Van Graan: ‘They say ours is a pool of death. They are all pools of death’

Leave the IRFU to the World Cup post-mortem, Irish rugby’s focus is firmly fixed once more on its four proud provinces with the new Heineken Champions Cup campaign now in full view.

That is in itself something to lift the spirits after such a disappointing retreat by the national team from Japan. Yet for all the success achieved in Europe over the last two decades and the fact all four of those provinces will be competing at the top table this time around, the challenges do not get any easier in this, the 25th season of the continent’s premier club competition.

Take Munster’s head coach Johann van Graan. The South African may have led Munster to the most recent couple of their three consecutive Heineken Champions Cup semi-finals but he is not being tempted to consider the possibility of reaching the same stage for the fourth season in a row just yet after seeing his side drawn against defending champions Saracens, Racing 92 and Ospreys in Pool 4.

Van Graan will this Saturday mark the second anniversary of his departure from South Africa’s coaching staff to succeed Rassie Erasmus in the Munster hotseat with a trip to Swansea and an opening fixture against Ospreys at Liberty Stadium. Given the Welsh region’s struggles in the Guinness PRO14, Munster may be thinking they have as comfortable a start to their European campaign as they could wish for. However, the head coach will remain convinced the task of simply getting his side get out of their pool is a tall order, never minding contending at the business end of the competition.

“We’d love to go one step further but for us it’s just about the first game against the Ospreys,” van Graan said last week at the competition’s 2019/20 launch in Cardiff.

“There’s no guarantee you’re going to get out of your pool and we’re in an incredibly difficult pool against Saracens, Racing 92 and Ospreys. There are so many good teams in this competition and you’ve got no right to even get out of your pool. You’ve got to go and earn it over six rounds and that’s our focus starting with Ospreys away.

“We’re in this competition to win so obviously there’s been huge disappointment from our side for not reaching the final, especially in the two European semis.

The Racing one (in Bordeaux in 2018), we came back into it but they were too far ahead, we came back to 27-22 and the Saracens game (in Coventry last April) after 40 minutes was 12-9 and we felt we were in that game.

“All I can say as someone from the southern hemisphere coming into northern hemisphere, I think it’s a phenomenal achievement just to get out of your group… I don’t think people appreciate how difficult it is to even get out of your group.

“I just looked at the groups again. They say our pool is the pool of death, I think every pool is a pool of death, there are 20 fantastic teams and that’s why it’s the Champions Cup, if you win this one, you’re good.”

Munster will travel to Wales this weekend buoyed by their interpro victory over Ulster at Thomond Park on Saturday evening, despite seeing JJ Hanrahan exit with an hamstring injury to join fellow out-half Joey Carbery in the treatment room. While they grapple with the prospect of a tough pool campaign, Dan McFarland’s Ulster face a rigorous examination of their credentials following the retirement of captain Rory Best on Saturday lunchtime when they visit Pool 3 rivals Bath in a schedule that will see them also face Clermont and Harlequins.

Leinster have a home opener against fellow PRO14 side Benetton at the RDS on Saturday afternoon as Leo Cullen’s side begin to reach for a record fifth star, still licking their wounds from last season’s Champions Cup final defeat to Saracens.

The 2018 champions will also have to face French Top14 leaders Lyon and old foes Northampton Saints as they bid for a return to the knockout stages.

Andy Friend’s Connacht have fresher scars to heal following their Galway hammering by Leinster on Friday. They return to the competition for the first time since 2016-17 and open their account on Sunday with a visit from Montpellier to the Sportsground with Toulouse and Gloucester also in Pool 5.

Friend, in his second season with Connacht, has a firm handle on how much the Champions Cup means to the club.

“It is the premier competition in Europe, it is all the top-named sides and now Connacht is up there,” Friend said, “and it gives us a chance as a team and a chance as an individual too, to pit yourself against the best, which is what you want to do in life, isn’t it?

“You’ve got to win your home games. It’s our first one, at the same time every team is looking to win an away game so I have no doubt teams will be looking at Connacht saying we’re going to the Sportsground, that’s a chance for us. We welcome that challenge. We want to be winning our home games and we also want to take a few on the road as well. It’s really important you get off to a good start and we’ll find out on Sunday.”