Heineken Cup: Pool Stages Review

by Brendan Cole

Now, at the end of another Heineken Cup pool stage, it makes sense to take a look back. As ever, there is a huge Munster v Leinster element to any essay of the Irish performances in the competition.

That's because, although it was good to see Ulster play well against Gloucester in Kingsholm on Sunday, they are not really in the same echelon of the game at this point. The future is bright, as there is still plenty of raw material there for Matt Williams to work on, and they will be stronger next year; expect the daft back play in particular to improve greatly. However, unlike the other two provinces, Ulster never really had any high hopes before the competition started.

Munster and Leinster: similar challenges

Munster and Leinster: similar challenges Munster and Leinster, after all, had similar resources, similarly tough groups, and, it seemed at the beginning, relatively similar chances of doing well. But the difference between the final games is illustrative; Leinster's competition ended with their being bullied off the park by Leicester. Munster, a matter of hours later, were doing the same to Heineken Cup champions Wasps and marching into the quarters.

Over the course of the campaign, it might be admitted that Munster had strokes of luck here and there: the schedule suited, and Clermont's decision to send a weakened team to Thomond Park also helped. But they played their cards far more effectively from start to finish. For Leinster, the failure to dominate the middle games against Edinburgh was fatal, and they were unable to take advantage of a myriad of bonus point situations. Although the loss of Chris Whitaker was huge, Munster also had to shuffle personnel, and achieved what they have done without their best forward, Paul O'Connell.

As for the draw, Leinster might well reckon that they could have strolled through at least three of the easier pools. But that is not to ignore the obvious. Leinster are, as has been the case for a long number of years now, very good at their best, but they were once again unable to produce consistently over the campaign, or, for that matter, 80 minutes.

Le Roux: Leinster's big signing

There are success stories. Their big signing, Ollie Le Roux, has generally done a fantastic job of providing a stable platform for the rest of the Leinster pack to work off, beginning with the scrum. It is no accident that two of Leinster's best players this year have been Bernard Jackman and Stan Wright; that's not to take anything away from those individuals, but the effect of having a top quality operator like Le Roux in alongside shouldn't be underestimated. Leo Cullen, another new addition, and Mal O'Kelly have also been on top form in a tight five that has improved out of sight.

Basically, Cheika identified a problem and built a strong unit that more than fixed it; it isn't overstating things to say that Leinster's sole notable victory, (v Leicester in Round One), was founded on the strength of the front row.

However, although the pack has undoubtedly improved, the team as a whole are still vulnerable to being frustrated by even slightly better than average sides; Edinburgh being a case in point.

Leinster's back play: dramatic decline

Most worrying is that the back play has regressed dramatically, and is no longer effective at winning matches or even scoring bonus points. As with Ireland at RWC 2007, defences seem to have caught up with it. For whatever reason, the footwork, searing linebreaks and offloads that characterised the better days in past seasons were not in evidence this time around. The David Knox situation clearly didn't help, but there seems to be a deeper malaise at work.

What next?

Eoin Reddan - may be at Leinster next year Next year, the indications are that Eoin Reddan will be joining. It seems, based on his recall of Guy Easterby after Chris Whitaker's injury, that Michael Cheika sees scrum-half as a major obstacle to his backline playing at their best; he may not wrong, but it clearly isn't the only issue. As was obvious at the start of this year, out-half and centre are also causing team-wide problems. Much like the 2003 All Blacks, who, in thrall to the brilliance of Carlos Spencer opted to play him at out-half for the Rugby World Cup that year, Leinster have become obsessed with the attributes that Felipe Contepomi brings to the out-half position.

It cost New Zealand that tournament, and it may be that if this everlasting attempt to play 'expansive' rugby at the expense of common sense is continued at Leinster, it will continue to cost them too. Contepomi was brilliant at first centre for Argentina in France, and there is the obvious alternative of playing Jonathan Sexton, an approach that might have yielded greater dividends in the competition just gone. The next few months will be interesting to say the least.

Munster: maintained levels, and also improved key areas

Munster, meanwhile, maintained their already high levels in some areas and improved in others. The pack, despite a shift in style, is still a formidable machine; testament to the quality of the work being done on the training ground. The scrum and lineout in particular reached new heights.

The backs have also been improved greatly, not least by the introduction of Rua Tipoki and also the improved form of Lifemi Mafi. Ronan O'Gara has put the World Cup disaster behind him and is playing about as well as he ever has for his province.

Munster's biggest signing, Doug Howlett, also worked perfectly - although it could be argued that if he had played in Round One, when they were beaten by a point at Wasps, qualification would have been even easier, and a home draw secured.

But if Le Roux was key to Leinster's solitary achievement of note, Howlett's contribution to the result in Clermont in particular was perhaps even more crucial, while he was outstanding again on Saturday against Wasps. Munster would probably not be where they are now had he not come into the side.

Ultimately, while both Leinster and Munster have improved this year in the departments that were previously seen as weaknesses, it should be recognised that the job of the coach is to make sure that a) his team improves at a faster rate than the competition and b) improvement in one area isn't accompanied by slippage elsewhere.

This season, that has only happened at one province.

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'I don't make predictions, and I never will.....' Paul Gascoigne.

I re-print one of the sport's greatest quotes in response to some inquiries about how the predictions that have appeared at the end of Heineken Cup preview columns (Thursdays) actually do:

Predicted (estimated) results in bold, actual results in plain:

Glasgow Warriors 13-19 Saracens
Glasgow Warriors 17-21

Biarritz Olympique 39-10 Viadana
Biarritz Olympique 25-16 Viadana

Dragons 15-10 Perpignan
Dragons 0-25 Perpignan

Benetton Treviso 10-28 London Irish
Benetton Treviso 11-24 London Irish

Leicester Tigers 12-24 Leinster
Leicester Tigers 25-9 Leinster

Toulouse 25-19 Edinburgh
Toulouse 34-10 Edinburgh

Llanelli Scarlets 17-26 Clermont Auvergne
Llanelli Scarlets 0-41 Clermont Auvergne

Munster 15-10 Wasps
Munster 19-3 Wasps

Gloucester Rugby 23-13 Ulster
Gloucester Rugby 29-21 Ulster

Bourgoin 12-3 Ospreys
Bourgoin 21-28 Ospreys

Bristol Rugby 8-19 Cardiff Blues
Bristol Rugby 0-17 Cardiff Blues