John O'Sullivan gets an impartial appraisal of Munster and Castres from former Stade Francais coach John Connolly ahead of their semi-final clash.
John Connolly laughed on learning the nature of the inquiry. The affable Australian and former Queensland Reds coach was an obvious candidate to offer an impartial appraisal of Saturday's Heineken European Cup semi-finalists Munster and Castres, who meet in Beziers.
Connolly's Stade Francais, a team he had coached from July 2000 until the day before yesterday, when he was dismissed by club supremo Max Guazzini, have been inexorably linked with Munster in Europe during the Australian's tenure.
Last year Stade pipped the Irish province 16-15 in a controversial European Cup semi-final during which Munster had a perfectly valid try ruled out because of incompetent officiating. This season it was the French club's turn to suffer the heartache as Munster stormed Stade Jean Bouin last January, emerging with a 16-14 victory.
That defeat was immaterial to Connolly's fate at the club as Guazzini announced at the end of last year that former Springbok coach Nick Mallet would take over at the end of the season. The Australian was appointed to the vacant position at Swansea and his premature departure from Stade Francais is hardly surprising.
When Bernard Laporte left the club to take over as French national coach, the players coached themselves for the remainder of the season, and that is exactly what they will do now that Connolly has gone.
So what of Saturday's tussle? Connolly pointed out: "(Peter) Clohessy will be a loss assuming that he doesn't play. Even if he does, his fitness would have to be a little questionable. I see the forward battle as pivotal to the outcome.
"I would expect Castres to target the Munster scrum and can see the front row of (Mauricio) Reggiardo, (Raphael) Ibanez and the South African (Brent) Moyle trying to exert pressure in the scrums in a bid to control this area both offensively and defensively.
"Munster need to concentrate every time in this area and if they do shouldn't experience too many problems. They were able to handle Sylvain Marconnet and Pieter de Villiers when they played us in the quarter-finals. Castres rely heavily on their back row to establish momentum.
"Munster need to deny Ismaelia Lassissi, Romain Froment and Arnaud Costes, presuming that is the trio chosen, space and time and ideally the ball. Munster need to achieve parity up front to dictate the game.
"They have the stronger back line, more direct and physically harder. Gregor Townsend is a little more flighty and less influential away from home while Norm Berryman is a straight up-and-down man who will always cut back on the inside.
"Munster have excellent halves in Peter Stringer and Ronan O'Gara who can control a game and vary the point of attack. Castres are a little disorganised at the lineout and that is another area in which Munster could attack them."
The onus therefore will be on the Munster pack to lead from the front because, according to Connolly, there isn't too much behind the Castres scrum to frighten the Irish province given reasonably vigilant and organised defence.
"Castres have struggled in the French championship, finishing last in their pool, but I wouldn't read too much into that. They are not a poor side and seem to have the happy knack of lifting their game for European competition.
"I said after Munster beat us last January that I could see them reaching the final but might not have enough to beat Leicester. I have seen nothing to change my mind and provided they take a good attitude into Saturday's game and are competitive up front then I would expect them to win."
