Dowling and Warwick aiming to bounce back

FOUR Munster players, more than others, would have endured rather sleepless nights as they awaited today’s announcement of the 22-man squad to face Leinster in the big Magners League clash at the RDS tomorrow.

Ian Dowling made the left wing position his own over the past couple of years but injury has seriously stalled his season to date and in his absence Denis Hurley has turned in a series of outstanding performances in the number 11 jersey. And newcomer Felix Jones also has an eye on the spot.

With Ronan O’Gara unavailable for the first month or so, Paul Warwick would have seen an opportunity to press his claims for a starting place either at out-half or at full-back. In his case, too, injury intervened and he has only just returned to full fitness.

New Zealander Toby Morland was signed on a short-term contract in the belief that Tomás O’Leary wouldn’t be available until December but he has made a remarkable recovery.

And Peter Stringer is also available this weekend!

If that wasn’t enough, openside flanker Niall Ronan turned in a man-of-the-match performance in the team’s best performance of the campaign so far against Cardiff Blues but David Wallace is now back after his exertions with the Lions.

Each of the quartet has good reason to be concerned about their own personal circumstances but equally they will work hard to capture the support of coach Tony McGahan.

“To be honest, competition for places over the past few years has been great,” claims Ian Dowling.

“It’s when we perform at our best. You could have said a few years ago that competition in the pack was immense – now it’s immense for forwards and backs. You’ve got all the back-rows playing brilliantly, our front-rows fighting it out and in the backs, we’ve nearly a surplus of two or three players in each position so it’s a great place to be at the minute.

“Still, I wouldn’t like to be the coach trying to pick the team. When everybody is playing so well, it’s not an unenviable position to be in. I suppose it’s great that we’re putting pressure on Tony and the management rather than the other way around.

“The last few months have been tough as I picked up all sorts of frustrating, niggling injuries but now I’m just happy to be getting back into contention. I played 60 minutes of an A match up in Ulster last week and came through but it was an easy job playing behind a pack that was always going forward. I got through a few tackles and carried a few balls.

“It’s great to have the Leinster game just before the Heineken Cup although I suppose you can’t call it a warm-up, given the rivalry between the sides. Last year’s semi-final defeat was tough to deal with but all credit to Leinster, they were the better side on the day. Whatever happens at the weekend doesn’t take anything away from that result last year. We’re all professional sportsmen and don’t need to draw on that result for motivation.

“Winning the Heineken Cup has probably given Leinster the self belief to go on and grind out wins in games they might have lost a few years ago.”

Australian Paul Warwick has been one of the most reliable members of the squad over the past few years and turned in some superb performances at full-back, most notably in a great away win over Sale around this time last year.

Frustratingly, however, things haven’t worked out for the best for Warwick in recent times

“It’s been tough to have to sit there and watch, especially now that there’s such competition for places in the backs,” he concedes. “It’s unfortunate but injuries happen.”

Warwick acknowledges tomorrow’s is no ordinary game. “It is probably more physically intense than a normal run of the mill Magners League game. It’s our job and we have to give it our all. In the forwards, I suppose it’s a case of whatever it takes and it can get a bit ugly but I’m sure everything is left on the field.”

Toby Morland was the Chiefs scrum-half in the Super 14 final last May and has lived up to that level of performance in his matches so far with Munster. And he has enjoyed his time in the province as well.

“I have settled in here very well,” he says. “It’s pretty easy to do so with this bunch of guys. I’m still on a short-term contract but I’m actually talking to Shaun (Payne, the team manager) at the moment and fingers crossed that Munster will keep me on.

“It doesn’t matter where you come from, there’s always a derby match. Back where I come from in New Zealand, there are teams you love to play against and it’s pretty obvious this is one for Munster with the excitement building over the past few weeks.”