RUGBY: HEINEKEN CUPAN ALL-IRISH Heineken Cup final on May 19th at Twickenham remains a distinct possibility, though perhaps not the pairing that was generally expected.
On a seismic day, Thomond Park fairly shook, alright, as Ulster became only the second side in 44 attempts in Europe’s blue riband event to down Munster at their citadel when a stunning 19-point salvo in the opening 33 minutes was the springboard for a 22-16 win.
Their reward is a “home” semi-final in the Aviva Stadium against Edinburgh.
That will take place on Saturday, April 28th at 5.45pm, and sporting fate invariably decreed Joe Schmidt would take his Leinster charges to France for a semi-final against his former employers Clermont in Bordeaux’s Stade Chaban-Delmas (capacity 34,000) the next day, Sunday April 29th, at 4pm local time.
Clermont, in their centenary year, set up that mouth-watering tie by emulating Edinburgh in reaching their first semi-final with an emphatic 22-3 win over Saracens at Vicarage Road.
Ulster are dining again at Europe’s top table again after a win which Brian McLaughlin, set to stand aside at the end of the season to make way for New Zealander Mark Anscombe, described as the highlight of his coaching career. It was, he said, the product of “three years of really hard work.
“It’s been something we have emphasised the whole way through; the importance of getting Ulster up the ladder and getting Ulster to that top table. We’re not there yet, we’re under no illusions. Edinburgh showed yesterday what they can do against Toulouse and it’s all set up for another magnificent semi-final.”
In particular, Ulster drew heavily on their experience of leading at half-time away to Northampton on this weekend last year. “Last year we went to Northampton in hope rather than expectation,” said McLaughlin.
“Today we came down here with expectation and now that expectation is upon us. We know that today is the start of something, not the end.”
On a momentous day, even with a Sunday brunchtime kick-off, and regardless of pubs being granted a licence to open at 10am, the atmosphere crackled before the kick-off, and at the end the Ulster squad conducted a lap of honour to thank their vocal pockets of 6,500 supporters, whom McLaughlin acknowledged for their “impact and energy”.
Ulster’s initial request for the semi-final was in the region of 20,000 tickets.
Encouragingly, or perhaps unnervingly, Ulster have recorded two bonus point wins over Edinburgh in the Pro12 this season, winning 42-20 at Murrayfield in January and 38-16 in March at Ravenhill.
For Munster, re-aligning their sights on the Pro12 will not be easy. “It’s difficult to put into words at this stage,” admitted Tony McGahan. “I thought Ulster were terrific, right across the park. They got off to a substantial lead, with three penalties kicked from over half-way, and they certainly came to play, which we knew they would.
“They controlled the field position and the scoreboard in that first half but I think full credit to the Munster team for they way they fought back.
“If we just showed a little bit more composure, a little bit more intensity and continued to work hard to come up, but unfortunately, some ball turned over through good work of theirs certainly stifled us at the backend.”
Compared to Saracens earning a Twickenham semi-final, Leinster would have feared Clermont as the shorter straw, although at least it is not in their Stade Marcel Michelin, where they have won their last 40 games. Leinster are likely to ask for around 5,000 tickets.
Noting Bordeaux means a significant trek for Clermont (over 300 kilometres away) Schmidt said: “That is a pretty foreign field for them. I know maybe three years ago we (Clermont) beat Toulouse 19-9 in a semi-final in Bordeaux. That is the only other experience I have of playing in Bordeaux.
“They know me pretty well,” he admitted. “Hinesy [Nathan Hines] knows me pretty well as well, Hinesy even knows our lineout calls. Although I don’t reckon he could remember them when he was here, so that might give us an advantage,” quipped Schmidt.
The luck of the draw? “Ah look, I think we should always get the home draw,” he joked, before admitting home advantage at the semi-final stage against Toulouse last year was a massive advantage. “Maybe the 16th man, or 50,000 16th men, certainly helped us get over the line.”
As when losing away to Toulouse two years ago after beating Clermont 29-28 in an epic RDS quarter-final, they’ll have to do it the hard way this time.
