Leinster have class for double bonanza

FAVOURITISM is a role that has rarely suited Irish rugby teams and that’s a reason why Leinster will need to be on their guard as they face two major finals in eight days starting with the Heineken Cup decider against Northampton in Cardiff on Saturday.

A week later, they take on Munster in the Magners League final at Thomond Park with all current indications pointing to a magnificent double for Leo Cullen’s side. 24 hours after a cautious Leinster disposed of Ulster with reasonable comfort in the first Magners semi-final, the Northampton Saints were tumbling to defeat against Leicester in the semi-final of the English Premiership.

Given that Leinster saw off Leicester in the Heineken Cup quarter-final in convincing fashion, that clearly suggests there should only be one result in the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.

Much the same seems to apply to the Magners clash a week later.

Munster did account for the under achieving Ospreys in the second semi-final without undue difficulty but failed to lift their level of performance above what they had produced in losing recent big games against the likes of Toulon and Harlequins.

However, coach Joe Schmidt and experienced campaigners like Cullen and Brian O’Driscoll know only too well that expectation is one thing and achievement is another altogether.

Just as Schmidt whipped key players out of the game against Ulster, it is difficult to escape the feeling that Northampton had one eye on the Heineken decider and were vulnerable to a highly-motivated Leicester side playing in front of their own fans.

You suspect the Saints will be a totally different team against Leinster.

This is their last chance of silverware and the Heineken Cup has been the target for director of rugby Jim Mallinder all year.

They are noted mostly for a powerful scrum in which the massive Soane Tonga’auiha will be a major figure while two of our forgotten men, centre James Downey and back-row Roger Wilson have points to prove.

While Downey was never rated during his stints with Munster and Leinster, he has held down a place in a successful Northampton side over the past two years, something you might have expected to earn him recognition from Declan Kidney.

Even though they face a serious test of their mental and physical capacity in a game certain to contain countless bone crushing collisions, it is difficult to see Leinster denied.

Props Mike Ross and Cian Healy (and his second-half replacement Heinke Van Der Merwe) have a key role to play but have yet to be found wanting.

Courtney Lawes will surely give Leo Cullen and Nathan Hines plenty to think about in all phases but the Leinster pack with Jamie Heaslip and Sean O’Brien in thundering form should hold the edge.

That being the case, Leinster have the backs to finish off the job.

Isa Nacewa has few peers as an attacking full-back, the experience, class and defensive qualities of Brian O’Driscoll and Gordon D’Arcy in the middle of the park and Jonny Sexton’s generalship and goal-kicking excellence will all be key factors in their favour.

Munster will look at this game and Friday night’s Amlin Challenge Cup final with a deep sense of envy.

While they may contend that they deserve to be involved in one, their performances when they counted suggest otherwise. Instead, they must bide their time for another week and hope they can come up with a performance capable of spoiling Leinster’s end of season bonanza.

Leinster in a final in the last game of the season is some carrot to dangle in front of Paul O’Connell and his players. Assuredly, there will be little need for Munster to close off either end of the Thomond Park stadium for this clash as they did for the visit of the Ospreys at the weekend.

The big question is whether they can find a try or two that might swing the issue in their favour. It’s something they have palpably failed to do in their last seven games against their fiercest rivals and, in spite of Danny Barnes’ well-taken brace against the Ospreys, there was little sign in that game that anybody was capable of making a break.

Tony McGahan has fielded something like 12 centre partnerships throughout the season without being able to settle on any combination. It’s a serious problem area for Munster as they prepare for Leinster’s visit, not least because of the experience and class available in the same area to Joe Schmidt.