Wallabies win consigned to history as Munster refocus on league duties

FROM hunters to the hunted, Munster’s young giant-killers know precisely the mindset Llanelli’s Scarlets will bring to their top of the table Magners League clash at Musgrave Park tomorrow (5.35 pm).

Veteran Alan Quinlan returns to the Munster line-up to replace Peter O’Mahony, and Barry Murphy is upgraded as coach Tony McGahan keeps faith with a squad that produced heroics in the tour match victory over Australia on Tuesday.

Quinlan missed the Wallaby victory while Murphy came on as a late substitute; his promotion creates a place on the bench for Tom Gleeson, with Doug Howlett resuming his role as Magners League captain in the continued absence of Paul O’Connell.

After Tuesday’s win, all-comers will want to bring Munster down a peg or two, although the experienced Johne Murphy believes the challenge doesn’t put additional pressure on his team.

“Tuesday gave the whole club a massive lift and proved we have the depth required to compete at the highest level,” he insisted. “To win titles you have to be able to rely on your squad and players like Ian Nagle, Billy Holland, Peter O’Mahony and Duncan Williams really proved their worth.

“But it’s back to league duty for the next two weekends and everyone who played on Tuesday night will be dying to get another chance to wear the jersey. That desire is great and in my experience, if you can pick up points during the November and Six Nations international windows, when many of your top players are away, it goes a long way to helping win titles.”

Quinlan was held back from participation in one of Munster’s greatest nights by injury, but said he was delighted by the final outcome.

“Hats off to the lads — they were superb but now we have to back it up. That win can never be taken away, but the business end of what we’re about is on Sunday and we do need to continue where we left off before the international series started.

“I don’t think Tuesday’s game will hinder that. If anything it has provided a great boost and with the young guys involved, there’s a great buzz about the squad. You could feel that in training — there was an edge you mightn’t have expected just three days after what was a very physical match.

“It was truly a team performance, although the pack did set the tone. The conditions dictated that, but everyone played their part and it’ll have to be a case of more of the same on Sunday. We’ll be facing a Scarlets side who would like nothing better than to knock the gloss off what was achieved this week; therefore the Tuesday result is consigned to history, we have our position in the league to maintain, there are points on offer and that’s the challenge that faces us now.”

After winning their last four games, including two strong performances in the LV=Cup against Leeds and at London Irish, the Scarlets will be looking to maintain their momentum.

The Welsh club has now won eight of 11 matches this season — results that have given the coaching set-up at Parc Y Scarlets something positive to work with ahead of this week’s challenge.

Although they’re without internationals Stephen Jones, Matthew Rees and the new Wales wing star George North, the Scarlets field a strong team with the return of some of their strike players in the back-line including Morgan Stoddart, former All Black centre Regan King and in-form out-half Rhys Priestland.

Scarlets coach Nigel Davies is aware of Munster’s record, but remains hopeful. “We know it’s going to be a difficult place to go and they’ve had a massive result this week. They’ll bring huge intensity, they fight on every inch of the field and they will look to disrupt our game. They will be hard, very physical and we will have to match them in order to be competitive.

“However, that was something I was so encouraged by in our performance last week. We had a young team on the park last weekend and we out muscled a strong, experienced London Irish side to get the win.”