RUGBY:MUNSTER MUST try and ensure this final Heineken Cup pool match focuses on the future rather than wallowing in the shortcomings of last weekend. A remarkable sequence was sundered in Toulon as the Irish province failed to make the quarter-finals for the first time in 13 years.
What will grate is not the defeat but the manner of it. Munster were dominated physically, bossed in the collisions and racked by ill-discipline. Their patterns were untidy, the back play lateral and pedestrian and it was only in the final throes, when the game had long ceased to be a contest, they discovered rhythm, continuity and fluency.
How much is attributable to the raft of replacements on both sides and a Toulon team idling towards the final whistle is a moot point. This afternoon will tell the aberration in France; the dross for much of the performance or the character and pride they discovered in the endgame.
In previous seasons, in seminal matches, Munster always turned up. Whether winning or losing they invariably produced a performance. The last seven days will really have hurt the players and management team. Opinions were plentiful, remedies too, delivered with the assurance of hindsight: the call for swingeing changes will have been heard in every nook and cranny.
Honesty and integrity are cherished values amongst the players and would have been a starting point in addressing the shortcomings. Coach Tony McGahan has elected to make five changes, some enforced but one or two as a response to the shortcomings of the performance in France.
Johne Murphy moves to fullback in the absence of Paul Warwick, who may be still trying to unscramble his senses following last week’s blow to the head. Denis Hurley is restored to the wing, while Lifeimi Mafi replaces Sam Tuitupou in the centre.
Ireland coach Declan Kidney may prefer Peter Stringer to Tomás O’Leary at present but McGahan has chosen to flip over their assignments from last weekend, with O’Leary handed the number nine jersey. It may be an indication the home side intend to be a great deal more physical in tone this week.
Donncha O’Callaghan’s demotion to the bench may have a correlation with the circumstances in which he received the yellow card last week. Mick O’Driscoll’s form has been good of late, when he’s had the opportunity, and this afternoon provides the vehicle to reinforce that assertion.
The backrow has received a makeover with Niall Ronan named at openside, David Wallace switching flanks and James Coughlan dropping to the bench.
London Irish are without several first-choice players for a variety of reasons. Former Irish international secondrow Bob Casey was due to start but suffered a knee injury in training on Thursday and much to his disappointment, was ruled out. The gifted Delon Armitage was slapped with an eight-week suspension for shoving a drug testing official after a league game against Bath game.
Topsy Ojo moves to fullback, Adam Thompstone comes onto the right wing, while the Japan-bound Seilala Mapusua will again captain the Exiles. Dan Bowden and Darren Allinson are preferred at halfback to Ryan Lamb and Paul Hodgson. There is no Casey, Clarke Dermody or Steffon Armitage up front.
London Irish won for the first time in 11 matches against the Ospreys last week and would dearly love to sustain the momentum. Coach Toby Booth admitted: “The win against the Ospreys was fantastic; we worked hard and earned a result. We are under no illusions about the task ahead of us. Munster is an extremely well-resourced side and we expect it to be tough. The squad has prepared hard this week and we will fight tooth and nail to get a victory.”
Munster will have other thoughts. It’s unlikely they will regard a place in the Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-finals with a kind of sniffy hauteur that some suggested for a variety of reasons: European ranking points can be accumulated and there is also an opportunity to win a trophy that no other Irish side has managed.
The tournament may also allow McGahan to make a value judgment on a player or two along the way. The next chapter in Munster’s book of European rugby folklore will be penned today. They’ll be looking for a happy ending or perhaps more appositely a bright beginning.
MUNSTER: J Murphy; D Howlett, K Earls, L Mafi, Denis Hurley; R O’Gara, T O’Leary; W du Preez, D Varley, J Hayes; M O’Driscoll, P O’Connell; D Wallace, N Ronan, D Leamy (capt). Replacements: M Sherry, Darragh Hurley, T Buckley, D O’Callaghan, J Coughlan, P Stringer, S Deasy, T Gleeson.
LONDON IRISH: T Ojo; A Thompstone, E Seveali’i, S Mapusua (capt), S Tagicakibau; D Bowden, D Allinson; A Corbisiero, J Buckland, F Rautenbach; N Kennedy, M Garvey; G Stowers, J Gibson, C Hala’ufia. Replacements: B Blaney, D Murphy, P Ion, R Thorpe, K Roche, M Watson, R Lamb, P Hodgson.
Referee: Peter Allan (Scotland).
Verdict: Munster to win.
