Bull market ALL THE talk is of Ronan O'Gara being central to the final outcome and of the three Kiwi backs and of the Munster pack. But the Welsh icon Scott Quinnell picks out the tight-head prop John Hayes as the man that could tip the scales in Munster's favour.
"Hayes has been playing the best rugby of his life over the last couple of years," said the former Llanelli player. "He's been one of the most consistent players they've had."
That's Hayes, a player written off as a scrummager years ago.
Deathless words
RICHARD HARRIS: "I would give up all the accolades people have occasionally written and said nice things of my showbiz career to play just once for the senior Munster team. I will never win an Oscar now but even if I did I would swap it instantly for one sip of champagne from the Heineken Cup. Good luck, boys."
Thanks to the Munster Supporters Club again for the late actor's thoughts in 2002 on his beloved team.
Coming as it does from 'A Man Called Horse', who was hanged by the nipples in a tepee in 1970 and then beaten half to death in 'Unforgiven' in 1992 before being suffocated in 'Gladiator' by Joaquin Phoenix in 2000, we say them's our sentiments too.
Wet forecast
GOOD NEWS for the social side of the Munster fan base travelling to Cardiff.
Officials tell us that the turnstiles and bars in the Millennium Stadium will open at 3.30pm on Saturday.
Given kick-off time is 5.30pm that leaves more or less two hours of scoop time, plenty of opportunity to wet the whistle and limber up the vocal chords.
For the record
THE BLAZERED denizens of Huguenot House will be pleased if a capacity crowd turns out for Saturday's final. In 2002 the Munster game against Leicester Tigers drew 74,600. The 2006 meeting of Munster and Biarritz attracted 74,573. Wales's match with France this year attracted 74,609. But the capacity for Saturday is 74,618, which means a record is on the cards.
Fierce abuse of powerhouse
"DONNERS (Donncha O'Callaghan) doesn't play golf because he knows he'd be s**t at it and it would kill him. Even yesterday they threw out a few hurleys and we were messing around on the pitch and he wouldn't hit it around in case he'd be crap at it."
- Paul O'Connell provides on illustration of the pattern of affectionate abuse that helps keep feet on the ground among the Heineken Cup finalists, the target in this instance being his good friend and fellow Munster secondrow O'Callaghan.
Brive history tells a tale
THE NEW Munster coach, whoever he may be, will be aware of the vagaries of rugby and know that is easier to come down the ladder than to go up.
The most tries scored in a final are the four by Brive when they beat Leicester Tigers 28-9 in Cardiff in 1997.
That 19-point difference is also the biggest winning margin in a European Cup final.
Brive, however, have not been mapped in the competition since the 1997-1998 season.
Since then we've had a spread of clubs including such as Pontypridd, Pau, Borders, Treviso and Petrarca Rugby - but no Brive.
The system of qualification via the Magners League is surely a blessing for some.
