THAT is the question which every rugby fan in Ireland and even the World is now asking. After Leinster won their second Heineken Cup last weekend, the two bitter rivals are now head to head on two wins apiece. Munster fans had always held it over their Blue wearing cousins. “Come back to us when you have two” was the jibe most often used by Red cladded Munster fans. Well, they are back now and what better way to settle the argument than to play each other in a final.
The Magners League Grand Final takes place this Saturday evening at Thomond Park (kick off 17.05). At the time of writing it was not known whether Munster would form a guard of honour for the new Heineken Cup Champions. That pill would prove extremely hard to swallow.
The 80 minutes on Saturday might not answer the question previously asked. After all, whomever wins the third Heineken Cup first will have that bragging right.
No, this weekend’s game means more than just the local pride and the ‘us versus them’ adage. This weekend’s game is a watershed moment for Munster rugby.
The ground is a sell out. That was a given. However another trophy less 12 months for Munster, could see a repeat of the low attendances next year, which plagued the end of the regular Magners League this season. Munster cannot afford that.
The other elephant in the room is the aging of the Munster squad. Going on last weekend’s performance by Leinster, rugby has moved on from what Munster were always good at. The pace at which games are played now can be match by this Munster side. The physicality factor however, is still a question waiting to be answered.
As if the final was not enough drama for everyone, Leinster can, with a win, secure a unique Magners League feat. The Blues could become the first Celtic Rugby side to win the Heineken Cup and their domestic league in the same season. Would that make them better than Munster?
In an additional twist, this is the last club game of the season for the Irish international players. With a World Cup now just months away, spots on the plane to New Zealand are up for grabs. The Magners League final is now a final trial for Ireland, a grudge match, a title decider and a local derby. What more could a fan want?
Sport, as we all know, is cyclical. Munster will have their day in the Heineken again. It may come after Leinster have won one or two more, but it will come.
The hard thing now for Munster fans is to watch their bitter rivals play a brand of rugby which all teams in Europe would like to play. The last meeting between the two sides saw a game of two halves. Munster made a phenomenal comeback to secure a 24-23 win in a game which Munster looked dead and buried in.
The game itself this weekend will be won by the team who is most physical and also the most fit. It will literally be a case of the last man standing or kicking will win the game.
In recent weeks Munster have struggled to play at a high tempo for a full 80. Leinster will be undoubtedly tired from last weekends exertions. The game is too tight to call.
Munster have looked vulnerable in the centres in recent weeks. Defensively that is. Leinster could use McFadden to good use here. Munster will look to Earls, Jones and Howlett once more for inspiration. The packs should cancel each other out.
The winning and the losing of this game could just come down to two men. Again, we have come full circle. Who’s the best? Leinster or Munster, Sexton or O’Gara. Answers to come.
