MUNSTER COACH Tony McGahan said securing a home quarter-final win is vital and he was hopeful they would achieve that against Northampton Saints on Saturday. A Munster win would guarantee a quarter-final date at Thomond Park in April and McGahan said that is more than enough incentive heading to Milton Keynes.
“I think it is vital. I don’t know the exact stats but I think there is an exceptionally high percentage of home sides going through,” said McGahan. “Nevertheless Munster have won a couple of quarter-finals away from home and progressed through there as well. We would love the opportunity to play a quarter-final at home. We recognise the benefits not only to our supporters but commercially and to the club and to the city as well.
“We’ve had two quarter-finals in the last three years and we understand the benefit and the buzz it gives and the familiarity of preparing in your own home town, getting all those things. That is certainly on the table for us this weekend,” said McGahan.
But Munster’s chronic injury woes look set to get worse with flanker Niall Ronan going to see a specialist today amid growing fears his season is over after it was confirmed he has a cruciate knee injury. The extent of the injury will be established today.
McGagan said: “He will see a specialist and we will have clear information on the injury. We want to make sure the news that comes out is clear and definite. It is the cruciate in his right knee. We are deeply saddened for Niall . . . He has played exceptionally well and has been making his mark in the Heineken Cup.”
The Munster coach, who is without Jerry Flannery, Denis Leamy, David Wallace, Felix Jones and Doug Howlett through injury, said they would not be dwelling on their injury woes. “We have to get on with it, that’s the nature of it. I think we have done that exceptionally well this year.”
McGahan, who has transformed his side over the past season, said injuries had also presented new players with the chance to stake a claim. “Each player who has come in has stepped up to the mark and made their point when the opportunity presented and whoever comes in this weekend will do that as well. We have three recognised sevens in the squad out for this weekend but there is a lot of flexibility across the backrows these days.
“We have been backing a lot of our young guys for some time now and they are getting their time and they are hungry, and whoever comes in will get the job done,” said McGahan.
With David Wallace not expected to resume full training until March, McGahan said that the third seven in the squad, Tommy O’Donnell, would be back next month from a knee injury and it presented the 24-year-old Tipperary native with the chance to add to his 24 appearances.
Weekend Fixtures(all Irish time)
Friday
Heineken Cup – Connacht v Harlequins, The Sportsground, 8pm; Gloucester v Toulouse, Kingsholm, 8pm. British and Irish Cup – Ulster Ravens v Munster A, Ravenhill, 6.30pm.
Saturday
Heineken Cup – Bath v Glasgow, The Recreation Ground, 1.30pm; Leinster v Montpellier, RDS, 1.30pm; Leicester v Aironi, Welford Road, 3.40pm; Clermont Auvergne v Ulster, Stade Marcel Michelin, 3.40pm; Northampton v Munster, Stadium mk, 6pm; Castres Olympique v Scarlets, Stade Pierre Antoine, 6pm.
Sunday
Heineken Cup – Treviso v Saracens, Stadio Comunale di Monigo, 1pm; Biarritz v Ospreys, Parc des Sports Aguilera, 1pm; Cardiff Blues v Racing Metro, Cardiff City Stadium, 3.15pm; Edinburgh v London Irish, Murrayfield 3.15pm; British and Irish Cup – Leinster A v Pontypridd, Donnybrook, 2pm.
