Thomond shines in the rain
Generally speaking, the €40 million stadium came through its baptism with distinction and when a few teething troubles are ironed out, it’ll become a very worthy home for the two-time European champions.
The players wanted to put on a show worthy of the reopening of the ground but a combination of factors, mainly the teeming rain throughout, ruled that out of the question. But the 19,220 spectators and the Munster and Glasgow teams involved in the Magners League game appreciated that this was something very special, a point very well made by the Lions, Ireland and Munster second-row forward Donncha O’Callaghan.
“It was incredible and a joy to play out there,” he said. “The pitch was good and you couldn’t ask for anything more. They have done an excellent job and it’s great to have something like this you can call your own. Lansdowne Road, Croke Park and even the Thomond of old were great stadiums but to have something special like this is great.
“Maybe it’s because a few fellas have had a few extra pints but the atmosphere from five o’clock on at Thomond Park is always different. At the team meeting, we spoke about how we owed it to the people who worked so hard to finish the stadium on time and within budget and the supporters who have been around all the ugly places in Europe following us to put on a bit of an occasion.”
Donncha referred to the slippery ball and while not making any excuses for an erratic performance, the conditions militated against the kind of game Munster like to play these days. Not that everything else went according to plan. Hardly had we arrived at the ground than we heard dark, gloomy reports of the state of the press box which is now located in the first two rows of the imposing West Stand. To say those rows were saturated would be an understatement and as the rain teemed down, the situation wasn’t likely to get any better.
While appreciating the public couldn’t care less about guys getting the best seats in the ground for free — and the view from the press box is superb — the trouble is that the 10 rows behind also fell victim to the weather and most of those occupants paid a pretty penny for the privilege of sitting there.
Paper rolls were distributed to soak up the moisture but it would be a shame if this had to continue on a regular basis. We were reassured that this was not the prevailing wind and so on and so on, but only time will tell.
One of the lifts in the stand malfunctioned and I doubt anybody would object if the volume on the public address system was turned down by several decibel levels but teething troubles are inevitable and by and large, the vast majority departed Thomond Park delighted and proud to have been present for the first game.
Most important is the feeling that the famous Thomond Park atmosphere has been retained. All the old terraces remain and are towered over by two magnificent grandstands which can be seen from miles outside the city.
The noise on Saturday was so great that the rival hookers frequently couldn’t hear the respective lineout calls and this was the case although the crowd was 7,000 short of full capacity and in truth weren’t given a whole lot to shout about due to a subdued performance by their heroes. Accordingly, the few renditions of “The Fields” lacked their usual enthusiasm.
The re-laid pitch stood up well to the constant rain and Munster coach Tony McGahan was satisfied with the surface, which will be put to the test in Friday night’s Heineken Cup clash with French side Montauban.
With a few minutes to go, the PA implored the fans to keep off the pitch at the end of the game and a few moments later it was ringed by a fearsome looking band of stewards bedecked in bright, yellow jackets. Even so, 30 or so youngsters, most of them blessed with Keith Earls-style lines of running, managed to breach the defensive wall.
It was good-natured stuff and typified the spirit on the opening night of Munster’s fabulous new stadium.
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