Munster's triumphant return to Thomond Park this evening saw them easily see off Cardiff, and complete an Irish 1-2-3 in the Celtic League. Ulster claimed the title yesterday evening with a 19-17 over the Ospreys in Wales, while Leinster consolidated their runners-up spot in beating Edinburgh 31-8 at Murrayfield.
What with Munster winning the Heineken Cup, these should be great times for Irish rugby. But will they translate to the national side?
What with Munster winning the Heineken Cup, these should be great times for Irish rugby. But will they translate to the national side?
This little beauty from Barry Murphy, in the Munster v. Sale match.
Here I am, sitting in the lobby of a hotel in Jerez de la Frontera, the sun splitting the stones outside. Meanwhile in Cardiff, it's 35 minutes to kick-off. My stomach is in knots.
I have no doubts about the ability of this Munster team. I believe that they will win the Heineken Cup today. I won't be able to see it, but I'll get the first 30 minutes or so from RTÉ Radio on the internet, before I have to head for Seville Airport and the journey home.
My wife (in Dublin) and her brother-in-law (in Cardiff) are both texting me regularly, so I will have plenty of updates when I'm en route.
COME ON MUNSTER!!!!!!!!!!!
I have no doubts about the ability of this Munster team. I believe that they will win the Heineken Cup today. I won't be able to see it, but I'll get the first 30 minutes or so from RTÉ Radio on the internet, before I have to head for Seville Airport and the journey home.
My wife (in Dublin) and her brother-in-law (in Cardiff) are both texting me regularly, so I will have plenty of updates when I'm en route.
COME ON MUNSTER!!!!!!!!!!!
I know that one should never count one's chickens before they are hatched, and the pride comes before a fall and all that. However, sometimes you have to just say what you think.
I'm confident that Munster will win the Heineken Cup next weekend, (my jinx notwithstanding.)
Now on paper, both Munster and Biarritz are pretty close. If anything, Munster probably have a small advantage in the forwards, and Biarritz a corresponding edge in the backs. The Tribune did a detailed analysis of both teams in its 24-page special supplement today, and both teams came out even-stevens.
Here's why I think Munster will win:
1.Preparation
Declan Kidney is a master tactician. He gives nothing away while absorbing everything about his opponent. He identifies the main threat, and works out how to neutralise him early. When Munster came up against Sale in Thomond Park, we all were told that Sebastian Chabal & co were going to put Munster's pack to shame. What happened? Chabal caught a ball, and at the same time Paul O'Connell caught Chabal and drove him back about 20 metres. Job done. Similarly, before Munster v.Leinster, Felipe Contepomi was going to make fools of Munster. Instead, Denis Leamy reduced the Argentinian to a quivering wreck who couldn't hit a fat cow's arse with a banjo. Dmitri Yachvilli had better be clutching his teddy bear tightly on Friday night, because he won't be shown much love on Saturday.
2. Mental Attitude
As I said, on paper, the two teams are well matched. However, what really matters is up here (taps temple with forefinger.) Munster have been here before, twice. And both times before they left the title behind. After the semi-final win over Leinster they refrained from doing a lap of honour for the fans. "We haven't won anything yet" was the reason. They know that the job hasn't yet been done. History records the winners, not the runners-up. Runner-up isn't good enough for Munster.
3. "No-one beats Munster twice"
Munster hold grudges. They hate being beaten, even moreso when they feel that they could have won. They examine the game where they lost, analyse it, parse it, until they learn why they lost. And then they wait. Until they come up against that team again. And they fucking clobber them. Ask Sale, Gloucester and Leicester, all of whom have had their arses kicked on the rebound by Munster. Munster lost to Biarritz in the quarters of the Heineken Cup last season. This will be the first time the teams have met since then.
4. The fans
There is one reason why Munster have a 100% record in Thomond Park in the Heineken Cup - the fans. The silence for the opposing place kicker is much more intimidating than jeers and catcalls. The crowd are right on top of the hooker at lineout time and calls get misheard. But the crowd don't just put the opposition off - they lift the men in red. When they come out to warm up well before the game, everyone is there to cheer them on. When "The Fields" starts up, the whole crowd joins in. (As a man from Connacht, I am particularly proud that Munster fans use this song as their anthem.) Next Saturday, there should be a huge majority of Munster fans in Cardiff. The capacity of the Millenium Stadium is about 77,000. Allow 10,000 for Biarritz and 7-10,000 for neutrals. That means there should be about 60,000 Munster fans there. A sea of red. The Fields ringing around. Thomond comes to Wales.
5. Paul O'Connell
O'Connell has had a phenomenal season, and has established himself as easily the best second-row forward in the world. We all know of his alleged superhuman feats (he presses the earth down when doing press-ups, Superman has Paul O'Connell pyjamas, he sleeps with the light on because the dark is afraid of him, etc.) He is a force of nature in himself. Like Roy Keane, a fellow Munsterman, coming second-best is not enough. He wants Munster to win this Heineken Cup, not just for himself, but for his team mates like John Kelly, John Hayes and Anthony Foley, who after putting everything into their careers, may never have the chance of major honours again. He wants to win it for the legions of fans who break the piggybank every season in their quest for glory. I'd hate to be the poor fucker standing in his way, I really would.
