four-years-ago.