Focus needed after injury blows

PREVIEW: Biarritz v Munster

It wasn’t until the Captain’s Run at Thomond Park yesterday that the bad news emerged that the injuries Howlett and Dowling have been carrying for the past few weeks would again confine them to the sidelines.

Lifeimi Mafi and Denis Hurley were immediately called in as their replacements, with Tom Gleeson joining fellow rookie Scott Deasy on the subs’ bench.

McGahan and his players were left with little choice other than to accept the situation philosophically. If anything, the resolve within this tightly-knit group is greater than ever, with a strongly held view that Munster are fortunate to have two such experienced and thoroughly adequate replacements.

Mafi, of course, is far more at home in the centre where he has played 30 times in the Heineken Cup. Significantly, though, he switched between centre and wing during last week’s Magners League against the Ospreys, and acquitted himself extremely well.

Having lost his place in the starting side for the quarter-final clash with Northampton, it looked as if the 27-year-old Tongan was out to make a case for inclusion this time round. Now that it has happened for him, few would be surprised if he turned out to be a major surprise package.

It remains to be seen, of course, whether he has enough pace for the wing. That’s a question mark that hangs even more so over Denis Hurley, given that his opposite number is Takudzwa Ngwenya, probably the fastest thing on two feet in the rugby world.

He is renowned for showing Springbok star Bryan Habana a clean pair of heels in a 2007 World Cup match, and more recently left the equally celebrated Welshman Shane Williams in his wake on the way to scoring a spectacular try in the Heineken quarter-final, won 29-28 by Biarritz.

While he would have a problem – as would most others – dealing with Ngwenya should he be afforded a lot of space, Hurley is by far the better footballer and has the physical and footballing strengths to turn the tables on a rival of limited rugby skills.

It also helps Munster’s cause that they had 48 hours to get over the shock of this double whammy and by kick-off time tomorrow, they will be fully focused on the task in hand. Furthermore, not only are Biarritz without a key man of their own in Traille but have concerns about the fitness of brilliant number eight Imanol Harinordoquy. And even their own supporters are questioning the wisdom of making six changes, one positional, from the side that beat the Ospreys.

New Zealand-born Australian Rugby League star Karmichael Hunt is certainly a surprise choice in the key out-half position. It is regarded by many as a gamble on Isaac’s part for his knowledge of rugby union is quite limited. He did play union for a couple of years as a teenager but his ambition was always to star in league rugby with the Brisbane Broncos. He did so to considerable effect, along with also earning selection on the Australian World Cup side.

Although still only 23, Hunt felt he needed a change last year and duly signed a three year contract reputedly worth three million Australian dollars with the AFL team Gold Coast. He also agreed to join Biarritz on a six-month contract and has impressed Isaac sufficiently to earn selection ahead of French international Julien Peyrelongue.

Hunt partnered the injured Damien Traille in the centre in the win over the Ospreys but now there is a brand new midfield duo in Arnaud Mignardi and Ayoola Erinle. The other change in the back-line sees Jean-Baptiste Gobelet preferred to Ilikena Bolakoro on the left wing. There are two further changes in the pack with Trevor Hall coming in for Manuel Carizza in the second row and former Sale Sharks flanker Magnus Lund replacing Florian Faure on the blindside flank.

While it can be safely assumed that Jack Isaac, Jean-Michel Gonzalez and Laurent Rodriguez know what suits their team best, it isn’t all that easy to see why so many changes were deemed necessary. No doubt it reflects a certain strength in depth in the Biarritz squad, but it also suggests that perhaps even at this late stage of the season, they aren’t entirely sure as to their best team.

Biarritz Olympique Pays Basque is the full name of the club which prides itself on representing the Basque country although interestingly no fewer than six countries (France, USA, Samoa, Australia, South Africa and England) are represented in tomorrow’s starting line-up.

Apart from Harinordoquy, they also have potential match winners in Ngwenya and scrum-half and goal-kicker Dimitri Yachvili, while they have such an array of talent at their disposal that they could leave a powerful prop like Fabien Barcella and a host of other internationals on the bench.

Biarritz have beaten Munster in San Sebastian before and believe they can do so again. But they acknowledge the threat presented by Ronan O’Gara’s educated boot, the power of Jean de Villiers and Tomás O‘Leary, the skill of Paul Warwick,the speed of Keith Earls, the trickery of Mafi and the quality and commitment of the most experienced pack of forwards in the competition.

O’Gara’s performance will be crucial. The acting captain carries yet another massive burden of responsibility in the Estadio Anoeta tomorrow.

It’s nothing new to him, however, and while it is sure to be edge-of-the-seat stuff for the entire 80 minutes, I believe he will lead his team to another famous victory.