McGahan boosted by return of the big guns

DESPITE Saturday’s defeat by Ulster, Tony McGahan has good reason to be satisfied at the way the first half of Munster’s season has progressed.

However, he faces some tricky decisions in the coming weeks as his side prepare for key matches in the Magners League and Heineken Cup.

Having complied with the IRFU edict of resting his senior international players in recent weeks, it looks certain that the big guns will be back in action for the league clash with the Scarlets at Musgrave Park on Sunday (5pm).

It’s a game Munster badly need to win if they are to maintain their bid for a place in the knock-out stages. The defeat by Ulster at Ravenhill on Saturday was a setback but little more than that. The visitors emerged with a bonus point after fielding a second-class forward pack and remain in fourth place in the table.

However, the coach was left with plenty to ponder on, not least how best to fill number eight berth vacated by the injured Denis Leamy. The situation in the middle of the back-row has been worsened by the medial ligament injury to Nick Williams that will sideline him for up to six weeks.

The consensus seems to favour moving David Wallace from the open side flank with Niall Ronan taking over at number seven. Wallace is no stranger to the number eight position and Ronan has also served the cause well in similar circumstances.

However, there are other options. James Coughlan put his hand up with a fine performance at Ravenhill and could be used as a direct replacement for Leamy. Of the many fine young back-row forwards in contention, Tommy O’Donnell and Billy Holland are the front runners while Peter O’Mahony, who came in as a sub at Ravenhill, is another with a big future but whose time hasn’t arrived just yet.

Consideration may also be given to Donnacha Ryan who had arguably his best game of the season against Ulster. The 6ft 6inch Tipperary man is essentially a second-row who has had to accept a slightly secondary role because of the status of Paul O’Connell, Donncha O’Callaghan and Mick O’Driscoll. He has been largely used in the Heineken Cup as a replacement in the final quarter for Alan Quinlan at number six. But Ryan has the physique and the footballing skills to make a success of the number eight position. After the difficulties experienced by the scrummage at Ravenhill, there will be widespread relief throughout the Red Army that John Hayes is fit and well and that Jerry Flannery and Marcus Horan may be available for the Heineken Cup game at Treviso on Saturday week.

Tony Buckley took the brunt of the criticism for the set piece failings against Ulster and he and Wian du Preez certainly suffered against Tom Court and BJ Botha. Court’s close-range work appears to have improved out of all recognition and to such an extent that he could well emerge as a challenger to Horan and Cian Healy in the Six Nations Championship next month. On top of that, Botha is recognised as one of the most destructive scrummagers in the game so that excuses Saturday’s shortcomings to some extent. Furthermore, even the most formidable of front-row practitioners will struggle if those around them aren’t lending the necessary support so perhaps the entire Munster pack at Ravenhill should be examining their contributions.

Sorting out the front and back rows of the scrum aren’t the only issues confronting McGahan. He must also decide on how best to use the considerable potential available to him in the three-quarter line where Doug Howlett, Jean de Villiers, Lifeimi Mafi, Keith Earls, Ian Dowling and Denis Hurley are all in contention for the four places. That’s some array of talent and while it does pose a selection problem for McGahan, it’s the kind any coach would relish. WhetherMcGahan comes up with a solution that will satisfy all Munster followers is another matter altogether!

The coach’s initial reaction will become apparent tomorrow when he announces his preliminary squad for Sunday’s clash with the Scarlets. Horan will be given some game time either then or in Shannon’s AIL visit to St Mary’s College on the previous day with a view to having him available for the European matches over the following fortnight against Treviso and Northampton. Whether Flannery can meet that schedule or not remains in some doubt although Denis Fogarty and Damien Varley are doing nicely in his absence.