RUGBY:Last-gasp wins see aura of invincibility in Europe returning to belligerent Munster pack, writes GAVIN CUMMISKEY
THE MUNSTER coaching ticket made a decision four weeks ago that seems to have paid off handsomely.
With Leinster and Ulster easing their Irish contingent back into the fold, Tony McGahan took the opposite route by selecting Keith Earls, Ronan O’Gara, Conor Murray, Donnacha Ryan, Paul O’Connell and Denis Leamy for the October 28th fixture against Aironi. Donncha O’Callaghan was launched off the bench that night.
Leinster still beat them a week later in the annual Heineken Cup warm-up but Ronan O’Gara’s heroic drop goals at home to Northampton and away to Castres delivered hugely satisfying victories.
These heart-stopping, injury-time interventions by O’Gara have also perpetuated the Munster aura of invincibility in Europe; so important considering last season’s failure to reach the knockout stages. “Winning the last two games was something that is just within the team – you can’t coach that,” said Anthony Foley yesterday.
If anyone should know about this ingrained belligerence, it is the current forwards coach who lifted the Heineken Cup in 2005.
“They are just not willing to give up or lay down,” Foley continued before changing tack: “You also have to take into account that we are only four weeks into our season. That’s how long the World Cup fellas have been back with us so it is still pretty early in the mix to be slick at the moment.
“But we must always possess the mental capacity to fight. With back-to-back games against the Scarlets [in December], there is another interesting four weeks coming up.”
The Scarlets floored Northampton Saints at Franklins Garden last Friday night. The bonus-point victory damaged Northampton coach Jim Mallinder’s candidacy for the vacant England job and almost certainly ruined the club’s European aspirations.
Foley’s brief is to evolve an already greatly respected forward tradition in Munster. Paul O’Connell will ensure the lineout functions but Foley’s promotion appears to have led to a greater emphasis on the maul.
The scrum is also expected to become a serious weapon once Springbok signing BJ Botha is permitted to do what he does best.
“The scrum was a bit messy against Castres because I don’t think either team got to grips with referee Wayne Barnes’s interpretation. It became a bit of a lottery. Obviously the way Northampton scrummage has been highlighted. They’ve such a big scrum, they try use that as a dominant force and try to bully referees into believing their scrummaging is legal.
“Our scrum will give us go-forward ball. BJ is BJ. He demanded certain things off the people around him and he is a good with the young fellas. He can leave a big footprint in Munster in terms of scrummaging.”
Interestingly, the starting pack that held sway with the Saints and Castres is unrecognisable from previous campaigns. Alan Quinlan retired and David Wallace is injured, while Donncha O’Callaghan and Denis Leamy have been confined to second-half impact roles. Granted, both internationals have been ultra-aggressive, Leamy in particular, when coming into extremely hectic environments these past two weekends.
“It’s not ideal because Denis is a quality player. You want to get everybody on the pitch. There are hard selection decisions to be made. The good thing for us has been the impact of our bench.”
The positive viewpoint for Donnacha Ryan and the current backrow of Peter O’Mahony, Niall Ronan and James Coughlan is they know they have earned their place.
That O’Mahony is making a name for himself in a position littered with quality Irish players (see Seán O’Brien and Stephen Ferris) is some compliment. O’Mahony took his try well on Saturday before being knocked out by a Castres knee.
“Yeah, Peter is a good lad. He is a leader within the group even though he is only 22 years of age. He is respected.” Will he be fit to face Edinburgh this Saturday? “He’ll be grand; he just needs to improve his tackle technique.”
To hurt the Scarlets, particularly in Llanelli, will require more than set-piece dominance and O’Gara magic. Keith Earls wrecking his knee in the first minute against Leinster at the Aviva was a cruel blow, while Danny Barnes’s stint at outside centre was halted after 43 minutes against Castres.
Australian Will Chambers looks set to fill the number 13 jersey, leaving the international debate for that position between Leinster, Ulster and Tommy Bowe.
“We’re getting into spots – it’s just about getting the passes away now. We’re two weeks into a level of rugby that is a bit above the Pro 12 at the moment. It just takes a while for fellas to adjust to that. Hopefully by the end of the group stages we are a bit slicker in what we’re doing. You don’t want to be the finished article in November. You want to keep up the progress report to see where you can go. If we get to the end of May in good shape, if we get there, that’s the idea.”
