Gatland: Munster glory days are over

WALES coach Warren Gatland believes that Munster’s decade-long European odyssey is at an end.

“I’ve the impression that Munster are at the end of their cycle,” Gatland told French paper Midi Olympique after Tony McGahan’s side were defeated by Biarritz in Sunday’s Heineken Cup semi-final.

“Ten players in their squad are over the age of 30. (San Sebastian) was their swansong.”

Gatland said he had been impressed with the second-half performance of the Biarritz side but pinpointed the introduction of Biarritz fly-half Julien Peyrelongue as game-changing.

“The arrival of Peyrelongue changed everything,” he added. “He put the Irish under pressure with his kicks. In the end Munster couldn’t stay happy just defending and were exposed.”

Gatland claimed that both Ireland and Wales had huge problems in relation to scrummaging.

“Celtic rugby has huge problems in this area of play. In Wales and Ireland, you never have a young guy dreaming of becoming a great scrummager. It’s just not part of the culture. We try and work on this area of play but it’s not (the players’) natural way.”

Midi Olympique’s cartoon inside its front page summed up the French reaction to what was an intensely disappointing weekend for those who follow Irish rugby. The image of Leinster, Munster and Connacht players being steamrolled by a French tricolour was not a nice one for Irish supporters yet there was a harsh truth.

The paper reported that an estimated 11,000 Irish supporters made the trip to the south of France and northern Spain last weekend.

The 5,000 Munster supporters and 6,000 Leinster fans could have boosted the French economy by as much as €5m, the paper reported.

Meanwhile Biarritz captain Dimitri Yachvili felt his side dominated Munster “mentally and physically” in San Sebastian. The scrum-half, who kicked all his side’s points in the 18-7 win, said the Basque players had promised to give “everything” for the 80 minutes.

“It’s a huge feeling of joy, of recognition for the group, who have shown so much solidarity, heart and loyalty.

“We promised to give everything for the 80 minutes. That was what kept us going physically in the second half, but in my opinion we dominated the Munster players mentally and physically. I’m proud to be part of this team.”

Yachvili denied that there had been any huge change of tactical approach from Biarritz at half-time, when they were 7-6 down, though he acknowledged that his players’ performance improved in the second half.

“Nothing was changed. We were told that we were not getting forward enough, that we weren’t taking the game to the opposition and that the Irish side were waiting for us.

“At the end of the first half we began to get on the front foot a little more, to be more precise in our play, and in the second half our play was a little more open again.”