Munster next as Neath prove no match

By Mike Hill
January 19 2003

Tigers cruised into the quarter-finals with a 36 points to 11 victory over a Neath side with little to play for. Tigers showed glimpses of top form in a game they dominated for long periods.

Two tries in each half was supplemented by 16 points from the boot of Tim Stimpson. Geordan Murphy scored after a powerful surge by Martin Johnson had tied in the Neath defence. Vesty and Kafer cleverly switched play and left Murphy to hit the gap. Neath cut Leicester's defence to ribbons with a slick backs move that resulted in a try for Shane Williams but that was as good as it got for the visitors.

Jamie Hamilton replaced Harry Ellis midway through the first half and immediately made an impact as he darted around the edge of a ruck close to the line and touched down beneath the posts. Hamilton silenced his Crumbie Terrace doubters with one of his best performances in a Leicester shirt. His passing was accurate, he cleaned up well at the rucks and he made numerous breaks in the second half.

As Jamie showed in last years European Cup final (before Stimpson gave him a hospital pass) he can make the grade but lacks consistency. He is equally likely to be poor as he is good but on Saturday he was close to being MOM. I think for once Heineken got it spot on so this weeks award goes to the awesome Martin Osbourne Johnson. In Corry's absence Johnno took on more ball carrying responsibility and was imperious in the lineout.

Neath were still just about in contention until the final quarter of the game when Dean brought Josh and Moody off the bench to play three # 7's in the back row. Josh has been in cracking form for the last couple of months and he continued in that vein by driving over the line to score despite hitting the deck and the attention of half the Neath pack. When Neil Back limped off late in the game we then had the novelty of three second row on the pitch with MOJ at 8.

Ben Kay capped a much better performance than of late with a try, he was perhaps motivated by the watching Clive Woodward as Le Crunch with France looms large on the horizon. Hopefully Tigers will have continued their upward curve by the time they meet Munster. The Irish side are phenomenal away from home in the Heineken Cup and will be desperate for revenge after last years final. After their stunning victory over a naive Gloucester side Munster will feel they can go all the way to the final for a third time.

The whole draw for the quarter-finals this year is mouth watering and should provide four titanic battles between eight relatively evenly matched sides. Home advantage could once again prove crucial. One thing is sure Leicester v Munster could sell out Welford Road twice over. There have been mutterings in the press about using the Walkers Stadium to host the Quarter Final but can you honestly see Dean Richards agreeing to give up the psychological advantage WR holds?