MUNSTER AND Ireland outhalf Ronan O’Gara has subtly shifted the burden of expectation to Ospreys’ shoulders ahead of Sunday’s Heineken Cup quarter-final at Thomond Park. Fresh from his man-of-the-match accolade in his side’s victory over Leinster at the Limerick venue, O’Gara maintained the Welsh side would occupy the psychological high ground at the weekend.
He ventured: “They’ll have the upper hand psychologically, because they’re wounded! You can’t really replicate that, and we know because we’ve been on that side of the fence so many times. They’ll be very dangerous because of the quality of players they have. If we’re not at the pitch we need to be we’ll be beaten.”
O’Gara is too astute to linger on Munster’s victory over Leinster although his assertion that “obviously the boys are thrilled because it was a big result for us,” underlines the importance of a win that puts them in the box seat in trying to win the Magners League. He added: “I think the boys have some great ideas about how to play the game and this team is really buying into it. We are posing threats all over the park and we’re keeping the opposition guessing.”
Ospreys’ stand-in coach Sean Holley is adamant Scott Johnson won’t have an active role in the preparation of the Welsh side ahead of their clash with Munster. The Australian was an assistant coach with Wales and the Wallabies, took the head coach remit with the USA before becoming director of rugby at the Ospreys.
Although this weekend’s Heineken Cup quarter-finals comprise teams from Ireland, England, Wales and France, it is really a global affair when considering the nationalities represented by players competing, as the list below demonstrates.
ARGENTINA:Gonzalo Tiesi (Harlequins), Marcos Ayerza (Leicester Tigers), Felipe Contepomi (Leinster), Patricio Albacete, Alberto Vernet Basualdo (Toulouse).
AUSTRALIA:Justin Harrison (Bath), Chris Whitaker, Rocky Elsom (Leinster).
COOK ISLANDS:Stan Wright (Leinster).
FIJI:Waisea Luveniyali (Harlequins), Seru Rabeni (Leicester), Isa Nacewa (Leinster), Maleli Kunavore (Toulouse).
ITALY:Martin Castrogiovanni (Leicester Tigers), Federico Pucciarello (Munster), Salvatore Perugini (Toulouse).
NEW ZEALAND:Joe Maddock (Bath), Paul Tito, Xavier Rush, Ben Blair (Cardiff Blues), Nick Evans (Harlequins), Scott Hamilton, Ben Herring, Aaron Mauger, (Leicester Tigers), Cameron Jowitt (Leinster), Doug Howlett, Lifeimi Mafi, Rua Tipoki (Munster), Byron Kelleher (Toulouse).
ROMANIA:Paulica Ion (Bath).
SAMOA:Tani Fuga (Harlequins), Eliota Fuimano, Jonny La'amatuainu (Bath), Steve So'oialo (Harlequins), Alesana Tuilagi (Leicester).
SOUTH AFRICA:Michael Claassens, Butch James (Bath), Gary Botha, De Wet Barry (Harlequins), Derick Hougaard, Marco Wentzel (Leicester), CJ van der Linde (Leinster), Gaffie du Toit, Daan Human, Shawn Sowerby (Toulouse).
TONGA:Faao Filise (Cardiff Blues), Epi Taione (Harlequins), Finau Maka (Toulouse).
