Tonga’uiha relishing ‘massive’ scrum test

FEW OPPONENTS can claim to have got the better of Northampton’s 22 stone prop Soane Tonga’uiha in the scrum in recent years, but the Samoan admits Leinster’s Mike Ross is in an elite club of one.

Tonga’uiha is the only Saint nominated for the ERC’s player of the season award, and his performances against Ulster and Perpignan in the quarter and semi-finals of the Heineken Cup were brutally effective.

But the 29-year-old admits Ross got the better of him during the Irishman’s three years at Harlequins, giving the Leinster front row an unexpected psychological advantage ahead of tomorrow’s final in Cardiff.

“I saw Mike said he pushed me over at a scrum — well he did do that, and the boys gave me a lot of stick for it,” said Tonga’uiha, whose softly spoken manner belies his robust rugby.

“He was a top opponent then and I’m sure he hasn’t got any easier to play against,” said Tonga’uiha.

“He is Ireland’s number one tighthead and it will be a massive challenge for us. It will be a good match-up.”

And Tonga’uiha has warned Leinster that Northampton’s belief comes from having a dominant set piece and says his side know they have to stifle their opponents at scrum time.

“The success of our scrum comes from working hard for each other,” he added.

“Once we have that dominance in the scrum it spreads out to our whole game and our loose game takes off.

“But the second you go backwards in the scrum you tend to go into your shell.

“We pride ourselves on our set piece, but if we are to get an edge in the scrum, it will take a long time to come. We’re focusing on getting on top of them set-piece wise, especially in the scrum.

“It’s not going to take 40-60 minutes like it’s done in the group stages, quarters or semis, Leinster will stick with us pretty much the whole way.

“If we do get on top of them it won’t be until the last five or 10 minutes.

“And the likes of Sean O’Brien and Jamie Heaslip are great ball carriers in the loose. For us to stop them, we must stop them at source which is the set-piece.

“Once they start getting into forward momentum they get into a pattern where they seem impossible to stop.”

Meanwhile, Jim Mallinder insists Northampton’s exit from the Aviva Premiership title race has invigorated their pursuit of the Heineken Cup.

“We’ve put what happened against Leicester to bed,” said the club’s director of rugby.

“If we were in the Premiership final we’d have more than one thing on our mind.

“But we’ve now only got one thing on our mind and that’s Saturday.

“We’re in good shape. Without doubt it was a physical, intense battle against Leicester. Our defensive performance was outstanding.

“But we’ve got a fit squad and the lads are used to playing every week.

“Watching them train the last couple of days, you wouldn’t think it’s the end of the season or that they’re tired.

“We’re not staggering over the finishing line, instead we’re refreshed and looking forward to the weekend.”