Munster v Perpignan Preview

Listen to live coverage of Munster v Perpignan and Scarlets v Leinster on RTÉ Radio 1 LW 252, DAB and RTÉ.ie. Highlights of both games on RTÉ Two at 11.25pm (Munster Friday, Leinster Saturday).

by Brendan Cole

Where exactly are Munster?

Still leading the Heineken Cup betting markets, the upcoming back-to-back series against French champions Perpignan will certainly provide the clearest indication yet as to whether or not they truly are the force of old.

For those who suggest Munster are in decline, there is a string of middling to poor performances this season to point at - from the Magners League loss at Leinster that started the rumblings of discontent to last weekend's defeat to the Ospreys in the same competition. There has also been clear on-field evidence of poor form across the whole team.

At the heart of it, as ever, is Ronan O'Gara. A pivotal play-maker and points scorer over the last 10 years, Munster's key man needs to rediscover both facets of his game if Munster are to have any hope of progressing to the quarter-finals. Quickly.

But the same goes for virtually every man in this Munster team. The internationals, in particular, must question why they can produce superb quality in green but struggle to get out of third gear in red, reversing the question famously asked of them prior to the Grand Slam.

True believers will, as ever, point out that Munster have often saved their best for this time of the season and have made the doubters look foolish time and again virtually from day one.

However, there is little sense that the men in red are wheeling out the big guns just in time. In fact, in the eyes of most observers, this verges on being about as strange a team as Tony McGahan could have picked. While the forward pack has a solid look to it, the absence of Julien Brugnaut from the squad is odd, and the injured Jerry Flannery will be sorely missed at lineout time.

Much will be expected of the back-row of Denis Leamy, Alan Quinlan and David Wallace, who must see off the threat on the deck of Perpignan openside Bertrand Guiry.

But it is when you move on to the backs that this team starts to look highly unusual.

The demotion of Jean de Villiers from the starting XV is arguably justifiable given that Munster clearly have not clicked as a backline to date - and looked particularly out of sorts against the Ospreys last week. However, the Springbok and reigning South African Player of the Year can feel aggrieved at the decision on the basis that he has, by and large, been played out of position - at outside-centre - thus far.

Even worse, he has received precious little usable ball from Lifemi Mafi, who has tended to back himself and cut across his outside centre far too often with ball in hand.

Mafi is retained and now partners the undoubtedly talented and pacy Keith Earls. However, neither player is renowned for passing the ball especially well, and it is hard to see Doug Howlett and Denis Hurley getting much in the way of good attacking ball in wide positions.

Munster will likely be narrow in attack; hence the pressure on the back row to provide much of the attacking impetus.

Ian Dowling's exclusion from the squad is almost an even bigger sign that major change is afoot, and not necessarily for the better. Dowling is one of a few who has come to embody what Munster are all about: heart; never say die; getting the best out of your own talent. The selected 23 will require those qualities in spades this evening.

In defence, meanwhile, Mafi and Earls are brave, quick and hard hitting. However, they are also prone to miss the odd tackle and have been seen to shoot up unwisely from time to time.

The French 10-12-13 trio of Gavin Hume, Maxime Mermoz and David Marty has an eye-catching blend of power and subtlety. Full-back Jerome Porical will likely take the penalty kicks and conversions and it remains to be seen how much kicking from the hand Hume will take on.

Hume - 6'2 and over 16 stone - looks a battering ram rather than a rapier, Mermoz can distribute and offload, while Marty has a touch of class in attack. Worrying for an untested and rather small Munster trio.

The saving grace is that this is - when will the French start getting it - not the best side Perpignan could have sent. The back-row in particular is second and third string.

However, Nicholas Mas and Perry Freshwater will present a major scrummaging challenge. For John Hayes, who had a torrid time along with Cian Healy at scrum-time in November, this is a very big night. Wian du Preez must also show he can produce international quality for Munster at loosehead.

The lineout will also be of massive importance; Denis Fogarty's sometimes unreliable delivery must hit the target far more often than not. Perpignan have height and, in windy conditions, it will be trickier than usual to put together solid routines.

All in all, Munster's team selection looks like a gamble but even though Perpignan are understrength, they will be expected to win. Failure to do so will see the pressure on the coaching ticket of Tony McGahan and Laurie Fisher ratcheted up another notch; success will leave the critics with yet more egg on their faces.

Virtually impossible to call, this is as big a test of bravery and faith as Munster have faced in a long while.

Prediction: Munster 13-10 USA Perpignan

Munster: P Warwick; D Howlett, K Earls, L Mafi, D Hurley; R O'Gara, T O'Leary; W du Preez, D Fogarty, J Hayes; D O'Callaghan, P O'Connell (capt); A Quinlan, D Wallace, D Leamy. Replacements: D Varley, D Hurley, T Buckley, M O'Driscoll, D Ryan, N Ronan, P Stringer, J de Villiers.

Perpignan: J Porical; F Sid, D Marty, M Mermoz; C Manas; G Hume, N Durand; P Freshwater, G Guirado, N Mas (capt); O Olibeau, R Tchale Watchou; Y Vivalda, B Guiry, Y Parent. Replacements: M Tincu, J Schuster, K Pulu, C Geli, D Mele, J Grandclaude, P Burger, R Alvarez.

Referee: Wayne Barnes (England).