You could just feel Munster all over you, says Puma captain

Argentine captain Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe has been sharing his experience of facing Munster in the Heineken Cup with his Toulon teammates and leaving them in no doubt about the threat they face in Marseille on Sunday.

The 32-year old flanker had his first experience of Heineken Cup rugby, when he was with Sale Sharks, fairly dampened by a Munster side who turned them over home and away.

And the vastly experience Puma, who has signed a new three year contract with Toulon, said the chastening experience of playing the Irish province in the 2008-09 will stay with him for a long time.

“I remember going there with Sale and it was my first experience of the Heineken Cup and we lost at home and away. The away game was something special, you could feel just Munster all over you.

“They played with a lot of passion, they just love the European competition and it’s going to be hard for us on Sunday.”

Fernandez Lobbe said that Toulon came of age in the Heineken Cup when they played Munster three seasons ago, with the home side coming out on top in the two games.

“It was the first time Toulon starting loving this Heineken Cup, because it was a great atmosphere and a great game.”

He is more than familiar with a lot of Munster players having made his international debut as far back as 2004 and he has been impressed by the way they have rebuilt their side.

“I think they’re a very, very good team. They handled the transition of some players that we used to always see in the red jersey (very well), everyone that came in bought straight away into the culture.

“We can see the way they play, the culture they have and it’s going to be very, very tough. It’s going to be tough up front, we know it’s going to be tough in the backs because they play a complete game. I think they’re playing very well, it’s going to be a big battle. It’s always like to be like that on a semi-final and we just want to win it,” said Lobbe, who took over as captain of Argentina from Felipe Contepomi.

A former English Premiership winner with Sharks, Lobbe said Toulon are coping with their bid to become the first side to win the Heineken Cup and the Top 14. But he stressed they are not driven by that goal and that after Sunday’s Heineken Cup showdown in Marseille, they will again turn their attention to the Top 14 where they are attempting to lift the crown for the first time since 1992 having been beaten in the last two finals.

“It’s honestly not in our heads about winning the two. We just want to enjoy every game. We are lucky enough to be playing another semi-final, we are lucky to be playing at home so we just want to enjoy it and hopefully win.

“But we know Munster love the Heineken Cup and there’s a lot of respect for Munster and there will be a superb atmosphere on Sunday. It’s a very nice stadium it’s been remade so it’s a bigger stadium now and we know there’s going to be a lot of supporters.

“Of course there’s going to be a lot of Munster people because maybe they’re the best travelling supporters. But the important thing is what happens on the pitch.”