Six of the best light up Heineken Cup
It’s the only thing about this enthralling competition that disappoints me. Next weekend sees a brief reappearance of the Magners League followed by Ireland’s opening autumn international against South Africa on Saturday week.
After just two rounds of this year’s opening European fare, only six of the 24 participants remain unbeaten. Given that no side has ever qualified having lost their opening two games, one can already bid farewell to the Italian contingent, Bourgoin and more surprisingly, Gloucester.
Munster’s victory on Saturday was their 10th Heineken Cup success in a row. Given Leicester hold the tournament record with 11 straight victories, the two games against Cardiff in December afford Declan Kidney’s men another opportunity to create history.
Those who question the commitment of the French teams in this tournament will be surprised that four of their representatives — Biarritz, Perpignan, Stade Français and Agen — are unbeaten thus far. With Toulouse also lurking in the background, it is impossible to ignore French claims on this year’s trophy. Along with Munster the only other unbeaten team is Llanelli, who have impressed everyone since the arrival of Phil Davies as coach.
It is somewhat ironic that Munster leads the Irish challenge given their indifferent form in the build up to this competition. Sitting one place off the bottom of the Magners League was hardly designed to inspire confidence. Declan Kidney’s assertion after Saturday’s victory that Munster’s initial ambition in Europe was to survive intact after the October schedule was understandable in the circumstances.
However, one always felt that their domestic league position was an unfair reflection of the quality within the group. Once the key players accumulated game time, then it was always likely that normal service would resume.
The victory, in such demanding circumstances, in Welford Road was the kick-start that their season needed. By the time the international contingent returns from the autumn series, they will be even more battle hardened and truly up to speed.
The key to Munster’s most recent successes has been the form and contribution of those on the periphery of the national side. Despite a combined age of 66, John Kelly and Shaun Payne are playing the best rugby of their careers. Their influence on the side is immense. Trevor Halstead has also been outstanding.
The other driving force comes from the continued excellence of the half-back pairing. Ronan O’Gara now enters the most crucial 12 months of his tenure with the World Cup looming. His career and form is fast approaching peak point. While he has always been lauded for the quality of his kicking game, his vision and distribution skills are now been finally recognised.
Inside him, Peter Stringer is the personification of consistency. In appalling conditions at Leicester and with the forward unit under more pressure than normal, Stringer was exemplary. In the modern game it is often said that players must be interchangeable and multi-functional. This however reached ridiculous proportions on Saturday in the build up to Donnacha O’Callaghan’s bonus point try. Check out the lineout maul on replay. There at the head of the drive, scattering all the Bourgoin forwards before him was the diminutive Stringer. His energy and commitment knows no bounds.
Ulster’s age-old problem of winning away from Ravenhill came back to haunt them once more in Stradey Park last Friday. They have only won seven of their 32 games on the road in this tournament and never won away to English or French opposition.
With back-to-back games against London Irish on the horizon, they will have to break that sequence to have any hope of qualifying. The bonus point achieved in defeat last weekend does offer some hope and there is sufficient quality within this group to defeat the Exiles at the Madejski Stadium. However if this side have aspirations to conquer Europe then their players must learn to front up away from home. That is where you prove your worth.
Leinster’s defeat in Murrayfield has created another “backs to the wall” scenario for Michael Cheika’s team. Their record against Scottish opposition of late is decidedly poor. They paid a high price for ill discipline and poor decision making on Sunday. While Edinburgh, with 10 of the Scottish side, rarely get the credit they deserve, Brian O’Driscoll will know they should have won this one. Much was made of referee Joel Jutge’s interpretation of the breakdown and subsequent high penalty count. However, it was imperative that the senior players adapt to the situation and insure that their team-mates did likewise.
Their back-to-back games against surprise packets, Agen, will dictate their progress or otherwise. Agen were magnificent against Gloucester last weekend, scoring four tries in the process. With the great Fijian, Rupeni Caucaunibuca back in full flow, they are a handful for any opposition. The performance on Saturday was even more puzzling given that their away record is appalling. With a visit to Lansdowne Road around the corner, Leinster will hope that they revert to type as soon as possible.
Amid all the European hype, almost unnoticed, Graham Henry’s All Blacks squad has arrived in England for their opening test next Sunday. Henry travels at full strength, having resisted temptations to leave the likes of Dan Carter, Richie McCaw and Chris Jack at home.
While New Zealand also face Wales on this tour, it is their two tests against France that the management will focus on. With the World Cup around the corner, Henry sees the greatest threat in the northern hemisphere coming from Bernard Laporte’s men, particularly as hosts. Before then, they face an England side whose squad looks the weakest of those announced by the home countries over the past week.
Wales open the autumn campaign when they face Australia on Saturday. On current form don’t discount a Welsh victory.
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