European Cup Final: Matt Williams' analysis
PAUL O'CONNELL v JEROME THION
Having already replaced Martin Johnson as the dominant lock in these islands, Paul O'Connell is on the verge of emulating the great Leicester and English leader. The same unbending mental approach is evident.
And yet, O'Connell's stature is still not recognised in the Southern Hemisphere, but that is mainly down to ignorance. The Lions tour didn't help matters but Australians are isolated by the fact European rugby is available only on cable. The average Australian still knows nothing about Munster rugby.
The only current challenge to O'Connell's ascension to the throne of European locks is Jerome Thion. Both men are colossal but Thion is slightly bigger than Paul, which is saying something. In the semi-final he physically dominated the Bath lock Steve Borthwick at the lineouts, although the Biarritz lifters were also technically excellent. Thion will provide O'Connell with his sternest challenge at the lineout since the Lions series.
Thion is a phenomenal mauler; when he pumps those legs you see 115 kilos of power marauding downfield. In the tackle he splits opponents in two.
Again, like O'Connell, Thion has captained his country, in the absence of Fabien Pelous, though the Springbok captain John Smit fractured his larynx with an elbow smash in the autumn. It was a career-threatening injury yet he was back playing within months.
Though he still lacks the verbal influence of Pelous or O'Connell, his physicality around the field easily compensates.
We'll find out on Saturday whether Thion can match O'Connell in the white heat of battle.
Every honour but the cup
Munster top the charts in almost every aspect of European statistics except, of course, they are not yet in the history books as cup winners alongside Toulouse (three), Leicester (two), Brive, Bath, Ulster, Northampton and Wasps.
Anthony Foley holds a remarkable record, having played in 75 of Munster's 76 cup matches over 11 years. John Hayes moves into second place, alongside Fabien Pelous, on Saturday with 63 appearances.
Ronan O'Gara is miles clear on the points list with 751. Of those still plying their trade only Stephen Jones (550) could potentially catch him.
O'Gara must rack up 29 points in the final to reel in Felipe Contepomi as this season's leading scorer in the competition.
Dafydd James is the competition's top try scorer with 24, for six different clubs, but that man Foley lies second on 22 tries.
Largest attendance for a European game? Some 74,600, mostly Munster people, squeezed into the Millennium Stadium for the defeat to Leicester in the 2002 final.
First-try odds
Biarritz winger Sereli Bobo needs just one more touchdown to draw level with Vincent Clerc and Felipe Contepomi, the competition's joint top try-scorers this season on six.
The Fijian is 10 to 1 to get the game's first touchdown on Saturday but if the Munster maul cranks into gear early, Jerry Flannery (18 to 1) and David Wallace (25 to 1) look tastier bets (Boylesports).
Munster's Sangreal
The Holy Grail analogy has been done to death but one more snippet can't hurt.
Biarritz have become the French version of Munster after defeat to Leinster in the 2003 quarter-final was followed by consecutive last-four exits at the hands of arch-rivals Stade Français and Toulouse.
We probably shouldn't be dipping into Dan Brown territory but the French call the Holy Grail le Sangreal.
If you are not already sick hearing of it, The Da Vinci Code is in cinemas real soon.
