Casey Laulala and James Downey are two players who can get the red machine rolling, writes LIAM TOLAND

WHERE WERE you when Munster defeated the All Blacks in 1978 or when Brendan Mullin blocked English fullback Chris Martin’s lame kick to score his first try for Ireland on the day that ended with Michael Kiernan dropping the goal to win the 1985 Triple Crown? Where were you when Serge Blanco scored the try to knock Australia out of RWC 1987? What about when Scotland’s substitute Gary Mackay scored against Bulgaria to put Ireland into Euro ’88?

Then there was Gordon Hamilton’s try in the corner of Lansdowne Road to temporarily scuttle Australia in ’91.. Four years later I witnessed Gary Halpin’s try against the All Blacks in Ellis Park during RWC 1995 and Jonah Lomu’s arrival. There is any amount of Brian O’Driscoll brilliance but his hat-trick in Paris was special. Then followed Croke Park with the visit of England and the Shane Horgan try, like many specials he scored against England. Then there was the Grand Slam and European Cups.

I’ve shared in many extraordinary events and attended most of the above and I can tell you where I sat for every one of those immense encounters. But what a summer I’ve just had with the highlight of all the above being the Olympics where I can tell you where I sat for the 105kg men’s weightlifting final; brilliant.

And when Katie Taylor’s right hand was raised as Olympic champion in the ExCel Arena I was sitting in Section 301, Row 12 and seat 29; unreal, pure class!

But back to rugby!

I attended the IRFU National Coaching Conference in July. The event was aimed at stage 4 and stage 5 head and assistant coaches and had Conor O’Shea, director of rugby of Harlequins, Joe Schmidt, head coach of Leinster, Declan Kidney of Ireland and Italian Francesco Ascione, technical director of FIR, giving amazing insight into their methodologies. It was a great opportunity to benchmark their styles and gain a real understanding of how they approach the stress and strain of professional rugby; a day well spent.

With all that new knowledge to digest, I will turn to our provinces’ progress. Change is the common theme throughout, most notably in Munster and Ulster.

I’ve been picking out subtle and major changes that Rob Penney has brought to Munster. There are quite a few; such as the obvious starting 15. Another is the point of attack off rucks which is now much wider. I have yet to spot a fatty picking aimlessly around the fringe at ruck time where there is a clear change in policy in what is the expected role of the arriving support runners to the breakdown. This starts with the ball carrier and in Casey Laulala and James Downey they have two players who can get the red machine rolling forward.

Their team-mates are already acutely aware of their advantage and are using them and their offloads to further enhance the pace and width of the ball. Last year a similar Downey break would have resulted in a forward picking and gaining three feet around the fringe; slowing the ball and neutralising the attack.

Now the support runners are running lines off them in anticipation of the offload and the spare fatties are heading to where the ball may end up, such as out in the centre. Add to this the first back receiver has lively forward options in wide field spots. Dead plays around the fringe are now an emergency only option.

Time and again in Thomond Park last week the forwards aimed to be in advantageous support positions wider than ever before.

This takes time and comfort and an understanding that errors will occur before it can be successful in the higher octane environment of the Heineken Cup; but it’s a great start. On top of his several great steals on the deck against Treviso (a noted breakdown team) winning vital penalties for his team, Damien Varley ignored the rumble and passed from the base to a wide receiver. A Varley steal provided the penalty resulting in Doug Howlett’s opening try.

They are also much more ambitious inside their 22, using the full width of the pitch.

I recall Thomond Park for Ulster’s Heineken Cup visit and still wonder why Munster didn’t target the obvious defensive weakness in Ian Humphreys’ game. Already this season they have spotted weaknesses and in particular Downey and Laulala are lining up to exploit them.

On the other side of positive is the confusion in backline defence due to new personnel. Munster’s midfield will have far greater tests awaiting them than Edinburgh and Treviso and although I would never volunteer to run into either Munster centre it will be very interesting to see how their feet live up to real dancing attackers living on the gain line.

Others will attempt to exploit the new combinations such as Edinburgh’s Nick de Luca’s hard line inside Laulala’s shoulder. Downey was fixed and poor realignment from Laulala resulting from poor communication under time pressure allowed de Luca through. Edinburgh’s opening try for Tim Visser – with Howlett stepping in on Downey’s man – shows defensive organisation is a work in progress. They have time!

In the meantime Downey sets great targets throughout, which are especially good fun for opensides. It’ll be interesting to see does the Munster backrow add value to these breaks.

Ian Keatley is another growing into his role. He has had a tendency to sit back in attack as he did for the opener in Edinburgh which can slow the great work of his penetrating centres. However, when he hit the line off Laulala’s brilliant break he created the Howlett try by carrying on the line which maximised the time available and Howlett’s run. His growing comfort on the gain line will add hugely to his outside backs.

Understandably, the timing and accuracy of intricate moves were off at times as the intended receiver arrived too early or slightly late or slightly out of position but all this will improve; check out Leinster Under-20s v Munster this evening.

Finally the concussion debate rages. Laulala’s hit on de Luca resulted in what looked very much like concussion but he was allowed to stay on the pitch after medical examination before eventually coming off. Was he concussed – and if so why was he allowed to continue?

PS. Had a scud missile landed in the Stillorgan Park Hotel on July 28th Irish rugby would have been set back 50 years!