News: Thoughts from the Chron - 9th April 2010

So here we go, the big one and all roads lead to Limerick. To say this is the game of the season so far is a bit of an understatement, Munster away in a Heineken Cup tie it does not come much bigger, but wait a minute haven’t we all been here before?

Indeed we have, and there might lie the key to this tie. The pool game at Thomond Park was just three months ago when we sampled the atmosphere and know in our heart of hearts that we let a famous victory slip. We came, we saw, we almost conquered.

 Thoughts from the Chron

9^th April 2010

This time round it is almost a case of ‘been there done that’. The famous Thomond factor will not be the culture shock it was in January and I would be surprised if we experience anything surpassing the Munster cauldron just after Paul O’Connell was sin binned which in my mind won the game for the hosts.

The lads will know that in those few frantic minutes the crowd had to up the ante to raise their team because the Saints really had them on the rack. Up to then they had been fairly muted throughout the game given what we were told to expect and if anything the rabid cacophony post O’Connells yellow card was a backhanded compliment to our boys. Without that mental lift at that crucial time Munster may well have lost the game.

There has been some talk from supporters over the water this week about how our game plan will play into their hands but the more level headed amongst the Red Army are tempering their support for their side with a touch of concern. They know they escaped by the skin of their teeth last time and since then Saints have arguably got better. And will those confident that our gameplan is a given know which Saints are actually going to turn up, I watch them every week and I’m sure I don’t!  That ever increasing tenacious defence with a hard physical edge or the side that can cut loose and attack with pace or offload after offload from anywhere on the park. We’ve done both in recent weeks and sometimes both in the same afternoon.

There is a quote from Munster’s Ronan O’Gara this week in The Times“ The thing that impresses me is Northampton’s consistency. They don’t have massive highs and lows; they grind out wins if they have to.”

After skipper O’Connell was heard to be surprised that we had won ten on the trot before we met them the last time it sounds like the Irish province have been doing their homework on the Saints this time round.

Indeed we can grind out wins and we can to some extent shut up shop when we need too but it is far from the be all and end all of Saints game. It will also not have escaped Munster that since we last met we have lost just the once, the mental kick up the backside at Quins, but even then we only conceded a handful of points. In the Guinness Premiership we now have the tightest defence, conceding just 13.5 points per game and that figure has been getting smaller week on week.

You might argue that that figure does not hold water in one off cup games but in what might be a war of attrition out in Ireland it will sure help but then we have had plenty experience of winning the odd game or two by whatever means this season be it defence or outright attack. A win is a win, is a win and now it is winner takes all that is all that matters however you go about it.

Well I really think we are in with a very, very good chance. We travel as underdogs there is no escaping that but not nearly as distant as some would have you believe. Too many are leaning on Munster’s and especially Thomond Parks history rather than current form.

Defensively you could not fault the lads in January but for me the backs were a little stilted and never really got into the stride we know they are fully capable of. This time round with the back three of Bruce Reihana, Chris Ashton and Ben Foden currently on fire Munster will be hoping those Garryowen’s don’t stray too deep or it could be payback time. In the centre I guess James Downey and Jon Clarke will hold sway while should it be my choice I would start Shane Geraghty at ten. There has been much talk this week about whether Shane or Steve Myler should start at flyhalf. Taking nothing away from Smyler I think Shane is our big game player at present, keeping the opposition guessing with his mix and match game. If he can turn it on like he did in the Munster clash at the Gardens then we may have the beating of them whatever happened in January in the return. Steve could still have a massive role to play however, coming on as the closer should the  need arise.

The forwards I think virtually pick themselves in Euan, Dylan and Soane in the front row. Big Juandre and Courtney in the second whilst an abrasive back row of Neil Best, Roger Wilson and Phil Dowson can compete with anyone on equal terms. Then we have a very able bench to supplement these guys.

So XV against XV I would fancy our guys against anyone and I suspect rather than be overawed on Saturday at Thomond Park they will thrive on it and come away with the biggest scalp in our history. Saints by five!

SUPPORT

As ever there will be a good showing from the Saints support out in the west of Ireland this weekend. Saints sold a few thousand tickets and although a handful found their way home to Munster followers I think we may well have double the number out supporting the team that we did in January.

As well as the official club trip there will be the usual large contingent of ‘do it yourselfers’ making their way by various means to Limerick.  Via just about every airport and ferry port in the Republic using plane train and automobile (and at least two I know of doing the whole trip on motorbike) the Gold, Black and Green hordes will be looking to make a good account of themselves.

For myself I am heading out overnight tonight (Thursday) via Holyhead and Dublin and will be in Limerick mid Friday morning for four nights and if it is half as good as it was in January I’ll be a happy man.

As I wrote on my return we met nothing but friendliness and warmth the whole time we were there on the last visit and I’d expect nothing less this time round. If you were in a Saints shirt you could not get far without someone stopping you to talk about the game and wishing you well. As per usual, and given the numbers there were, Saints supporters were scattered around just about every bar in the city centre and I know some firm friendships were made with the locals. The party is sure to be just as lively this weekend whatever the result on the pitch and I am looking forward to meeting up again with some new found friends myself. I cannot really recommend one bar over another, nor was there a general meeting place for Saints supporters, the size of most pubs dictated that but for those traveling out for the first time I am sure you will all find your own little boltholes over the weekend where you will be made most welcome. Enjoy, I know I will.

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