MUNSTER have reached yet another semi final of the Heineken Cup. On May 2, Munster travel to San Sebastien in Spain to face France’s Biarritz. The tie is a repeat of the 2006 decider, which of course, Munster won.
The semi final spot was booked after an heroic 33-19 win over Nortampton at Thomond Park last weekend. The doubters had been out in force the week previous, but once more, the enigma that is Munster rugby made the journalists eat their words.
A four try demolition of the Saints sets up a season defining few weeks for Munster. This weekend Munster take on Connacht in the Magners league. The following weekend, the red army face the Ospreys at home and then the semi final comes into the crosshairs.
With Connacht having secured their own European semi final spot last weekend in the Amilin Challenge Cup, the match this weekend could be a massive clash of form teams or it could be a damp squib played by squad players.
Munster manager Shaun Payne, while this week talking to PostSport, confirmed that “all games are vital” from now on and that “balancing the books of players” will be the main aim with the semi final in sight.
Previewing Connacht, the South African manager had praise for this weekend’s rivals, “You just get the feeling that everything is going to come down to Cardiff in the last game in Magners league week 18. We can’t afford to be dropping any points at this minute. It’s Connacht at the Sportsground which is a very close game every year. Obviously we came a cropper there last year. If you look at their recent form, they have been outstanding. It was the best I’ve seen them play since I’ve been here. They were excellent against Leinster and possibly deserved to win that game in the end, and obviously did brilliantly well to come through last weekend. I think Connacht really are playing very well at the minute. At the Sportsground they are never, ever a pushover. Add onto that their form and it’s a formidable task”.
With Biarritz in mind, Munster this weekend will be without Howlett (hamstring), Dowling (knee), Earls (groin) and Paul O Connell (groin). The latter being at this stage still a doubt for the Biarritz game, if reading between the lines is anything to go by.
As usual, the brighter nights bring big games for Munster, starting this week in Galway and then further afield.
Munster scrum half Tomas O Leary gets the ball away from a ruck during his man of the match performance against Northampton last weekend. Yes that is Jerry Flannery’s head in there somewhere.
