RUGBY HEINEKEN CUP FINAL POOL GAMES:AFTER PRODUCING what could be termed the utopian performance against Sale Sharks last weekend, Munster will be asking themselves whether they're capable of replicating that five-star, six-try extravaganza tomorrow against Pool One minnows Montauban at Stade de Sapiac.
However, when questions are asked of this group, they usually deliver, but contextualising the build-up to the Sharks match is entirely different to this eminently winnable final pool game.
It’s often cited that Munster need a cause in the lead-in to major European games. And the Sale match was a case in point. With talk of their demise doing the rounds as well as suggestions that Thomond Park was losing its aura, no doubt they must have hung some of that on their pre-match speech and delivered, arguably, their most complete performance in the professional era.
For this game, however, against a plucky Montauban, a home quarter-final is at stake and it’s why a win is crucial in their bid for a last-eight date at Thomond Park.
Surely that’s cause enough.
It was interesting to listen to Marcus Horan saying that because the cold winds of economic recession are biting hard in the province, there’s a steely determination amongst the squad to nail down that home quarter so the fans can walk rather than fly to watch them play next time in Europe.
“I think we owe it to supporters to try to fight for a home quarter-final,” said Horan, “especially in today’s climate. People are having to dig deep and they have dug deep over the last 10-11 years now.
“It’s one thing that is always on players’ minds – if we can help in any way by making people walk to the stadium rather than fly, it will make a huge difference to people,” added Horan.
That the human element is at the front of the players’ mind is refreshing in professional sport and can only be good. Guarding against any complacency is probably one of the most important factors in the build-up to this game as well as the aim to put back-to-back performances together for the first time this season.
Before training on the main pitch at Thomond Park yesterday, Tony McGahan said as much while also stressing how important a home quarter-final would be for the province – though he’s wary of a Montauban side that almost caused the shock of the tournament in the first round when losing just 19-17 to Munster.
“It’s going to be extremely tough because Montauban are an extremely good side at home. Their results have been excellent so far this year: they had a good win (at home) against Sale and they’ll be sticky and they certainly have our number after losing here – maybe (they’ll think) the result could have gone their way.”
With the exception of Rua Tipoki (leg) – expected to return for the Magners League match against Edinburgh on February 21st – and Tony Buckley (flu virus), McGahan can choose from a fully-fit squad and he reiterated yesterday that he’ll be picking his “strongest side”.
The Australian is likely to settle on the same 22 as last week against a side that Paul O’Connell contends plays better at home than away and one that will be keen to get a scalp against the European champions in their final Heineken Cup game this season.
“Montauban have said a lot that they’re ready for us,” warned O’Connell. “They didn’t have the strongest team out against Clermont last week, but they’ve a very good record at home.
“They’ve won their last two home games against Bayonne (15-13) and Biarritz (19-12) and they’ve been playing very well at home this season.” he added of the Pool One minnows, who have lost only three times at their 9,200 capacity Stade de Sapiac this season – to Toulouse and Perpignan (Top 14) and Clermont (Heineken Cup).
“I’ve talked to Prendy (Mike Prendergast) about his time in Bourgoin. He says the French team that plays away from home and the team that plays at home are different.
“It’s the last game of the European Cup for them. The European champions are in town and we’ve no doubt about the level of motivation they’ll have for the game. So it’s important to make sure we’re mentally right ourselves to perform this weekend.”
While O’Connell says there’s always fear going away from home, he says winning in France, in particular, galvanises teams.
“The whole thing that was there under the Declan Kidney era to win in France is maybe gone a little bit less. We’ll take the game for what it is – it’s a massive opportunity for us to give ourselves a home draw and for our supporters not having to dig deeper and deeper into their pockets.”
O’Connell was also at a loss to explain what the French sides have failed to leave their mark on this season’s Heineken Cup campaign. Toulouse suffered a shock home loss to Glasgow last weekend leaving the three-time champions with a mountain to climb to qualify ahead of their final pool game away to Bath on Sunday.
Other heavy-hitters such as Clermont Auvergne, Biarritz and Stade Francais are already out while Perpignan only have a slim chance of qualifying.
“I don’t know – I can’t speak for them. I know the Heineken Cup is a massive competition for the top teams – I know that it is for Stade Francais and Toulouse. I don’t know why they haven’t performed as well,” said the Munster captain.
“Montauban, in retrospect, have done very well. They’ve beaten Sale at home and have come close to beating us in Limerick, so I can’t speak for the French sides.
“They probably haven’t played as well as they would have hoped, but it makes it a more open competition for a lot of the other teams.”
MUNSTER SQUAD (V Montauban):P Warwick, D Hurley, D Howlett, I Dowling, B Murphy, L Mafi, K Earls, R O'Gara, T O'Leary, P Stringer, M Horan, F Pucciariello, J Hayes, J Flannery, D Fogarty, D O'Callaghan, P O'Connell, D Ryan, N Ronan, A Quinlan, D Wallace, D Leamy.
