Heineken Cup Quarter-finals Review
by Brendan Cole
After yet another weekend of European club rugby of the highest quality - and one that undoubtedly gave more ammunition to the 'Heineken Cup is Europe's best rugby competition' brigade - we are left with two over-achievers and two teams for whom anything short of landing the top prize will be a disappointment. Thankfully, Munster and Toulouse, the big guns, have been kept apart by the draw and, presuming the semi-final matches go to form, should meet in tantalising final in Cardiff in May.
Do they have anything to fear from London Irish and Saracens? Both are solid upper mid-table Guinness Premiership standard teams but lack a certain amount of pedigree. As the Neath-Swansea Ospreys found, the special Heineken Cup atmosphere has a habit of catching the less experienced teams out. The true tournament specialists have learned the trick of making that a virtue, and Irish and Sarries don't look to have it in them to notch up their level as Wasps have done on big occasions in the last few years. On the other hand, both have played above expectations to get this far and have players that are forces to be reckoned with.
Oddly, given that theirs was the most convincing scoreline of the weekend, it is Toulouse who could struggle more in the next round as, away from home, they may fall into the trap of allowing themselves to be dragged into a shootout by a London Irish outfit that boasts more than a smattering of class. Undoubtedly, of all the weekend's performances, Munster's victory in Kingsholm sent out the more ominous message of intent. Gloucester put up a fight and, in front of their home crowd, the opening salvoes were ferocious. Given Gloucester's quality of player and the fact that they produced a performance close to their best, goal kicking woes aside, the supreme self-confidence and power with which Munster were able to bat them away was remarkable.
Saracens away are next for the men in red and, in truth, they look ideal opponents. In the closest match of the weekend they really caught the Ospreys napping mentally and, playing with far greater intensity than in other recent clashes between the two sides, came away with a notable win. From a Munster perspective, the result takes out what might have been a dangerous opponent and replaces them with a side that looks as though it may have already peaked. The Ospreys would probably have gone into any clash with Munster as slight underdogs and might well have produced a more clear-headed effort than the muddling display they put in on Sunday. Saracens look as though they may have peaked at this point.
For those who have backed the Ospreys project financially it must have been deeply worrying to see more than a few of what are a very well reimbursed group of players losing patience and concentration in the face of a determined and tough, but by no means seismic, Saracens assault. One or two players even appeared to drop the effort levels with the game still in the balance, and there was an over-riding sloppiness to the play that hints at changes in personnel, on both sides of the whitewash, going into next season.
In broader terms, this match also had the heroes of the Warren Gatland/Shaun Edwards inspired revival looking very much like mere mortals again. Wales played as though they were unstoppable a month ago but back in white these players could only transfer the techniques and style, and not the substance, from the Six Nations. Ireland take note: Saracens proved that, if you hit them hard enough and often enough, this generation of Welsh players are as beatable as anyone else.
By way of contrast, it was heartening to see half of what had been a lethargic Ireland Six Nations team playing like their lives depended on it. Munster's performance wasn't about 'effort' or 'trying their hardest', something all involved have done throughout Ireland's dark period. They played as though their lives depended on it. Mentally, they were streets ahead of the national side.
Which brings us to the final consequence of this weekend: Munster v Gloucester was surely the final proof, if any was needed, that Declan Kidney must be the next Ireland coach. The Corkman has orchestrated more victories against the odds, on the road and/or with everything on the line than any Irish coach in the professional era. He has also helped us to see, as was again in evidence on Saturday, that Irish players are physically and in terms of skills a match for players from anywhere else.
At this stage of the professional era, Ireland need a coach who will surround them with technical expertise and facilitate them to play their best (and not, as they seemed to fall into the trap of doing at times over these past few months, their 'least worst'). Kidney has that knack. Team selection and his attitude to younger players is the final problem Ireland have struggled with of late and, in characteristically timely fashion, Kidney showed he is capable of being bold there as well on Saturday by putting Tomas O'Leary and Denis Hurley in his starting line-up. Typically, it played like a masterstroke.
At this stage, there can surely be no other choice.
