Kidney keeps focus on challenge ahead

MUNSTER are unlikely to take their eye off the ball with the likes of Declan Kidney and Paul O’Connell at the helm.

Moments after watching his team enhance an unbeaten Thomond Park record with a fair degree of aplomb, Munster coach Kidney warned of the challenges to be overcome to reach the knockout stages of the Heineken Cup, stressing Munster’s participation in the last eight was not guaranteed.

“There’s a long road to travel yet,” he said. “At the start of October, we would have been happy to say we were still alive in the competition at this stage; we have done a small bit more than that.”

Kidney was clearly pleased with Munster’s position, making it clear that beating Bourgoin was never going to be as clear-cut as people expected: “This result was a very good one; I thought our fringe defence was excellent against a very good side.”

In praising the work of Munster’s cohesive pack of forwards, he also made particular reference to the “back three” of Shaun Payne, John Kelly and Ian Dowling, whom he recognised as having done an excellent job in coping with the aerial bombardment of Bourgoin out-half Benjamin Boyet.

“What you see is what you get with these guys. Take John Kelly; if he was noticed a bit more than usual by others, then that’s great, but in our opinion he has been producing great displays for a long time,” said Kidney.

Kidney also singled out Barry Murphy, whom he believes has now made a full recovery from his leg break last season: “He will take great confidence from his displays in the last few games; he hasn’t held back from anything, and that’s great to see.”

Kidney believes the arrival of Lifiemi Mafi, whose spectacular break helped fashion a try for Andy Kyriacou, will increase competition for places in the centre.

“He can play at 12 or 13 with equal ability.

“It spices things up in terms of competition,” the coach said.

Next week it’s back to Magners League duty for Munster, as the international contingent headed to Dublin yesterday to link up with Ireland.

Munster play Llanelli next Sunday, followed on by a clash with Ospreys, and Kidney said: “These are two huge games for us and we want to enjoy Europe for the moment.

“But the coach is looking forward to the challenge, and feels the remaining players will too.

“Some guys got their chance to play in September but not in October; now it’s their opportunity to step up to the plate again.”

Captain Paul O’Connell described Munster’s win as “clinical and professional,” and like Kidney, he had words of praise for the back three.

“I think that by the way they coped with a bombardment they sent a message out to the team.

“We needed to be very tidy early on; needed to be in control because they were obviously going to go for broke. The back three just dealt with everything and the confidence permeated through the team from that time on.”

Although Bourgoin are noted for a top-notch lineout, O’Connell was pleased with Munster’s performance in that area, particularly after the problems in Welford Road a week before.

“We worked on a number of aspects during the week, and I think it made a big difference to have a bit of ball to play off and be able to build up momentum going forward,” he said.

The experienced gained over the years, and the confidence that goes with success, clearly played a role in Munster’s fine victory. Reflecting on how Bourgoin got back into the game with the score at 20-13, O’Connell said there was never a sense of panic.

He said: “We made a mistake and we paid for it; it was a question of getting back down there and starting over.

“When we came in from our warm-up, the roar from the crowd was as big as it ever was. We knew at that stage that the mood of the fans was going to be the same as it was against Leinster and Sale last year; it sent a message to the team that was really good.”