SECONDS out, round three. Munster take on the Northampton Saints this Saturday at 5.30pm in the quarter final of the Heineken Cup. This will be the third time these sides meet in this season’s tournament and it stands at one win apiece. With the first game finishing 31-27 to Saints and the second game at Thomond Park finishing 12-9, it does not take a rocket scientist to know that this Saturday’s winner takes all game will be a tight affair.
Speaking ahead of the game Munster’s coach Tony Mc Gahan believes the winning and losing will come down to forward power. “Big games, like this one, are all about grunt and power up front. We expect to see the new interpretations at the breakdown being applied so that area will be key. We also need to make sure that we are more clinical in our attacking play. We have not been finishing as well as we have been in the past and it has been something we have worked on. To win these big games you need that ‘X’ factor and hopefully we can get that on Saturday”.
Speaking of ‘X’ Factors, Captain Paul O Connell and Keith Earls are expected to return to the side which lost out to Leinster 16-15 last week. O Connell mirrors Mc Gahan’s views on the game, maintaining this week that “all the little things need to improve from last week. Our set piece worked very well and our general play was OK. Maybe we didn’t finish out the first half like we should have but we know that we have some strong things to build on for this week. Sometimes it is better to lose the week before a big game because you look for answers and faults quicker than if you win. So, we have spent this week working hard on our gameplan and hopefully, as I said, the little things go for us and we can get the win”.
Munster hooker Jerry Flannery feels that he would rather have won last week. “I like to win every game I play. I was targeting last week for six weeks so I was disappointed with the win. We didn’t play smart rugby and we didn’t execute our game plan very well. The intensity and physicality of the game last week will stand to us and we will need that and more to win this weekend. We need to play smarter, set shorter targets and go from there. As a pack we give our backs the same kind of ball like last week. We can’t expect them to do anything when they are faced with a line of defenders. No rugby game is won without the forwards work. We need to work harder as a team and we need the crowd to give it socks too”.
Crowd favourite Jean De Villiers agrees with all his team mates that this game is make or break for the season. “These are the type of games I came to Munster for. I have only two games left in Thomond Park and I want to make sure that I give everything for those games. My responsibility is to fill the jersey, like the others before me. I had a slow start here. I wasn’t giving the fans and the coaches the stuff they signed me for. I think I have risen to the challenge now though and hopefully I can prove that on Saturday. There will be a test match atmosphere and I am looking forward to playing in it”.
Having only played twice before with Keith Earls at centre, both games won, De Villiers believes that defence will be the main area of strength on both sides. “The two games so far have been really tight in winning margins. Defences will know more about each other too and that will make the game very tight. We will try and target their weaknesses and see what will happen from there. We are confident in our ability, now we just need to perform. Munster fans deserve it. I live for these games and my time here is something I will never forget. Even when I finish here I will have friends and memories here for life”.
With all the players and management in determined mood, the game itself will come down to Nigel Owens refereeing. Northampton are no push overs and Munster are not yet in full stride. It’s make or break now and when the opposition have no fear, then Munster know they are in for a game. It is going to be tight. Munster need this win more than some people may think. It’s do or die and Munster normally win those.
