England green with envy!
With Premiership champions Sale humbled by the Ospreys, high-flying Gloucester over-run in Dublin by Leinster and contenders Leicester beaten at fortress Welford Road, English rugby has suffered another setback. By way of contrast, the Irish game continues to prosper.
On Saturday, Ulster blew away former winners Toulouse with such ease that the Ravenhill faithful could have left at half-time. At Lansdowne Road, where Leicester hosted Gloucester, the story was similar.
Those two victories, if anything, increased the pressure on Munster entering the Tigers’ lair at Welford Road yesterday.
On the back of recent poor form in the Magners League, this game assumed a crucial importance even at this early stage in the season. Over the past number of weeks, team leaders O’Gara and Paul O’Connell preached that Munster would have to achieve continued success to be rated as one of the great European sides.
In that respect, they delivered a clear message to their rivals with a magnificent victory under pressure. Make no mistake this was a victory for resilience and character.
Under constant pressure from a gargantuan Leicester scrum and having conceded 10 points and the lead with minutes remaining, Munster summoned enough reserves of strength to force the vital winning penalty. How fitting that O’Gara converted the winning penalty from a metre inside his own half.
This game had everything. In appalling conditions this was rugby for the diehard. For that, Leicester too deserve tremendous credit. Despite dominating territory and possession in the opening half, the Tigers found themselves nine points in arrears at the break. In this game, there is no substitute for experience. This Munster side have accumulated more Heineken Cup caps than any other team in the tournament. Their composure under pressure was the principal reason for victory. That and their ability to capitalise on scoring opportunities.
In this respect Donncha O’Callaghan’s opening score was one that second row forwards dream of but rarely achieve. When a tackle from Ian Dowling forced scrum-half Scott Bemond to fumble possession O’Callaghan was in like a rapier to seize the moment. It was the early lift Munster needed.
The crucial 10 minutes either side of the interval are labelled the championship moments. Therefore, David Wallace’s outstanding try on the stroke of the half-time proved crucial to the outcome. Despite the appalling conditions, O’Gara had the confidence to launch John Kelly from inside his own half. The outstanding Trevor Halstead was once again in support and he did brilliantly to keep the ball alive for the supporting Wallace. The Garryowen man did the rest.
Munster were starved of possession for long periods. Their line-out, which has long being their launching pad, was under serious pressure. Leicester’s decision to field three international second row forwards in Leo Cullen, Ben Kay and Louis Deacon paid dividends, forcing three turnovers in the opening period. Even the possession won by Munster in this sector was untidy, meaning Peter Stringer was constantly harassed.
When Julian White was introduced early in the second half, allowing Italian international Martin Castrogiovanno to revert to his more customary loose head side, the Leicester scrum cranked up the pressure. With the crowd baying for blood as Munster conceded six five metre scrums, it was inevitable a penalty try would ensue for the home team.
The other key factor was the introduction of Andy Goode for Paul Burke at half-time. The England international immediately assumed O’Gara mode and gave the Tigers a direction they had lacked in the opening period. In the end he almost did enough to win the game.
When Leicester coach Pat Howard reflects on this game he will rue the indiscipline of his team, particularly in the concession of the 10 metres that enabled O’Gara to kick the winning penalty.
On a day made for forwards, it was one of Munster’s unsung heroes, Shaun Payne, who stood out for me. On three occasions in the second half he ran 15 metres to claim precision garryowens from Goode. The confidence that instils in those around you cannot be overestimated. The same also applies to young Irish debutant Johnny Murphy, who excelled when called in as a late Leicester replacement for Geordan Murphy. Ireland could well have another quality back in the making.
For pure entertainment value, Lansdowne Road was the place to be Saturday. On top of their game, there is no better sight in European rugby than this Leinster back line in full flow.
Gloucester, fielding a three-quarter line with an average age of 21, embraced the adventurous approach by taking on the home side with an expansive game plan.
If the future is bright for the talented England backs in waiting in Ryan Lamb, Anthony Allen and Jack Adams, it is very much in the here and now for Brian O’Driscoll, Gordon D’Arcy and Shane Horgan.
With three tries and a 23 point lead at the break, a bonus point win was assured after 40 minutes. While deteriorating weather conditions thwarted Leinster’s attacking flow, Horgan’s breakaway try confirmed their undoubted superiority.
For years, the ferocity of the Gloucester forward unit has laid the foundations for many victories. It came as somewhat of a surprise therefore that they never sought to engage Leinster in a battle of attrition up front.
By taking on their hosts in the wide expanses, they committed a cardinal error. Leinster’s unassailable half-time lead was even more remarkable because they had only two line-out throws in the opening half. While the Leinster three-quarters will once again attract the plaudits, young Cillian Willis, making his Heineken Cup debut at scrum-half, will have really impressed his captain and first cousin, O’Driscoll. The Leinster back row of Gleeson, Heaslip and Keogh were also magnificent. After the disappointment of last year’s semi-final defeat, Leinster confirmed that they will have a major say in the destination of this year’s trophy.
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