I really don't give a fuck what any rugby commentator more knowledgeable than I says about the technical ability of both teams. Munster want it more than Biarritz. That will be the difference.
I'm confident that Munster will win the Heineken Cup next weekend, (my jinx notwithstanding.)
Now on paper, both Munster and Biarritz are pretty close. If anything, Munster probably have a small advantage in the forwards, and Biarritz a corresponding edge in the backs. The Tribune did a detailed analysis of both teams in its 24-page special supplement today, and both teams came out even-stevens.
Here's why I think Munster will win:
1.Preparation
Declan Kidney is a master tactician. He gives nothing away while absorbing everything about his opponent. He identifies the main threat, and works out how to neutralise him early. When Munster came up against Sale in Thomond Park, we all were told that Sebastian Chabal & co were going to put Munster's pack to shame. What happened? Chabal caught a ball, and at the same time Paul O'Connell caught Chabal and drove him back about 20 metres. Job done. Similarly, before Munster v.Leinster, Felipe Contepomi was going to make fools of Munster. Instead, Denis Leamy reduced the Argentinian to a quivering wreck who couldn't hit a fat cow's arse with a banjo. Dmitri Yachvilli had better be clutching his teddy bear tightly on Friday night, because he won't be shown much love on Saturday.
2. Mental Attitude
As I said, on paper, the two teams are well matched. However, what really matters is up here (taps temple with forefinger.) Munster have been here before, twice. And both times before they left the title behind. After the semi-final win over Leinster they refrained from doing a lap of honour for the fans. "We haven't won anything yet" was the reason. They know that the job hasn't yet been done. History records the winners, not the runners-up. Runner-up isn't good enough for Munster.
3. "No-one beats Munster twice"
Munster hold grudges. They hate being beaten, even moreso when they feel that they could have won. They examine the game where they lost, analyse it, parse it, until they learn why they lost. And then they wait. Until they come up against that team again. And they fucking clobber them. Ask Sale, Gloucester and Leicester, all of whom have had their arses kicked on the rebound by Munster. Munster lost to Biarritz in the quarters of the Heineken Cup last season. This will be the first time the teams have met since then.
4. The fans
There is one reason why Munster have a 100% record in Thomond Park in the Heineken Cup - the fans. The silence for the opposing place kicker is much more intimidating than jeers and catcalls. The crowd are right on top of the hooker at lineout time and calls get misheard. But the crowd don't just put the opposition off - they lift the men in red. When they come out to warm up well before the game, everyone is there to cheer them on. When "The Fields" starts up, the whole crowd joins in. (As a man from Connacht, I am particularly proud that Munster fans use this song as their anthem.) Next Saturday, there should be a huge majority of Munster fans in Cardiff. The capacity of the Millenium Stadium is about 77,000. Allow 10,000 for Biarritz and 7-10,000 for neutrals. That means there should be about 60,000 Munster fans there. A sea of red. The Fields ringing around. Thomond comes to Wales.
5. Paul O'Connell
O'Connell has had a phenomenal season, and has established himself as easily the best second-row forward in the world. We all know of his alleged superhuman feats (he presses the earth down when doing press-ups, Superman has Paul O'Connell pyjamas, he sleeps with the light on because the dark is afraid of him, etc.) He is a force of nature in himself. Like Roy Keane, a fellow Munsterman, coming second-best is not enough. He wants Munster to win this Heineken Cup, not just for himself, but for his team mates like John Kelly, John Hayes and Anthony Foley, who after putting everything into their careers, may never have the chance of major honours again. He wants to win it for the legions of fans who break the piggybank every season in their quest for glory. I'd hate to be the poor fucker standing in his way, I really would.
I really don't give a fuck what any rugby commentator more knowledgeable than I says about the technical ability of both teams. Munster want it more than Biarritz. That will be the difference.
The ERC did itself no favours last Friday, when it emerged that it had breached its own rules regarding the respective nationalities of match referee and the citing commissioner in the case of Benoit August. The Biarritz captain and hooker was cited for a dangerous tackle on Bath's Danny Grewcock in the Heineken Cup semi-final between the two teams on 22 April. Because the referee (Alain Rolland) and the citing commissioner (John West) were both from the IRFU, the case was dismissed.
From the television pictures it looked like a clear case of gouging, as August's fingers clearly made contact with Grewcock's eyes. However, the ERC charged August with "illegal tackling", which carries a maximum penalty of 6 months suspension. (Gouging can earn a player a 2 year suspension.) As a result of all this bungling, August escapes all sanction and is free to play against Munster in the Heineken Cup final on Saturday week.
He better not pull that stunt on any of the Munster boys, or he'll have to be tunnelled out of Cardiff directly back to Biarritz...
From the television pictures it looked like a clear case of gouging, as August's fingers clearly made contact with Grewcock's eyes. However, the ERC charged August with "illegal tackling", which carries a maximum penalty of 6 months suspension. (Gouging can earn a player a 2 year suspension.) As a result of all this bungling, August escapes all sanction and is free to play against Munster in the Heineken Cup final on Saturday week.
He better not pull that stunt on any of the Munster boys, or he'll have to be tunnelled out of Cardiff directly back to Biarritz...